Your hunt for the perfect gluten free banana bread is over, because this is it! This recipe is easy to make, made in one bowl and yields the perfect moist and fluffy banana bread that just so happens to be dairy free!
Anyone else been stress baking up the wazoo?! Because same. Which is good for you because that means LOTS of good snacks and treats coming your way, but bad for me because I’ve been eating way too much sugar.
But it’s actually been very worth it because these recipes coming up are just so insanely good (like these vanilla cupcakes). Take this gluten free banana bread for example. It’s moist, fluffy, made in one bowl (my favorite kind of recipe), totally dairy free with the perfect banana flavor.
A lot of banana bread recipes I’ve tried have been too much bread and not enough banana, but I managed to strike the perfect balance with this one. It’s bananay, it’s bready, it’s just perfect let me tell you.
With a crunch of walnuts, a sweet sugary topping, moist and fluffy interior, this is a recipe you will come back to time and time again. Warm up a slice and smother it with butter and you’re in for a treat!
How to make this recipe
Mash the bananas in a large bowl and measure out 1 ½ cups. It’s important to have exactly 1 ½ cups. Too little and the bread will be dry, too much and the bread will be too dense.
Add in all remaining wet ingredients and whisk together.
To the same bowl, add in both flours and all remaining dry ingredients aside from the walnuts. Be sure to spoon and level the flour into dry measuring cups, don’t scoop from the bag.
Mix together with a wooden spoon, just until no flour clumps remain.
Stir in the chopped nuts just until they are evenly incorporated.
Transfer to a 9×5 loaf pan and top with additional chopped walnuts and a sprinkle of brown sugar. The topping is optional but it adds a really nice flavor and crunch to the bread.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 50 minutes is ideal in my oven. Avoid opening the oven while baking because this can prevent the bread from rising properly.
Tips for the perfect texture
I couldn’t even tell you how many loaves of banana bread I’ve made in my lifetime, but I’ve definitely learned a thing or two over the years about how to make it perfect.
Use enough banana. This will not only keep the bread moist without adding too much oil, but will also add the perfect banana flavor we all love. You’ll need a full 1 ½ cups mashed banana, which is about 3-4 bananas. You can also puree the banana in a blender if you want to avoid any larger chunks in your bread.
Avoid slicing before the bread cools. I know this is so annoying because the smell of banana bread will be circulating through your house and you just absolutely need a slice right now.
But, allowing the bread to cool for 2 hours will ensure it stays intact and doesn’t crumble all over the place. Plus, it allows the fluffy texture to really take hold!
Mix just until combined. You don’t want to over-mix most baked goods, but this is especially true for a gluten free banana bread. Over-mixing can cause the batter and therefore the bread to be gummy and dense which we want to avoid at all costs! Don’t want dense bread? Don’t over-mix and be sure to measure properly!
Use an aluminum loaf pan. These conduct heat the best, and are all around the best kind of pan for banana bread. I like this one.
Use very ripe bananas. They should be very spotty and brown which will add a natural sweetness to the bread and a deep banana flavor. If you don’t have ripe bananas, you can either put them in a sealed paper bag and let sit overnight or add the whole unpeeled bananas to the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
This will turn the bananas a scary black color, but will soften the insides and make them just like they ripened naturally! Thank you to Butternut Bakery for this trick!
Does it keep?
Once prepared, this gluten free banana bread will keep for about 3-5 days on the counter. You can store it in the fridge for longer if you prefer, then warm it up quickly so it’s good as new!
I find that with any baked good that uses fruit, like bananas or apple sauce, it keeps better on the counter but not in an air tight container. I like to just leave it on a plate with a some foil on top, but leave a little air so it can breathe and doesn’t get mushy.
Ingredient tips and substitutions
Don’t like nuts or have an allergy? Leave them out or sub for chocolate chips! You can even add in a cup of blueberries for a blueberry banana bread. SO good.
I used the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour which I highly recommend for this recipe. Other GF all purpose flours should work, but make sure your blend has xanthan gum in it.
The eggs are a key ingredient in this recipe to give the bread its height and fluffy texture. I have not tested a vegan version for this bread, but I do have a gluten free and vegan banana bread recipe as well.
Try these recipes next!
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Gluten Free Banana Bread
Ingredients
Wet:
- 1 ½ cups well mashed banana (about 3-4 large bananas)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup oil (I used avocado)
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry:
- 1 cup GF all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 ¼ cups oat flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (plus more for topping (can omit))
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl and measure out 1 ½ cups.
- Add in all remaining wet ingredients and whisk together until well combined.
- To the same bowl, add in both flours and all remaining dry ingredients aside from the walnuts. Be sure to spoon and level the flour into dry measuring cups, don’t scoop from the bag.
- Mix everything together with a wooden spoon, just until no flour clumps remain.
- Stir in the chopped nuts.
- Transfer to a 9×5 loaf pan lined with parchment paper and top with additional chopped walnuts and a sprinkle of brown sugar.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 50 minutes is ideal in my oven, but all ovens are different. Avoid opening the oven while baking because this can prevent the bread from rising properly. It'll rise quite a bit while baking, but will come down *slightly* as it cools.
- Once done, remove from the oven and let cool. It's important to let it cool completely before slicing to ensure it doesn't crumble. Enjoy!
Claudia
I’ve been making this banana bread since you published this recipe. I have tried a few banana bread recipes from other food bloggers and this one is my favorite, I really like it.
Thank you!
Claire Cary
Aww thank you! So happy you’ve been enjoying it 🙂
Leslie Tufts
This is the recipe I’ve been looking for! Perfect in every way. Delicious and simple to prepare. This will become your go to banana bread for family and friends. Thank you Claire!
Claire Cary
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Leslie! Thank you for the feedback 🙂