Name: Vegan Banana Nut Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed; 1 + 3/4 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (or regular all-purpose flour); 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 + 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 cup pecans, chopped (or walnuts, hazelnuts); 3 ripe mashed bananas (1 + 1/2 cups); 1/2 cup almond milk; 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (or vegan butter); 1/3 cup maple syrup; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

These Vegan Banana Nut Muffins are quick, moist and super fluffy. You’re going to love this recipe, it can’t be easier to make and comes together in no time. It’s vegan, gluten-free and absolutely delicious.

What are Vegan Banana Nut Muffins?

Glad you asked! Vegan Banana Nut Muffins are one of my favorite muffins ever! They are dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free muffins loaded with pureed banana and chopped nuts. I used pecans this time but walnuts work great here too. In fact, I don’t always have pecans at hand but I’m for sure never short of walnuts, so walnuts is what I most often use for this recipe.

What Kind of Nuts Work Best in Vegan Banana Nut Muffins?

My go to nuts here are pecans and walnuts. Pecans have a rich and buttery flavor that makes them ideal for sweet desserts. Walnut flavor is milder but they’re are still my second favorite. Love walnuts but looking for a deeper flavor? Just roast them and you will get an extra level of flavor and crunchiness that will take your muffins to the next level.

Hazelnuts can be another great option here. And, needless to say, toasted hazelnuts are heaven. You can buy them already toasted or toast them yourself, which won’t take you more than 10 minutes. This recipe is really customizable so almost any nut you have in hand will do!

How to make the Best Vegan Banana Nut Muffins

Don’t know about you but I’m an absolute fan of easy, quick and simple recipes. And this one is no exception. Anyway, here there are a few tips to make your baking life even easier.

Don’t over mix your batter. In theory, most pre-made gluten-free flours use gums and/or thickening agents. If you over mix your dough, you may end up with a tough muffin.
If you use regular flour instead, be specially careful not to over-mix either as it can cause excess gluten formation, which can make your muffins tough and dense.
Use an ice cream scoop, it helps to transfer the mixture into the muffin cups without making a mess.
Do not over bake. 25 minutes in the oven is enough for these muffins. Let them cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing them.

How To Store Vegan Banana Nut Muffins

These Vegan Banana Nut Muffins will keep fresh for up to a week stored in an air tight container.

These muffins freeze well. Start by placing them on a baking pan, leaving some space between each other so they don’t get stick while freezing. Put the baking pan in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Remove the pan from the freezer and, if they are totally frozen, transfer the muffins to an airtight container or zip plastic bag.

If you like, you could wrap each muffin in plastic wrap before transferring to the container, to ensure they don’t get dry after some time in the freezer. They will last for around three months.

To defrost them, let them thaw in the fridge overnight. You can also let them thaw on the counter at room temperature. It usually takes about 1-2 hours for a muffin to thaw, although it may take longer in the winter.

Vegan Banana Nut Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 + 3/4 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (or regular all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 + 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, chopped (or walnuts, hazelnuts)

Wet Ingredients:

3 ripe mashed bananas (1 + 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (or vegan butter)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a small bowl, prepare your flax egg by mixing the ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Whisk and leave for 10 minutes, until it thickens.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180 ºC. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flaxseed mixture, mashed bananas, almond milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, vinegar and vanilla extract.
Gradually, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Do not over mix.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups and pop them into the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean.
Let them cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing and transferring to a cooling rack.
They are absolutely mouthwatering a bit warm, topped with some butter and a good drizzle of maple syrup. Enjoy!