Gluten-Free Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips

When life blesses you with overripe bananas, make these simple yet scrumptious Gluten-Free Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips! Freezer-friendly, perfect for meal prep and they make a great addition to lunchboxes for kids and adults. Not only are these muffins gluten-free they can also be made dairy-free, egg-free, and therefore vegan-friendly, too.

This post was originally published on March 8, 2019. Updated on February 28, 2021.

Gluten-Free Banana Muffins are made with just a few basic ingredients you may even have on hand.

You can’t beat the simplicity of these banana chocolate chip muffins. You now have a recipe that you can tuck in your back pocket to enjoy anytime you have spotted black bananas waiting to be used. Truly a go-to of ours.

The muffins are soft and fluffy and made with less sugar. The sweetness comes from the overripe bananas and just a little bit of brown sugar (or coconut sugar) resulting in a muffin with much less sugar than you’ll find in store-bought muffins or at a convenience store.

We love this recipe not only for its taste and simple nature but also for its flexibility. If you’d like, swap the chocolate chips for blueberries or raspberries or add in a few walnuts or pecans, that’s most definitely an option. Make these muffins your own with what you have on hand or what suits your dietary preferences.

Ingredients for Gluten Free Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips

This recipe is made up of simple, wholesome ingredients you can find at any local grocery store. That being said, we’ve also noted recipe substitutions we’ve tested below!

• Gluten-Free Flour – such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour (may sub all-purpose flour of choice)
• Brown Sugar – could also use coconut sugar.
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Bananas – the riper, the sweeter, the better!
• Eggs – egg-free version noted below
• Oil -we like avocado or olive oil. Any light- or neutral-tasting oil will work in this recipe
• Vanilla
• Chocolate Chips -optional, but delicious. We like Enjoy Life. Feel free to swap fresh berries for the chocolate chips or toss in a half cup of chopped nuts if you wish

For the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition information, listing kcals, protein, carbohydrates, cholesterol, fiber, sugar, sodium, total fat, and more per serving.

Recipe Substitutions and Cooking Tips:

The goal is to make this recipe work for YOU and your family’s needs! Here are some substitutions we’ve tested. As always, if you try out this recipe (with or without substitutions!) we’d love to hear how it goes!

• Egg-Free/Vegan – substitute “flax eggs” for the eggs in the recipe. Mix together 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water for each egg the recipe calls for. Let thicken for a few minutes, then proceed with the recipe. You’ll also want to be sure that you choose dairy-free chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life.
• Not gluten-free? Use all-purpose flour and follow the recipe as written.
• Looking to use almond flour or coconut flour? These aren’t always 1:1 substitutions and haven’t been tested with this recipe. We recommend trying this recipe instead: Grain-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins 
• Not a chocolate fan? Replace chocolate chips with chopped nuts of your choice, or a generous handful of berries!
• Make it a loaf – bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes. Start checking for doneness (a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean when done) around 35 minutes or so.
• No ripe bananas on hand? Try out these Gluten Free Sweet Potato Muffins with Chocolate Chips!

How to Make Gluten Free Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray each line with cooking spray to prevent sticking. A silicone muffin pan works great. 
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, mash the bananas. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla; mix well.
3. Stir banana-egg mixture into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Fill each muffin well 1/2 full with batter.
6. Top each muffin with a few extra chocolate chips.
7. Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Time will vary depending on the kind of pan used.
8. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove muffins from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. 
9. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. Alternatively, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or freezer for up to 3 months.

How to Meal Prep and Freeze These Gluten-Free Banana Muffins

These muffins are staples in our weekly weekend meal prep sessions. They’re great to have on hand as a quick and easy breakfast, or delicious snack to enjoy alongside a cup of coffee. If you have a bunch of ripe bananas on hand, we highly recommend doubling the recipe and freezing half for later!

How to Store Muffins:

• Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
• Alternatively, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

How to Freeze Muffins:

• Let muffins cool completely at room temperature.
• Arrange cooled muffins in a single layer on a baking sheet or dish. Place sheet in the freezer for about 30 minutes until the muffins are solid (this prevents them from getting squished in the freezer).
• Then, place frozen muffins in airtight freezer bags (we like these reusable zip-top bags) and transfer them to the freezer.
• Store in a freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let thaw on the counter or pop in the microwave for a minute or two until warm.

Why these muffins are good for you

These muffins are a delicious addition to any well-rounded diet as they can be made to suit any dietary need. These are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and made up of simple, wholesome ingredients and less sugar. Here’s why these muffins make for a great addition to your healthy eating plan:

• Bananas – natural sweetener, and a good source of potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
• Avocado or Olive Oil – great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats
• Less sugar – made with much less sugar than traditional banana muffins or store-bought muffins

How These Muffins Fit Into Your Speciality Diet:

Our goal is to create recipes that everyone can enjoy, no matter the diet they follow!

This recipe is (or can be easily modified to be, using substitutions listed above):

• Dairy-Free
• Gluten-Free
• Vegan + Vegetarian
• Egg-Free
• Nut-free

These gluten free banana chocolate chip muffins will fill your home with a mouthwatering aroma and will make the entire family happy.

You could also share them with a neighbor or a new mom or someone who you know might be going through a difficult time. Baking and cooking can be therapeutic, life-giving, and a perfect time to relax and regroup…because we all need a little bit more of that in our lives.

Looking for more ways to use overripe bananas? Check out this post here where we share 12 delicious and healthy overripe banana recipes.

Other healthy muffin recipes to try:

• Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
• Grain-Free Sweet Potato Banana Nut Muffins
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Paleo Morning Glory Muffins
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Pin now to make It later!

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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter. 

For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!