The Best Vegan & Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Banana Muffins: An Allergy-Friendly Delight
Imagine starting your day with a soft, moist chocolate muffin, bursting with rich cocoa flavor and studded with delightful chocolate chips. Now, imagine that muffin is completely free from the most common allergens: gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts. Sounds like a dream, right? This recipe for Vegan & Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Banana Muffins turns that dream into a delicious reality. Perfect for chocolate lovers and those with dietary restrictions alike, these muffins are a game-changer for breakfast or snack time.
Why These Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Banana Muffins Are a Must-Try
For many of us, the idea of having chocolate for breakfast is a little luxury we eagerly embrace. Who says you can’t start your day with something utterly delicious and satisfying? These double chocolate banana muffins offer that perfect blend of indulgence and wholesome goodness, all while accommodating a wide range of dietary needs. The secret to their incredible moistness and delightful texture lies in ripe bananas, which also add a natural sweetness that complements the rich chocolate flavor beautifully. You’d never guess they’re free from so many common allergens!
From Our Beloved Banana Bread to Your New Favorite Muffins
This muffin recipe is actually an adaptation of one of the most cherished recipes on our site: the Double Chocolate Banana Bread. That bread is a staple in our household, baked at least once a month. In fact, I often find myself hoping my kids will leave a few bananas untouched, just so I have those perfectly over-ripe specimens ready for baking. We simply can’t get enough of it.
However, that delicious banana bread takes nearly an hour to bake – a common characteristic of most sweet quick breads. While wonderful for a leisurely weekend, I often craved something quicker and more portable for busy mornings. So, I embarked on a mission to transform the beloved bread batter into a muffin format. I’m thrilled to report that the batter translated beautifully, maintaining all its delicious qualities. The best part? The baking time was significantly reduced, cut almost in half, making these muffins a perfect weekday treat.
Tips for Baking the Perfect Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Muffins
Patience is a Virtue: The Importance of Cooling
Just like their banana bread counterpart, these muffins benefit immensely from a little patience. While it’s incredibly tempting to dive into a warm muffin straight from the oven, allowing them to cool significantly improves their texture. When the banana is still very hot, it tends to be a bit mushy. If you can’t resist (and honestly, who could blame you?), be prepared for a slightly stickier, more “ooey-gooey” experience. It’s still delicious, but for the optimal, perfectly set texture, letting them cool is key. This allows the internal structure to firm up, resulting in a delightfully moist yet stable muffin.
Managing Excess Coconut Oil
Due to the generous use of coconut oil in this recipe (which contributes to their lovely moisture), I’ve found a simple trick for the best results: once the muffins have cooled slightly in the pan, transfer them to a paper towel-lined cooling rack. This helps absorb any excess oil, ensuring a perfectly textured exterior without feeling greasy. It’s a small step that makes a big difference in the final product.
To Wrapper or Not to Wrapper?
These versatile muffins bake beautifully both with and without paper liners. I’ve tested both methods extensively. If you choose to forgo the wrappers for a more rustic look, just be sure to generously grease your muffin tin with a good non-stick spray. This prevents sticking and ensures your delicious creations release easily from the pan.
Beyond these specific considerations, this is a remarkably straightforward recipe. You can literally throw the ingredients into your mixer and have warm, fresh muffins on your breakfast table in about thirty minutes. It’s truly that simple, making it ideal for busy mornings or unexpected cravings.
Embrace Extra Chocolate Chips
For those who believe there’s no such thing as too much chocolate, feel free to add a sprinkle of extra non-dairy chocolate chips on top of the muffins once you’ve poured the batter into the tin. This creates a beautiful, melted chocolate crust on top, adding an extra layer of deliciousness. Personally, I always take the suggested chocolate chip measurement with a grain of salt and add them to my heart’s content as I stir them into the batter. More chocolate is always a good idea in my book!
Speaking of chocolate chips, there’s a funny anecdote from the photoshoot for these muffins. The “spilled” chocolate chips I used as props in the photos completely melted! It was a hot morning, and with the direct sunlight needed for proper lighting, they turned into a puddle of deliciousness on the board. But don’t worry – those precious dairy-free chocolate chips did not go to waste! My youngest had absolutely no problem using his fingers to swipe up every last bit of that goodness. Like mother, like son!
Your New Go-To Vegan & Allergy-Friendly Muffin Recipe
So, the next time you’re craving chocolate for breakfast, need a quick and easy muffin recipe, or are looking for a satisfying snack for yourself or your kids that’s both vegan and allergy-friendly, these Double Chocolate Banana Muffins are your answer. With their incredible flavor, moist texture, and “free-from” versatility, they’re sure to become a regular fixture in your baking rotation. You might just find yourself baking them at least once a month, just like we do!
I’ve linked to some of the ingredients to help you find them, or simply see their labeling. All of the links go through my Amazon affiliate. None of the products are sponsored.
Vegan & Gluten-free Double Chocolate Banana Muffins (Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut & tree nut free; top-8-free; vegan)
12 large muffins
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
Soft chocolate muffins studded with chocolate chips are a chocolate-lover’s ideal breakfast or snack. Moist from the bananas with the perfect texture no one will guess these are free from the most common allergens: gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut & tree nuts. These double chocolate banana muffins are also vegan too!
Ingredients
- 2 large overripe bananas, mashed until smooth
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup vanilla or plain rice milk
- 1½ cups gluten free flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ tsp xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Either line a cupcake tin with liners or spray it generously with non-stick spray.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together bananas, oil, sugar, vanilla, and rice milk until smooth.
- Turn the stand mixer to low and slowly add: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan and salt one at a time until it’s fully incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary. Fold in chocolate chips, then pour into the prepared muffin tin. You’ll either have 12 very full muffins (which is how I like them) or 15ish regular sized muffins.
- Bake about 20-25 minutes, or until cake has risen and is slightly cracked, and bounces back when you touch it slightly with your finger.
- Let cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes, then move the muffins to a paper towel to soak up any remaining coconut oil and cool completely. The texture is best when cooled. After you’ve initially eaten the cooled muffins, if there are any left, store them room temperature, covered in a towel (air tight makes them too moist).
This recipe was adapted from my popular Double Chocolate Banana Bread.
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Explore More Allergy-Friendly Muffin Recipes!
If you’re looking for more delicious and inclusive muffin recipes, be sure to check out some of my other favorites:
SunButter Honey & Banana Muffins (Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut & tree nut free; top-8-free; vegan; refined sugar free)
These delightful muffins offer a unique twist with SunButter, natural sweetness from honey, and the comforting taste of banana. They are a fantastic option for those avoiding the top 8 allergens, and are also refined sugar-free and vegan.
Cinna-Swirl Muffins (Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, peanut & tree nut free; top 8 free; vegan)
Indulge in the warm, comforting flavors of cinnamon with these delightful Cinna-Swirl Muffins. They are not only vegan and top 8 allergen-free but also offer a lovely swirled texture that’s as appealing to the eye as it is to the palate.
Banana Yogurt Muffins (Gluten, dairy, egg, peanut & tree nut free)
These Banana Yogurt Muffins are a fantastic option for a moist and tender treat, free from gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts. The use of non-dairy yogurt adds an extra layer of richness and tenderness to these already delightful muffins.
Blender Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Gluten, dairy, soy, peanut & tree nut free)
For an incredibly easy and wholesome option, try these Blender Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. Simply blend the ingredients, bake, and enjoy! They are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, peanut-free, and tree nut-free, making them a superb choice for a quick, healthy, and allergy-friendly breakfast.
