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Whole grain vegan baking is easy as can be with teff flour! Use it to make a batch of my vegan chocolate banana teff muffins, which are gluten-free, oil-free, and added sugar free.
Easy Vegan Teff Flour Muffins
Looking for new ways to bake gluten-free without a myriad of flours, starches and gums? Look no further than teff flour. t is used to make the flatbread of Ethiopia, but works in a wide range of other baked goods, too.
For example, my easy vegan chocolate banana teff muffins!
What is Teff?
Teff (also known as eragrostis tef, or lovegrass), is an ancient, tiny grain from Northeast Africa. It originates from Ethiopia and Eritrea and is one of the earliest know cultivated crops.
Teff, an ancient grain, is naturally gluten-free, lectin-free, high in protein (7 grams per 1/4 cup) and exceptionally high in lysine. It is estimated that Ethiopians and Eritreans get about 2/3 of their dietary protein from teff, and it is renowned for the energy it supplies to those who eat it (notably, the world class runners of Ethiopia and Eritrea).
What is Teff Flour
Teff flour is finely milled teff grains. It is gluten-free. Teff flour (like the grain itself), comes in shades of light and dark brown. Use either in cooking and baking, as they are interchangeable. Both are faintly nutty in flavor, but the lighter flour is especially mild.
Teff flour is used to make Ethiopia’s famous flatbread, injera. But it has multiple uses beyond flatbread. It can be used in a wide variety of sweet and savory baking recipe, including these easy muffins.
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (dairy-free, egg-free)
- Gluten-free
- Added sugar-free
- Oil-free
- Quick and easy to make
- Simple ingredients
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.
The essential recipe has just five ingredients:
- flaxseed meal
- mashed very ripe banana (use over-ripe bananas)
- teff flour
- unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
You will also need a small amount of water and salt. I also like to add in some dark chocolate chunks or miniature chips, but they are optional.
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 10 cups of a standard sze muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
- In a large bowl, combine the flaxseed meal, water and banana. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Add the teff flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, stirring until blended. Add the chocolate chips, if using.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared cups.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Enjoy!
FAQ
How should I store the teff muffins?
Store the cooled teff muffins in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 3 days, the refrigerator for 5 days, or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Can I substitute teff flour with another flour?
I do not recommend it.This recipe was designed specifically for use with teff flour.
Related Recipes
Vegan Chocolate Banana Teff Muffins (Oil-Free, GF)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 3/4 cup water
- 1.5 cups mashed very ripe banana
- 1 cup teff flour
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 10 cups of a standard sze muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
- In a large bowl, combine the flaxseed meal, water and banana. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Add the teff flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, stirring until blended. Add the chocolate chips, if using.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared cups.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Great muffins, easy to make and tasty. Took significantly longer to bake for me, closer to 40 minutes in my oven.
So glad you like the muffins, Amy!
Hello, could you make this in a loaf tin do you think? Thank you!
Hi Jess! Alas, no, it will collapse at the center. I tried it when developing the recipe–teff and flax do not have enough strength to lift the batter and maintain the shape in a larger tin. Might work with the addition of psyllium husks. I was not using it much when I developed the recipe, but that might help support the recipe in a larger tin.
Hi Camilla! Thank you much for your amazing recipes. I love teff and needed some new recipes. These are perfection! I love them. I may try the recipe with applesauce or pumpkin.
What a fabulous idea to use teff flour, banana, and chocolate! I know some might be thinking… eh? No, no no.. let me tell you, DO THIS.
Okay, I’m going to talk about the substitutions my husband and I made to avoid using oil and to avoid using flax seed, which contains lignans — and as a woman with a very soy-sensitive/reactivity, flax, chia and hemp are all high in lignans and cause lots of trouble.
We used 6 grams of whole psyllium husk, upped the baking powder (we use Hain Featherweight, no sodium) to one Tablespoon, and used 45 grams of walnut milk (either Elmhurst or house-made, we used the latter) in place of water.
ALL the dry ingredients went in a large bowl together, no setting the psyllium husks aside with water to gel, simply no need, and mashed the banana, added the walnut milk, and stirred it together, then into the dry ingredients it went. A good mixing by hand, then into the muffin cups. What we did for the chocolate chips was to place 3 on top of each muffin (my husband’s idea) and not mix them in, which resulted in only 15 grams of chocolate chips, another fat savings. They came out gorgeous. We waited until the next morning… wow. WOW… texture is spot-on, moist and almost fluffy, though with the kind of slight density that GF recipes have… only, not so much. These will be put on “repeat” due to everything turning out perfectly.
This is truly a great recipe! I’m sure that others who’ve made it as is will find it to be so. I encourage folks to add small amounts of nifty flavor boosting things like a little cinnamon, or a little cardamom powder, or some high quality instant coffee, or finely ground fresh beans (you’d be surprised how little or not at all you will taste “coffee” even at the level of a tablespoon) or just whatever… your imagination is the key that unlocks the door.
Camilla, we’re loving your site and haven’t even scratched the surface yet, though we’ve made probably six or seven recipes of yours by now. We are fans of alternative flours such as millet, teff, buckwheat (we grind ours from unroasted groats, BTW) and chestnut flour; your offerings are perfect for our uses and now that it’s baking season again aka no need for AC, we’re getting on a roll!
We also made your gingerbread millet muffins… similar alterations to avoid oil, and BANG! Absolutely ADDICTIVE. Thank you so much~!
Wowza, thank you so much LJ! Your tips and adaptations are a bonus for everyone, so many thanks, it is so helpful when using alternative ingredients. Glad we are kindred spirits wen it comes to alternative flours, many more offerings to come, I promise! Cheers.
I don’t love fruit and chocolate, but I had a bunch of bananas that needed to be used, and so I thought I would give this a try. Since I can’t have sugar, I used cocoa nibs, and decided to add a bit of maple syrup so they weren’t too bitter. Chocolate chips definitely would have been better, but they turned out okay. I’ve never baked with teff before, but it’s nice to know that is an option in my limited diet. I’ve had my eye on these maple sweetened chocolate chips, and if I ever find them in the store I might just give making these another go.
I am so glad to hear you liked these, Daryl, especially since this is a combination you don’t typically go for. 🙂
I made these but added a tablespoon of coconut sugar. Also used almond extract and only 2 tablespoons of cocoa.
After, I baked it as a cake rather than muffins.
Turned out wonderful. Thanks:)
I made these muffins yesterday and they are delicious and nicely moist… You wouldn’t know they are gluten free! Great recipe!
Hi. Muffins are awesome. I added nuts as well as chocolate chip so I was able to fill 12 muffin cups.
Sounds wonderful, Kari!
Hello – I was wondering does the teff leave a grity texture when your eating the muffins? I have used it in a cupcake recipe and I get a grity texture. Just wondering if this wouldbe the same?? Thank you.
Hi Rawinia,
Wow, that sounds odd. I have never had that problem. I have only used the Bob’s Red Mill brand of teff flour. It is incredibly soft and fine, definitely no grit!