Vegan Banana Muffins

March 09, 2020

These are the BEST vegan banana muffins, moist and fluffy with just the right banana flavor and a crunchy streusel topping. They’re irresistible!

Here’s a vegan banana muffins recipe that will make everyone say, “Wow!” They’re fluffy and just sweet enough, with the perfect banana flavor. Even better, a streusel topping gives every bite a little crunch and extra touch of sweet. You’d really never know these are a vegan baked good, so they work for eaters of all diets! We served them to some friends and heard “best banana muffins” mumbled between bites. Here’s how to make them.

Why to make these vegan banana muffins

There are lots of vegan banana muffins recipes in the world, but this one is our favorite. Our son Larson gobbles them down like there’s no tomorrow. Why? Here the features of this tasty muffins:

They’ve got just the right banana flavor: and it works as a binder! These muffins are perfectly scented with banana. Even better, it works as a binder so you don’t have to use an egg substitute like a flax egg. (We love using them, it just cuts out a step for this recipe!)
Crunchy streusel topping. This topping adds the perfect sweetness and crunch to each bite. You can use either sparkly turbinado sugar (see more on that below), or brown sugar.
Rum optional! Alex and I added a splash of rum, just for fun. If you have it onhand, it’s a nice addition to baked goods (totally optional).

Make sure your bananas are very ripe!

As you probably already know, the key to baked banana recipes is: make sure your bananas are very ripe. What does that mean? The bananas should have brown spots on the outside: or be completely brown! Bananas in this ripe state brings out the natural sweetness and moisture of the fruit. It’s not worth making these vegan banana muffins with unripe or even ripe bananas.

How to quickly ripen a banana? Place it in a brown paper bag and fold over the top. If you have an already ripe banana or apple, place that in the bag too: it speeds up the process by adding more ethylene gas.

Banana peels — Yes, you want bananas that are very ripe: from brown spotted to black!

Variation: want a healthy gluten-free banana muffin?

Is this vegan banana muffins recipe healthy? Well, it’s not a health food. But it’s not as unhealthy as some muffins can be, loaded with sugar and butter and basically glorified cake. It’s got oats and a natural sweetener (maple syrup), and uses coconut oil to stay plant based.

Want an even healthier gluten-free banana muffin? Our Blender Muffins are magically gluten free by way of oats and a blender: there’s no refined flour or sugar at all. Use the vegan option of flax eggs.

How to store muffins

What’s the best way to store these vegan banana muffins? The texture of the streusel can become soggy if you don’t store them correctly. Here’s what we recommend:

1 day: Leave the muffins on a cooling rack and cover with a clean, dry dish towel. This helps the crunchy streusel topping to stay intact.
Up to 4 days: Place a paper towel in the bottom of a sealed container, then place the muffins in and place a paper towel on top. The paper towels absorb any moisture, which helps to retain the crunchy topping.
Longer than 4 days: Freeze these apple muffins in a sealable container and store up to 3 months.

Similar vegan muffin recipes

Are you into vegan baking? (Here are all our Vegan Baked Goods, if so: from vegan bread to biscuits to brownies.) We also have two recipes that are similar to this vegan banana muffins recipe:

Vegan Apple Muffins You’ll never believe these vegan apple muffins are totally plant based! They’re moist and fluffy with a streusel topping that adds a sweet crunch.
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins The glittery streusel topping adds the perfect crunch, and the moist interior is pumpkin-spiced heaven. Use the vegan variation!

More banana recipes

Got bananas? It’s easy to end up with more than you have time to use. Here are all our favorite banana recipes:

Vegan Banana Bread Deliciously moist! It will become a favorite in no time.
Banana Blueberry Muffins Serious crowd pleasers: they’re made with oats and sweetened lightly with maple syrup. (use vegan variation)
Banana Oatmeal Pancakes Made in a blender using oats and bananas: no flour! They’re delicious with a healthy spin.
Vegan French Toast with Caramelized Bananas Features a blend of bananas and almond milk to soak the bread, and caramelized bananas as a topping.
Bananas Foster Delicious, simple, and takes 10 minutes to make!

This vegan banana muffins recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.

BEST Vegan Banana Muffins

1 Star 2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

5 from 5 reviews

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 12

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Description

These are the BEST vegan banana muffins, moist and fluffy with just the right banana flavor and a crunchy streusel topping. They’re irresistible!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup rolled oats, divided
1 tablespoon cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 large or 4 medium)
1/2 cup coconut oil, half melted and half room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
1/4 cup turbinado sugar (or brown sugar)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add 12 muffin cups to a muffin tin.
In a medium bowl, mix the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon with the ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
Melt 1/4 cup coconut oil with the maple syrup. In another bowl, combine the maple syrup and coconut oil mixture with the mashed banana, vanilla, and rum (optional). Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until a smooth batter forms.
In another medium bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup rolled oats, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon along with the turbinado sugar and 1/4 cup room temperature coconut oil.
Cut the coconut oil into the remaining ingredients using a pastry cutter or fork until it’s evenly combined and a crumbly streusel topping forms.
Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Then top with a thin layer of streusel.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (if your oven is uneven, reverse the pan halfway through). Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins and place them on a cooling rack to fully cool.