The goal: portable, delicious, and a bit nutritious! And so banana buckwheat muffins were born! These nutty, wholesome muffins are vegan, gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and easy to make with just 1 bowl and 10 ingredients required.
They’re great for after-school snacks, on-the-go breakfasts, and more! Grab your mixing bowl, let’s make muffins!
These 1-bowl buckwheat muffins begin with the wet ingredients: a flax egg, mashed banana, coconut sugar, a little oil, and vanilla.
Buckwheat can have a strong flavor on its own (and a dense texture), so it’s not always our go-to gluten-free flour. But when paired with another strong flavor like banana? This low glycemic, gluten-free nutrient powerhouse seed is going in our muffins!
Then it’s on to the dry ingredients: gluten-free flours, salt, and baking soda. To balance the denser texture of the buckwheat flour, we include almond flour and potato starch. The result? A wholesome, not-too-heavy muffin with a perfect crumb texture!
The final step before baking: deciding whether these will be banana muffins or banana nut muffins. Adding walnuts gets our vote! But if you’re not a fan, no one will be mad if you leave them out. And they definitely won’t be mad if you go rogue and throw in some chocolate chips.
We hope you LOVE these banana buckwheat muffins! They’re:
Nutty
Wholesome
Perfectly banana-y
A little sweet
Easy to make
& SO delicious!
These sturdy muffins are perfect for on-the-go breakfasts, brunch gatherings, after-school snacks, and so much more! Our Cinnamon Vanilla Dandelion Tea Latte and Easy Masala Chai would be delicious pairings.
More Wholesome Muffin Recipes
- 1-Bowl Carrot Apple Muffins (Vegan + GF)
- Fluffy Almond Butter Sweet Potato Muffins (GF)
- Vegan Cherry Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins
- 1-Bowl Berry Coconut Muffins (Vegan + GF)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
1-Bowl Banana Buckwheat Muffins (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax egg)
- 2 ½ Tbsp water (to make flax egg)
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar*
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil or melted coconut oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup buckwheat flour (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/4 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour)
- 1/4 cup almond flour* (we like Wellbee’s)
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add flaxseed meal and water. Stir to combine and let gel for 5 minutes.
- Add the bananas to the flax mixture and mash well with a fork until only little chunks of banana remain. We prefer them to be pretty smooth! Next add coconut sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine. Add buckwheat flour, potato starch, almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk until no flour streaks remain. If using walnuts, fold them into the batter at this point.
- Divide the batter evenly between 10 muffin liners (or 12 if including walnuts // adjust if altering batch size) and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs.
- Once cooked, let the muffins cool for 10 minutes in the muffin pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before enjoying. Leftovers can be stored lightly covered at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or frozen for 1 month!
Video
Notes
*If you tend to prefer less-sweet treats, you can use half the amount of coconut sugar with success. Make sure to let the muffins cool fully for best texture.
*Both homemade and store-bought buckwheat flour work well in this recipe. Store-bought will be a bit more dry and homemade a bit more moist.
*Almond flour keeps these muffins a little moist with a crumb-like texture. If you need to make them almond-free, cashew flour would be the next best option. If nut-free, you could try sunflower seed meal, but it may give your muffins a green-tinted color because of the way the seed meal reacts with baking soda.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Sue says
I love baking but have recently had to go gluten-free, so I’ve been on the hunt for good recipes – and this one ticks all the boxes. My goodness, it is so light, and so full of flavour. It’s got such a great crumb that it’s hard to believe it’s not made with regular wheat flour. I used cane sugar and added the walnuts. My mix looked a bit thinner than in the photos, and I only needed to bake them for 30 minutes. I may just eat them all in the same amount of time!
We love to hear it! Thank you so much for the lovely review, Sue!
Mary Lynn Redmond says
I made these muffins using 1 egg and I reduced the starch and sugar. They turned out great!
thanks!
We’re so glad they turned out well with those modifications. Thank you for sharing, Mary Lynn! xo
Solveig says
Can Ii use regular sugar or maybe packed brown sugar instead of coconut sugar?
Either one should work!
prashanthi atluri says
I did some research on buckwheat and learned it is not a grain, but it is not grain-free in filters.
Hi Prashanthi, that’s true! It’s a pseudograin with similar nutritional and functional properties to grains. Because pseudograins are typically avoided on grain-free diets (such as paleo), we don’t mark recipes as grain-free if they contain pseudograins.
Lindsey V says
I used an chicken egg and Volupta (erythritol and monk fruit sugar free sweetner) and kept the rest the same. Baked only 30 min and they were PERFECT! Moist and had bounce to them. So easy to come together too.
We’re so glad the muffins turned out well with those modifications. Thank you for sharing, Lindsey! xo
Lauren says
Love these muffins! I have made them 5 times now! Used an egg instead of flax seed and still turned out great!
Amazing! We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying them, Lauren. Thank you for sharing! xo
Eileen says
These are fantastic! I will be making again this weekend for company.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy the muffins, Eileen. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Linda Nairn says
This recipe is super easy and SUPER delicious. Had to make a couple of subs due to not having all the right ingredients. Used one egg (had ground flaxseed not the flaxseed meal), good quality EVOO (will purchase the avocado oil, coconut oil has too much saturated fat), and wheat flour for the potato starch (will get tapioca starch, GF?). Also added 1/2 tsp of Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus spice. I do like a little spice in my muffins. Next batch will be totally Vegan and GF, I promise. Thanks for sharing this superb recipe! Now, if I can only eat one…….hmmm
Hi Linda, that’s totally fine to make substitutions if they work for you :) Ground flaxseed is also called flaxseed meal, so you can use that. Potato starch provides a light and fluffy texture, while tapioca can make the muffins gummy. Wheat flour will work better than tapioca starch. We’re so glad you enjoyed the muffins! Thank you for sharing! xo
prashanthi atluri says
Hi, I was wondering if these could be oil-free. They look so delicious!
Hi Prashanthi, another reader mentioned subbing aquafaba with success. The muffins may be more moist and dense than the way the recipe is written. Let us know if you try it!
Bronsa Swint says
For banana recipes – is there a gram or cup equivalent? Medium banana is such a relative term plus your market might have jumbo or tiny bananas.,
Yes! 2 medium bananas yield ~3/4 cup or 210 g mashed.
Lacey says
Delicious! I doubled it for 12 big muffins, but used less coconut sugar because I ran out. I added my usual spices and used sliced almonds. And they are perfectly nutty, sweet and satisfying!
Amazing! Those additions sound extra delicious. Thank you for sharing, Lacey! xo
Amanda says
Just made these with pecans instead of walnuts, and they turned out good! I do wish I had read the comments beforehand, because I pulled them at 25 minutes and they are a bit overbaked. Made 10 muffins with the nuts.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Amanda! xo
Dana says
This was a delicious recipe, and a great way to incorporate buckwheat into something truly tasty. I did make a few modifications based on ingredients I had: I used egg instead of the flax mixture, and I used regular flour in lieu of the potato flour. I’m not sure if it was because of those modifications, but the baking time was much less than the recipe called for – about 18-20 mins. Also, the batter made less than the recipe states. I got about 7-8 muffins instead of the 10 stated (I didn’t add walnuts).
Thank you for sharing your experience, Dana! We’re glad you enjoyed the muffins! xo
Laura says
Love this recipe. Have made it twice. The volume it makes depends not only on whether you add nuts, but also on the banana size. My first try made 12 muffins, the second 9. Both sets were delicious.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Laura! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience. xo
Królowa Hummus says
These are SUPER delicious and easy to make. I used almond butter instead of coconut oil and only 1/2 the amount of coconut sugar. My muffins also only took 17 minutes to bake.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Crystal says
Hi! Is there a substitute for potato starch? These look so delish!
Hi Crystal! We haven’t tried these without potato starch, but other readers have had success using tapioca starch!
Elisabeth says
Is there a weight or cup measure equivalent for the bananas? I usually freeze overripe bananas and break them into small pieces before freezing them, so I can’t tell how much is a full banana.
Hi Elisabeth, we didn’t weight them specifically when making this recipe, but 2 medium bananas are typically ~220 grams (after peeling). Hope that helps!
Meg says
I doubled the recipe to get a dozen r
full-size muffins. No nuts on hand, but raisins and coconut flakes subbed in are very yummy. Used real eggs and these muffins turned out excellent!!
Those add-ins sound delicious, Meg! Thank you for sharing! xo
Kate says
Delicious! I made with half the sweetener and still found it plenty sweet (could reduce even more for my liking as the bananas provide enough sweet on their own.) I subbed aquafaba for the oil to make them oil-free, and added 1/3 cup raisins in addition to the 1/2 cup nuts (pecans instead of walnuts due to an allergy.) Sadly, it only made 8 regular sized muffins, so I will double the recipe next time. Baked for 25 mins per suggestion of another commenter, and it was perfect. Thoroughly enjoyed by all!
I’d love to experiment with making this as an 8×8 cake, but have no idea what the bake time would be.
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed the result, Kate. Thank you for sharing! We’d recommend adding an extra ~10 minutes for an 8 x 8 cake, checking with a toothpick inserted into the center to tell when it’s done. We’d love to hear how it goes!
Geri L Habstritt says
These muffins were absolutely DELICIOUS!! I made them exactly as the recipe called except I used extremely ripe bananas like you would use for traditional banana bread. I only got 9 small muffins even with the walnuts. Next time I won’t use quite as ripe bananas. I lost much of the texture and lift because of this.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Geri! We’re so glad you still enjoyed the muffins! xo
Corelia says
Can i suggest a healthy/no refined sugar rice crispy recipe????
Hi Corelia, we don’t have a more classic flavored version, but on page 256 in our cookbook, there’s a recipe for Peanut Butter Cup Puffed Rice Bars sweetened with maple syrup and dates. Hope that helps!
Tammy says
I (almost) have no words for these. Incredible. Delicious. Moist. Ah-mazing texture. I just don’t even know! I have a problem with (most) baked goods that are gf. The texture and/or moisture content just gets me. These. THESE. MY gosh. Not even the most discerning taste buds (mine!) will be able to tell these are gf.
These were SO easy to make. One bowl, 12 amazing muffins (how could I not put the chopped walnuts in?!). The taste is everything you want in a snack or breakfast. Thanks for your hard work and superb recipes!
We’re SO glad you enjoyed them, Tammy! Thank you so much for the lovely review. xo!
Genet E Harris says
I made this recipe by running buckwheat groats through the blender. These were the most tender, light, fluffy and airy muffins ever ! They did not look at all like the picture but they were delicious! They were almost risen too much with high domed tops and a little crumbly so I am thinking of reducing the leaveners next time. I’m not sure what I did differently but I will certainly do it again ! LoL !
I also added different spices (ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon mix).
We’re so glad they worked out even better! Thanks so much for sharing, Genet! xo
Elaine says
These were great. I was shy a banana so we halved it. These are terrific. I was told, “Keep that recipe!”
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Elaine! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Melissa says
These muffins turned out great! I absolutely love buckwheat anything, & have much experience using buckwheat in many different recipes. I made a few modifications, as I try to avoid consuming too much sugar. I only used 1 Tbsp. pure organic maple syrup, instead of the recommended 1/2 c. coconut sugar, & they were plenty sweet enough due to the medium ripe bananas, so 1 Tbsp. maple syrup worked out perfectly! :) Also I used tapioca starch instead of potato starch, and the texture was absolutely perfect, using flax eggs & added 1/4 c almond flour. Didn’t use walnuts due to allergies. This recipe calls for 10-12 muffins, mine was only 7 muffins, and baking time of 25-30 minutes was enough, anything more than that they would’ve been too dark. I added this recipe to my favorites, & will definitely be making it again. Delicious recipe like always! Thank you, & looking forward to many more!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Melissa! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications. xo
Cheryl Renock says
I want to make these however do not want to use coconut sugar. Can I substitute maple syrup unless you have something in mind. thanks.
Hi Cheryl, we haven’t tested this one with maple syrup, but it might work. Let us know if you try it!
Ella Datskiy says
I just made these and have no regrets. So yummy. I also used 1 regular egg instead of the flax egg and it still turned out good. Thank you!
Yay! So happy you enjoy them, Ella. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Catherine Sybille Gervais says
Sooo good soo crispy on the outside!
I didn’t have potato starch so I used tapioca starch!
Yay! We’re so glad they turned out well for you. Thank you for sharing, Catherine!
Lori says
These muffins look wonderful! Would arrowroot powder or tapioca flour work in place of the potato starch? Thank you!
Hi Lori, another reader just tested with tapioca starch and reported it worked! We do think they will turn out a bit more dense and gummy though. Hope that helps!
Kayla says
Hi!
Could you eliminate the potato starch or use a substitute? Not worried about being gluten free. Thank you!
Hi Kayla, all-purpose flour would likely work. Let us know if you try it!
Ann says
These sound delicious! I am trying to stay oil-free, do you think using peanut butter, almond butter, or apple sauce could work as a substitute in this recipe?
Hi Ann, We do think that could work! They might be a little more moist and tender. Let us know if you try it!
Marine says
Hello :)
This look delicious ! Do you think it’s possible to replace almond flour with shredded coconut ?
Hi Marine, it wouldn’t be as absorbent, but it could possibly work if you used more of it? Or maybe mixed it with a nut/seed meal (cashew, sunflower, etc.) for better texture. Let us know if you do some experimenting!