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Years ago, I created a gluten-free banana muffin recipe to enjoy after I completed my 21-day cleanse. I may love gluten, yet it doesn’t love me. So I needed a vegan banana muffin recipe that could ease me back into the baked goods world. I love that recipe, yet it’s super healthy (and some days, I just want a little indulgence).
So I developed this vegan banana muffins version using all-purpose flour for that crave-worthy bakery texture, topped with a cinnamon streusel. It’s still pretty wholesome, naturally sweetened, boosted with walnuts, and egg-free thanks to aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas). So next time you open a can of chickpeas, save that liquid—it’s the secret to fluffy vegan muffins!
Table of contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
If you’ve got a few spotty bananas on the counter, you’re just a quick blend and stir away from warm, fluffy vegan banana muffins. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Ripe bananas: The spottier, the better, brown-speckled bananas are sweeter and mash up beautifully. You’ll find them in the produce section.
- Aquafaba: Acts like eggs to hold the batter together and give a light, fluffy texture. Use the liquid from an unsalted can of chickpeas, found in the canned goods aisle. Shake the can before draining.
- All-purpose flour: This gives the muffins that classic fluffy, cake-like bakery texture. You can also swap in half whole wheat flour for extra fiber and a heartier texture.
- Coconut sugar: Adds warm, caramel-like sweetness that pairs perfectly with banana. Find it near the alternative sweeteners or natural foods section.
- Coconut oil: Keeps the muffins moist and rich with just a hint of coconut flavor. Look for jars in the baking or oil section; melt before mixing.
- Oat milk + lemon juice: Combine to make quick vegan “buttermilk” for a soft, balanced crumb. Unsweetened oat milk is usually near the plant-based milks, and fresh lemons are in the produce section.
How to Make Vegan Banana Muffins
Making vegan banana muffins couldn’t be easier. Blend the wet, stir it all together, and bake until your kitchen smells like a cozy bakery. Here’s how to make them:
- Add the lemon juice to the oat milk and leave it for around 7 minutes to curdle, this creates a perfect vegan buttermilk.
- Pour the buttermilk into the blender and give it a quick blend.
- Slice the banana into a bowl, then mash it thoroughly with a fork until smooth.
- Add the mashed banana, vanilla extract, coconut sugar, and coconut oil to the blender.
- Blend everything until it is fully combined with no banana lumps remaining.
- Add the flour, crushed walnuts, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon to a mixing bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.
- Gently stir everything together, it’s okay if you still see a few light streaks of flour.
- Divide the batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Top with Cinnamon Streusel and bake for 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tip
Want fluffier muffins? Don’t overmix the batter. It can make your muffins dense or chewy. Gently fold until only a few light streaks of flour remain, and stop there! Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes before baking.
Easy Swaps and Add-Ins
What makes these vegan banana muffins a keeper? They’re endlessly adaptable. A few quick swaps or mix-ins can take them from cozy classic to something brand new:
- Use oat flour for a softer, gluten-free option, or replace half the flour with whole wheat for a heartier, nutty texture.
- This recipe uses walnuts, but you can swap in pecans, almonds, or add a handful of vegan chocolate chips for a bakery-style twist.
- Stir in a teaspoon of espresso powder for a subtle coffee flavor that deepens the banana sweetness.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger for warm spice before baking for a little bakery magic.
- A drizzle of homemade nut butter adds richness, and extra satisfaction.
Serving Suggestions
These vegan banana muffins are soft, sweet, and perfectly satisfying—no extras needed. Grab one for breakfast on the go, a quick afternoon snack, or enjoy it with a cup of coffee for a cozy little moment.
Fun upgrade: Slice a muffin into chunks and layer it with creamy vegan yogurt, crunchy granola, and chopped bananas for a mini banana parfait. It’s a little fancy, super tasty, and nice for a brunch.
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More Vegan Banana Treats You’ll Love
If you’re into healthy treats like this vegan banana muffin recipe, here are a few more vegan banana recipes that are sweet, simple, and absolutely crave-worthy:
- Banana mug cake cooks in just minutes and delivers warm, fluffy banana goodness.
- Vegan banana split is a fun, nostalgic treat layered with dairy-free ice cream, fruit, and toppings.
- Chocolate-covered banana bites are frozen, snackable, and dipped in silky chocolate. Just be sure to use vegan chocolate chips for the recipe.
If you make this vegan banana muffins recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Bakery-Style Vegan Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup oat milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup aquafaba
- 4 medium very ripe bananas about 2 cups mashed
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup raw walnuts chopped
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Streusel Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin on the bottoms and sides with oil or use a silicone muffin tray.
- Stir the lemon juice into the oat milk and set aside for 7 minutes to create “buttermilk.”.
- Shake the can of chickpeas to evenly distribute the starches. Measure the required amount of the aquafaba into a blender. Blend on medium speed for 1 minute until uniformly foamy.
- Once the oat milk and lemon juice has set, add it, vanilla extract, bananas, coconut sugar and coconut oil to the blender ingredients. Blend on medium speed until no banana lumps remain.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, walnuts, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix well.
- Pour container of wet ingredients on top of dry ingredients. Gently stir until the ingredients are just barely combined. It’s okay if you can see a few traces of flour.
- Evenly divide the batter between the muffin tins, filling to the top.
- Once the muffin cups are filled, make the cinnamon streusel. In a small bowl, mix the streusel ingredients until well combined, then use your fingertips to crumble the topping evenly over each muffin, covering the batter completely.
- Bake at 425ºF for 5 minutes, or until muffins have risen nicely. Then, without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 350ºF and bake for another 17 minutes (or 22 minutes if using silicone tray), or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Set muffins tray on top of oven (or on a cooling rack) and allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Banana ripeness matters: Spotty, overripe bananas deliver the most sweetness and moisture.
- Aquafaba watch-out: If you’re using canned chickpea liquid, choose unsalted and lightly whisk it before adding.
- Don’t overmix: Stir the batter just until the flour disappears. Overmixing creates dense, gummy muffins instead of fluffy ones.
- Make ahead: You can mash the bananas and measure out dry ingredients the night before.
- Flavor boost: Fold in chopped dark chocolate, pecans, or a pinch of espresso powder for a bakery-style gourmet twist.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Yes, vegan banana muffins can be a nourishing option, especially when made with ripe bananas, natural sweeteners like maple syrup, and healthy fats such as coconut oil or avocado oil. They’re typically lower in saturated fat than traditional muffins and can be boosted with fiber-rich ingredients like whole wheat flour, oats, or chia seeds.
Bananas themselves act as a natural egg replacer, but for added structure and lift, you can use aquafaba (whipped chickpea liquid), flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water), or unsweetened applesauce. These plant-based substitutes work beautifully to bind the batter without changing the flavor too much.
Light, fluffy vegan muffins come from a few key steps: use fresh baking powder and baking soda, don’t overmix the batter, and make sure your ingredients (especially milk and bananas) are at room temperature. Whipping aquafaba or lightly mashing the bananas instead of pureeing them can also trap more air for a soft rise.
Absolutely, vegan banana muffins freeze wonderfully. Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. To enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature or warm in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes. They taste just as fresh!
I have heard of aquafaba yet never attempted it until this recipe. It was kinda fun and cool to see how it can be an egg replacement using something I would just typically throw away. As for the actual muffins— they turned out really nice. I overfilled them to make them extra large (and they made 10 this way). Def will save this recipe!