Easy, not-too-sweet Vegan Banana Apricot muffins are made without dairy, eggs, or butter. They’re just fluffy, moist and you can bake them for a simple on-the-go breakfast.
If you’re avoiding dairy and eggs, or follow a vegan diet, it can be tough to find a filling and healthy breakfast.
Many breakfast options are loaded with processed sugars. Lucky for you, this recipe for vegan banana apricot muffins is quite the opposite.
First, they’re a perfect baking recipe for total beginners. Second, they’re packed with natural fruit flavor from mashed bananas and dried apricots.
They also store well, so you can make a batch of muffins over the weekend, and have a plant-based breakfast or snack to grab on your way out the door.
What’s in these Vegan Muffins?
Most banana muffin recipes include dairy like milk, buttermilk, and/or butter. They also often call for eggs.
The main ingredients in this vegan muffin recipe, however, are 100% milk-free and egg-free:
- The dry ingredients include all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- BANANA adds richness and natural sweetness. Opt for a very ripe banana for these muffins, as the browner the fruit is, the sweeter it tastes, and the easier it is to mash.
- SOAKED DRIED APRICOTS add a bit of texture and sweet-tart flavor to the muffins. I soak mine in rum for an even bolder flavor. For an alcohol-free alternative, soak the fruit in water or your favorite fruit juice.
- Sweeten your muffins with pure MAPLE SYRUP. It’s a natural sweetener, which means there’s no highly-processed sugar in this recipe. Plus, maple adds a nice, warming flavor.
- UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK is a healthy dairy-free milk alternative that’s great for vegan baking.
- COCONUT OIL adds richness and ensures your muffins are extra-moist.
- VANILLA EXTRACT adds a touch of warm vanilla flavor to the muffin batter.
How to Make Vegan Banana Apricot Muffins
With a bit of quick and easy prep, you can whip these simple muffins together in minutes:
- First, soak dried apricots in enough rum to cover the fruit.
- Meanwhile, mash a banana in a small bowl.
- Then, combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Finally, fold in your dried fruit, and you’re ready to bake.
- I like to spoon the batter all the way to the edge of the paper muffin tin liner. That way, I’ll get nice tall muffin tops. Everyone knows that the muffin tops are the best part, right?
Bake the banana apricot muffins for about 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. If you like, sprinkle them with powdered sugar just before serving.
Or, I love to smear each muffin with a generous swoop of apricot jam to double up on fruity flavor.
Are Vegan Muffins Healthy?
The healthy ingredients in this recipe make these muffins a bit healthier than your typical muffin. I’m giving you a permission to stuff your face with them!
And I swapped white sugar for unprocessed maple syrup, mashed banana for eggs, and added dried fruit for extra fiber. All healthier alternatives.
Can I Make Vegan Muffins Ahead of Time?
Certainly. This recipe is a great breakfast meal prep idea.
The muffins keep well in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. Or, freeze them for several months. They defrost quickly in the microwave or a warm oven.
More Easy Baking Recipes
Want to keep baking? Try any of my baking recipes, for example:
- Vanilla Chocolate Marble Bundt Cake is a show-stopping coffee cake.
- Kolache is a classic Czech pastry that’s always popular for breakfast or brunch.
- Banana Bread With Dried Cranberries, Pecans, and Lemon Glaze is a major upgrade to your typical banana bread recipe.
- Walnut Cranberry Scones are another quick, tasty, and easy breakfast idea.
Also, there are more quick and easy breakfast recipes where this came from.
Start with Raw Vegan Buckwheat Groats Porridge or Savory Breakfast Oat Bars.
Now you.
Do you have a favorite muffin recipe? Did you try these vegan banana apricot muffins recipe? Or are you more into cupcakes?
Tell me in the comments.
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Vegan Banana Apricot Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 muffins 1x
Description
Make Vegan Apricot Banana Muffins for a healthier plant-based breakfast idea with dried apricots and almond milk. They’re dairy-free, egg-free and refined-sugar-free.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (88 g) finely chopped dried, unsulphured apricots (about 10–12 dried apricots)
- ½ cup (120 ml) rum or brandy
- 2 cups (250 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (11 g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) mashed, ripe banana (about 1 large banana)
- 1 cup (240 ml) maple syrup
- ½ cup (120 ml) melted coconut oil
- ½ cup (120 ml) almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small bowl, cover the chopped apricots with rum or brandy, and let soak for 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 12 x 1/2-cup (125 ml) capacity muffin tin with baking paper cups.
- Sift the flour into a medium bowl and stir in the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In another medium bowl, mix together the banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, almond milk, and vanilla extract.
- Slowly stir in the dry ingredients into the wet. Drain the apricots, discard the alcohol (or better yet, kick it back!), and add them to the batter. Mix to combine.
- Spoon the batter into the paper-lined tins. (Note: I like to fill the batter all the way to the top to get nice muffin tops. Doing it that way gave me 10 muffins. You can also spread the batter evenly over the 12 tins, but the tops will be flat).
- Bake in the oven for 18–20 minutes, or until a cake tester or sharp knife inserted into the middle of a muffin, comes out clean.
- Leave the muffins in the baking tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Store the muffins at room temperature, in a container with a lid, for up to 2 days. Freeze, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months.
buy me a flat white?
Great recipe. I soaked the apricots in apple juice and 1tsp rum extract. Used the drained liquid as part of the 1/2 cup milk. Accidently left out the banana. . added 2ounces chopped walnuts. Very good. Next time I’ll include the banana. I got 15 muffins. Great rise.
★★★★★
Thank you so much Catherine!