Marbled Gluten Free Banana Bread

This gluten free marbled banana bread is surprisingly easy to make and a fun twist from classic banana bread! It’s moist, full of flavor and the best way to use up those overripe bananas on your counter.

I love marbled desserts. I’m a sucker for a chocolate and vanilla twist ice cream, and marbled desserts kind of give me that same vibe. My marbled chocolate chip cookies are definitely one of my favorite, but this marbled banana bread is quickly rising to the top.

It starts with a base of just a classic gluten free banana bread, then we’ll add cocoa and chocolate chips to half the batter, then swirl them together in a loaf pan. I promise it’s a lot easier to do than it may look!

My favorite part is that no two loaves turn out the same, and you can create really distinct layers or swirl the two batters together more intensely. Try my gluten free marble bundt cake or peanut butter gluten free banana bread next!

Notes before we get started…

• Pureeing the banana really helps prevent a gummy texture here! You will need about 3-4 large ripe bananas which will yield 1 1/2 cups pureed.
• To make this recipe dairy free, swap the butter for refined coconut oil or dairy free butter and the yogurt for a dairy free greek yogurt like the one from Kite Hill.

How to make gluten free marbled banana bread

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients. Whisk in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flour to measure.

Once smooth and combined, scoop out two cups of batter and add to another mixing bowl.

Whisk in the cocoa powder and extra greek yogurt. Mix until smooth, then fold in the chocolate chips.

Using two roughly 2 tablespoon sized cookie scoops or two spoons, scoop the batter into the pan inn batches, alternating between the regular and chocolate batter.

Once done, take a toothpick or knife and swirl on top of the batter. Just do a few swirls- we don’t want to full combine the two batters.

Top with extra chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on it!

Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then lift out from the parchment paper and let cool on a wire rack.

The texture will hold up much better if you let the bread cool completely – about 2 hours. I know it’s tempting to slice early, but try to hold off! It’s worth the wait. Once cool, slice & enjoy! Try my gluten free banana bread bars next!

How to store and freeze

Once prepared, this gluten free marbled banana bread will keep for about 3-5 days on the counter. You can store it in the fridge for longer if you prefer, but the texture will firm up a bit because we are using butter in the batter. You can let it come to room temp or warm it up in the microwave for about 10 seconds.

To freeze, 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.

Ingredient swaps

Sugar. You can use any kind of granulated sugar you like here. I used white to keep it simple, but you can use brown or coconut sugar. Just note the color will be darker if you use one of those. I do not recommend any liquid sweeteners here.

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.

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 or swapping for anything else. You can try my vegan gluten free banana bread instead!

My favorite loaf pan

I use an 8.5×4.5 loaf pan, whereas I’ve seen many other recipes call for 9×5. This isn’t the biggest deal and ultimately either will work, but my preference is to have a taller loaf rather than a shorter, denser loaf.

Either way, you want to stick with an aluminum loaf pan as this will conduct heat most efficiently and ensure even cooking.

More quick bread recipes!

• Carrot Cake Banana Bread
• Blueberry Banana Bread
• Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
• Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Loaf

If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out! As always, be sure to follow me on instagram and subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes.