These Vegan Banana Muffins are soft and fluffy, not dense or gummy, made in one bowl with overripe bananas, brown sugar and cinnamon. They come together fast with no mixer and no egg replacer to buy, and they freeze well for easy breakfasts and snacks.
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The Secret to Soft, Fluffy Banana Muffins
I love baking with overripe bananas, and after plenty of testing, I’ve learned that the muffins so many people end up with come out heavy and dense instead of light and soft. The trick is skipping the flax egg and applesauce that leave a lot of vegan muffins wet and gummy, and letting really ripe, spotty bananas do the work with a plant-based buttermilk to help them rise. That’s what keeps these tender and fluffy, with a soft middle and a tall golden top, and they come together in one bowl with no mixer, as quick as my Vegan Banana Bread. They’re a great way to use up the black bananas on your counter, the same ones I save for my Vegan Banana Pancakes – no one will guess they’re egg and dairy free, so they’ve become a freezer staple in our home.
Instructions
Follow along with this step-by-step guide to make your Vegan Banana Muffins. You’ll find all the exact times, temperatures, and measurements in the recipe card below.
Step One: Mash your bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth. The riper and spottier they are, the easier they mash and the more banana flavor you get.
Step Two: Whisk in the wet ingredients until smooth. The plant milk and apple cider vinegar work together here like a buttermilk, which is what helps the muffins rise and stay soft.
Step Three: Add the dry ingredients and fold gently, just until the flour disappears. Stop while the batter still looks thick with a few lumps.
Step Four: Divide the batter between the cups and sprinkle the oat sugar topping over each one.
Step Five: Bake until the muffins are golden and domed.
Storage
Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 2 months, and let them thaw at room temperature before eating. Warm a muffin in the microwave for about 10 seconds to bring back that just-baked softness.
Expert Tips
For taller, bakery-style domes, start the muffins at a higher oven temperature for the first 5 minutes, then drop it to the temperature in the recipe card for the rest of the bake, the initial burst of heat helps them rise fast and set with a high top.
FAQ
This almost always comes down to overmixing or old leavener, so fold only until the flour disappears and check that your baking powder and baking soda are still fresh.
Your oven is likely running hot, which sets the outside before the middle cooks, so try lowering the temperature slightly and give them a few extra minutes.
It’s best not to cut it by much, since the brown sugar adds moisture as well as sweetness, and reducing it too far can leave the muffins dry and dense.
Serving Suggestions and More Recipes
These are best warm, split and spread with a little vegan butter or peanut butter. For a fuller breakfast, serve them alongside coffee or tea with fresh fruit.
If you’ve got more spotty bananas to use up and want something more dessert-like try my Chocolate Banana Bread. And for another quick one-bowl bake, my Sweet Potato Muffins come together the same easy way.
Vegan Banana Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
Muffins
- 3 medium overripe bananas mashed (about 1 cup / 227 g)
- â…“ cup neutral oil 80 ml
- ½ cup packed brown sugar 100 g
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk 120 ml
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar 5 ml
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 ml
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 g
- 2 tsp baking powder 8 g
- ½ tsp baking soda 3 g
- ½ tsp salt 3 g
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 4 g
Optional add-ins (choose one)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts 55 g
- ½ cup vegan dark chocolate chips 85 g
- â…“ cup raisins or sultanas 55 g
Oat sugar topping
- 2 tbsp rolled oats 12 g
- 1 tbsp raw turbinado or demerara sugar (13 g)
- Pinch ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease with oil.
- Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl until mostly smooth.
- Add the oil, brown sugar, plant-based milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold through the walnuts, chocolate chips or raisins, if using.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
- In a small bowl, mix the rolled oats, raw sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle a small pinch over each muffin.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the muffins are golden, domed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
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