Morning Banana Muffins from Talia Tutak of Sixteen Mill

Name: Morning Banana & Prune Muffins
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1¼ cups mashed very ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas (300 g)); 3 TBSP almond flour (20 g); ¾ cup plus 1 TBSP very fine white rice flour (130 g); ½ cup plus 1 TBSP arrowroot starch (70 g); 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; ½ tsp fine salt; ½ cup coconut sugar (100 g); ½ cup plus 2 tsp full-fat coconut milk (130 g); ½ cup plus 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp avocado oil or light olive oil (125 g); 1 Tbsp plus ½ tsp apple cider vinegar (18 g); 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 g); Prune Butter (recipe follows); 2 cups packed pitted California Prunes (300 g); ½ –¾ cup hot water (as needed)

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Some breakfasts are strictly functional. These banana muffins are not those breakfasts.

Created by Talia Tutak of Sixteen Mill Bakeshop in Brooklyn, Morning Banana + Prune Muffins are soft, generously moist and filled with a ribbon of smooth prune butter. They deliver the comfort of classic banana bread with a deeper, fruitier flavor—and just enough sophistication to make an ordinary morning feel more interesting.

Tutak is known for creating baked goods that are vegan, gluten-free and made without refined sugar, proving that thoughtful ingredient choices do not have to mean settling for a dry, disappointing muffin.

The secret is in the prune butter

Bananas bring familiar sweetness and moisture to the batter, while coconut sugar adds a warm, lightly caramel-like flavor. But the spoonful of prune butter tucked into the center is what makes these muffins memorable.

Made simply by blending California Prunes with hot water, the filling becomes thick, glossy and spreadable—somewhere between fruit preserves and a silky fruit purée. Its rich sweetness complements the banana without overwhelming it, creating a tender breakfast muffin with a little surprise in the middle.

Banana muffins naturally suited to more eaters

This recipe uses almond flour, white rice flour and arrowroot starch instead of wheat flour. Coconut milk and avocado or olive oil keep it dairy-free, while coconut sugar provides sweetness without refined white sugar.

The result is a muffin that is:

Vegan
Gluten-free
Dairy-free
Refined-sugar-free
Exceptionally moist and delicious

In other words, it checks plenty of boxes—but still tastes like a muffin, not a compromise.

These wholesome banana muffins are tender and deeply comforting, with a spoonful of homemade prune butter baked into each center. They are especially delicious served warm on the day they are made.

A few tips before you bake these banana muffins

Use very ripe bananas, preferably ones with plenty of brown spots. They will blend more smoothly and provide better flavor.

Give the bananas enough time in the mixer to become pale, smooth and almost whipped. This step helps create a lighter batter despite the gluten-free flour blend.

When combining the wet and dry ingredients, fold only until no dry patches remain. Overmixing can make gluten-free muffins feel heavy.

Finally, keep the prune butter thick. It should fall slowly from a spoon rather than pour. A runny filling may disappear into the batter instead of creating that delicious center.

Morning Banana & Prune Muffins

Talia Tutak

I love these muffins because they are incredibly moist and make the perfect wholesome breakfast. The prune butter adds a wonderful depth of flavor, and they feel nourishing, comforting, and nostalgic all at the same time.

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 15

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American, Polish

Servings muffins

Calories 272 kcal

Equipment

Standard 12-cup muffin pan
Paper muffin liners
Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or an electric hand mixer
Blender

Ingredients

Muffin Batter

1¼ cups mashed very ripe banana about 3 medium bananas (300 g)
3 TBSP almond flour 20 g
¾ cup plus 1 TBSP very fine white rice flour 130 g
½ cup plus 1 TBSP arrowroot starch 70 g
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine salt
½ cup coconut sugar 100 g
½ cup plus 2 tsp full-fat coconut milk 130 g
½ cup plus 1 TBSP plus 1 tsp avocado oil or light olive oil 125 g
1 Tbsp plus ½ tsp apple cider vinegar 18 g
2 tsp vanilla extract 10 g
Prune Butter recipe follows

Prune Butter

2 cups packed pitted California Prunes 300 g
½ –¾ cup hot water as needed

Instructions

Make the Prune Butter

Place the prunes in a blender.
Add ¼ cup of the hot water and begin blending. With the blender running, gradually add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture becomes completely smooth.
Continue blending until the prune butter has a thick, marmalade-like consistency. It should be easily spreadable but not runny.
Set aside while you prepare the muffin batter. Any remaining prune butter can be refrigerated in an airtight container and spread on toast, oatmeal or freshly baked muffins.

Make the Muffins

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
Place the bananas in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until completely smooth, light and noticeably paler in color. The bananas should resemble a thick, whipped paste.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, white rice flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the coconut sugar, coconut milk, oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla to the whipped bananas. Mix on low speed until evenly combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a spatula, gently fold just until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
Spoon approximately 1 TBSP of prune butter into the center of each muffin. Gently press it slightly into the batter, leaving some visible at the top.
Bake for 35–50 minutes, checking the muffins beginning at 35 minutes. They are done when the tops are lightly golden and the muffin surrounding the prune filling feels set. A tester inserted into the cake portion—not directly into the prune butter—should come out with only a few moist crumbs.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.

Serving and Storage

These muffins are at their best served slightly warm on the day they are baked. Try splitting one open and adding another swipe of prune butter—because hiding all that flavor in the center would be a shame.
Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day or refrigerate them for up to four days. Warm refrigerated muffins briefly before serving to restore their soft texture.

Notes

Volume measurements for gluten-free flours can vary depending on how tightly the ingredients are packed. For the most consistent bakery-style results, use the included gram measurements when a kitchen scale is available.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffinCalories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 193mgPotassium: 299mgFiber: 3gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 236IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg

Keyword banana muffins, gluten free muffins

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Meet Talia Tutak of Sixteen Mill

Talia Tutak is the founder and head baker of Sixteen Mill, a Brooklyn bakeshop known for flavor-forward treats that are entirely gluten-free, plant-based, and made without refined sugar. A self-taught baker originally from Poland, Talia began baking sourdough in her New York apartment before growing Sixteen Mill from farmers’ market favorite into a beloved neighborhood bakery. Her inventive approach gives classic breads, cakes, and pastries a nourishing, modern twist without compromising on taste.