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If you love the flavor of banana bread but want to try something new, banana mochi muffins are a must-bake! These muffins are dairy-free, gluten-free, and offer an irresistible texture—crispy on the outside and delightfully chewy on the inside. They’re the perfect way to use up overripe bananas while indulging in a unique treat with a slightly chewy, mochi-like bite.
If you are looking for something beyond banana bread
There are always overripe bananas in our house no matter what! I really don’t mind it because I use them a lot in baking! My kids love anything banana flavor. If you’ve found yourself repeatedly making banana bread or banana cake whenever you have overripe bananas, these mochi muffins are a refreshing change. They deliver all the familiar banana goodness but with a unique chewy bite that makes them stand out.
What makes banana mochi muffin special
Unlike traditional muffins made with wheat flour, these banana mochi muffins use glutinous rice flour (does not contain gluten despite the name), which gives them their signature chewiness. The combination of coconut milk and melted coconut oil adds richness and keeps them perfectly moist, while chopped walnuts provide a satisfying crunch. A touch of cinnamon enhances the natural sweetness of mashed bananas, making every bite a comforting delight.
Why you’ll love this recipe
1. Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free – Perfect for those with dietary restrictions.
2. Irresistable Texture – Crispy on the outside, dense and chewy in the middle.
3. Bold Banana Flavor – A delicious twist on classic banana-based treats.
4. Simple & Versatile – Easy to make and great for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
Banana Mochi Muffin
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 224 g glutinous rice flour or known as mochiko flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 60 g toasted walnuts chopped
Wet ingredients:
- 150 g mashed banana plus extra banana slices for decorating
- 80 g sugar
- 100 g eggs from 2 large eggs
- 29 g coconut oil melted
- 196 g canned coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) for conventional oven, 330 F (165 C) for convection oven
- Grease the well of your muffin pan. Mine has a non-stick coating and usually my bake goods release well with this muffin pan. You know your pan better. I don't recommend using muffin liners for this mochi muffin. It's going to stick to the liners badly
Prepare the batter:
- Thinly slice banana to get 12 slices for decorating the top of muffin
- Combine all the dry ingredients and set aside. In another mixing bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together until well-combined. Some lumps from the bits and pieces of bananas are fine
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine. Since there is no gluten in this recipe, we don't have to worry about overmixing.
- Make sure the wet and dry are combined and you don't see any pockets of flour
- Scoop the batter into the muffin pan, about 3/4 full. Top with one slice of banana for each muffin
Bake:
- Put the muffin pan in the middle rack and bake for 55-60 minutes. The muffins will rise to the top but will shrink back down as they cool down
Cool down:
- Set the muffin pan on top of a cooling rack and let the muffins cool down completely in the pan.
To serve:
- They are best served on the same day as they are still crusty on the outside and chewy inside. The outside will get soft the next day, but
Leftovers:
- Leftovers can be kept in air-tight container for about 3 days. The crust will soften the next day, and this is normal
- The muffins also freeze very well. Once they have cooled down completely, individually wrap it with a cling wrap and transfer them to a freezer bag, push all the air out and seal the bag. They can be kept frozen for 1 month. Simply thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature before reheating as instructed below
How to reheat:
- For that crusty outside, do not reheat in the microwave. You can reheat in a toaster oven or oven at 350 F (180 C) for 5 minutes. If you are using air fryer, reheat at 320 F (160 C) for 5 minutes. Let them cool down a bit and the outside will be crusty again
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
Ingredients and substitutions
Each ingredient plays an important role in achieving the perfect banana mochi muffin texture:
1. Glutinous Rice Flour (Mochiko Flour) – This is the key to the chewy texture! Regular rice flour won’t work the same way, so be sure to use glutinous rice flour. Glutinous rice flour is gluten-free. The word glutinous does not refer to gluten
2. Mashed Overripe Bananas – Provides natural sweetness and moisture while enhancing the flavor. The riper, the better!
3. Canned Coconut Milk – Adds richness and keeps the muffins soft. Do not substitute coconut milk for beverage
4. Melted Coconut Oil – This helps create a moist and tender crumb while keeping the muffins dairy-free. You can substitute with another neutral oil if needed.
5. Sugar – I use granulated sugar, but you can also use caster sugar
6. Eggs – Bind the ingredients together and contribute to a slightly fluffy texture.
7. Baking Powder – Helps with a slight rise while keeping the muffins dense and chewy.
8. Salt – Enhances overall flavor and balances the sweetness.
9. Cinnamon – Complements the banana flavor and adds warmth.
10. Chopped Walnuts – Add a nice crunch and contrast to the chewy texture. You can also use other nuts like pecans. I highly recommend dry roasting them before using them to enhance the flavor
Useful tips
1. Use overripe bananas
The best bananas for this recipe are those that are soft, heavily speckled, or completely blackened on the peel. The riper they are, the more naturally sweet and flavorful your muffins will be.
2. Measure your ingredients by weight.
Too much flour can make the muffins too dense, while too little can make them too soft. The best way to measure glutinous rice flour is by using a kitchen scale for accuracy or fluffing the flour before scooping and leveling it off.
3. Don’t use muffin liners
I don’t recommend using muffin liners for this. Instead, grease your muffin tin and you will get golden crispy crust
4. Bake it long enough
This banana mochi muffin needs longer baking time compared to regular muffins, which is pretty typical for mochi-type cake
5. Cool completely in the pan
Let the mochi muffin cool completely in the pan. They hold their shape better and the texture is also better when you eat them room temperature
