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Healthy Gluten-free Vegan Hummingbird Muffins are a moist spice cake muffin studded with dates and pecans. They get their moistness from banana (or applesauce) and crushed pineapple.
This traditional one-bowl recipe dates back to 1960s Jamaica, and is named after the country’s national bird. But the recipe concept became famous in the U.S. when Southern Living magazine featured a version in 1978.
The first time I had Hummingbird Cake, I thought it was the perfect confluence of ingredients — a little like carrot cake, but with pineapple instead of grated carrot, plus dates and pecans!
This version of the recipe is muffins, because they’re healthier — but just as delicious. It’s Gluten-free, Egg-free, Dairy-free, so, Vegan also, and the nuts are optional if you need a Nut-free recipe. It’s Anti-inflammatory and VAD (low vA), too.
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Ingredients in Hummingbird Muffins
I use primarily rice flours in this recipe to make it extra gentle.
Ingredients:
- rice flour, brown or white
- sweet rice flour (find it here)
- bananas or applesauce
- crushed pineapple
- oil, such as olive or avocado
- coconut sugar
- chopped dates
- chopped pecans, optional for nut-free
- lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar
- psyllium husk whole, (not powder; see link in Recipe below)
- ginger powder, baking powder, baking soda, quality salt and cloves powder
How to make healthy Hummingbird Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Prep muffin tins with liners.
- Combine wet ingredients and coconut sugar in large mixing bowl.
- Top with dry ingredients in the order they’re listed below (in the Recipe card). Use mixer on low speed, or mix by hand, until ingredients are stirred together evenly, without over-mixing.
- Scoop batter (it will be fairly thick) into muffin tin. Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (less time for smaller muffins, more time for jumbo muffins).
- Cool at least slightly and serve.
Healthy Hummingbird Muffins (Gluten-free, Vegan)
Equipment
- 1 jumbo muffin pan or 2 muffin tins for smaller muffins
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups smashed banana (3 bananas), or applesauce
- ¾ cup dates pitted and chopped
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup crushed pineapple
- ¼ cup oil such as olive or avocado
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup rice flour brown or white
- ¾ cup sweet rice flour
- ¾ cup chopped pecans optional for nut-free
- 5 Tablespoons psyllium husk whole (not powder; see link)
- 2 teaspoons ginger powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda sifted
- ½ teaspoon quality salt
- 1/8-¼ teaspoon cloves powder depending on preference, or 2 drops cloves EO
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Prep muffin tins with liners (6 jumbo muffins, or more if smaller).
- Combine wet ingredients and coconut sugar in large mixing bowl.
- Top with dry ingredients in the order they're listed. Use mixer on low speed, or mix by hand, until ingredients are stirred together evenly, without over-mixing.
- Scoop batter (it will be fairly thick) into muffin tin. Bake in preheated oven 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (less time for smaller muffins, more time for jumbo muffins).
- Cool at least slightly and serve.
Notes
Storage
To store, place in sealed container on the counter for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, place at room temp for 2 hours, or overnight.Related recipes
- Molasses Apple Spice Muffins (GF, Vegan, Paleo, AIP)
- Paleo Vegan Apple Banana Muffins (grain-free)
- High Calcium Chunky Banana Muffins (GF, Vegan)
- 10 Healthy Apple Recipes
- GF Vegan Carob Muffins
- Zucchini Chocolate Spice Cake (GF, Paleo)
Nutrition
Pin gluten-free Hummingbird Muffins here:
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