These Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are simple to make and bake up soft and moist. With the sweetness of ripe bananas and little bits of decadent chocolate chips, they’re an easy breakfast for kids or adults. This fool proof recipe will give you the best muffins people would never guess are gluten free!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Have you ever tried to bake something, only to have it turn out under cooked or rock hard? It’s daunting even when you’re not baking gluten free, and if you are it can be even worse! But don’t sweat it, because I’ve got you covered with this muffin recipe.
These muffins are based on the batter from my Maple Pecan Banana Bread, which turns out delicious and moist (I know, that word can be cringeworthy, but it’s true!). But this post adds in some chocolate chips, which of course makes it more fun.
It is perfect to have with your cup of coffee or tea in the morning, or with a tall glass of milk for dessert at night. Just be sure and hide it from your kids, otherwise they’ll be gone before you know it!
If you love muffins but want something different than bananas, be sure and check out my gluten free zucchini muffins and gluten free apple cinnamon muffins – both are still super moist and delicious but don’t use bananas.
What Makes These Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins So Great
- Soft, fluffy, and moist, they taste like “regular” (ie, gluten-filled) muffins!
- These gluten free muffins make for a great breakfast or a yummy snack!
- They’re so simple to make! Mix the wet ingredients, then the dry ingredients, combine with chocolate chips, place into muffin cups and bake!
Ingredients
- Ripe bananas – the riper, the better. I wouldn’t go with bananas that have completely brown peels, but you definitely want them to have brown spots.
- Maple syrup – I like to use pure maple syrup because I think it gives these muffins the best flavor, but use what you have.
- Butter – make sure it’s softened, but not melted. Unsalted is best, but you can use salted if that’s what you have on hand.
- Gluten free flour – I tested this recipe with Pamela’s All Purpose Flour blend, but have also made it with Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 flour and it’s turned out well.
- Baking soda and baking powder – make sure both of these are fresh as it will help the muffins rise.
- Salt – just a little to help balance out the sweetness, but only add it if you’re using unsalted butter.
- Eggs – I used large eggs for this. It’s best if they’re warmed up before adding them into the batter – read how I do that under the Cooking Tips section below.
- Chocolate chips – I like to use mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. The semi-sweet doesn’t overpower these muffins with sugar like milk chocolate might, and the mini size helps keep the chocolate distributed more evenly.
How To Make Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mash the over ripe bananas in a container with a fork or masher. Set aside.
Step 2: Place ⅓ cup of maple syrup and the softened butter in a large bowl and stir with a hand mixer, or use a stand mixer. Stir everything until it’s well combined, scraping the sides with a spatula as necessary. Ideally this will be creamy, but it’s okay if the butter ends up in small pieces like the picture below.
Step 3: In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine, then set aside. Next stir the bananas and eggs into the butter and syrup mixture with a whisk or the stand mixer, until well combined.
Step 4: Pour half of the flour mixture into the banana mixture, stirring until just combined. Add the second half of the flour mixture and again stir until just combined and there are not pockets of flour in the mixture. Leave about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chips to the side, then pour the rest into the batter and stir to combine.
Step 5: Scoop the muffin batter into each well in the silicone muffin pan with a spoon, dividing it equally between each cup. Take the remaining chocolate chips and place a couple on the top of each muffin, pushing them into the dough.
Step 6: Place the muffins into the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. After the timer goes off, carefully rotate the muffin pan 180 degrees (so the muffins in the back are now in the front of the oven), and bake for another 10 minutes. Once the timer goes off, insert a toothpick into one or two muffins to check for doneness (the toothpick should come out clean without dough on it). After the muffins are done, take them out of the oven and remove the muffins from the pan. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Cooking Tips
- It’s best to slightly warm your eggs before adding them in if you’re bringing them straight out of the fridge. To do this, place them in a bowl of hot water for 30 to 60 seconds, just enough to take the chill off them. Then add them to the batter.
- This recipe calls for a silicone muffin pan as it makes the muffins very easy to remove from the pan. If you’re going to use a metal pan, spray each cup with non-stick cooking spray and/or place muffin wrappers (also called cupcake liners) in each cup.
- When placing the additional chocolate chips on top, really press them down into the batter. Otherwise they will pop off the top of the muffin as it rises.
- Be careful when rotating the muffin pan after the first 15 minutes! The silicon pan is difficult to move as it’s floppy. I like to do it by using two Ove Gloves (or other kitchen mitt), take a hold of each side of the pan, then rotating it slowly in short movements.
Recipe Variations
- Want to make these into gluten free banana bread? Mix the recipe as is, then place into a loaf pan. Cook for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Add some chopped nuts for a little crunch! Half a cup of chopped pecans or walnuts would work well.
- Switch up the chocolate chips! Try white or dark chocolate chips, or even peanut butter!
Ready to develop your grilling skills?
Tune in and listen to the newly launched Grill Like a Mother podcast from Hot Pan Kitchen author Taryn Solie.
FAQ
Let’s answer a couple questions about gluten free muffins – and bananas, because those are important!
Can You Freeze Gluten Free Muffins?
Yes, you can! Wait until the muffins come to room to temperature, then either wrap them in plastic wrap or put them in a ziploc bag and store in the freezer. They will keep for several months.
What Are Gluten Free Muffins Made Of?
Gluten free muffins are typically made of the same ingredients as regular muffins, just with a gluten free flour blend. The contents of the flour blend vary by brand, but typically include alternative flours or starches like rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch.
Are Gluten Free Muffins Healthy?
It depends on what you consider healthy and what you put in the muffin! These Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins can be made healthier by using a chocolate chip without much sugar in it.
How Ripe Should Bananas Be For Baking?
Your bananas should appear overripe if you’re going to bake with them. They should brown on the outside. At the very least they should have brown spots, and even better if they have large spots of brown on the peel. The bananas pictured below are a good level of ripeness to use for these banana muffins, or for banana bread.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MORE DELICIOUS BREAKFAST RECIPES, CHECK THESE OUT!
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Banana Pecan Bread
- Simple Avocado Toast
- Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes
- Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
If you try these Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip muffins (or any other recipe) then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below!
YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND PINTEREST TO SEE MORE GOOD TO EAT, GLUTEN FREE FOOD.
Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Soft & Moist)
Ingredients
- 3 medium bananas 1.5 cups mashed
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup butter softened (1 stick)
- 2 cups gluten free flour I used Pamela's All Purpose Flour blend
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt omit if using salted butter
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Items Needed:
- Oven
- A masher (or fork)
- A set of measuring cups
- A stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer
- A spatula
- A large bowl
- A set of measuring spoons
- A silicone muffin pan
- Toothpicks (to check bread for doneness)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mash the bananas in a container with a fork or masher. Set aside.
- Place ⅓ cup of maple syrup and the softened butter in bowl and stir with a hand mixer, or use a stand mixer, until well combined, scraping the sides with a spatula as necessary.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- Stir the bananas and egg into the maple syrup & butter mixture until well combined.
- Pour half of the flour mixture into the banana mixture, stirring until just combined. Add the second half and do the same.
- Leave about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chips to the side, then pour the rest into the mixture and stir until just combined and there are no pockets of dry flour in the mixture.
- Scoop the muffin mixture into each well in the muffin pan with a spoon, dividing it equally between each well. Take the remaining chocolate chips and place a couple on the top of each muffin, pushing them into the dough.
- Place the muffins into the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. After the timer goes off, carefully rotate the muffin pan 180 degrees (so the muffins in the front of the oven are now in the back of the oven) and bake from another 10 minutes. Insert a toothpick into one or two muffins to check for doneness after timer goes off.
- Once cooked, take the muffins out of the oven and remove from muffin pan. Let cool at 5 minutes before serving.
1 Comment