Vegan Banana Muffins

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5 from 50 votes
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Learn how to make the best vegan banana muffins with the perfect crumb and soft, fluffy texture. Ready in less than 30 minutes!

vegan banana muffins.

Love the texture of muffins, but the flavor of freshly baked banana bread? You’ve come to the right place.

This vegan banana muffin recipe combines the best of both worlds, all while sticking to plant-based ingredients. To keep the muffins light and fluffy, I swap regular eggs for flax eggs and use vegan butter. That may sound like a big change, but I promise, no one would ever be able to tell these muffins are 100% plant-based!

Table of Contents
  1. Recipe highlights
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make vegan banana muffins
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Storage instructions
  6. Frequently asked questions
  7. More vegan dessert recipes to try
  8. Vegan Banana Muffins (Recipe Card)

Recipe highlights

  • Full of banana flavor. If it wasn’t obvious enough, bananas are the star of this recipe and trust me; you’ll taste them. They sweeten the muffins, add moisture, and leave every bite exploding with fresh banana bread flavor. 
  • Made in one bowl. Everything combines in one bowl before being baked in muffin tins, so you only have one dish to clean. 
  • Under 30 minutes to make. I love a sweet treat that comes together effortlessly, and these vegan muffins fit the bill. Most of the time making them is spent patiently letting them bake in the oven.  

I love surprising my family with muffins in the morning, and this recipe makes it easy! Plus, they’re perfect for snacking on throughout the day. If you love these vegan muffins as much as my family and I do, you’ll get a kick out of these vegan breakfast bars and cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients needed

If you bake a lot of vegan desserts, then you should have everything on hand already to make these muffins. Here’s exactly what you’ll need:

  • Bananas. Use the brownest bananas you have since they’re the sweetest. 
  • Sugar. I used white sugar, but you could also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or a granulated sugar-free sweetener. 
  • Flax egg. Make a flax egg by combining 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 10 minutes to form a “gel,” and that’s your egg. If you’re not strictly vegan, use 1 egg. If you don’t want to use a flax egg, you can try another egg substitute.
  • Vegan butter. Whenever you’re baking, I highly recommend using butter from a block, not a butter spread or sticks, as those can sometimes have extra water added, which will impact the overall recipe. I like the Miyokos brand, but I have also had success with Flora.
  • Baking soda and baking powder. Gives the muffins some rise. 
  • Vanilla extract. A must for any good muffin recipe!
  • Salt. Just a dash to amplify the rest of the ingredients. 
  • Flour. I tested this recipe with white flour, whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour, and each works great. I can’t vouch for any other type of flour. 

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How to make vegan banana muffins

Step 1- Prep work. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line a 12-count muffin pan with muffin liners. 

Step 2- Combine the dry and wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, mash the bananas, then add the sugar, flax egg, and butter. Once combined, add the rest of the ingredients and stir until just fully incorporated. 

Step 3- Distribute and bake. Pour the mixture into the muffin liners, about ⅔ of the way full. Bake the muffins for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

how to make vegan banana muffins.

Step 4- Cool and serve. Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. 

vegan banana bread muffins.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Avoid overmixing. My #1 tip for most of my baking recipes is to only mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated. The longer you mix, the more air will escape, and the more gluten will develop, making for overly chewy, dense muffins. 
  • Add a crumb topping. This is entirely optional, but occasionally, I like to add streusel topping right before baking (like in my pumpkin muffins). You can make one by combining flour, coarse sugar, and a little butter with a fork until you have a rough, crumbly texture. 
  • No ripe bananas? No problem! If you need to ripen bananas on the fly, wrap them in foil and bake for 15 minutes at 250F or microwave them (not wrapped in foil) in 30-second intervals until soft. 
  • Experiment with mix-ins. I think this recipe is perfect as is, but sometimes I like to fold chopped walnuts (or any nuts, like almonds or pecans), chocolate chips, or raisins into the batter. 
  • Make mini-muffins. When I’m feeding a crowd, I like to make mini muffins instead. Just remember they will cook faster, so reduce the baking time by 5 minutes and check on them periodically. 

Storage instructions

To store: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you want to keep them for longer, refrigerate the muffins for up to 2 weeks. 

To freeze: Freeze the muffins in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying, or pop them in the microwave in 15-second intervals until warm. If they’re dry, I like to add a little vegan butter to soften them up.

banana muffins vegan.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make these gluten-free?

Yes, to make gluten-free and vegan banana bread muffins, you’ll want to swap the flour with a gluten-free flour blend. I’ve tested these with Bob’s GF all-purpose baking flour and Anthony’s flour successfully.

Can I make this recipe without added sugar?

Unfortunately, there is not enough sweetness from the mashed bananas to replace the sugar entirely. And since the sugar is factored into the volume of the dry ingredients, it would throw off the proportions of the recipe to omit it. If you want to use a sugar substitute, allulose or monk fruit sweetener are two good options, or liquid stevia.

More vegan dessert recipes to try

  • Vegan lemon cake– Sweet, tangy, and loaded with fresh lemon flavor. 
  • Vegan brownies– Crinkly tops with gooey middles. You’d never guess they’re vegan.
  • Churros– I love surprising my family with these!
  • Vegan baklava– Incredibly sophisticated yet deceptively easy to make. 
  • Snickers– My favorite candy bar, now healthy and free of refined sugar!
  • No-bake oatmeal cookies– Packed with fiber and protein from hearty oats, they’re the perfect sweet treat or midday snack. 
vegan banana muffins recipe.

Vegan Banana Muffins

5 from 50 votes
The best healthy banana muffins made with no eggs or dairy! Moist, fluffy, and with a tender crumb, these vegan and gluten free banana muffins need just ONE bowl!
Servings: 12 Muffins
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 3 large bananas
  • 1/2 cup sugar brown, white, coconut, monk fruit
  • 1 flax egg * See notes
  • 1/3 cup vegan butter can use butter if not vegan
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour White, wholewheat OR all-purpose ** See notes

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with muffin liners and set aside.
  • In a stand mixer or mixing bowl, add your bananas (mashed), sugar, prepared flax egg and vegan butter and mix until combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.
  • Distribute the batter amongst the muffin liners, about 2/3 of the way full. If desired, top with chopped walnuts. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a skewer comes out clean.
  • Allow muffins to cool in the muffin tin for 20 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

* To make a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, to form a gel. That is now a ‘flax egg’.
TO STORE. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. To keep them fresher for longer, refrigerate the muffins for up to 2 weeks. 
TO FREEZE. Freeze the muffins in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying, or pop them in the microwave in 15-second intervals until warm. If they’re dry, I like to add a little vegan butter to soften them up.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSodium: 290mgPotassium: 144mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 284IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 24g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Arman!! I LOVE YOUR RECIPES! Everything l have made is delicious!! ABSOLUTELY DELISH!😋🙏🏻Thank you, so much, for sharing!! You’re the Best!!

  2. 5 stars
    These muffins were so good!! I love this recipe. Perfect for a light breakfast or even addition to a meal. I just added [vegan] butter top and they were good to go. Thank you.

  3. 5 stars
    It’s so hard to find an egg free, gluten free muffim recipe that actually works. These muffins have an incredible light and fluffy texture which is surprising for a gluten free treat.

    I have modified the recipe a bit- I add 1 tsp of cinnamon and 3 tbsp of maple syrup.
    Try adding chocolate chips and topping each muffin with a walnut. This recipe is also awesome with blueberries, it just requires a few extra minutes in the oven! Delicious recipe- thank you!!!

  4. 5 stars
    OMG!! These are sooo incredible! I made some substitutions and the flavor and texture were incredible. I used 1/2 cup monkfruit sweetener and used gluten-free all-purpose flour. So impressed with these- super fluffy and light! Our family of 8 gobbled them up 20 minutes after they were done haha. Great work and can’t wait to try what else you have on this website. Already sent this recipe to numerous people:)

  5. 5 stars
    Gave it a whirl. It’s quite a simple recipe which is great. I found they came out a bit firm and chewy. I suspect too much binder and perhaps slightly too long in the oven. I have to have another go, but I’m thinking reducing it to half a flax egg and maybe a few minutes shorter in the oven should resolve the firmness. Hopefully that helps if anyone else encounters a similar issue.