Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffin

I'm definitely not vegan, but when I had 4 VERY brown bananas hanging out in the fridge that needed used and no eggs, I figured a vegan recipe was my best option! I googled around until I found this recipe from Whipped, which I used as a base and made the changes that I needed.  When I subbed evaporated cane juice for agave nectar and I needed to add additional liquid, but I ended up pouring in too much.  The flavor is excellent, but the texture was a bit moist, or undone, so I corrected the amounts in the recipe below.  The extra liquid is also why they sunk in the middle. 


Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

• 2 cups Jules all purpose gluten free all purpose flour (already contains xantham gum, but if your favorite flour does not, add 1 teaspoon xantham gum to the flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice or sugar (evap cane juice is actually granulated like sugar - not a liquid)
• 1 cup coconut milk, not canned (or your preferred type)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan and some other sort of pan for the extra batter (I used a pie plate).
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup oil and sugar, milk, and vanilla to dry ingredients and stir until smooth.
• Using a spatula fold in bananas.  Stir in chocolate chips or sprinkle on top - I only put 3-4 chips on top so they'd be a bit healthier.
• Fill prepared pan halfway with batter.
• Bake on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating pan after 20 minutes. Cook until when you press on the loaf is bounces back slightly and a toothpick comes out clean.  The pan may be done before the muffins if it's much thinner (mine was)
• Let muffins sit for 20 minutes before removing from pan.  I like to turn them upside down so the bottom dries up a bit, especially since mine were so moist.  

Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins

bottom of muffins

I could  have just cooked mine longer, but I needed to leave for yoga.  I kept these in the fridge, especially since they were so moist, because I was worried they'd get moldy easily.  I threw a couple in the freezer that we weren't going to eat before the weekend.  The next time I make this, I'll sub yogurt or applesauce for part of the oil to make them even healthier.