These vegan gluten free banana bread streusel muffins are tender, delectable, light, and fluffy. They're naturally packed with fiber thanks to a base of oat flour, and they're bursting with sweet banana flavor. For a lighter, slightly less snazzy treat, they can be made plain (read: sans streusel). However, if you want to up their brunch-a-bility and wow-factor, be sure to top them with a totally optional (but incredibly delicious) cinnamon-spiced streusel.
There are lots of great vegan banana bread muffin recipes out there, and there are also lots of fantastic gluten-free banana bread muffins recipes floating around the interwebs.
However, there are actually very few vegan and gluten-free banana bread recipes and there are even fewer recipes (read: none that I could find) that require simple, straightforward ingredients without the need for complicated gluten-free flour blends.
I don't know about you, but gluten-free flour blends take the wind out of my baking sails.
Thus, I made it my mission to create vegan gluten free banana bread muffins that keep things as simple and easy-breezy as possible. It took several trials and a few major flops, but it was totally worthwhile in the end.
These muffins come together in just a few simple steps. NO fancy mixing gear, funky gluten-free flour blends, or elusive ingredients necessary.
All you need are...
A handful of pure, plant-powered, easy-to-find ingredients.
A couple bowls, a whisk, and a trusty wooden spoon.
A muffin tin and a short-stack of parchment paper liners.
See? Nothing crazy. Nothing funky. All fresh.
To make these vegan gluten free banana bread streusel muffins, you'll start by whisking together the dry ingredients—a bit of oat flour, almond meal, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
In a separate bowl, you'll whisk together the wet ingredients—1 cup mashed banana, a bit of melted coconut oil, plant-based milk, a bit of pure maple syrup and unsweetened applesauce, and a splash of vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry (and some chopped walnuts if you're feeling fancy) and stir until just incorporated. The batter will be quite thick and a tiny bit fluffy.
Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, filling each about two-thirds of the way full.
Then, bake as is in all of their bare and beautiful glory or whip up a super speedy streusel topping.
To make the streusel topping, you'll mash together a bit of oat flour, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and cinnamon until small- to medium-size crumbles form. Sprinkle a bit into each muffin cup.
Bake the muffins for about 14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs at the tip.
Let the muffins cool for about 10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Serve the muffins on their own or with a slather of melted coconut oil or a pat of vegan butter. Yummy banana bread muffin perfection.
These vegan gluten free banana bread streusel muffins are moist (←Gulp. I know. This word. 😳), tender, sweet, and delightful.
They'll keep for up to two days at room temperature, about 4 days if refrigerated, and up to a month if frozen.
Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
Baked Banana Bread Muffins
- 1 ½ cups (195g) gluten-free oat flour*
- ⅓ cup (33g) almond meal
- ¼ cup (37g) coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup thoroughly mashed banana (about 2 large ripe, speckled bananas)
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened plant-based milk (at room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup raw walnuts, chopped (optional)
Optional Streusel Topping
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons oat flour
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons room temperature (i.e., solid but soft) virgin coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the Baked Banana Bread Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with parchment paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond meal, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, coconut oil, plant-based milk, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients and the walnuts (if using) to the dry mixture, and stir until no dry patches remain in the bottom of the bowl. The batter should be quite thick and almost a bit fluffy.
For the Streusel Topping
- Add all of the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and use a fork to mash the coconut oil into the dry ingredients until small- to medium-size crumbles form.
To Assemble
- Spoon the batter into the pan, filling about two-thirds of the way full for each muffin. Use the back of a spoon to gently smooth out the batter.
- Sprinkle with the streusel topping (if using).
- Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs at the tip.
- Let cool for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the muffins from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
These banana bread muffins look incredible, Ashley. I love the straight-forward, whole foods ingredients. And that streusel topping...yum!
Looks like a great recipe! Just a heads up, that the recipe title says "Donut" instead of muffin. 😊 I have a gf new mom that I should bake these for... I may have to throw in some Enjoy Life chips. :)
Thanks for the heads up, Kate!! Will change it now. (Originally tested them as donuts but ultimately liked them best as Muffins so the title must have carried over from the original recipe.)
I am soooo excited about these. There is something about a healthy, wholesome muffin that makes me jump out of bed a little earlier. Maybe because it feels like an extra special treat. I happen to have all the ingredients for these and will be making them very soon.
Thank you!
Hello! Do you make the oat flour by putting gfree oats in a food processor? Or do you buy oat flour? Thanks!
I used store-bought oat flour for these but homemade should work too. Just make sure you get it nice and fine.
Thank you! Excited to make these tomorrow :)
Just made these and they are wonderful! I think it would difficult for people to tell that they are gluten free because the texture is so good!. Thank you for yet another delicious gluten free vegan recipe. Your blog has become a regular part of my weekly meal planning. Thank you!!!
These are incredible! They are the perfect mix between fluffy and dense. Not too sweet, and more flavorful than any other vegan, gf banana bread recipe out there. The streusel topping is such a treat, too.
Have never had such a delicious GF/V muffin! The topping perfectly balances the fluffy texture of the muffins! I made my own oat flour with oats in the vitamix. I also did 1.5tsp vanilla. Thank you for always having the most amazing recipes for baked goods (I also make your Chocolate Chip Oat Bars)! So happy I found you xo
What kind and wonderful feedback, Polly! Thanks for taking time out of your day to share it—means so much. Happy baking to you! :)
Hello! These look amazing! If I only have almond flour vs almond meal, do I keep the measurements the same? I’m not sure what the difference is but thought I’d check before I try them tomorrow!
Thank you!
Hi, Lydia! Yes, you should be able to keep the measurements the same. Almond flour is ground from blanched (peeled) almonds and almond meal is ground from almonds with the skins still on. The muffins will likely be a bit more delicate with almond flour but the swap *should* work just fine. Enjoy!