Gluten-Free Banana Nut Muffins (5 Minute Prep)

Heather Dessinger

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Gluten-free banana nut muffins on baking rack

So, my kids keep trying to convince me that our bananas are “going bad” and need to be saved immediately. Yep, the ones that were basically green yesterday.

They’re joking , of course, but they’re totally serious about doing anything they can to convince me to make another batch of these gluten-free banana nut muffins.

Moist and sweet and chock-full of banana nut goodness, they only take a few minutes of hands-on time to whip up. Also, because all the batter ingredients are mixed in one container – a blender or food processor – cleanup is quick and easy. I hope you love them as much as we do!

P.S. If you have slightly under-ripe bananas, here’s how to ripen them quickly. Also, if you’re using organic bananas save the peels for this relaxing bedtime tea.

P.P.S. If you’re looking for a banana bread recipe, click here.

Now onto the recipe! 🙂

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5 from 3 votes

Gluten-Free Banana Nut Muffins

Moist and sweet and chock-full of banana nut goodness, these muffins only take a few minutes of hands-on time to whip up.
Course Breakfast
Keyword muffins
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 11 muffins
Calories 277kcal
Author Mommypotamus

Equipment

  • blender or food processor
  • standard muffin pan
  • parchment paper liners

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • ¼ coconut flour (OR 1/2 cup oat flour)
  • tsp baking powder (If you don't have it on hand, you can make it with baking soda, cream of tartar and arrowroot flour or non-GMO cornstarch. Here's how.)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans or chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place 10-12 parchment paper liners into the muffin tin. (The coconut flour version makes 10-11, and the oat flour version makes 11-12.)
  • Mash the bananas with a fork and measure out 1½ cups.
  • Add all the wet ingredients (mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup and butter/coconut oil) to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  • Add all dry ingredients except the pecans/walnuts on top of the wet ingredients and blend again until smooth.
  • Stir in 1/4 cup of the nutsYou can transfer the mixture to a bowl for this step if you'd like. Personally, I just remove my blender container from the base, add the nuts, and then use a silicone spatula to mix them in. (That's one less bowl to wash!)
  • Place about 1/3 cup batter into each cup, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of the nuts over the top of the muffins.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes

Nutrition values are estimated based on the use of butter, coconut flour and pecans in the recipe (instead of coconut oil, oat flour and walnuts).

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 1mg
Overhead view of gluten-free banana nut muffins on cooling rack next to fresh bananas

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions I’ve received about gluten-free baking:

Can I use my all-purpose gluten-free flour blend instead of almond flour and coconut flour?

Almond flour and coconut flour absorb liquid differently than all-purpose flours, so unfortunately they can’t usually be swapped for each other in baking recipes. I haven’t tested this recipe with any pre-made blends but my guess is they may turn out too wet, too dry, etc.

Can I use applesauce as an egg replacer?

Although I have used applesauce as an egg replacer in some recipes, I haven’t tested it in this one. I think it tends to work best in recipes that only use 1-2 eggs. This one uses significantly more and may not hold together as well with applesauce. That said, if you try it please let us know how it works out!

Second view of gluten-free banana nut muffins on cooling rack next to fresh bananas

More Muffin Recipes To Try

Blueberry Muffins – Moist and cakey, these grain-free muffins are delicious served warm and slathered in butter.

Strawberry Streusel Muffins – These muffins pair a rich, cakey batter with a crunchy, crumbly streusel topping, and they’re surprisingly easy to make.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins – My daughter and I worked on this recipe for over a month, and she’s super proud that her input created the winning batch. The flavor is bright and lemony, and the texture is moist and cakey.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins – Made with fresh apples and sprinkled with a crumb topping, these gluten-free apple muffins are full of flavor and seriously scrumptious.

Want even more?

No problem, I’ve created a free ebook for you – 35+ Gluten-Free Desserts – as a gift for signing up for my newsletter. Every Sunday you’ll get recipes, actionable health tips, and highly-vetted product recommendations delivered fresh to your inbox.

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About HEATHER

Heather is a holistic health educator, herbalist, DIYer, Lyme and mold warrior. Since founding Mommypotamus.com in 2009, Heather has been taking complicated health research and making it easy to understand. She shares tested natural recipes and herbal remedies with millions of naturally minded mamas around the world. 

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Recipe Rating




92 thoughts on “Gluten-Free Banana Nut Muffins (5 Minute Prep)”

  1. Emily Cowles Brown – Before we started GAPS we didn’t eat many walnuts, so local sources were enough. Been buying huge quantities at Whole Foods since then simply because I haven’t taken the time to track down a more affordable option. Now that avocados are $3 a piece at my grocery store it would probably be worthwhile to look into!

    Reply
  2. 5 minute prep is my kind of recipe! To find things that don’t dirty every single bowl in your kitchen, or something that takes a few minutes to prep is seriously AMAZING.

    Reply
    • Unfortunately, it won’t. Coconut flour soaks up moisture so you have to use a lot more eggs than in a traditional recipe. Almond flour has a similar moisture level to regular flour and I’m afraid you’d end up with an eggy mess on your hands. Sorry!

      Reply
        • I’ve heard some people use chia seeds mixed with water, but I don’t have any personal experience to speak from. Coconut flour recipes require a high ratio of eggs to keep from being very dry – I probably would skip this one rather than try to substitute.

          Reply
  3. Oh, these look yummy! And so easy to make! I’m about to embark on the GAPS diet myself, so it’s great to have some simpler options available. I’m just wondering what you mean when you say ‘vanilla’. Is it essence, powder, or something else?

    Reply
  4. i will definitely let you know if they turn out well and share the recipe 🙂 I was thinking it would translate into banana muffins too…we will see!

    Reply
  5. sorry to post so many times lol…i was just looking at the recipe and it looks like they just sub applesauce for eggs? I would rather just have eggs though 🙁

    Reply
  6. please post the zucchini muffin recipe! I’m not at the stage of being able to handle eggs yet either :/ I’ve tried replacing egg with applesauce with success in the past 🙂

    Reply
  7. @ Sara 21/2 cups almond flour
    1/2 cup apple sauce 1/8 cup honey 1/3 cup coconut oil
    1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda (optional) 2 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground cloves and 1 cup grated zucchini (you can also ass nuts, vanilla, flaxseeds, ect)

    Reply
  8. These look delicious! I’m going to try making them soon. Wondering if you could freeze these? I’ve never tried freezing my muffins made with coconut flour.

    Reply
  9. We’re making this recipe for the first time on Thursday evening for my hubby to take to the office. I’m definitely interested in learning if they freeze well. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Wow, you’re sending them to the office even though you’ve never tried them? That’s a lot of trust! I’m glad this is one of my best recipes, lol!

    Reply
  11. Lol — what better way to test out a recipe for the first time, right? lol We’re going to bake them up Thursday evening, and of course, sample them ourselves just as soon as they’re cool enough to touch! lol

    Reply
  12. THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!
    This recipe is a.w.e.s.o.m.e! Only 3 eggs w.coconut flour is remarkable & a huge success!

    Yours is the -ONLY- recipe I’ve tried that has worked & these taste exactly like “regular” banana-nut bread/muffins! Winner!

    Can’t wait for more brown bananers! 😉

    Reply
  13. Hi, just to tell you that I made your recipe tonight (with a few adaptations) and it tasted amazing!
    Regards from Portugal

    Reply
  14. Just baked a batch. Yes, it was quick and easy, but they were pretty bland and kind of custard-like. Amazingly, my 22 month old son ate them (although I had to top them with butter and maple syrup). This is the fourth recipe I have tried that is grain free and none have been very good. I wonder if I am doing something wrong or if these recipes are an acquired taste…

    Reply
    • It could be a lot of things, Jill! I’m not very “exact” as a baker, so this recipe call for two bananas instead of an exact number of cups, etc. I tend to use large bananas so that the muffins are nice and sweet, so that could account for why you liked them more with syrup. If more cinnamon/nutmeg suits your tastes by all means add it in! As far as the custard texture goes, that’s just partly the way this recipe works. It shouldn’t be too overwhelming though unless there was too much egg in the batter. Like I said, not an exact science here, but we like them!

      Reply
      • Thanks for the reply. I have read elsewhere the custard consistency could be too many eggs; it is a balance of getting enough moisture for the coconut flour without the “eggy” taste/texture. I will keep experimenting…

        I love love love your website!

        Reply
  15. My son has Crohn’s… (we treat it holistically) We officially start GAPS te 1st of June…. Getting my feet we while reading and taking in all of the information… THis recipe is FANTASTIC! Big hit with the hubby and both of my boys! Thanks so much… Really enjoying your website too…. Thanks for adding inspiration, Mommypotamus!

    Reply
  16. Thanks for introducing me to the world of coconut flour!! It was so nice to eat a baked good!!
    I think this recipe might be a keeper, as long as the bananas don’t feen my candida. Well see…..
    Yummy at any rate!!

    Reply
  17. I love your site, recipes, and YOU!!!!!! You inspire me in the kitchen, and as a mom. Thank you! Serious question though, do you have a print button for your recipes??? Maybe I am just missing it? Thank you for everything you do!

    Reply
    • Awww, thank you Erin! This comment totally made my day. 🙂 I don’t have a print button but since you asked I will ask Daddypotamus if we can get one!

      Reply
  18. Hey Heather! I just made these and they were delish!! I noticed you had nutmeg and cinnamon in the ingredients but not in the directions. I assumed they went in with the first round of mixing. Didn’t know if you wanted to update that.

    So glad to have found you and can’t wait to poke around some more 🙂

    Reply
  19. Oh! These look so yummy! My son has a sensitivity to honey- can I use the same amount of maple syrup instead? Thanks for posting this recipe.

    Reply
  20. I thought I’d make a comment on making muffins.Instead of using honey or maple syrup I just increase the amount of very ripe bananas to cover the amount of sweetener needed. to make 12 muffins I use the 1 cup mashed bananas plus 1/4 cup ripe bananas. It takes care of the quick absorbing honey and maple syrup. That keeps the GI much lower.
    Someone asked if you can use maples syrup to replace honey.Yes you can. I do it all the time. Just use equal amounts of maple syrup for honey.
    I have a question. Do you have to make coconut milk first before grinding coconut flour?

    Reply
  21. So I have been trying to come up with a healthy grain free snack for my daughters day as snack helper at preschool and am planning to try these but wanted to make mini muffins… Any idea how that would change cooking temp or time?

    Reply
    • To make any muffin recipe to mini-muffins, you just reduce the cooking time – usually by 5 or 10 minutes. Just poke every so often with a toothpick, until it comes out clean.

      Reply
  22. Why would you use raw honey in a recipe that’s cooking at 400 degrees? I think save the good & pricey stuff for actually eating raw.

    Reply
  23. Wondering what I did wrong– the muffins turned out very grainy and crumbly and did NOT have a smooth uniform texture like the ones in the photo. 🙁 Maybe I will try using a blender instead of my food processor next time… Any thoughts?

    Reply
    • I’m not sure, Rachel! My guess would be that perhaps your coconut flour was extra coarse or there wasn’t enough moisture – if your bananas were on the very small side that could be it.

      Reply
  24. I’ve made this into bread (my muffin tins had an unfortunate paleo egg muffin incident) and it turns out delicious EVERY time! I like to eat it warm with some butter on top and a cup of coffee. Heaven!

    Reply
  25. I’ve wanted to pin some of your yummy recipes in Pinterest but don’t see the Pinterest icon or pin button on your standard site or FB site. Am I missing something?

    Reply
  26. Is there an alternative to the bananas? My daughter is allergic to bananas and all things related (mangoes, avocados, kiwi, latex, etc.). So many recipes use bananas:(

    Reply
  27. Hello! I am linking to this post next week in a post about keeping birthday party food healthy! Thanks for the great post. Linda Spiker (The Organic Kitchen and fellow VGN’er)

    Reply
    • Hey there 🙂
      I’m wondering the same thing; ie. how long to cook a cake for and maybe a size cake tin. Thanks! 🙂 x

      Reply
  28. I am excited to try this recipe. I was wondering if it is ok to soak the walnuts. You think it will affect the texture of the muffins if I do soak the walnuts overnight. I am really making a point to soak all my nuts before we eat them at home.

    Reply
  29. Just made these! They are delicious! I made both mini (15 mins) and regular muffins (25 mins)! I used 1 cup of mashed banana, maple syrup instead of honey and added some chocolate chips! 🙂 Thank you for the recipe! 🙂

    Reply
  30. Id like to use this recipe to make loaf bread instead of muffins. Should i add more egg ans bannana to make it more moist??? Also, can i leave our coconut milk and oil, maybe add more butter instead?

    Reply
  31. Awesome thank you!! Have you considered a ‘print’ button / widget on your page to nake printing the recipes without all the extra pics etc?? would be great!

    Reply
  32. Just wanted to mention that I doubled this recipe, but I forgot to double the eggs!! I was worried they wouldn’t turn out, but they were fabulous! Didn’t stick to the muffin paper at all and I didn’t even oil them! I will say that I used plain yogurt instead of milk and subbed a bit of canned pumpkin for one of the bananas. Instead of mixing the walnuts into the batter, I made a coconut sugar/walnut streusel topping 🙂 Def will be making these again. Thanks!!

    Reply
  33. I just made these. I think they were great! Didn’t taste like coconut like I thought they would. I could smell it, but couldn’t really taste the coconut. Definitely sweet though. I made them into mini-muffins because I have a two year old. The perfect snack size!

    Reply
  34. So first of all, this didn’t make as much as I was expecting. Maybe my bananas weren’t big enough? I think if I make these again, I will omit the nutmeg, add another banana, and use maple syrup instead of honey because the honey taste is a little strong for me.

    Reply
  35. Hi Heather. Been baking gf for some time, but I’m new to grain free baking. I understand coconut flour absorbs lots of liquid. Is there any reason why one of the eggs couldn’t be replaced with additional coconut milk? Most grain free recipes use lots of eggs and I eat eggs in moderation . Thanks for any insight you have!

    Reply
    • Hi Arianna, I haven’t tested it with those ratios so I can’t say for sure. The eggs help hold the muffins together so they may become crumbly if the amount used is reduced.

      Reply
  36. These are my favorite gluten-free muffins to make. The recipe is so simple and versatile! I’ve tried many different nuts and fruit in them and they turn out delicious every time.

    Reply
  37. I love this recipe! It is easy to make….just mix ingredients in my vita mix blender, pour the batter into 12 prepared muffin cups, sprinkle with chopped walnuts & bake. It is moist & tasty. I substituted the maple syrup for honey, in fact much less because the ripe bananas are so sweet already. This is a keeper recipe 😊

    Reply