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!
VIDEO: How to Make It
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.
- Shortening: shortening gives this banana bread an irresistible crumb and texture. It also makes if so no dairy-free option is needed! I use organic palm shortening. My Mom used to use Crisco. Butter will work as well!
- 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
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!
The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread
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.
Can this be made with flax eggs instead of eggs? I am allergic to eggs.
I haven’t tried this myself but I would search the comments as I think others have! Let me know if you try it.
Hi! Can I add sour cream to this recipe for added moistness?
I wouldn’t recommend that. Gluten-free baked goods tend to get oily and crumbly very easily. However these gluten-free banana muffins use sour cream! https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-banana-muffins/
can i use coconut oil instead of butter ?
I don’t recommend it. I’ve made this with coconut oil several times but it never turns out as good. The texture will be more dense. It’s much better with shortening or butter!
I love banana bread and haven’t had any for over10 years. This recipe was fabulous!! So delicious.
I’m so glad you were able to enjoy banana bread again!
Your recipes are always great!! I made it this way once using the extra 1/3 cup of 1:1 flour instead of almond, and then did it again but added cinnamon to taste and put them in muffin tins for about 20 minutes at 375 and it was a great turnout (:
This recipe is a keeper. Just made it and husband and I almost demolished it! He’s picky too. I just lowered the sugar some. Turned out perfect. Bestest!
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed it!
I’ve made this SO many times and it’s a family favorite. My latest version is 3/4 Cup Gluten Free all purpose flour, 1/2 cup of Almond Flour and 2 scoops of collagen peptides protein powder. I decreased the sugar to 1/3 cup and added a 1/2 cup of crushed pecans. If you don’t have a full cup of bananas, I rounded out the cup with unsweetened applesauce. It came out fantastic… my kid is doing a banana nut bread dance as he eats it 🙂
Great to know it turns out well with those substitutions! I’m so glad it’s become a family favorite!
Can I make this in my bread machine? Thanks.
I don’t think that will work! I haven’t tested it. Let me know if you try it though!
Extremely yummy and I’m picky about baked goods. Couldn’t tell this was GF at all. I used King Arthur’s GF flour and just threw everything together. 10/10
I’m so honored you think it’s 10/10! Glad it turned out for you!
Can you use brown sugar in place of granulated sugar?
It will slightly change the texture – but yes!
Thanks for giving amounts for flours rather than “gluten free flour”. I prefer using oat and brown rice and it turned out lovely. I baked in an 8X8 pan and cut into muffin sized squares after cooling. No paper muffin liners needed!
Glad it turned out well for you with those flours!
This is seriously the BEST gluten free banana bread I’ve ever made and eaten. It is now my go to recipe for banana bread!
I’m so glad you like it!
This Gluten Free Banana Bread recipe is the best I have ever tasted! I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, because my husband loves chocolate. He does not like sweet breads or bananas, but this bread changed his mind! I made two loaves, freezing one. I thawed the frozen one in the refrigerator, and it was just as moist as the fresh one. Thank you for all the amazing recipes.
I’m so glad you an your husband like it! I always make 2 loaves as well 😉 Great to know it worked well freezing and thawing the bread!
Amazing! So moist & delicious. I added milk chocolate bits – it felt sinful!
Milk chocolate chips are always a good idea 😉 I’m glad it turned out for you!