Easy, moist, and so fluffy! This Banana Tahini Muffin recipe makes for a sweet snack or add frosting for a healthy dessert. Vegan, gluten-free and paleo!
So here’s my dilemma. Its not technically the holidays anymore, so posting something excessively decadent feels off season. But at the same time it is the first recipe of the new year, which seems like cause for at least a little decadent extra-ness. Plus sweet stuff is my jam, I know you don’t come here for detox sheet pan green juice dinner inspiration, which makes January a tricky month.
But I figured it out: muffins because health, but add frosting because happy 2021!
So if you’re still feeling festive (or reading this anytime in Feb thru Dec), swirl on that frosting. But if you are January ready for the healthier snack stuff, skip it and just enjoy these delectable little Vegan Paleo Banana Tahini Muffins.
How To Make Banana Tahini Muffins
Prepare to be shocked and amazed by how fluffy but also EASY but also egg, grain, and oil free these sweet little banana muffins are. Made with simple ingredients and only 10 minutes of prep time. Minimally sweetened so they absolutely can qualify as a morning-time coffee accompaniment. Super fluffy with a perfect combination of two grain-free flours. And full delicious tahini, banana, vanilla, and cinnamon so mega irresistible on the flavor front.
To make these sweet little muffins you will need:
- Ripe bananas, we want them very sweet and squishy.
- Sesame seed butter a.k.a. tahini. Unless you hate tahini in which case use your favorite nut butter instead.
- Just a little bit of coconut sugar, the bananas make them quite sweet naturally.
- Almond milk mixed with apple cider vinegar.
- Cassava flour mixed with a few tablespoons of coconut flour. The cassava is sticky and binds without gluten or eggs, while the coconut flour balances out the crumb and adds fluff.
- Vanilla extract, salt, and baking soda, the usual crew.
Since these are made with tahini, you can easily make them nut-free by swapping in a different kind of milk. Or go the opposite direction, and fold in chopped walnuts for that classic banana NUT muffin experience.
Tips for Perfect Moist Fluffy Muffins
- Blend the wet ingredients. Instead of mashing the bananas by hand, I prefer to blend for a smoother batter and fluffier final crumb.
- If you aren’t quite sure if they’re done, add a couple extra minutes. You can also toothpick test to make sure, but a little extra crusty muffin top is better than uncooked middles.
- Make sure to grease or line your muffin pan, even if it is “non-stick”.
- Cool completely before eating. The texture will be a bit gummy when they are hot, but once cool the crumb is flawlessly fluffy.
- Measure by weight if possible! This is always the most accurate way to go, and makes clean up easier too.
More Healthy Muffin Recipes You’ll Love
- Vegan Paleo Blueberry Muffins (date-sweetened!)
- Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Double Chocolate Hazelnut Muffins (reader fave!)
- Blender Breakfast Muffins
- Banana Mocha Chip Muffins
Vegan Paleo Banana Tahini Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 muffins 1x
- Category: muffins
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Description
Easy, moist, and so fluffy! This Banana Tahini Muffin recipe makes for a sweet snack or add frosting for a healthy dessert. Vegan, gluten-free and paleo!
Ingredients
- 2–3 overripe bananas (~250g)
- 1/2 cup (125g) tahini (or nut/seed butter of choice)
- 1/3 cup (105g) coconut sugar
- 3/4 cup (180g) almond milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup (175g) cassava flour
- 3 tbsp (23g) coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- Optional: vegan frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Add apple cider vinegar to the almond milk and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Whisk together flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Blend bananas, coconut sugar, almond milk + vinegar mixture, tahini, and vanilla.
- Add blended mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix to combine. Fold in chopped nuts.
- Scoop into a lined or greased muffin pan, filling each 3/4 of the way.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes at 350ºF.
- Cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Frost if desired, and eat!
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 248
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 261mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 3g
Keywords: healthy, snack, frosted, dessert, fluffy, grain free, cassava, gluten free, dessert, moist, easy
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I can’t imagine a more perfect muffin-cupcake hybrid. I’ve had my fails with cassava flour, so I love the idea of adding coconut flour for that fluff factor! I made a tahini banana bread back in the Spring, and I must say tahini and banana are quite the duo! Happy 2021 – cheers to lots more delicious muffins =)
Cassava flour and coconut flour are both so tricky and prone to epic fails but oddly better together ha. Agreed though, banana + tahini is such a good flavor combo in bread or muffin/cupcake form! Thanks Ashley and happy new year to you❤️
GOODMORNING NATALIE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!! NO SUPERMARKET OR HEALTH STORE SELL CASSAVA FLOUR IN CYPRUS. HOW CAN I REPLACE IT WITH?
All purpose or spelt or a gf all purpose flour blend would be the closest thing! Hope you enjoy them 🙂
Hi! This recipe looks amazing. I have cassava flour but not coconut. 🙁 What do you recommend as a sub for it? Thanks so much!!
Hmm coconut flour is quite unique and hard to replace, you can try it with all cassava but they will be a bit gummy. Are you vegan? Otherwise eggs would be an option to help with the texture too
I am vegan, do you think an egg substitute (like a chia or flax egg) would help? Or would that not have the same effect? Thanks!
You really want the fluff/rise of eggs not the binding part which is what chia/flax imitates. You could try aquafaba but that’s probably way too much work for a muffin ha. I’d just recommend more cassava flour, probably an extra 1/4 cup or so. Or if you are open to using almond flour instead this muffin might be better: https://feastingonfruit.com/banana-mocha-chip-muffins/
Hello ! Thanks for the recepée I can’t wait to try ! But I can’t see the white cream topping ingredients and instructions…
There is a link to the frosting recipe in the recipe box, or here: https://feastingonfruit.com/vegan-zucchini-cake/
Natalie, since you mentioned “jam” I thought I’d drop a dollop between two layers in this MUFFIN. Apricot maybe (SMILE) :-))
Oooh I love that idea, please let me know how they turn out😋 Happy baking!
Is the weight for the bananas with or without skin? Also could I substitute tapioca four for Cassava?
Happy New Year
Without skin! And cassava flour isn’t quite as sticky as tapioca so I worry they may be a bit too crumbly, but you can try it.
Good evening Natalie!!! I have made the tahini muffins. The came out very very delicious. I have used spelt flour, tahini with orange and the mashed bananas I subbed them for apple and banana puree (fruit baby jar). I’ ve also put apricot jam between two layers. Thanks Nechama for the idea! Thank you Natalie for this flavorful recipe!!!
Mmmm you version sounds absolutely delicious! I am so happy you liked them😊
Nice muffin!! I usedBob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour, 1C DIY unstrained oat milk, 1/2C chopped toasted pecans from Trader Joe, 24M middle rack and then let it sit in a turn-off oven for a long while, a little too long maybe because the muffin is a tad too dry. Aroma while baking was sooooo good and the flavor is excellent. Perfect way to get rid of black bananas and use calcium-rich tahini. I put cassava flour in my Vitacost shopping cart for next time. I’ll try the frosting next time although it might make the muffin too sweet for my taste. I’ll use more chopped nuts next time, 1C for sure. 1/2C of soaked goji berries might be good. They’re not crazy sweet and might add a little moisture. And I might try 1.5C oat milk. But then again, maybe I ought to stick to the recipe when I use the cassava flour. Thank you, Natalie!
★★★★★
I love all your swaps and ideas, your version sounds absolutely amazing Marge! Yes maybe take them out a little quicker next time to keep them nice and moist. And I hope you like the cassava flour too, keep me updated 🙂
I’ll be making this as soon as I receive the cassava flour and will report back for sure. Will remember to take it out of the turned-off oven much sooner than later. You’re a nice find, Natalie!
★★★★★
Can I used almond flour instead of cavasa flour?
I don’t recommend it here, its way too moist and will make the muffins mushy, sorry. Maybe try this recipe instead: https://feastingonfruit.com/chocolate-chip-banana-bread/
Hi! I made this recipe exactly as written (truthfully I actually halved it to make 6 as I didn’t have enough Cassava flour), and they turned out perfectly. I used the weights vs the measurements. When they cooled the texture is amazing. The only thing is that my family isn’t 100% sure they love the tahini flavour. Crazy, I know! If I was to use almond butter do you think it would have the same great texture? My husband is allergic to pretty much even other tree nut other than almonds.
Also, do you have a nut-free frosting option? The one in the recipe uses cashews which unfortunately we can’t have. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
SO happy you tried them Stephanie, and yes you can sub almond butter! Make sure its a natural and very runny variety (similar to the consistency of tahini) or if its really thick add some coconut oil to thin it out. I think coconut cream frosting would be your best bet, or just a vegan buttercream recipe like this: https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-dairy-free-buttercream-frosting/#wprm-recipe-container-42831
Hi! Can these be made using wheat flour? I haven’t been successful using cassava flour. In this recipe, the tops were already brown but the middles were still wet even though I baked the muffins for 25 minutes. In another recipe, the muffins didnt rise evenly, just in some places and where they rose, they did to the extent of overflowing.
Yes wheat flour will work in place of the cassava here (and almost always!)
Can this be made as a loaf and if so, how long to bake and what temperature?
Hi Natalia! I haven’t tested it as a loaf, but if you want to try it I’d recommend 50-60 minutes at 325°F. Hope it comes out perfect!
I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks!
I made this and the only modification was swapping the almond milk for coconut milk without guar gum. I measure everything on a scale. The batter looked good. It smelled amazing while it was baking – which ended up being 1hr 20m. It looked good when it was done.
I cut into it this morning which was an adventure. I like thick slices (1.5″-2″). The ends stayed in tact but as I cut into the rest of it it just started crumbling and only partial slices stayed in tact. It tasted good and was moist not doughy. Any ideas what happened?
Regardless, I decided to take the crumbling wedges and shape them into pancakes. I toasted them in a lightly oiled cast iron pan and they were delicious!
★★★
So my guess is 1 hour 20 minutes was too long and caused the outside to be dried out and crumble when you sliced it. That’s the tricky thing about loaf cakes (especially without eggs) is getting the middle to cook through takes so long and the outside can often become overbaked. I love that you repurposed the edges, but next time I’d recommend sticking with the muffin form since that is what this recipe was deigned/tested for!
I get it. I’ve made a similar recipe using coconut oil instead of the tahini with cassava and coconut flours and they worked! The exterior held together (more or less) it was the middle that caved.
Thank you. I’m going to make the raw blueberry muffins and sub my wild foraged dehydrated red mulberries. I go bonkers for mulberries….