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    Home » Recipes » Cakes and Muffins

    Banana and Pecan Vegan Muffins

    Publish Date Aug 9, 2021 · Updated: Sep 7, 2022 by Yasmin

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    GFSFVG

    These Banana and Pecan Vegan Muffins are fluffy, sweet and moist. And you wouldn't guess that they're Gluten-Free too. They're an easy go-to snack, or breakfast, that still pack a nutritional punch.
    This recipe comes together in just a few minutes (once you've soaked the flaxseed).

    A muffin tray full of baked muffins, in large brown paper muffin cases, topped with pecans.
    Freshly baked Muffins.
    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make Them
    • Storage
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • FAQ's
    • Other Cake and Dessert Ideas
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    What You'll Need

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for banana pecan muffins, all laid out on a white background and labelled.
    Banana Pecan Muffin Ingredients.
    • Baking Powder & Bicarb - Baking powder is often gluten free, but sometimes wheat-derived products can be used. It's always best to check labels to ensure that your baking powder is 100% gluten free, especially for those with coeliac disease or a severe gluten intolerance.
    • Bananas - You'll need ripe bananas for this recipe. Ideally that sweet spot where they've got a few brown spots but haven't started to turn completely brown yet. (See ingredients photo above for reference) I use 4 medium Bananas but this recipe is fairly forgiving, so if you only have 3 that are on the larger side of medium, it'll work just fine.
    • Coconut Sugar - If you don't have access to Coconut Sugar, you can use Light Brown Sugar instead. I use Coconut Sugar where possible as it has a slightly lower GI rating, and it has more retained minerals comparatively to cane sugar.
    • Gluten Free Self Raising Flour - We use Doves Farm, but there are plenty of other brands available depending on your location. You can also switch it out for regular Self Raising Flour here if you aren't Gluten Free.
    • Ground Flaxseed - It's important here to use ground flaxseed and not whole. This is due to the fact they are more nutritionally bioavailable once ground. Our bodies can't break down the outer casing easily. Ground flax is usually another easily accessible product from wholefood or health stores. Or again you can purchase from multiple places online by simply searching in Google.
    • Pecans - We buy these by the kilo from different wholefood stores depending on what else we're buying at the time. Check for any local wholefood stores, or alternatively there are plenty online to choose from.
    • Vegan Butter - I've chosen to use Naturli' Vegan Block in this recipe due to the fact that it doesn't contain any palm oil. But if you prefer not to use a butter alternative, you can sub this out for Olive or Coconut Oil. See the Substitutions section at the end of this post for more information.

    Equipment

    • Bowl glass/plastic/ceramic
    • Fork
    • Ice-cream scoop optional but really helpful when it comes to portioning out muffin and cupcake batter in to cases
    • Measuring Cups/Scales
    • Muffin Cases or large cupcake cases
    • Muffin Tray
    • Wooden Spoon or spatula

    How to Make Them

    Side by side photos of before and after soaking the flaxseed.
    Making the Flax-egg.

    Step 1: Add the Ground Flaxseed and water to a bowl, whisk with a whisk or fork to combine. Leave for 10 minutes to form 'Flax-egg'.

    Step 2: The Flax and water mixture should mimic the consistency of egg whites, when it's ready.

    Side by side photos of adding the banana to the flax 'egg', and then adding the melted butter.
    Steps 3 & 4.

    Step 3: Add the Bananas and either use a fork or masher to mash well and stir to combine with the 'Flax-egg'.

    Step 4: Pour in the melted Butter and stir together.

    Side by side photos of adding the sugar in to the mashed banana mixture
    Steps 5 & 6.

    Steps 5 & 6: Add the Coconut Sugar and stir to combine.

    In a separate bowl, gently mix together the Self-Raising Flour, Bicarb, Baking Powder and Salt.

    Side by side photos of adding the mixed remaining dry ingredients.
    Steps 7 & 8.

    Steps 7 & 8: Once they are mixed together gently fold these ingredients into the banana mixture. Be careful not to over mix or this will lose some of the air bubbles.

    Side by side photos of the unbaked banana muffins. On the left, once the muffin cases have been filled. On the right, with pecans having been sprinkled on top.
    Muffins before and after baking.

    Step 9: Divide your batter equally between 12 muffin cases, sprinkle over the chopped Pecans.

    Step 10: Then bake for 18 minutes.

    Recipe Tip

    I use a 5cm scissor ice-cream scoop (pictured below) to get the right amount of muffin batter each time.

    A glass bowl with muffin batter remnants, with a spatula and ice cream scoop inside.
    Ice-cream scoops are great tools for evenly measuring out cupcake and muffin batters in to cases.

    When mixing the muffin batter, be careful not to over-mix it or you'll lose the air bubbles that your raising agents (Baking Powder & Bicarb) have created. Refer to Picture 8 in the Step-by-Step photos above. Those air bubbles are going to make your muffins light and fluffy.

    Storage

    Store these in an airtight container in a cool dark place (aka a kitchen cupboard). They will last you 3-5 days.

    Substitutions

    • Pecans - For a nut free version you can use Pumpkin Seeds instead, sprinkle on before baking. Sunflower seeds are another great nut-free option that are neutral in flavour.
    • Vegan Butter - You can sub out the ¼ cup of melted Vegan Butter with ¼ cup of Olive or Coconut Oil.

    Variations

    • Fresh Raspberries - For another twist of flavour you can add some fresh raspberries. I suggest using 8-10 large raspberries, cut them in to quarters and sprinkle over the top of each muffin in the same way you would the Pecans.
    • Cinnamon - Another way to play around with flavours is by using a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Add it at the same time as the flour and raising agents.

    FAQ's

    How do you store Banana Pecan Vegan Muffins?

    They will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container, stored in a cool dark place.

    Can Banana Pecan Vegan Muffins be frozen?

    We don't recommend freezing these as they will likely turn quite stodgy once defrosted because of the banana.

    Do you have any other recipes that use bananas?

    If you'd like to try something different with ripe Bananas then you could always try our banana pancakes. we also have a super fluffy gluten free version, which we would seriously recommend trying!

    Other Cake and Dessert Ideas

    Here are a few of our other Delicious Recipes that you might like to try.

    • Easy, Fluffy, Sugar Free Pancakes
    • Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars (Vegan & Gluten free)
    • Healthy Vegan Baked Oats with Berries
    • Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana and Lentil Muffins

    Recipe

    Yasmin holding a muffin up in front of the camera, with a bite taken out of it.

    Banana and Pecan Vegan Muffins

    These Banana and Pecan Vegan Muffins are fluffy, sweet and moist. And you wouldn't guess that they're Gluten-Free too. They're an easy go-to snack, or breakfast, that still pack a nutritional punch.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Baking, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 18 minutes
    Soaking: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 33 minutes
    Servings: 12 Muffins
    Calories: 174kcal
    Author: Yasmin

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowl
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cups (or scales)
    • Paper or Silicone Muffin cases
    • Muffin Tray

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 4 Medium Ripe Bananas
    • 1.5 cups Gluten Free Self-Raising Flour
    • ½ cup Coconut Sugar
    • ¼ cup Vegan Butter
    • 4 tablespoon Ground Flaxseed
    • ⅓ cup Water
    • ⅓ cup Chopped Pecans
    • ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
    • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat your oven to 170c Fan/Gas 5/375f
    • Soak the ground Flaxseed in Water, whisk well with a fork, and leave to rest for 10 minutes. This will create your 'flax-egg' and should have a consistency that resembles egg whites.
      4 tablespoon Ground Flaxseed, ⅓ cup Water
      Side by side photos of before and after soaking the flaxseed.
    • Add the bananas to the bowl and mash well with a fork or masher.
      4 Medium Ripe Bananas
      Banana being added to the bowl and then mashed.
    • Melt the Vegan Butter and add to the flax-egg & banana.
      ¼ cup Vegan Butter
      The melted butter being added to the mixture.
    • Pour in the sugar and mix well.
      ½ cup Coconut Sugar
      Side by side photos. Sugar being added to the wet mixture, then stirred in.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
      1.5 cups Gluten Free Self-Raising Flour, ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda, ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
    • Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and fold to combine. Being careful not to over-mix.
      Side by side photos of adding the mixed remaining dry ingredients.
    • Distribute the muffin batter evenly in to 12 muffin cases using a spoon or ice-cream scoop.
      The uncooked batter, portioned out into the muffin cases, in a muffin tray.
    • Roughly chop the pecans and sprinkle over the top of the muffin batter. Gently press them about half way in.
      ⅓ cup Chopped Pecans
      A tray full of unbaked banana and pecan muffins.
    • Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 18 minutes, or until the tops lightly brown and a skewer comes out clean.
      A tray full of baked banana pecan muffins.

    Notes

    • When mixing the muffin batter be careful not to over-mix it, or you'll lose the air bubbles that your raising agents (Baking Powder & Bicarb) have created. Please refer to the picture on the right, on instruction 7 above. Those air bubbles are going to make your muffins light and fluffy.
    • I like to use an ice-cream scoop to measure out the muffin batter in to each case to help create even sized muffins. I used a 5cm scoop.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin B1: 1mg | Vitamin B2: 1mg | Vitamin B3: 1mg | Vitamin B5: 1mg | Vitamin B6: 1mg | Vitamin C: 3mg | Vitamin E: 1mg | Vitamin K: 3µg | Calcium: 22mg | Copper: 1mg | Folate: 16µg | Iron: 1mg | Manganese: 1mg | Magnesium: 27mg | Phosphorus: 51mg | Selenium: 7µg | Zinc: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know what you thought of it in the comment section below. We'd love to hear from you!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Joan

      August 24, 2021 at 9:55 pm

      5 stars
      So easy to make and really tasty too.

      Reply
      • Yasmin

        August 29, 2021 at 12:14 am

        Glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply

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    Welcome to my blog Raising on Plants!
    I'm Mummy to 3 little monkeys under 5.
    If you’re a fan of cooking, baking and eating some healthy-ISH food – you came to the right place.
    Here you will find delicious, plant focused, vegan & vegetarian recipes to help you nourish your family from within

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