These gluten-free chocolate peanut butter banana muffins are vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free. Ripe bananas replace the eggs and add natural sweetness, while a peanut butter batter gets swirled with cocoa and studded with dark chocolate chips. Every bite is rich, fudgy, and moist.
The recipe comes together in one bowl with pantry ingredients and bakes in about 25 minutes. They freeze well too, so they’re a solid grab-and-go breakfast or snack to keep stocked during the week.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Bananas – The riper the better. Heavily spotted or fully brown bananas give the most sweetness and moisture. Frozen and thawed bananas work too.
- Peanut Butter – Use creamy, not chunky. Natural peanut butter works but stir it well first. Almond butter is a good swap if you need it nut-allergy friendly.
- Oil – Use a neutral oil like canola or grapeseed. Skip olive oil here – the flavor is too strong for this batter.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), which contains xanthan gum. I cannot verify that other brands will work in this recipe.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – This reacts with the baking soda to help the muffins rise without eggs. Don’t skip it. You won’t taste it in the finished muffin.
- Chocolate Chips – I used Guittard dark chocolate chips. If keeping these dairy-free or vegan, check that your chocolate chips don’t contain dairy.
How to Get the Swirl
Don’t overmix the swirl. Drop a rounded tablespoon of chocolate batter into each muffin well on top of the peanut butter batter, then drag a toothpick through it once or twice. The less you swirl, the more defined the pattern looks after baking.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Almond butter works as a 1:1 swap and has been confirmed by readers.
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help the muffins rise without eggs. You won’t taste it in the finished muffin.
Expert Tips
Storage Instructions
Room temperature: Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Place cooled muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Serving Suggestions
These muffins work on their own for busy mornings, but they pair well with a bigger breakfast spread too. For a vegan brunch, set them out alongside gluten-free vegan apple cinnamon muffins for a second flavor option so guests can grab one of each. If you want something more substantial on the table, gluten-free vegan chocolate chunk banana bread slices well and sticks with the chocolate-banana theme. For something a little more special, a giant brown sugar cinnamon pop tart is a fun centerpiece that kids and adults both go for. Add a fruit bowl and coffee and you’ve got a full spread without any dairy or eggs.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 (340 g) very ripe bananas - about 1½ cups /340g mashed
- ¼ cup (65 g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) oil - canola, grapeseed, any neutral tasting oil – not olive oil
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend - Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag) which contains xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) water
- 1 cup (180 g) dairy-free chocolate chips - I used Guittard dark chocolate chips
**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, mash 3 (340 g) very ripe bananas until smooth. Add ¼ cup (65 g) creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons (28 g) oil, and 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar. Stir until combined.
- Add 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon (15 g) apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Transfer 1 cup of batter to a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon (15 g) water. Stir until smooth.
- Divide the peanut butter batter evenly among the 12 muffin wells.
- Add a rounded tablespoon of the chocolate batter on top of each and drag a toothpick through once or twice to create a swirl. Top each muffin with 1 cup (180 g) dairy-free chocolate chips, divided evenly.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- Flour: This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), which contains xanthan gum. I cannot verify that other brands will work in this recipe.
- Bananas: The riper the better. Heavily spotted or fully brown bananas give the best flavor and moisture. Frozen and thawed bananas work too. Just drain any excess liquid before mashing.
- Chocolate chips: If keeping these vegan and dairy-free, check your chocolate chip label. I used Guittard dark chocolate chips. Note that Guittard is made on the same line as dairy, so if you have a dairy allergy (not just a preference), look for a dedicated dairy-free brand.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Hello, do you think you could make these with any sugar that isn’t refined?
Hi Angela – I haven’t tried it but I think coconut sugar would be a good swap with a 1:1 ratio for the granulated sugar. Let me know if you try it. I make these muffins fairly regularly so next time I will try it with coconut sugar or maple syrup and report back!
Thank you! I will give it a go and let you know how they turn out 🙂
Why the apple cider? It an odd ingredient to add to the mixure
Hi! The apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda and helps replace the eggs in the muffins. You don’t taste it in the final product. I use it in a ton of my gluten-free vegan baking and it does wonders!
Can I use almond flour instead of the whole wheat flour? Is it unsweetened cocoa powder? Will coconut sugar or honey work instead of regular sugar? Can I use coconut oil instead of canola oil?
Have you made this recipe with eggs? How many would you use?
Hi Laura, I have not made this recipe with eggs before. The banana and apple cider vinegar help so eggs are not needed in the recipe. Is there a reason you want to use eggs in the recipe?
These look and smell delicious! I was about to pull them out of the oven but found that they have fallen in the middle terribly! Ever have this happen? Im not sure what i did wrong. Still yummy though!
Hi Rachel! So sorry your muffins fell in the middle. I’ve never had that happen before. Which brand of flour did you use? And did you make any swaps in the recipe? I’d love to help you figure out what happened. I hope they were still yummy!
My daughter has egg and peanut allergies, so I subbed in almond butter. They were so good, both my kids loved them! Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you and your kids enjoyed these, Sarah! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Delicious! Will make them again. Easy to follow recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.
Love these! Perfect texture. I used coconut sugar with a 1:1 ratio and they’re delicious. Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed these, Victoria! Thanks for sharing about the coconut sugar. I’ll add that to the notes so others know to use a 1:1 ratio as well. I appreciate it!