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My vegan banana muffins are soft and classic with a tall rise and a thick, crunchy walnut-oat streusel! They’re fully vegan, bakery-style, and built to deliver real banana flavor with a tender crumb and a crisp top.

A muffin tin holding six banana muffins with crumb topping, some crumbs scattered around, with bananas and a cloth visible nearby.
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I love these because they taste like banana bread turned into a proper muffin, not a compromise.

We started this overripe banana recipe with our banana bread base, then rebuilt it specifically for muffins, adjusting the leavening and topping so the batter rises upward instead of outward and the crumble doesn’t crumble off 😅. The result is a muffin that feels cozy, indulgent, and reliable enough to bake for guests or stash in the freezer.

banana muffins that taste like home

  • No speciality ingredients like weird flours or protein powder
  • So good no one will know they are vegan
  • Freezer-friendly and great for make-ahead breakfasts
A banana muffin with a crumb topping sits on a plate, partially eaten. More muffins are in a tray nearby, with ripe bananas and a cloth visible in the background.

what we learned during testing

Banana Bread to Muffin Translation: We started by adapting our vegan banana bread directly into muffins, but we learned quickly that the batter rose too aggressively, spreading wide and thinning out the streusel. What looked fully covered before baking turned patchy and sad once the dairy-free banana muffins expanded.

Leavening Choice: We tested different combinations of baking soda and baking powder and found that baking powder alone gave us the most controlled rise. It lifted the muffins upward, not outward, which kept the streusel intact and improved the final shape.

Streusel Structure: We increased and then scaled back the streusel until it matched the muffin height, not just the pan size. Chilling the streusel briefly helped it hold clumps so it baked into crisp, defined pieces instead of melting into the surface.

Various labeled baking ingredients including flour, vegan butter, vegan yogurt, brown sugar, bananas, oats, walnuts, flax, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder on a dark surface.

Key Ingredients for banana streusel muffins

Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

  • Very Ripe Bananas: Dark, spotted bananas provide sweetness and aroma without added sugar, which is essential for a strong banana-forward flavor.
  • Vegan Butter: Every great bakery muffin starts with butter, including vegan breakfast muffins! And it creates a structure that oil-based muffins lack.
  • Vegan Yogurt: Adds moisture and a subtle tang, keeping the crumb tender without becoming heavy or gummy. No one likes a gummy muffin!
  • Baking Powder: Chosen over baking soda to control spread and deliver that bakery-style rise.
  • Walnut-Oat Streusel: The best topping that stays crunchy and fully covers the top without overpowering the banana muffins with crumb topping.
A white bowl with a fork mashing a banana on a green textured surface.
Frozen bananas are amazing here! Just let them thaw first, or pop them in the microwave before using. This can actually result in sweeter muffins because the bananas will be more oxidized (riper) and thus sweeter!
A metal muffin tin holds six banana muffins with crumbly oat streusel topping; some muffins are slightly tilted, and crumbs are scattered around.

Can I freeze them?

Yes! These freeze like a dream. Once baked and cooled, you can either store them all together in a freezer-safe container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then store them in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen or let thaw in the fridge overnight.

make these muffins your own

These eggless banana muffins are super easy to make with variations. Some that we loved:

  • Chocolate chips
  • Walnuts mixed into the batter
  • Dried fruit
  • Mixed berries
  • Shredded zucchini or a veggie-filled version
  • Add a glaze (powdered sugar and milk of choice)

Enjoy these muffins with a coffee smoothie or an oat milk shaken espresso for a quick and easy breakfast on the go!

A partially eaten crumb-topped banana muffin sits on a plate, with crumbs scattered around it.
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Bakery-Style Vegan Banana Streusel Muffins

By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
These bakery-style vegan banana muffins are soft, tall, and packed with real banana flavor. Topped with a crunchy walnut-oat streusel for the perfect crisp bite.

Ingredients 

Muffins

  • 5 Tbsp hot water, 75 mL
  • 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal, 11 g
  • ½ cup unsalted vegan butter, softened, 113 g
  • ¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar, 150 g
  • ⅓ cup vegan yogurt, 80 g, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 4 g
  • 1½ cups mashed ripe bananas, 3 to 4 bananas, 315–345 g
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, 250 g
  • 1 tsp baking powder, 3 g
  • ¼ tsp iodized salt, 2 g
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon, 2 g

Streusel

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 100 g
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts, 50 g
  • ⅓ cup rolled oats, 30 g
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 45 g
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 g
  • ¼ tsp iodized salt, 2 g
  • 4 Tbsp melted unsalted vegan butter, 56 g
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Instructions 

  • Prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease.
  • Flax Egg: Combine 5 Tbsp hot water and 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal in a small bowl. Stir well and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened.
    A spoon with ground flaxseed rests over a glass bowl containing a flaxseed and water mixture on a green surface.
  • Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl (with a hand mixer) or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ½ cup unsalted vegan butter and ¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar on medium-high speed, until well combined and slightly lightened, 2 to 3 minutes.
    A metal mixing bowl filled with creamed cookie dough and a paddle attachment on a green countertop.
  • Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the flax egg, then add ⅓ cup vegan yogurt and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
    A mixing bowl with a paddle attachment contains partially mixed batter, mayonnaise, and a splash of dark liquid, likely vanilla extract.
  • Add Bananas: Mash the bananas with a fork in a separate bowl until mostly smooth. Portion out 1½ cups mashed ripe bananas and add them to the batter, mixing just until combined with a few small lumps remaining.
    Mashed bananas and flour mixture in a metal mixing bowl with a stand mixer paddle attachment.
  • Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp iodized salt, and ½ tsp ground cinnamon.
    A glass bowl containing flour, cinnamon, and other dry baking ingredients with a metal spoon on a green surface.
  • Stir: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed or gently fold by hand just until combined. Do not overmix.
    A metal mixing bowl containing flour and other dry ingredients sits on a green surface with a black spatula resting inside.
  • Streusel: In a medium bowl, combine ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup chopped walnuts, ⅓ cup rolled oats, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, ¼ tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp iodized salt. Add 4 Tbsp melted unsalted vegan butter and mix until crumbly with small, pea-sized clumps.
    A mixing bowl contains flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, chopped nuts, white sugar, and cinnamon with a fork resting inside.
  • Fill and Top: Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each until a little more than ¾ full. Sprinkle the streusel generously over each muffin, covering the tops entirely, gently pressing streusel into the batter so it sticks.
    Two muffin pans filled with unbaked muffins topped with oat crumble sit on a dark green surface.
  • Bake: Bake at 425°F for 6 minutes, then, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C). Continue baking until the muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18 to 20 more minutes for standard muffins.
    For large bakery-style muffins, increase to 32 to 35 minutes total
    A couple of muffin tins on a cooling rack.
  • Cool: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
    Twelve crumb-topped muffins cool on a black wire rack, with a partially visible muffin tin and striped towel nearby on a green surface.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness.
The two-temperature bake for muffins helps quickly brown and set the streusel while keeping the muffins tender inside.
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. 
Freeze for up to 1 month and thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
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2 Comments

  1. Sarah G says:

    Do you think oat flour instead of AP would work out ok? I’m obsessed with oats at the moment.

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      We haven’t tested this one with anything other than all-purpose flour, so I really can’t say for sure. I would love to hear how it goes if you try it out!