Gluten-Free Buckwheat Banana Muffins (Small Batch Recipe)
Start your day while satisfying your sweet tooth with buckwheat banana muffins! This small batch recipe is made from scratch with naturally gluten-free ingredients, creating 6 bakery-style moist and flavorful muffins.
Are you ready to whip up the perfect blend of delicious and nutritious in a batch of mouthwatering muffins? These banana buckwheat muffins combine the natural sweetness of ripe bananas with the nutty flavor and hearty texture of buckwheat flour, resulting in a small batch of gluten-free banana muffins that are oh-so-satisfying.
Whether you’re rushing out the door in the morning or need an afternoon pick-me-up snack, these buckwheat banana muffins have you covered. Frankly, I consider this recipe a testament to the joy of gluten-free baking without compromise. That being said, let’s get baking!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Buckwheat’s benefits. Every bite of these banana muffins with buckwheat flour delivers natural nuttiness and a hefty boost of fiber, protein, and essential minerals.
- Gluten-free and refined sugar-free. To achieve moist and flavorful muffins, you’ll use a blend of gluten-free ingredients, overripe bananas, and your sweetener of choice.
- Versatility. These muffins are perfect for health-conscious folks or those with dietary restrictions seeking a healthier breakfast, snack, or dessert treat.
- Easy to make. With simple ingredients and straightforward instructions, this recipe is perfect for novice and experienced bakers alike, promising bakery-worthy results every time!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Bananas. Bananas not only add natural sweetness, but they also provide moisture and a boost of potassium. Use ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and flavor. Remember, the browner the peel, the sweeter the banana!
- Granulated sweetener. For sweetness, I love this→zero-calorie monk fruit allulose sweetener blend, as it doesn’t contain sugar alcohols and tastes just like brown sugar. You can also use regular sugar, light brown sugar, maple sugar, coconut sugar, or your favorite sugar substitute.
- Avocado oil. Adds moisture to ensure a tender crumb. Melted and cooled butter or olive oil also works. Opt for extra light olive oil to avoid an overpowering taste.
- Eggs. They give the muffins structure and moisture, ensuring a tender bite.
- Vanilla extract. Adds a warm, aromatic undertone. Choose pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- All-purpose gluten-free flour. Gluten-free flour ensures that these muffins are safe for those with gluten intolerances. Look for a blend specifically designed for baking to achieve the right texture.
- Buckwheat flour. Despite the nomenclature, buckwheat flour IS wheat-free. It adds a nutty flavor and hearty texture to the muffins while boosting their nutritional value.
- Baking soda. This leavening agent helps create a light and fluffy texture.
- Salt. Just a pinch is enough to enhance flavor without making the muffins taste salty.
How to make buckwheat banana muffins
Step 1: Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and spray a 6-cup muffin tin with olive oil (or avocado oil) spray or line with parchment muffin liners.
Step 2: Combine wet ingredients. Place the banana In a large bowl and mash it with a fork until only a few lumps remain. Add the sweetener, olive oil, egg, and vanilla extract and mix well.
Step 3: Incorporate dry ingredients. Sift the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add the dry mixture to the bowl with the wet batter and mix until just combined. Do not overmix!
Step 4: Bake. Pour the batter evenly into the muffin cups.
Bake until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean (about 20-25 minutes).
Baking tips
- Adding applesauce. If your bananas aren’t large enough to yield the correct amount of mashed banana, you can use unsweetened applesauce to supplement the sweetness and moisture needed for the perfect muffin texture.
- Room-temperature ingredients. Before mixing, bring the eggs and bananas to room temperature. This helps incorporate the ingredients evenly into the batter.
- Sift buckwheat with AP flour. Buckwheat flour can be dense on its own. Take time to sift it with the all-purpose gluten-free flour for a lighter texture.
- Don’t overmix! As with most baked goods, overmixing can lead to toughness, especially in gluten-free baking, so it’s very important to mix the muffin batter until just combined.
- Watch baking time. Buckwheat flour tends to brown faster than wheat flour, so keep an eye on your muffins and adjust baking time accordingly to prevent overbrowning.
- Test for doneness. Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center to check if your muffins are done. If the toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs, they’re ready!
- Patience is key! Allow buckwheat muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling at room temperature. This helps prevent them from becoming too dense and allows the flavors to meld.
Variations
Make these small-batch gluten-free banana muffins your own by getting creative with customizations! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Chocolate-flavored – Craving chocolate? Add ¼ cup of cacao or cocoa powder and a generous handful of chocolate chips to the batter before baking.
- Fruity add-ins – Mix fresh diced apples, strawberries, or blueberries into the batter, or opt for a handful of dried fruit such as coconut, raisins, or cranberries for bursts of sweetness.
- Protein boost – Experiment with adding protein-rich ingredients like Greek yogurt, protein powder, or nut butter to the batter for added nutritional benefits and staying power.
- Optional mix-ins – Consider adding chopped walnuts, pecans, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds for crunch. Add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice for extra warmth and depth.
Storing & freezing
Storing: Once completely cooled, store banana buckwheat muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Freezing: Once cooled completely, wrap each muffin individually in plastic or foil, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To enjoy, thaw at room temperature or reheat gently (at 50% power) in the microwave.
FAQ
I have not tested this recipe with vegan alternatives. However, you should be able to make these buckwheat banana muffins vegan-friendly by simply substituting the egg with a flax egg, chia egg, or a commercial egg replacer.
Buckwheat flour contributes a distinctive nutty complexity to baked goods like these muffins. It’s also slightly earthy, which complements the bananas’ natural sweetness in this recipe, resulting in rich, flavorful, and delicious muffins.
More gluten-free baking recipes to try
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
- Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
- Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Bran Muffins
If you love this small batch buckwheat muffin recipe, I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!
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Buckwheat Banana Muffins
Equipment
- Six muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 medium over-ripe bananas *you need about 250 grams of mashed banana
- ½ cup granulated sweetener *see notes
- ⅓ cup avocado oil you can also use olive oil or butter that has been melted and cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose gluten-free flour
- ¼ cup buckwheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- optional: unsweetened applesauce if you are using small bananas *see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and spray the muffin tin with olive oil (or avocado oil) spray or line the muffin pan with parchment cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, mash the banana until only a few lumps remain. Add the sweetener, olive oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until blended.
- Sift (or whisk- see notes) the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then stir it into the wet batter until combined (do not over-mix).
- Pour the batter, evenly, into the 6 muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes (check for doneness at 18-20 minutes) until the center is set and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Mine were perfect at 20 minutes.
Notes
- If you only have two small bananas, you can add 2 ounces of unsweetened applesauce to achieve the best texture, sweetness, and moisture level needed for the perfect muffin texture. For extra moist muffins, add up to 4 oz of applesauce.
- For the sweetener, I used a zero-calorie monk fruit allulose sweetener blend (linked in the post) that does not contain sugar alcohols. It tastes just like brown sugar in recipes. I love it, but it’s a little pricey. Other great alternatives are light brown sugar, maple sugar, or coconut sugar. You can also go with your favorite granulated sweetener of choice.
- I recommend sifting the dry ingredients so you don’t have undesirable clumps of baking soda in your baked muffins. You can also whisk the mixture, just make sure that the baking soda doesn’t have any clumps and is very well incorporated.
Nutrition
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