If you love banana bread, this recipe for vegan banana muffins is right up your alley! They’re extremely easy to make, and are worth every step of the process. Best of all, it ensures that bananas never go to waste in your household!
These comforting muffins have a wonderful banana flavor and a dense, moist texture. Combining the best qualities of banana bread, these muffins are a great alternative to the loaf, as they come in single servings, which require no additional utensils to serve or to eat.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Bananas. Bananas are a great source of natural sugar and potassium. More importantly, they are a versatile ingredient in vegan cooking. In this recipe, bananas provide a sweet, earthy flavor, as well as act as a binding agent for the batter.
- Flour. A key ingredient in baking, wheat flour acts as a great source of carbs and fiber in this vegan muffin recipe.
- Ground flax. When combined with water, flax seeds perform the same culinary action in baking as eggs. They bind the ingredients together, while not preventing the mixture from rising in the oven.
- Coconut oil. In vegan baking, coconut oil is the perfect alternative to butter. It’s a natural source of plant-based fat, and it adds a hint of coconut to these vegan banana muffins.
How to Make Vegan Banana Muffins
This recipe is as simple as it is rewarding. With a few easy steps, you’ll soon be able to enjoy a sweet and comforting snack.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rub a standard muffin tin with melted coconut oil, spray it with cooking spray, or use paper liners.Â
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix the flax with water and let it rest for 5 minutes. The mixture will become cohesive and act as the “egg.”
4. In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add sugar, flax and water mixture, and melted coconut oil.
5. Fold the dry mixture into the banana mixture, and combine until smooth. Carefully fold in chocolate chips, if using.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. If you insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin, it should come out clean. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan. Enjoy warm or cold.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- If you prefer to use wholewheat flour, bear in mind that it has a higher fiber content, which will affect the texture of your muffins. You might even want to reduce the amount of flour by 2-4 tbsp to avoid making these banana muffins too dense.
- As for the gluten-free version of this recipe, you can use all-purpose gluten-free flour or oat flour. Once again, the texture of the bake will be slightly different from the standard recipe, but the muffins will stay intact thanks to bananas and flax seed.
- You can use any type of granulated sugar, including organic cane sugar, Demerara brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
- Chocolate chips are totally optional. You can have plain banana muffins, or you can add crushed nuts, pumpkin seeds, or raisins instead.
- This recipe calls for very ripe bananas, due to their texture and high sugar content. If you couldn’t find any ripe bananas at the store, don’t worry! There is a quick and easy way to ripen your bananas for such an occasion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to store these muffins?
Vegan baked desserts are best stored at room temperature. Make sure to store your muffins in an airtight container to stop them from drying out. Consume within 3-4 days, and be sure to share with your friends and family!
Are these muffins freezer-friendly?
These muffins are 100% freezer-friendly. It’s part of their appeal! Since they come in individual portions, you can freeze any excess muffins while they are fresh and store them frozen for up to a month. Any longer than that and you risk freezer burn.
To defrost, run a microwave on a defrost cycle or let them thaw out in a sealed container on the kitchen counter.
What is the best way to serve vegan banana muffins?
Mainly, it’s a matter of taste! These muffins are perfectly lovely on their own. However, if you are feeling adventurous, you can warm up the muffins and spread some peanut butter or vegan chocolate spread on top.
Personally, I like to have a muffin with a good cup of coffee to start my day on a high note.
Serving Suggestions
- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread. These muffins go well with a vegan Nutella alternative, especially if you chose to add chocolate chips to your recipe.
- Peanut Butter. Is there anything that can’t be improved with a smidge of peanut butter?
- Vegan Ice Cream. Nothing beats a warm dessert with a scoop of ice cream! Even better if it’s homemade banana “nice cream.”
Vegan Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt fine
- 3 bananas medium to large, very ripe
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp ground flax
- 3 tbsp water
- â…“ cup organic coconut oil melted
- ¼ cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rub a standard muffin tin with melted coconut oil, spray it with cooking spray or use paper liners.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flax with water and let it rest for 5 minutes. The mixture will become cohesive and act as the "egg."
- In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add sugar, flax and water mixture, and melted coconut oil. Fold the dry mixture into the banana mixture, and combine until smooth. Carefully fold in chocolate chips, if using.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. If you insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin, it should come out clean. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan. Enjoy warm or cold.
Notes
- Don’t have access to ripe bananas? Try this quick and easy way to ripen your bananas in the oven.
- Looking for a healthier option? Try crushed nuts, pumpkin seeds, or raisins instead of chocolate chips.
- These muffins are best enjoyed within 3-4 days. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.
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About the Author
Cat is a content creator with many outlets. In addition to writing and translation work, she’s a yoga teacher, recipe creator, and food photographer with a keen interest in wellness and sustainability. Originally from a small town in Lithuania, she spent 11 years living in Birmingham, UK, before moving back to her home country and settling there with her partner.
In 2016, she completed training as a yoga teacher and also became a certified rock climbing instructor, further expanding my career to include many hobbies. Her commitment to veganism and sustainability is not purely on paper either. Living on a semi-off-grid homestead in rural Lithuania, she spends time growing and preserving food and caring for rescue animals, including goats, rabbits, and farm birds. In her free time, she loves to craft using textiles and yarn, read, and run local trails. Not that this type of lifestyle affords a lot of free time! That said, being able to share my various experiences through writing and photography is essentially a dream job, because it allows me to do what I love and expand my horizons even further.
Originally from a small town in Lithuania, I've spent 11 years living in Birmingham, UK, before moving back to her home country and settling there with her partner. My time in the UK took place during formative adult years which shaped my multifaceted career path.
I've always been fascinated with languages and their structure. At the university, I completed a joint honors degree in English and Media, which fueled my interest in writing and creating visual content. Later, I applied my experience to become a freelance translator and continue learning other languages.
In 2016, I completed training as a yoga teacher and also became a certified rock climbing instructor, further expanding my career to include manyhobbies. The result was a wealth of personal and professional experiences that contributed to where she is now.
My commitment to veganism and sustainability is not purely on paper either. Living on a semi-off-grid homestead in rural Lithuania, I spend time growing and preserving food and caring for rescue animals, including goats, rabbits, and farm birds.
In my free time, I loves to craft using textiles and yarn, read, and run local trails. Not that this type of lifestyle affords a lot of free time!
That said, being able to share my various experiences through writing and photography is essentially a dream job, because it allows me to do what I love and expand my horizons even further.
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