These Vegan Banana Muffins are made with simple ingredients that pack a big nutrient punch, but they’re also easy to bake up even when your toddlers are underfoot. Plus, you can make them ahead. Win, win, win!
Vegan Banana Muffins
Banana muffins are a staple in many houses—and they can be in yours, too, even if your toddler is egg-free, gluten-free, and/or nut-free. The littles may even love helping to mash the bananas!
These mini Vegan Banana Muffins use chia seeds in place of eggs, which add a moist texture as well as a dose of healthy fats and fiber. I love this recipe because it’s easy to make and it packs all of the flavor you expect in classic banana muffins. Plus, kids with allergies or intolerances can enjoy them.
We don’t have any food allergies in our house, but I make these regularly, especially when I’ve run out of eggs.
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Ingredients You Need
To make this recipe, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand.
- Chia seeds: We use chia seeds here to add nutrition and to help the batter hold together without the need for eggs.
- Milk: You can use dairy or nondairy milk in this recipe according to what you prefer or have.
- Very ripe bananas: Using bananas with some black or brown spots indicates sweetness, so this ensures the muffins are plenty sweet and flavorful.
- Buckwheat flour: This type of flour is naturally gluten-free and packed with nutrition, and it’s a great option here. I prefer buckwheat flour in this recipe since it’s allergy-friendly, gluten-free, and contains more nutrients than standard flour. Look for it near the cornmeal or flours in your grocery store, as it’s widely available even in regular stores.
- Baking powder and baking soda: We use a mix of these two to ensure the muffins rise properly.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract: I love to add cinnamon and pure vanilla extract to this muffin recipe for flavor.
- Maple syrup or honey: Either of these add a little sweetness and extra moisture in the recipe. Remember to avoid honey for kids under age 1.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a peek at the process involved in making this healthy muffin recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.
- Stir the chia seeds into the milk. Mash the banana. (I like to mash the bananas with a potato masher, which is perfectly sized for a toddler’s hand so they can help, too.)
- Mix together all ingredients for the batter.
- Fill a mini muffin tin, evenly dividing the batter.
- Bake until just lightly golden brown.
Banana Muffins with Oil
I like using either melted coconut oil or a neutral oil like canola in these muffins since it helps create moisture. There’s not very much oil in these, but the little bit goes a long way toward creating a delicious end result.
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
I make these vegan banana muffins with buckwheat flour, which is naturally gluten-free and rich in fiber and protein. It’s a little nutty in flavor and has a darker color than all-purpose flour. It’s a great option since the final texture is similar to whole wheat but with a lot more nutrients.
Muffins for Baby Led Weaning
These little muffins are perfectly sized for small hands, and since they are super moist, they are a great option for babies eating baby-led weaning foods or just learning to eat finger foods. Offer a whole one, BLW style, or cube a muffin into small pieces and offer once piece at a time to make sure your baby can handle the texture, and offer a drink regularly.
How to Store
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Warm slightly before serving. Or, store in a zip-top freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for 15-30 seconds in the microwave.
Best Tips for Success
- Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness.
- Avoid honey for babies under 1.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Try them for breakfast or as a snack or packed in a toddler lunch box.
- Find my Sugar-Free Banana Muffins here for an option that’s free from all added sugars. And my Oatmeal Banana Muffins are an easy blender option.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe, so please chime in below!
Easy Vegan Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 cup milk (dairy or nondairy)
- 1 cup mashed very-ripe-with-black-spots banana (about 2 medium or 1½ cups sliced)
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil (canola or melted and cooled coconut oil)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a mini muffin tin.
- Stir the chia seeds into the milk in a medium bowl.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, including the mashed banana, to the bowl with the milk.
- Fill the prepared mini muffin tin to just under the edge of each cup, about 1 ½ tablespoons of batter each.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Warm slightly before serving. Or, store in a zip-top freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for 15-30 seconds in the microwave.
Equipment
- Mini Muffin Tin
- Mixing Spoon
Notes
- Make 9 full-size muffins by using a standard muffin tin and baking for 20-22 minutes.
- Add ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips or raisins to the batter if desired.
- Use melted and cooled butter in place of the oil if desired.
- Use dairy or nondairy milk.
- Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness.
- Avoid honey for kids under age 1.
Can you use oat flour instead of buckwheat?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure—they may wind up wetter and need more time to bake since buckwheat flour absorbs moisture differently/more than most other flours.
Should the middle of the muffins be a little gooey? I followed the directions exactly but I had to put them back in the oven for an extra 10 minutes because the middle didn’t seem done. Even after 10 minutes the middle was still gooey and the outside was crispy.
They should be moist but not raw. Have they cooled down already? Did you use a regular (not silicone) muffin pan?
I used a regular non stick metal pan. Now that they are cooled, they don’t seem as gooey. They’re moist. I thought it would be more bread-like though.
Hm. This used to be my fav muffin recipe but last 3 times they haven’t baked properly. I just noticed that you updated recipe in Feb. Wish I knew what you adjusted because the old way worked perfectly for me and now it doesn’t.
What exactly is going wrong? The only change was that I added a little baking soda so that the inside is uniformly baked. The rest is the same. Let me know what issue you’re having so I can try to help if you have time!
Can you please give me a n approximate cost for this recipe?
I need it urgently,
Thank you
Question – What recommendation would you have if I was going to try this with frozen bananas? I live in Bermuda and he hurricane destroyed all our local bananas last fall; unfortunately due to agricultural restrictions, we can’t import any fresh ones for the foreseeable future. My only option is frozen bananas and plantains.
Appreciate any thoughts you have!
Thanks
Joyanne
You can let them thaw, then drain off any liquid. They should work similarly if you remove the extra liquid.
I add a couple of blueberries or a raspberry before they go into the oven and it is fantastic. It is a winner with my son
I’m so glad to hear that!
I planned to make banana bread this morning, but realized that I forgot to buy eggs yesterday. So I found this recipe and am so glad I did. I didn’t add any chocolate chips, but may next time to add a little sweetness. These were moist and yummy!
I’m so glad!
I’ve made these two (or 3 ?) times and my son loves them, wondering about subbing some banana with pumpkin purée, what do you think?
I haven’t made this recipe with pumpkin, but I have directly subbed pumpkin for banana in another muffin recipe and it worked perfectly so I think it’s a good idea! Please let me know if you try it!
Did banana / pumpkin blend and they came out great!
Yay! Thanks so much for letting me know
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have baked these twice as my 2 year old loves them. It’s a great lunchbox snack (the daycare he attends has a nut & egg free policy), so this is just perfect. He also often requests to have it as a snack before going to bed. Thanks again for this recipe! Xx
I’m so glad to hear this, thank you for sharing!
My 7.5 month old loved these! We just found out that he has an egg allergy, and I wanted to make sure he got some textured food in before his egg muffin challenge at the doctor’s office. These were PERFECT. Thank you so much! I left out the chia seeds and also added some carrot, and used oat milk.
I’m so glad to hear that these worked and I love the addition of the carrot!
Hello! Can you use whole wheat flour for this recipe?
I think that should work!
So 2 muffins are 112 calories, correct?
Yes
I made these with some super soft ripe bananas and they were DELICIOUS! The chia really gave it a nice texture and taste! No extra sweetener was needed. A new family favorite!
Yay! I’m so happy that they turned out so well for you!
Absolutely delicious! I made them for my son who has an egg allergy but I ended up eating them all myself so I had to make him another batch.
I’m glad you enjoyed them so much!
These turned out great fro my little guy. The banana I had didn’t mash to enough so I topped up the cup with apple sauce. I also added diced strawberries on top before baking and they are great. A little spongey but I find most things Ive made with buckwheat flour the same.
I love the idea of adding strawberries! And that’s often true about baking with buckwheat. (At least it means they’re nice and soft for the little ones!) Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe, I appreciate it!