I have been wanting to create another gluten free muffin recipe that is refined sugar-free. Gluten free banana muffins are one of my faves! I used agave in this recipe, and course, bananas make a great natural sweetener so I did not have to add much agave at all. They came out perfect! Not too sweet, not as heavy as banana bread, moist, but not wet. Enjoy!
This recipe makes delicious gluten-free banana nut muffins - nuts optional.
Ingredients:
- 2 extra large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups mashed bananas (about 3 large bananas)
- 1/4 cup agave syrup
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 3/4 cup rice flour
- 3 Tablespoons sorghum flour
- 3 Tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
- 3 Tablespoons potato starch
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder (I use Rumford's)
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum*
- 1/2 teaspoon guar gum
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- ground cinnamon for topping and swirling
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions:
- Spray oil or oil muffin tins.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, whisk eggs and then add mashed bananas, agave, vinegar and oil; whisk again.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add dry ingredients and blend thoroughly.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; and blend well.
- Pour batter into the muffin tins to the top.
- Add nuts on top and with a butter knife stir in. Sprinkle top with cinnamon and swirl in.
- Bake for 28-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Tips
* To make this recipe corn-free use corn-free xanthan gum or skip the xanthan gum and use 3/4 teaspoon guar gum. See the Gluten Free Product List for a link to corn-free xanthan gum.
I like to add the nuts to individual muffins to ensure that they are evenly distributed, but you can fold them into the batter before adding it to the muffin tins.
Make sure you hit the muffin pan on the counter a few times to get out any air pockets. I forgot to do that, as you can see in the photo above with the hole in it.
You can replace all of the flours, starches, xanthan and guar gums, baking soda and baking powder with equal amounts of Carla's Gluten Free Cake Flour Blend Recipe. I'm sure they'll turn out even better!
It doesn’t say the temperature to put it on.
Andrew,
Sorry about that! The recipe is now updated. Bake at 350°F. Enjoy!
Carla
can i use better batter, it has xhanthan gum in it?
I have never used it, but I’d definitely give it a go, and just skip the gums I have listed. Enjoy! Do let us all know if it works!
Great receipe! I’m sensitive to bananas, so I’ll try your receipe with a different fruit, perhaps apples. I like the use of cinnamon, which has a positive effect on blood sugar. I have tried agave nectar before, but for some reason, my son with PDD-NOS became very hyper on it. Maybe it’s a matter of different brands.
Would you say it’s ok to substitute the many flours in this recipe with a gluten-free all purpose flour blend (like Bob’s Red Mill)?
Rachael,
I would go ahead and give it a try. If your mix does not have a lot of tapioca flour/starch it may come out heavier, though. Just remember to check whether the all-purpose flour mix already contains xanthan gum and/or guar gum. Let us know how it turns out and which all-purpose flour you used.
Thanks, I will give it a try this weekend. This flour doesn’t have xantham gum in it, but I have some standing by!
Hi Rachel, this recipe does include xanthan gum and guar gum. Of course, you can use xanthan gum alone if you wish. Let me know how it turns out for you!
As I read through this recipe I was surprised by the use of agave as sweetener. I wonder why so many think this is an o.k. sweetener? Isn’t it just about the same as using corn syrup?
Wanda, it is very similar to sugar, but less processed and reacts slowly in the body in regards to blood sugar levels. Other natural sweeteners can be used such as pure molasses.