Easy Gluten-Free Blueberry Banana Muffins
These gluten-free blueberry banana muffins are soft, moist, and packed with sweet bananas and juicy blueberries in every bite. They come together with simple pantry ingredients in just 10 minutes of prep and bake into fluffy bakery-style muffins perfect for breakfast, snacks, or meal prep. Dairy-free and refined sugar-free options included.
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup very ripe bananas (about 2 to 3 medium bananas)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted but cooled to room temperature (or ⅓ melted coconut oil or Smart Balance butter for dairy-free option)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (or ½ cup maple syrup for a no refined sugar option)
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1½ cups gluten-free flour (recommend Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour or Cup4Cup Multipurpose Gluten Free Flour)
- ½ tbsp gluten-free flour for the blueberries (recommend Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour or Cup4Cup Multipurpose Gluten Free Flour)
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp xanthan gum (only if your flour blend doesn’t already include it)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw before adding to batter)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until completely smooth.
- Add the baking soda to the bananas. Stir to combine and let sit for 1 to 2 minutes before moving on to the next step.
- Stir the melted butter into the mashed banana mixture until fully combined.
- Stir the sugar, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and salt into the banana mixture until well combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1½ cups gluten-free flour (save the remaining ½ tablespoon for a later step), grated lemon zest, cinnamon, and xanthan gum (if needed) together.
- Using a silicone spatula, stir the gluten-free flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Do not overmix. Stir only until there are no more visible streaks of white flour.
- From the blueberry bowl, remove about 24 blueberries and set aside for a later step.
- In a separate small bowl, stir the larger portion of blueberries with the remaining ½ tablespoon of gluten-free flour. Stir until all those blueberries are well coated.
- Gently stir the gluten-free flour-coated blueberries into the muffin batter. Again, do not overmix.
- Let this muffin batter rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. This resting time is important so the gluten-free flour has time to properly absorb the liquid ingredients. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes before moving on to the next steps.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Use baking cup liners or non-stick baking spray to prepare the muffin tin.
- Scoop the batter into the baking cup lined/cooking-sprayed muffin tin. Using a greased ice cream scoop helps to get the batter equally distributed, plus helps to achieve the smooth domed muffin tops while baking.
- Using the blueberries set aside earlier, press 2 blueberries into the tops of each muffin.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean without any wet batter on it. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different.
- Allow the muffins to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.
Video
Notes
- Don’t skip the 20-minute batter rest. This helps the gluten-free flour fully hydrate for softer, fluffier muffins with less grit.
- Use very ripe bananas for the best sweetness, moisture, and banana flavor.
- Measure the flour by weight for the most accurate gluten-free baking results.
- Do not overmix the batter, or the muffins can turn out dense and tough.
- Toss the blueberries with a little flour before adding them to the batter to help prevent sinking.
- If using frozen blueberries, add them straight from the freezer without thawing first.
- Pillsbury Gluten-Free Flour creates slightly sturdier muffins, while Cup4Cup produces a softer, more tender crumb.
- Let the muffins cool for at least 10 minutes before serving so the texture can fully set.
- Store leftovers in a sealed food-safe container for 4 to 5 days. Let the muffins cool completely before storing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 214IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg