Chickpea Flour Banana Muffins (Dairy-Free, Egg-Free)
Sometimes you just want a good banana muffin — soft, tender, lightly spiced, and easy to reach for in the morning. These chickpea flour banana muffins deliver all of that, without relying on eggs, dairy, or refined sugar. They’re made with chickpea flour — also known as garbanzo bean flour — for structure, olive oil for moisture, and coconut sugar for a gentle, caramel-like sweetness, with cinnamon and clove bringing warmth in the background. The result is a muffin that feels familiar and comforting, while quietly meeting a wide range of dietary needs.
How this Banana Muffin recipe fits AIP Modified
These chickpea flour banana muffins are suitable for AIP Modified, which allows legumes and seeds — two ingredients that make this recipe possible. Garbanzo bean flour provides structure similar to traditional flour, while aquafaba (the liquid from cooked chickpeas) works as a natural egg substitute, helping the muffins bake up light and tender. It’s also dairy-free, and refined sugar–free, which makes these banana muffins accessible for many people managing food sensitivities beyond formal protocols.
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Mash three or four very, very ripe bananas and measure out two cups. You can puree them in a food processor to get them very smooth, but I tend to like them roughly mashed. You can also mash overripe bananas ahead and store them in the freezer until you’re ready to bake.
In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: chickpea flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves. When you measure, weigh the flour on a kitchen scale (if you can) to get the most consistent result. If you volume measure, spoon it fluffy into the measuring cup and level it.
What is aquafaba?
Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans, or chickpeas. There are a lot of brands out there that use thickeners, preservatives and shelf stabilizing additives in chickpeas. For the cleanest option, look for organic canned chickpeas where the ingredient list is simply: water, salt and beans. It’s also ideal to opt for low-sodium chickpeas any time you’re using the aquafaba for baking.
I find that I can get a half cup of aquafaba out of any 15-ounce can of chickpeas, yet I always make sure I have two cans on hand just in case I’m a smidge short. Drain the liquid, measure it out, then use a hand mixer to whip it until the aquafaba thick and frothy. This is our egg substitute.
Whisk the coconut sugar, date syrup, apple cider vinegar and olive oil into the aquafaba. That little bit of date syrup alongside the coconut sugar is going to mimic the flavor of traditional brown sugar. You’ll notice that the mixture will thicken as the coconut sugar dissolves. As soon as it does, add in the mashed banana.
Fold the chickpea flour into the batter until it’s fully incorporated. It does take a little bit of time to hydrate, so you might notice that you’re stirring for a little longer that you’d expect. Just keep going until it’s all combined. Then, at the very end, stir in the sunflower seeds. They are completely optional — I’ve made this many times with and without.
Spoon the batter evenly into a 12-cup muffin tin filling almost to the top of each cup. Sprinkle with more sunflower seeds and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Let the muffins cool a bit in the tins, then remove to a rack to cool completely. They’ll store in an airtight container for up to three days, and I tend to keep them in the fridge. Warm them up, toast them or eat them cold. The sweet banana and loads of cinnamon and clove are so satisfying, and you’ll swear these AIP Modified Banana Muffins are packed with brown sugar. I just know they’ll get you out of that breakfast rut. Can’t wait for you to try them!
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If you love these banana muffins, try one of these alternative-flour recipes next.
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Chickpea Flour Banana Muffins FAQ
Chickpea Flour Banana Muffins (Dairy-Free, Egg-Free)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (175 g) chickpea flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground clove
- ½ cup aquafaba from canned chickpeas
- ¼ cup coconut sugar (golden or blonde)
- 1 tbsp date syrup
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cups mashed ripe banana (from 3-4 medium bananas)
- ¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds (plus more for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and clove.
- In a large bowl, beat aquafaba with a hand mixer until thick and foamy, about 30 seconds.
- Whisk in coconut sugar, date syrup, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil until smooth and the coconut sugar is dissolved. Then, fold in mashed banana.
- Gently incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then fold in the sunflower seeds, if using.
- Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling nearly to the top. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds, if desired.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Did you make this recipe?
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The sunflower seeds in this recipe are a great nut-free swap.