Vegan Cassava Flour Banana Muffins (4 Ingredients)

Got overripe bananas? Then I’ve got you covered with these vegan cassava flour banana muffins! They are soft, fluffy, and 100% homey, but also vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free & added sugar-free! Enjoy them unadorned, or customize with spices, extracts, chocolate chips, or fruit.

Simple Vegan Cassava Flour Muffins

Cassava flour–a gluten-free, grain-free flour made from the dried root of the cassava (yuca) plant– is a terrific ingredient to add to your pantry. It has a mild, neutral flavor and a fine, powdery texture, making it versatile for both sweet and savory baking and cooking. 

You may come across sources that say something along the lines of “it’s a great 1:1 substitute for all-purpose wheat flour.”

Well…not exactly. Cassava flour has quirks. Notably, it can make baked goods, like breads, gummy and dense (think chewing gum, or a pencil eraser). Moreover (here is the kicker), it is especially hard to use in recipes without eggs. Oy.

Hard, yes. Impossible? No way! It takes a lot of experimenting, but when the proportions are right–case in point, these simple and sensational muffins–cassava flour works like a dream in baking recipes. This humble, satisfying, healthy muffin recipe is a perfect place to give cassava flour a try.

Why You’ll Love These Vegan Cassava Flour Muffins

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Grain-Free
• Gluten-Free
• Oil-free (e.g., no coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil)
• Paleo
• Nut-free (e.g., no peanut butter, almond flour, cashew butter, or added nuts)
• Added Sugar-Free
• Fast & Easy to Make
• Frugal

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

Here is what you will need:

• Cassava flour (not tapioca flour / tapioca starch; they are not the same)
• Very ripe bananas
• Sunflower seed butter (smooth variety; see notes for other options)
• Baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
  • Optional: salt

You can add a few or many extras to the recipe as you like (see my notes below for ideas). For example, spices, vanilla extract, or chocolate chips/chunks.

Tip: Use Very Ripe Bananas

Starchy, firm bananas with bright yellow peels will not work in this recipe. The bananas for these muffins need to be very ripe (with plenty of black spots and/or streaks on the peel), super-soft and squishy. As bananas ripen, their starch breaks down and becomes sugar (sweetness). The very ripe mashed banana will also become much more liquid (than solid), which is needed for the muffins.

How to Make 4 Ingredient Cassava Flour Banana Muffins

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line 10 cups of a standard size muffin tin with silicone muffin cup liners (or with paper liners or foil liners).

Step Two: Whisk the Wet Ingredients

Mash or puree the super-ripe bananas until they are almost liquid in texture. I like to use my handheld mixer to get a smooth puree, a fork and some elbow grease will also do the job.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the banana puree and sunflower seed butter until smooth.

Step Three: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the cassava flour, baking powder, and optional salt to the banana mixture. Stir until well-blended.

Step Four: Divide the Batter

Using a spring-loaded scoop or a large mixing spoon, divide the batter between the muffin liners in the muffin tin.

Step Five: Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 24 to 26 minutes until tops are firm to the touch, and a toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin comes out with only moist crumbs attached.

Step Six: Cool the Muffins

Cool the muffins, in the muffin tin, for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tin and cool completely on a cooling rack.

I enjoy these muffins all day long, but especially for breakfast and anytime snacks. They are just the right size, too: homemade muffin size, not gargantuan mini-cakes. One or two will satisfy, without weighing you down or giving you a sugar rush.

FAQ

• How should I store the muffins? Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 6 months.
• What is the texture of the muffins? The texture of the muffins is soft and springy, with a texture similar to what flour muffin. They are tender, but not as moist as muffins that are made with a significant amount of oil in the batter.
• What is the taste of the muffins? The muffins taste like mini banana breads–not too sweet, with plenty of banana flavor and a faint nutty flavor from the sunflower seed butter. If you like, add spices or vanilla to enhance the flavor.
• Can I substitute a different flour in place of the cassava flour? No. This recipe is specifically designed for use with cassava flour.
• Can I use tapioca flour / tapioca starch in place of cassava flour? No. Tapioca flour is made is only the starch of the cassava root. Cassava flour is the entire root, dried and ground into flour.
• How can I make the cassava flour banana muffins sweeter? You can add 1 to 3 tablespoons of the sweetener of your choice, such as coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave nectar, brown sugar, or (if you are not following a vegan diet) honey. Adding other ingredients (e.g., chocolate chips, dried fruit or fresh fruit) will also make the cassava muffins sweeter (see ideas below).
• Sunflower Seed Butter Alternatives: You can substitute an equal amount of smooth natural peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, pumpkin seed butter, tahini, or coconut butter (not coconut oil) for the sunflower seed butter.

Add-In Suggestions

I love the simplicity of the essential recipes, but a cassava flour banana muffin with chocolate chips? Raspberries? Toasted pecans? All three? Yes, please. Add a single embellishment, or a combination of two (or more).

• Spices: Add 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of your favorite spice, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice. Or add a combination of spices (no more than 1 teaspoon total).
• Dried Fruit: Add up to 1/2 cup (118 mL) of chopped dried fruit, such as raisins, apricots, cherries. blueberries, or figs.
• Fresh Fruit: Add up to 3/4 cup chopped fruit or berries to the batter. For example, blueberries, raspberries, chopped ripe (but not overripe) banana, apples, or mango. You will likely need to bake the muffins for an additional two to five minutes, depending on the moisture of the fruit and quantity added.
• Chocolate: Add up to 1/2 cup of your favorite dark chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or shaved chocolate chocolate.
• Cacao Nibs: Add 1/4 cup of cacao nibs..
• Nuts or Seeds: Add up to 1/2 cup chopped nuts or seeds, such as walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pepitas, or sunflower seeds. Alternatively, sprinkle a few nuts or seeds on top before baking.
• Extracts or Zests: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract, natural rum extract, or natural brandy extract. Or add one to two teaspoons of finely grated lime zest, lemon zest, or orange zest.
• Coconut: Add up to 1/2 cup shredded or flake unsweetened coconut (toasted or un-toasted). Alternatively, sprinkle the tops of the muffins with coconut before baking.

Happy baking!

Related Recipes