Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Kids and adults alike love these gluten-free vegan banana chocolate chip muffins! No egg replacers needed - just simple ingredients. You can have these muffins on the table in just about 30 minutes.
A stack of two banana chocolate chip muffins with the top one cut in half.
Two gluten-free vegan banana chocolate chips banana muffins stacked on top of each other.

Gluten-free vegan banana chocolate chip muffins are so simple and tasty. Incredibly moist and full of banana flavor, kids and adults alike will love these gluten-free muffins.

I love this banana chocolate chip muffin recipe because it’s so easy to make and you can have muffins on the table in just about 30 minutes. They’re also great for meal prep, since they freeze really well.

This recipe is gluten-free and vegan and doesn’t include any eggs, so if you’re out of eggs, this recipe is for you. No fancy egg replacers needed for this recipe. It only uses simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen!

Here’s What You’ll Need

Ingredients: gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if your blend doesn’t already contain it), salt, baking soda, baking powder, ripe bananas, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, pure vanilla extract, chocolate chips

Equipment:

  • Muffin tin
  • Cookie Scoop
  • Paper baking cups
An overhead shot of a muffin tin holding 12 gluten-free vegan banana chocolate chip muffins.

Help! My bananas aren’t ripe enough!

You are going to want to use ripe bananas in this recipe. Ripe bananas have, at a minimum, black spots all over the peel.

Pretty much when you don’t want to be eating the banana anymore for a snack… it’s perfect for these muffins! If there is any green on the banana peel, they are not ripe enough.

If you don’t have ripe bananas, you can help speed up the process a number of ways:

  1. Place the bananas in a paper bag overnight. This will help speed up the ripening process.
  2. Place the bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 250F for 20-30 minutes, until the banana peels are black. It will make the bananas, sweet and pudding-like – perfect for mashing!
  3. Poke holes through the bananas skin with a knife or fork. Microwave the banana in 30 second increments until it is soft. Note: this is not my preferred method of ripening bananas, but if it’s your only option, go for it!

Whenever I have bananas that are too ripe to eat, I remove the peel and place them in a freezer safe bag or container for baking. It’s the best way to make sure I can eat banana muffins anytime! Just let them thaw a bit before mashing and you’re good to go.

How to Make Easy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Combine your dry ingredients. Mix together the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if using), baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until combined and set aside.

Mash your bananas. Place your very ripe bananas in a bowl and mash with a fork until liquidy. They don’t have to be completely smooth – some clumps are okay!

Add the wet ingredients. Once you’ve mashed your bananas, add in the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and pure vanilla extract. Stir until combined.

Combine the wet and dry. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until no more white streaks of flour remain.

Stir in the chocolate chips. The best part of this muffin is the chocolate chips! Stir them in until they’re evenly dispersed.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin. Line your muffin tin with paper baking cups and then spoon the muffin batter into them, about 3/4 of the way full. I suggest using a cookie scoop so that your muffins are all the same size and it will create less mess!

Bake and cool. Bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes, until the tops of your muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in them comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

FAQs and Tips for Making Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Which gluten-free flour blends are best for making banana muffins?

It’s best to use a gluten-free flour blend that is meant as a 1-to-1 replacement for all-purpose flour. I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, and Namaste Perfect Flour Blend.

Do I need to add xanthan gum to this recipe?

If your gluten-free flour blend already contains xanthan gum, you do not need to add it to the recipe.

Are chocolate chips vegan?

Typically chocolate chips will have some dairy in them. However, there are many brands on the market that are vegan. Always check ingredients on the packaging.

Is sugar vegan?

Some granulated sugar is processed with bone char, making it not vegan. There are brands that do not process sugar in this way. Organic sugars are also vegan. If you are vegan, be sure to check with your sugar manufacturer.

Can I make this recipe with regular chocolate chips if I’m not vegan?

You sure can! I like to use dark chocolate chips in this recipe, but semi-sweet and milk chocolate will also work.

Are paper baking cups necessary?

I prefer to use paper baking cups for these muffins, but I’ve also made them without them in a pinch. Just grease your muffin wells liberally to make sure the muffins will not get stuck to the pan. Run a knife or small spatula around the edge of the muffins after baking to remove them from the muffin well.

How do I know when the banana muffins are ready in the oven?

The muffins should be a light golden brown and spring back when you press the top with your finger. You can also insert a toothpick into the center of the muffin. If the toothpick comes out with wet batter, it’s not ready. If it has dry crumbs, it’s ready!

How long do banana chocolate chip muffins stay fresh?

These muffins will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.

How do you store leftover banana muffins?

For longer storage, store your banana muffins in the freezer. Freeze on a baking sheet in a single layer for an hour. Once frozen, place them in a freezer safe container. Let defrost at room temperature before serving.

Can I make this recipe with almond flour?

I haven’t tested this recipe with almond flour, so I can’t recommend it. Instead, try these Almond Flour Banana Muffins from Texan Erin!

A photo of a gluten-free banana chocolate chip muffins with a large bite taken out of it.
A stack of two banana chocolate chip muffins with the top one cut in half.

Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Kids and adults alike love these gluten-free vegan banana chocolate chip muffins! No egg replacers needed – just simple ingredients. You can have these muffins on the table in just about 30 minutes.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Megan

Ingredients

  • 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (see notes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (if your flour blend doesn’t already contain it)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 very ripe bananas (mashed)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (use vegan sugar if needed)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (dairy-free or vegan if needed)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper liners. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (if using), salt, baking soda, baking powder and whisk to combine.
  • In another bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Then add in vegetable oil, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
  • Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to mix.
  • Stir in the chocolate chips until completely combined.
  • Spoon muffin batter into the muffin tin wells to get 12 regular-sized muffins.
  • Bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes, until muffins are lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Let cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

  • Use a gluten-free flour blend that is meant to be swapped with all-purpose flour in a 1:1 swap. I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), King Arthur’s Gluten Free Flour, and Namaste Gluten-Free Flour. These flours all already contain xanthan gum in them. 
  • If your gluten-free flour blend does not contain xanthan gum in it, you will need to add xanthan gum into the recipe as indicated. 
  • If you are vegan, use a vegan sugar that has not been processed with bone char. If you are unsure if the brand of granulated sugar you are using is vegan, you can be sure that organic sugars are not processed with bone char.
  • If you are dairy-free or vegan, use vegan chocolate chips. Enjoy Life is free from the top 8 allergens. 
  • Apple cider vinegar is very necessary in this recipe! It helps replace the egg and leaven the muffins. 

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
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about megan

I’m Megan

A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These muffins turned out great! I used Everland vegan dark chocolate chips and only half a cup of coconut sugar which sweetened them just enough for my taste. I live at a higher altitude so baking these took less time, around 18 minutes. Thanks for posting this delicious muffin recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! Always a hit for my boys who have food allergies to wheat, egg and milk.

  3. 5 stars
    I was skeptical after mixing it up cause it seemed more like cookie batter. But it cooked well and is a delicious cross between a scone and a muffin. I used melted coconut oil and 1/2 cup coconut sugar in place of the 1 cup cane sugar. Easy and very yummy!

  4. 5 stars
    I just want to say thank you for sharing this recipe! My family is gluten free, dairy free and soy free. So finding recipes is a challenge for us. My family LOVES these muffins! We make them into mini muffins and add protein powder. And my kids take them in their lunches to school each week! We make these twice a week! Now my 11 year old and 7 year old bake them! They are everyone’s favorite. We are so grateful!