Amazing Gluten Free Muffins – Banana + Toasted Walnuts
I have made a lot of muffins in my life, but none compare in deliciousness to these gluten free muffins. Banana, Toasted Walnut and Dark Chocolate are an amazing flavor combination – especially when enhanced with a generous pinch of cardamom. Some describe the spice as having citrus, pine, or menthol notes. I think it’s both somehow sultry and fresh and it’s totally PERFECT with banana.
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How to make the best gluten free muffins – banana or otherwise!
The best gluten free muffins (or muffins in general) have a light, tender crumb. They are lofty with good rise and have a nice golden brown top. These certainly fit the bill and I have a few secrets that I always use no matter what muffin recipe I’m using.
I have a few tricks up my sleeve to ensure a moist gluten free muffin. First I make sure to use a good quality flour blend (or if I’m using single ingredient flours I make sure they are super fine). My favorite all purpose flour blend for muffins, quick breads and cakes is Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1. Next, I like to add whole fat milk or other dairy products. Adding sour cream or yogurt can also help. In addition, adding fruit purees like smashed bananas, pureed prunes, or applesauce can help enhance both the flavor and the texture of gluten free muffins. Finally, consider adding an extra egg or egg yolk to the recipe, especially if you are converting a non-gluten free recipe to be gluten free.
It important that your ingredients including eggs, butter and milk are at room temperature. It also helps to beat the butter until it’s light and fluffy. This helps trap air in the batter and helps the muffins rise higher. I also love to use taller muffin liners which give the muffins some structure to climb when they are in the oven.
I tend to use a higher oven temperature when cooking muffins, typically 400°F which helps them rise more quickly and gives them a nice brown top. Most muffins will bake for about 18-20 minutes at this temperature, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Cool them in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.
What you need to make these amazing recipe for Gluten Free Muffins – Banana + Toasted Walnuts (& Dark Chocolate)
I wasn’t joking when I said these were the most delicious muffins ever. It was confirmed when my daughter, who is home from college, rushed into my room saying, “Mom, these are so good! The best muffin I’ve ever had.” She’s kind of a muffin expert (I taught her well).
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened (8 tablespoons)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure gluten free vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all purpose gluten-free flour blend (such as Cup4Cup or Bob’s Red Mill 1to1)
- 1 teaspoon each baking soda, sea salt, and xanthan gum
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas about 3 medium
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks
For the topping
- 3/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, xanthan (if using), cardamom, and cinnamon, and beat until just combined. Stir in the mashed banana and sour cream and mix until completely incorporated. Carefully fold in the toasted walnuts and chocolate chunks.
- Pulse the remaining walnuts, sugar, cardamom and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until finely ground.
- Scoop batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin and top each muffin with about 1 heaping tablespoon of the ground nut mixture. Bake for about 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
Love Muffins? Me too – here are a few more recipes to try!
- Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Muffins
- Your Favorite, Delicious Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
- The Best Recipe for Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
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Amazing Gluten Free Muffins – Banana, Toasted Walnut & Dark Chocolate
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened 8 tablespoons
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure gluten free vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all purpose gluten-free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your flour blend already contains it
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas about 3 medium
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup walnuts lightly toasted and chopped
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, xanthan (if using), cardamom, and cinnamon, and beat until just combined. Stir in the mashed banana and sour cream and mix until completely incorporated. Carefully fold in the toasted walnuts and chocolate chunks.
- Pulse the remaining walnuts, sugar, cardamom and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until finely ground.
- Scoop batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin and top each muffin with about 1 heaping tablespoon of the ground nut mixture. Bake for about 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
Nutrition
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