The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread! EASY to make with perfect texture and delicious flavor! Sure to become your go-to recipe!
This banana bread is a long-time reader and family favorite! This recipe has a few tricks so you get soft, moist, easy-to-slice and completely delicious gluten-free banana bread every time.
Is there anything better than a piece of warm banana bread slathered in butter? Dreamy. Everyone needs a go-to banana bread recipe!
Since going gluten-free I have tried a TON of banana bread recipes. Over the years I’ve decided my Mom’s recipe from growing up – tweaked to be made gluten-free – is my favorite tried-and-true banana bread recipe.
It is moist with the perfect amount of sweetness and banana flavor like traditional banana bread. Not to mention an ideal texture that is not crumbly, mushy or gummy like gluten-free baked goods can often be. This banana bread has moist crumbs
Whenever I have brown bananas on my counter this is hands down my favorite thing to make! (Close 2nd is this gluten-free banana cake!)
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Why You’ll LOVE This Recipe!
- Amazing crumb and texture
- Soft and moist – but not crumbly or gummy
- Stays delicious for up to 3 days
- Naturally dairy-free
- Easy to make!
This easy recipe is one of my favorite gluten-free breads of all time! If you love this bread be sure to try this gluten-Free pumpkin bread and this gluten-free zucchini bread. You also might like these banana pancakes or gluten-free banana muffins. Both recipes are made with the same gluten-free ingredients!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients for this gluten free banana bread recipe:
- Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour: I like to use a high quality gluten-free flour blend like gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods. It works best to use a blend that contains xanthan gum in this recipe.
- Almond Flour: Helps with texture and browning. A touch of almond flour is also my secret to The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. See the recipe card for nut-free instructions.
- Organic Palm Shortening: Palm shortening gives this banana bread an irresistible crumb and texture. It also makes if so no dairy-free option is needed! The palm shortening helps this loaf turn out easy-to-slice and cooked all the way through. My Mom used to use Crisco (which you can do too!) but I prefer organic palm shortening.
- A splash of milk: A few tablespoons of milk (or almond milk) help make this moist banana bread.
- Mix-ins! Add any mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts or blueberries that you like! The possibilities are endless. You can use up to ¾ cup of any mix-in.
Note: A tub of palm shortening will keep at room temperature in your pantry for many months. I always keep a tub of it around to make this banana bread when we have brown bananas!
How to Make It
Start by whisking together the the gluten free all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, mash up some overripe bananas and measure out 1 cup. It’s important to use exactly 1 cup of mashed bananas for the right texture.
This recipe also doubles great. The recipe takes about 2 ½ bananas per loaf. So if you have 5 over-ripe bananas sitting around make two loaves! Nobody at my house complains when I do that!
- In a large mixing bowl, add the shortening and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy
- Add the eggs, a teaspoon vanilla extract and almond milk and beat for 1-2 minutes until light and combined.
- Add the ½ the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
- Add half the bananas and mix to combine. Repeat with the other ½ dry ingredients and bananas. (Adding them alternately helps the batter hydrate.) Fold in any mix-ins with a spatula.
- Pour batter and smooth batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan then on a wire rack until fully cooled.
Mix-Ins
This gluten-free banana bread is such a great base recipe! I love it a classic banana bread loaf, but if you want to add in mix-ins go for it! You can add ½ cup of the following:
- chocolate chips
- chopped walnuts
- chopped pecans
- blueberries
- coconut
My kids are a huge fan of making this banana bread an extra special treat with the additional of chocolate chips.
Substititions
MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE: Yes! Organic palm shortening is naturally dairy-free. Use almond milk for the milk and this banana bread will be dairy-free.
MAKE IT NUT-FREE: Swap the almond flour out for ⅓ cup more of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. Use regular milk or rice milk in place of the almond milk.How should I store this?
Storing Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Store any leftover fully cooled banana bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. It will keep for up to 2 days.
You can freeze the unsliced, whole loaf by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and placing the loaf in a ziploc bag. Thaw the banana bread to room temperature before serving.
Gluten-Free Banana Bread FAQs
The secret to making delicious gluten-free banana bread is to use the right amount of bananas and shortening for the fat. Too much banana can destabilize the crumb and result in gummy banana bread. Butterfat also cause the crumb to clump up, so shortening works best!
Gluten-free banana bread is moist from using very overripe bananas and a combination of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and almond flour for the dry ingredients. Almond flour adds moisture and flavor to the loaf so you have moist crumbs in the final product!
Yes! Baking powder is important to use with gluten-free flour when baking to give gluten-free baked goods the proper rise. Baking powder makes gluten-free banana bread have a lighter crumb and texture.
More Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
Happy Baking! I hope you love this gluten-free banana bread recipe as much as we do! If you try it be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
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The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup gluten-free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Other:
- ⅓ cup shortening or butter, I use palm shortening
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond milk, or regular milk
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana, about 2-3 bananas
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, blueberries or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Mash the bananas together in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, add the shortening and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy and combined. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond milk and beat for 1-2 minutes until light and combined.
- Add the ½ the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add half the bananas and mix to combine. Repeat with the other ½ dry ingredients and bananas. (Adding them alternately helps the batter hydrate.) Fold in any mix-ins with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool for five minutes in the pan. Gently turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Enjoy! Store covered at room temperature.
Sarah says
I love your recipes!! I have some buttermilk to use up. Could I use that or would it mess with the recipe too much?
Linda says
I don’t have almond flour. What can I use instead?
Erin Collins says
You can swap the almond flour out for 1/3 cup more of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. I hope this helps!
Gillian Lamb says
My first successful GF Banana Bread! Delicious. Thank you!
Lalanie says
This is so delicious! Flavor and texture wise I can’t even tell it’s gluten free. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF flour and vegetable shortening, it worked amazingly.
Oleksiy Kovyrin says
Just made it on our trip to Hawaii and it is probably one of the best Banana breads I’ve ever tasted! Great recipe!
Ali says
I have made this multiple times and this is my go to banana bread recipe. My family eats gluten while I avoid it, and after it’s cooled it usually only last about 10 minutes in our house. Just curious if you think this recipe will work for mini loaf pans? Just adjust the baking time?
Sharon says
I always bake this bread in mini loaves. It turns out great. I cut the baking time down to 35-40 minutes.
Erin Collins says
Yes this will work great in mini loaf pans! Just decrease the baking time. My guess would be mini loaves will bake in 30 minutes.
Victoria says
Hi Erin! I tried your recipe and am in love with the flavor and texture! It feels and tastes like a completely normal banana bread. No gritty or mushy feeling at all!
The only mishap I had is that is sunk in the center while baking it in the oven. I’m not sure why that could have happened; I used butter instead of palm shortening, I used King Arthurs 1-1 subsitutue flour and my mold was 9” by 5”.
I really want to make it work and come out as pretty as yours! What would you recommend?
Big hug,
Victoria
Erin Collins says
Hi Victoria! I’m glad you liked the banana bread! I think you should try baking it for a little longer next time. I hope this helps!
LReyes says
Best banana bread ever! My GLUTEN eating husband and son love it too!!!
Donna F Bailey says
Wonderful recipe!! have made this and the Zucchini bread and they are light and delicious. My family loved them and could not believe they were gluten free.Thank you for sharing these recipes.
Mel Linn says
Love this! Kept the recipe as written, mostly: subbed room temp coconut oil for shortening, monkfruit sweetener for sugar. Let all the ingredients get to room temp. So great, thank you!
Question: when it comes out of the oven, it looks magazine- worthy, but then flattens and gets dense while cooling. I’m in a high desert and use the suggested gf flour. And tips to keep risen and beautiful please? TIA!
Erin Collins says
I’m glad you enjoyed the banana bread! Using monkfruit sweetener can cause the bread to sink a little as it doesn’t provide as much structure as regular sugar. I hope this helps!
Sue says
Well right off the bat I do not need gluten-free products, but my son-in-law does. I love to try different recipes when he comes for a visit just because I love to give him some homemade baking. Well…let me tell you I have been making banana bread for well over 40 years, and I honestly can say without a doubt that this gluten-free recipe outdoes any recipe I have ever made using regular flour!!!! OMG!!!!!! I will always use this recipe no matter what!!!!! Thank you for your fabulous recipe….PS your chocolate chip cookies are to die for as well!!!!
Erin Collins says
Hooray! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. I’m honored you think it’s even better than any regular flour recipe. Thanks for the comment!