Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Super moist (without being mushy), easily bakes all the way through, amazing crumb.
Taste: Perfect amount of sweetness and banana taste. Add walnuts or pecans if you like a little nuttiness!
Ease: Very easy! Can be made ahead of time too.
Recommended GF Flour: Works great with many gluten-free flour blends. Use a high-quality flour that contains xanthan gum. I like King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill.
Top Tip: Be sure to measure the amount of bananas for the right texture. This loaf calls for 1 cup.
Would I make these again? Absolutely! This is based on my Mom’s family recipe and has been my go-to recipe for years!
xoxo erin
Featured Comment
From Kathy: “When Erin says it’s the best gluten free banana bread, she is not joking or exaggerating! Finally, finally a gluten free banana bread that tastes like banana bread. We all love it and I am making it constantly! The consistency and taste are exactly what banana bread should be. Sorry, sounds like I’m going on and on, but really…..blown away!”
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.
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Bread
- Storing/Freezing Instructions
- Mix-Ins
- Can I make this gluten-free banana bread dairy-free?
- I have a nut allergy! What can I use instead of the almond flour?
- What can I use instead of the shortening?
- More Gluten-Free Quick Breads
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread (5-Star Recipe!) Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients for this gluten free banana bread recipe. Jump to the recipe for the full measurements.
- Gluten-Free 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 ingredient in my famous gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. You can also use more gluten-free flour in place of the almond flour to make this nut-free.
- Bananas: Be sure to use very ripe bananas with dark spots. You’ll also want to measure the amount of bananas for the right consistency.
- Shortening: While I love the taste of butter, shortening gives this banana bread an irresistible crumb and texture. I use organic palm shortening. My Mom used to use Crisco. Butter will work as well!
- Milk: A few tablespoons of milk (any kind you like!) help make this banana bread moist.
- Mix-ins! Add any mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts or blueberries that you like! The possibilities are endless. You can use up to 1/2 cup of any mix-in.
For more gluten-free banana recipes, try this gluten-free banana cake, gluten-free banana muffins, banana pancakes, gluten-free banana pudding and oat flour banana muffins.
How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Bread
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.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover fully cooled banana bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. It will keep for up to 3 days.
TO FREEZE: 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.
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 flakes
Can I make this gluten-free banana bread dairy-free?
Yes! Shortening is naturally dairy-free. Use a dairy-free milk and this banana bread will be dairy-free.
I have a nut allergy! What can I use instead of the almond flour?
You can replace the almond flour with an additional 1/2 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour. Use regular milk or oat milk in place of the almond milk.
What can I use instead of the shortening?
I think the crumb and texture of this banana bread is unmatched when made with shortening. I like to use sustainably sourced organic palm shortening. However, if you’d prefer not to use shortening, you can use butter. The crumb will be a little different but it will still be delicious!
More Gluten-Free Quick Breads
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
- Gluten-Free Applesauce Bread
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread
- Oat Flour Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Orange Cranberry Bread
Gluten-Free Banana Bread (5-Star Recipe!)
Video
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup (150g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 1/2 cup (50g) almond flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Other:
- 1/3 cup (65g) shortening
- 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons almond milk or regular milk
- 1 cup (230g) mashed ripe banana about 2-3 bananas
- 1/2 cup (65g) chopped walnuts pecans, blueberries or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the shortening and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, vanilla and milk and mix for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through, until light and well-combined.
- Add ½ the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add ½ the bananas and mix to combine. Repeat with the other ½ dry ingredients and bananas. (Adding them alternately helps the batter hydrate.) Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixer and mix for another 15-20 seconds, until the batter is very smooth.
- Fold in the nuts or chocolate chips (if using) with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Excellent recipe! Moist, yet fluffy and the edges have a nice chew & slight crisp. The only addition I made was adding 1.5 tsp xantham gum to the flour and used mini chocolate chips instead of walnuts.
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback!
I don’t have a gluten intolerance, but got a bag of the gluten free flour that was on sale to try it out. This was the first recipe I used it for and wow! The banana bread was amazing! I followed the recipe as is, and it is truly perfect.
Thank you, Sara! We’re so glad the recipe went well and you enjoyed the banana bread so much. Happy baking!
OMG! This recipe is amazing! My husband and I are trying not to eat the entire loaf. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF flour mix and substituted butter for the shortening. Also added 1/2 of chocolate chips. Love the chewy crust on the exterior. Will make this again!
Yay! We’re so happy to hear you and your husband both loved the banana bread so much. Thank you for such kind feedback!
Hello, I just found your recipe and I’m anxious to try it but prefer not to use sugar can I substitute maple syrup?
Hi Gitta, thank you for your interest! We don’t typically bake with sugar substitutes unfortunately. We’re not sure how maple syrup would do, especially since it would add more liquid. Other readers have shared success using maple sugar or monk fruit. They may be worth a try!
I made a double batch and I substituted maple sugar for the granulated sugar. It has a low glycemic index and I don’t use refined sugar. It is the most amazing banana bread I have ever tasted…definitely doesn’t taste gluten free! Thank you for this recipe!
We’re so pleased you enjoyed the recipe and that the maple sugar swap worked well. Thank you for your kind feedback, Becky!
Turned out perfect the first time. Followed the 1 C of mashed bananas precisely. My husband the newly ciliac person is raving about it!
Yay! We’re so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed the banana bread, Vicky! Thank you for your positive feedback. Happy baking!
Dare I say this gluten free banana bread is even better than any gluten version of banana bread I have ever tried? This banana bread was so easy to make. We all loved it, even my picky eaters! I am definitely adding this to my list of go-to recipes!
Wow! Thank you for such amazing feedback, Amy! We’re so happy to hear how much you all enjoyed the recipe!
A fantastic banana bread recipe. It can last longer than 3 days – if you can resist it! But I use butter and less salt and sugar. Wow!
We’re so pleased to hear how much you loved the banana bread, Sally! Thank you for sharing your positive baking experience with us!
Thank you for sharing your recipe Just delicious I love the almond flour added into it & very moist This will be my gluten free banana bread recipe I will be making from now on
We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the recipe so much, Dorie! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive baking experience with us!
This recipe was both straightforward and a big hit in my very picky household. Substituted orange juice for milk and added the zest of one orange into the batter. My house smelled heavenly.Thank you!
We’re so happy to hear the banana bread was a hit with the whole family, Lulu! Thank you for sharing your positive feedback with us!
I had started thinking there was something wrong with my oven because the last few gluten free breads I made didn’t bake all the way through – almost crispy on the outside and mushy in the middle. Nope, my oven is just fine, and this GF banana bread recipe is perfection! Well done, Erin!
Yay! We’re so glad this recipe turned out perfectly for you! Thank you for sharing your positive baking experience with us!
I’ve tried several GF banana bread recipes and they were ok, but this recipe: WOW! It is absolutely perfect! I brought a loaf to a potluck brunch, labelled it gluten-free and it was gobbled up by everyone. I’m so glad to have found the best recipe of this staple item.
Thank you so much for this encouraging feedback, Rosalie! We’re so happy to hear the bread was such a hit!
I needed a special treat for my sweet husband on Father’s Day, and he is a banana bread lover. But I needed it to be gluten free so I can eat it, too, so I used this recipe, and we both loved it! I appreciated the fact that the two flours (King Arthur 1:1 GF flour and almond flour) are readily available in most grocery stores, and all of the other ingredients are staples for most people. Thanks for a delicious, accessible and special quick bread recipe!
Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback with us, Jane! We’re so very pleased that both you and your husband enjoyed the recipe so much. Happy baking!
The best recipe! Thank you very much
We’re so pleased to hear you loved it, Alitor! Thank you for your kind feedback!
Excellent. This will be my new “go to” banana bread recipe!
Yay! We’re so excited to hear it has become a new go-to! Thank you for your positive feedback, Linda!
Hi,
Recipe looks really good. The only thing I am seeing is shortening what can I use to replace shortening? Also do I have to put in almond flour can I just use the gluten-free flour?
Hi Joanne, butter will work in place of the shortening. The crumb will be a little different, but still delicious! Yes, you can just use more gf flour in place of the almond flour. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Used butter and topped up my 2 mashed bananas with unsweetened applesauce to make it a full cup. Delish!!
We’re so please to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Brooke! Thank you for the positive feedback! Happy baking!
This is truly delicious!I used butter, and lactose free half and half as well as q 1/2 t vanilla as all these ingredients represent my preferences in baking and my long experience in the kitchen. I also used half walnuts and half chocolate chips. Otherwise I followed the directions explicitly and it is stellar. So much so that I had to recuse it from my dog who decided to take a big BITE. LOL. Great recipe and a real keeper and people pleaser for sure. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Ronne, thank you for such a stellar review! We’re so glad that you loved it (and that your dog found it delicious too)! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us!
Think I could sub water for the milk?? We don’t use/buy milk, and hate to for 2T!
Hi Lora, we don’t recommend using water in place of the milk since water doesn’t contain any fat. It will impact the texture and potentially cause the bread to not brown as much. However, dairy-free milk can be used in place of the regular milk. Thank you for your question!
This is the best gluten free Banana Bread recipe!!!!
I was a little skeptical when I saw shortening instead of butter but I decided to go with the shortening.
This bread is delightfully moist and tasty, I also used almond milk and 75% monk fruit.
My husband took a bite and said, “wow, you would not know this is gluten free”.
Sondra
Yay! We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe so much, Sondra! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us. It’s good to know those substitutions worked well too!