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!
This gluten free banana bread is an absolute winner. It’s moist, fluffy, made in one bowl (my favorite kind of recipe), totally dairy free and has 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 if you want, 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! If you love this recipe, try my banana cake or blueberry banana bread next!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Dairy free
- Made in one bowl
- Moist & tender
- Easy to make
How to make gluten free banana bread
Puree the bananas in a blender and measure out 1 1/2 cups. It’s important to have exactly 1 1/2 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.
How to store and freeze
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.
This banana bread also freezes well! Let it cool completely, slice and place in a freezer safe ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temp or reheat in the oven until warm through the center.
Tips for success
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 1/2 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, which I recommend.
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.
However, 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.
To ripen your bananas faster, add them to a ziplock bag (before peeling) and keep them in a warm dark place. They should be very ripe within a day or two!
Ingredient swaps
Sugar. You can use any kind of granulated sugar you like here. I like using a mix of light brown and white for the best texture and flavor.
You can use all of one or the other if you prefer or sub for coconut sugar for a refined sugar free option. I do not recommend a liquid sweetener here.
Nuts. 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.
Flour. 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.
I do not recommend swapping the oat flour for another kind of flour as it really helps with the texture. If you don’t have oat flour, just blend up oats until you get a fine powder!
Dairy. To make this dairy free, just use coconut oil or vegan butter in place of regular butter and stick with a non-dairy milk like soy, coconut or almond.
Eggs. The eggs are a key ingredient in this recipe to give the bread its height and fluffy texture. I do not recommend leaving them out. You can try my vegan gluten free banana bread instead!
Try these recipes next!
- Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Banana Bread Granola
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. As always, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram and leave a comment below so I can see your creation!
Gluten Free Banana Bread
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet:
- 1 ½ cups pureed banana about 3-4 large bananas
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup soy milk can sub for any kind ofmilk
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry:
- 1 ½ cup GF all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¾ cups oat flour spooned and leveled
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Puree the bananas in your blender and measure out 1 1/2 cups to a bowl.
- 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 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 55 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.
- Once done, remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. It's important to let it cool completely before slicing to ensure it doesn't crumble. Enjoy!
Juanita says
Easy to make, very moist! I make muffins and they came out fantastic. It’s hard to get gluten free breads done well. Thanks, Claire
Claire Cary says
Thank you, so happy you enjoyed it!
Khushali says
Hello, I am looking gluten free and no eggs recipe for banana bread.
Thank you,
Claire Cary says
Try my vegan and gluten free banana bread!
candice says
So delicious. My family loves this banana bread so much.
Claudia says
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 says
Aww thank you! So happy you’ve been enjoying it 🙂
Leslie Tufts says
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 says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Leslie! Thank you for the feedback 🙂