The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread

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!)

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 3/4 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 1/2 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 1/2 the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
• Add half the bananas and mix to combine. Repeat with the other 1/2 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 1/2 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

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!

5 from 126 votes

The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Author Erin Collins

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Servings 12 servings (1 loaf)

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. Be sure to CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW!

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Video

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

• ▢ 1 cup gluten-free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup almond flour
• ▢ 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt

Other:

• ▢ 1/3 cup shortening or butter I use palm shortening
• ▢ 2/3 cup sugar
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 2 tablespoons almond milk or regular milk
• ▢ 1 cup mashed ripe banana about 2-3 bananas
• ▢ 1/2 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 1/2 the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add half the bananas and mix to combine. Repeat with the other 1/2 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.

Notes

Mash up some very ripe bananas and mesaure 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 1/2 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!

Make it nut-free: Swap the almond flour out for 1/3 cup more of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. Use regular milk or rice milk in place of the almond milk.

Make it dairy-free: Organic palm shortening is naturally dairy-free. Use almond milk for the milk and this banana bread will be dairy-free.

STORAGE: Store any leftover fully cooled banana bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. It will keep for up to 2 days. 

TO FREEZE: 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 0.9mg