Fudgy Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Mini Muffins (Dairy-Free)
- Our Nourished Kitchen
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 32 minutes ago
These Fudgy Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Chocolate Mini-Muffins are such a family favorite in our house. I love these muffins; they are chocolatey without being too sweet, and still feel like a breakfast treat. Because they are minimally sweetened with coconut sugar, bananas, and a small amount of dairy-free chocolate chips, I don't feel guilty about letting my kids eat these with breakfast. A mini-muffin is a great portion size for your child (and it fits nicely in their hand). One of my favorite gluten-free baking tricks is using apple cider vinegar to help with leavening- check out Food For Thought below to learn more about the science behind why this works so well.
These muffins use a specific blend of 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour that really helps them retain a nice crumb and fudgy texture. I have really been loving Trader Joe's Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour (not sponsored, I just really like it). I have used A LOT of Gluten-Free flours and I really like how this one works in baked goods. If you have a Trader Joe's close by, check out this flour blend.
The ABSOLUTE BEST dairy-free chocolate chips to bake with are made by Guittard (also not sponsored). This recipe uses their dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips. I also love their dairy-free dark chocolate baking chips as well. For this muffin recipe, the semi-sweet are the perfect complement to the banana.
This recipe makes 20 mini-muffins, but it can absolutely be multipled for larger needs.
How to make this Fudgy Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Chocolate Banana Mini Muffin
Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray the mini muffin cups with oil or line them with mini paper liners. I love using Silpat's Non-Stick muffin pan for baking (not sponsored). The muffins come out so clean and cook evenly.
Whisk the Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mash the bananas completely (a fork or potato masher works great!). My daughter helped with this one and really liked mashing them up (love having my kids in the kitchen). After she did her mashing, we whisked in the egg, oil, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: Next, add the 1:1 gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt directly into a medium bowl. Stir gently with a spatula until the flour streaks disappear. Stir in the dairy-free chocolate chips.
Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold 10-15 turns until the mixture is well incorporated and you don't see any dry spots. Fill the mini muffin cups about ¾ full. Press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of each muffin.
The 5-Minute Rest Trick: Don't skip this very important step! I repeat- don't skip this step! Let the batter sit undisturbed in the pan for 5 minutes before baking. I often do this rest trick with gluten-free baking. This is so important to ensure that the wet ingredients hydrate the gluten-free flours. This will prevent a gritty mouth feel and help your muffins turn out soft.
Bake for 12-13 minutes. Check the center of a middle muffin with a toothpick or sharp knife; it should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs (if you hit a melted chocolate chip, check a different spot!).
They should rise nicely, with little round tops and a nice crumb. Let them cool for a few minutes, then take them out of the muffin pans to prevent they from steaming (and getting a soggy bottom, yuck!). You should have 20 delicious gluten-free, dairy-free, chocolate banana mini-muffins to enjoy!
Check out the full recipe below! I hope you enjoy!
Why Apple Cider Vinegar Helps with Lift
According to Shirley O. Corriher’s BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking (2008), the reaction between apple cider vinegar and baking soda provides essential lift in almond-based, gluten-free batters because this acidic activation creates immediate CO2 bubbles, inflating dense batter before baking, while the acetic acid neutralizes and evaporates, leaving a neutral flavor. Check out her awesome cookbook (not sponsored, just sharing a great resource)!
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