Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Updated
We eat a lot of bananas in my home, but there are always a few that get a little too ripe for my kid’s liking. So what’s a mama to do? I make gluten-free banana bread! It was so easy to modify my favorite banana bread recipe to make it gluten-free. I love that I only need one bowl to make this super easy banana bread recipe!
“WOW! Just wow. Absolutely blown away by this banana bread. I will be dreaming about it forever. Mama sure does know gluten free!”
– Bruce
Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe
Banana bread has been a favorite of mine since childhood. I love the smell when it’s cooking in the oven. Once I went gluten-free, I knew I couldn’t go without this household favorite, so I developed this easy recipe for gluten-free banana bread. It’s not too different from a standard recipe, and it’s super easy, too– no mixer needed! Trust me, no one will even know it’s gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Bananas: The star ingredient! They need to be overly ripe to add the strongest, sweetest banana flavor.
- Baking Soda: Helps the bread rise in the oven.
- Unsalted Butter: Makes this quick bread rich and tender. For a dairy-free option, use Smart Balance butter.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the bread.
- Salt: Enhances the banana flavor.
- Eggs: Add moisture and richness to the bread and help bind it together.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the sweetness of the bread.
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour with Xanthan Gum: I like Pillsbury gluten-free. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
Tips and Suggestions
- Always bake with ingredients that are at room temperature. Cold ingredients do not mix as well with room-temperature ingredients.
- The best way to measure gluten-free flour is the “spoon & level” method. Using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup. After you’ve spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup.
- If your gluten-free flour blend does not include xanthan gum, add 1/4 teaspoon.
- Three mashed bananas are equal to 1 cup.
- You can also mix it up a little by adding mini chocolate chips, blueberries, nuts, or raisins. I love how easy this super moist gluten-free banana bread is to make!
Can I Make It Vegan?
Sure! Swap the butter for your favorite non-dairy butter or coconut oil and the eggs for chia or flax eggs.
Can I Use Applesauce Instead Of Butter?
You can make this gluten-free banana bread with applesauce, but keep in mind that it will be less rich tasting and likely denser as well. I recommend trying coconut oil instead of butter instead!
Storage Instructions
Store gluten-free banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
More Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipes To Try!
Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour with xanthan gum
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum, leave out if your flour already has it in it
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 4 x 8 loaf pan with cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth.
- Add the baking soda to the mashed bananas.
- Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.
- Stir in the sugar, salt, eggs, and pure vanilla extract.
- Mix in the gluten-free flour and xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it in it).
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan.
- Bake on the center rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Please watch your banana bread because all ovens are different.
- Cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose. I like Pillsbury gluten-free.
- The best way to measure gluten-free flour is the “spoon & level” method. Using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup. After you’ve spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup. Friends, please do not scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup.
- Three mashed bananas are equal to 1 cup.
- Dairy-Free Options: Smart or Earth Balance Butter or coconut oil
- Pro Tip: You can also mix it up a little by adding mini chocolate chips, blueberries, nuts, or raisins.
- Always bake with ingredients that are at room temperature. Cold ingredients do not mix as well with room-temperature ingredients.
- Store in an air-tight container,
- Mama says “Check all of your labels.”
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Gluten-Free Banana Bread Step-by-Step
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 4 x 8 loaf pan with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, mash 2-3 ripe bananas until smooth.
Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the mashed bananas, then stir in 1/3 cup of melted unsalted butter.
Stir in 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
Mix in 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour and 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum (leave out if your flour already has it in it).
Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan.
Bake on the center rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Please watch your banana bread because all ovens are different. Cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Best banana bread EVER.
Thank you!
Good Moist Excellent
A keeper
Thank you Nance!
Delicious and easy to make.
Delicious and so easy to make
I was able to easily follow your recipe for banana bread gluten free. I did add some pecans for a little extra crunch and was very happy with the result!
Wooops forgot to rate it! 5*
I’ve made this recipe 3 or 4 times in the last couple of months, with the heat wave in the UK my bananas are ripening far too quickly to eat. This recipe is hands down the best gluten free banana bread recipe I have tried, its lovely and moist without being wet. I regularly bake for the kids lunchboxes and freeze the bakes so we have a good variety and the cake stays fresh, this not only freezes well, its also always one of the kids top choices if it is in the cake box in the freezer. Safe to say the kids love it! We added choc chips one time but decided it was better without, which suits me! I also added walnuts but I gave that one away. Feedback was that it was very tasty though.
Great to be able to make a gluten free cake that isn’t jam packed full of the usual UPF ingredients so commonly found in GF commercially produced cakes, we have long accepted that a gram of xantham gum is an inevitable part of GF baking. For those in the UK I have baked it with Dove Freee plain flour to date.
I always use the metric measuring system and it comes out great, I just don’t get on with cups. I’m just off to make another one for the freezer with my overripe bananas in my fruit bowl for our summer day trips.
The absolute highest compliment I can give this recipe is that I made it for my stepdad for his birthday and he ate half the loaf before I told him it was gluten free and he could not believe it. I am not a baker, at all, and this recipe was easy to not screw up and delicious. Thank you!
Does this recipe freeze well?
I want to make it but need to freeze for later time
Thanks
Hi Charlene, yes you can freeze for up to 3 months!
OMG 😋 If you could only smell my kitchen right now 😊 I’ve added walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg to the recipe and baked it in two 2.5″ x 7″ loaf tins. Looking forward to trying it once it’s cooled down. If it tastes like as good as it smells and looks, our tummy’s will be very happy 🤗