Name: Gluten Free Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (certified gluten free); 1 1/4 cups gluten free flour blend; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 large egg; 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (2-3 large ripe bananas); 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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These Gluten Free Banana Oatmeal Muffins have a mildly sweet banana flavor and chewy oat texture. Topped with a sprinkling of brown sugar and cinnamon, they're great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

If you enjoy gluten free quick breads and muffins made with bananas, you'll want to try my Gluten Free Banana Blueberry Bread. You'll also like my Gluten Free Banana Muffins.

For more gluten free breakfast ideas, check out my Gluten Free Breakfast section.

One gluten free banana oatmeal muffin, a few scattered oats, a bowl of oats, and more muffins on a wire rack in the background.

I'll never turn down a sweet muffin for breakfast, but my husband prefers a less-sweet start to his day. These banana oatmeal muffins work for both of us.

The old-fashioned oats mellow the sweetness of the bananas making the muffins more savory than your average breakfast muffin. But they have a brown sugar/cinnamon topping to add just a touch of sweetness and crunch.

These muffins are a great make ahead breakfast or snack. I like to bake up a batch on the weekend and then freeze them to be enjoyed later.

Adding the oats makes the muffins more hearty and filling. If you need a tasty grab-and-go breakfast to keep you going until lunch, these gluten free muffins will do the trick.

What You Need to Make Gluten Free Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Old-Fashioned Oats (certified gluten free) - if you're making these muffins for someone with Celiac disease, it's important to use certified gluten free oats. I like Bob's Red Mill Old Fashioned Rolled Oats.
Gluten free flour blend - check your blend for xanthan gum. If it doesn't contain xanthan gum, add ½ teaspoon. I like to use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which contains xanthan gum.
Over ripe bananas - the peels should be covered in brown spots and the fruit should be soft.
Granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, egg, oil, and vanilla extract - all the usual ingredients for making muffins.
Ground cinnamon and brown sugar - both of these ingredients add extra flavor to the muffins.

6 gluten free banana oatmeal muffins on a wire cooling rack.

Step By Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375° and line a standard muffin pan with baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, gluten free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until combined (photo 1).

In a small mixing bowl, combine egg, oil, and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined (photo 2).

Process shots 1-4 for making gluten free banana oatmeal muffins.

Add the mashed bananas to the batter (photo 3), and stir until completely combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared muffin pan.

Make the brown sugar and cinnamon topping and sprinkle evenly over the muffins (photo 4).

Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Overhead view of a muffin pan with baked gluten free banana oatmeal muffins.

Baker's Tips

Check the ingredients of your gluten free flour blend for xanthan gum. If your flour blend doesn't contain it, try adding ½ teaspoon to the recipe.
When adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, be careful not to overmix the batter. Over mixing the batter can lead to muffins that are tough.
Remove the muffins from the pan to finish cooling on a wire rack. If you leave the muffins in the pan to cool, the bottoms of the muffins may become soggy.

Gluten Free Flour

Always use a good quality all-purpose gluten free flour blend when making these muffins. I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 which contains xanthan gum.

Xanthan gum helps to hold the muffins together. In traditional baking, gluten in all-purpose flour acts as the binding agent for the baked good. Gluten free baking requires a substitute for the binding agent and that's where xanthan gum comes in.

Your results may vary depending on the gluten free flour you use. I haven't tried almond flour or coconut flour with this muffin recipe.

Remember to use the "spoon and level" method when measuring your gluten free flour. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and use the back of a table knife to level off the top. Using a measuring cup to scoop the flour out of the canister or bag can result in more flour than needed in the recipe.

How do you freeze banana muffins?

These muffins freeze very well. Allow the muffins to cool completely, then wrap with plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag. The muffins will last in the freezer for up to 2 months.

When you're ready to enjoy the muffins, remove from the freezer and allow them to thaw on the counter. Or, if you're in a hurry, pop them in the microwave for several seconds to re-heat.

Two halves of a gluten free banana oatmeal muffin spread with butter and a sprinkling of oats on a small white plate.

More Gluten Free Muffin Recipes to Try

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