Gluten-Free Flour Blend: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend which is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch) to ensure a lighter and fluffier final texture. I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour) as that will result in a denser final texture.

Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps the ingredients to bind better together. If your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t already include xanthan gum, make sure to add it in.

Almond Flour: I used blanched almond flour, but you may also use almond meal if you prefer. Adding almond flour/meal adds more moisture to these chocolate chip banana muffins, so make sure you add it in.

Baking Powder: Baking powder is the only leavening agent used in this muffin recipe, and is necessary for helping the batter rise. If you are Celiac or have gluten-intolerance, make sure to use gluten-free baking powder.

Sunflower Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. You may also use another vegetable oil (such as canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil, melted coconut oil) or melted vegan butter instead. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use normal melted butter if you prefer.

Sugar: I used a mixture of white sugar and dark brown sugar, but you may also use light brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend that you use granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).

Eggs: Eggs are necessary to bind the ingredients together. I personally have not tried making this recipe without eggs, but if you are allergic to eggs, or would simply like to keep this recipe egg-free, you can try using acquafaba or an egg-replacer instead. (If you do make this recipe egg-free, please let me know how it goes in the comments below, I’d love to hear!).

Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor. If you’re not a fan of vanilla, or don’t happen to have it on hand, feel free to leave it out instead.

Milk: I like using an unsweetened version of my homemade almond milk, but you may also use another dairy-free milk instead (such as cashew milk, rice milk, tigernut milk, soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk etc). Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use normal whole milk instead.

Bananas: Make sure to use ripe bananas (those with a few brown spots are best) as they will be naturally sweeter and easier to mash.

Chocolate Chips: I used dairy-free chocolate chips to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use normal chocolate chips or chocolate chunks instead.

Storing/Freezing: To store, place the cooled gluten-free banana chocolate chip muffins in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap the chocolate chip banana muffins individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the muffins thaw completely before serving.