These Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are a constant in our home. They’re the kind of thing I make without much thought, for quick breakfasts, for school days, for afternoons when everyone is hungry at once. They’re familiar, dependable, and always welcome. Soft, lightly sweet, and just indulgent enough with chocolate chips, they’re the muffins my family asks for again and again.
Made with Bob’s 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour and sweetened with maple syrup, they feel wholesome without trying too hard. The chocolate chips add just enough richness, and one batch makes a full dozen, enough to last our family of four through the week. They’re simple, comforting, and very much part of our rhythm.
Ripe bananas are what make these muffins work. The darker and spottier the bananas, the better, black and brown skins mean more flavor and more moisture. To start, crack an egg into a mixing bowl and lightly beat it, just as you would for scrambled eggs. Add three ripe bananas and mash everything together until the mixture is slightly chunky. This banana-egg mash becomes the base of the batter and brings all the natural sweetness and softness to the muffins.
Once the bananas are mashed, preheat your oven to 375°F. While the oven warms, continue building the batter. You’re not far no, about half an hour from warm muffins coming out of the oven.
Add unsweetened applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil to the banana mixture. Stir gently, just until everything comes together. Then add the baking powder, baking soda, a pinch of salt, gluten-free flour, and chocolate chips. We usually use about a quarter cup of chocolate chips, but you can adjust to taste. Stir until just combined, no more than that.
The batter should look slightly lumpy and thick, not smooth. Overmixing will make the muffins dense, so stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears.
Let the batter rest for 3–5 minutes, then scoop it into a lined muffin tray. An ice cream scoop works well for even muffins. We always use parchment paper liners, which help the muffins rise and release easily after baking. While brushing the tray with coconut oil works, liners consistently give us fluffier results.
Bake the muffins for 22–24 minutes, until the edges turn lightly golden. Test with a wooden toothpick, if it comes out clean, they’re ready. If there’s batter on the toothpick, return them to the oven for another 2–3 minutes and check again.
Serve the muffins warm with a glass of milk, or let them cool completely on a wire rack. When we have an abundance of ripe bananas, I often double the recipe and freeze the extras once they’ve fully cooled. A muffin moved from freezer to fridge the night before makes an easy, nut-free, gluten-free school snack the next day.