Strawberry Banana Muffins (Gluten Free)

These healthy Strawberry Banana Muffins are made with oats instead of flour and sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar. They’re perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack! 

This recipe and photos have been updated since the original post on 6/5/2013

Strawberry banana is a classic flavor combo and one I can remember choosing over and over when I was a kid. Everything from the flavored yogurt to strawberry banana smoothies. It’s definitely a flavor combo both kids and adults can get behind, unless of course you don’t like bananas. Today I’m taking that flavor combo and using it in these gluten-free Strawberry Banana Muffins.

What Do I Need to Make the Muffins?

• Oat flour or make your own with rolled oats 
• Baking powder and baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Milk of choice
• Eggs
• Olive oil or canola, melted coconut oil, etc.
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla extract
• Bananas
• Strawberries

These muffins are gluten free and dairy free if you choose to make them that way. However, if you don’t need them to be either of these simply use dairy milk and regular old fashioned rolled oats.

It took a few tries before I got the muffins to the consistency that I like. The first batch was a dense crumbly mess that I ended up tossing. It literally turned to crumbs when I broke it in half. The second batch was a little better, but still too dry for my liking. Finally with the third round, I worked out the kinks and ended up with these moist, banana flavored muffins studded with strawberries.

If you follow a gluten free diet, these muffins are a great option and if you don’t, they’re still delicious. You don’t need any special or expensive flours to make the muffins. However, if you don’t want to make your own oat flour you can buy it. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill.

How to Make Oat Flour  

Making oat flour is so easy. All you need are rolled oats (old fashioned oats) and either a food processor or high speed blender. I usually just use my blender since it’s always sitting out on the countertop.

1. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of oat flour you’ll use 1 cup of oats to make the oat flour. It’s a 1:1 ratio.
2. Add the oats to the high speed blender and blend on high for approximately 15 seconds.
3. Give the blender a shake to see if there are any oat pieces that still need to be ground up. Continue to process until the flour is a consistent texture. 

Is Oat Flour Gluten Free?

The short answer is yes. Oats that haven’t been contaminated with other grains are gluten free and safe for people with a gluten intolerance. However, many facilities that process oats also process grains that do contain gluten, which is where contamination can happen. If gluten is an issue for you, always buy certified gluten free oats to be safe.

Making these Strawberry Banana Muffins is just like making any other muffin recipe. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and stir together with a rubber spatula just until combined. Fold in the strawberries and divide the batter evenly into a standard size muffin pan. 

You can spray the cups individually with cooking spray or use muffin liners. I like to use parchment paper liners to ensure that the muffins don’t stick to the paper.

How to Store the Muffins After They’ve Baked

The muffins are best eaten the day they are baked, but can be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container on the counter or in the refrigerator. Be aware that they will get dryer the longer you leave them out. You can also freeze the muffins in an airtight container after they have completely cooled for several months.

More Muffin Recipes

Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Coconut Chocolate Chunk Banana Muffins