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.
Flavor is excellent but I was disappointed that it fell in the middle. I chose to try this recipe because the photos of the bread make it look so nice and high. GF breads are often flatter and my banana bread was flatter than the photos. We’ll eat it as it’s very tasty.
Can I make this with whole milk without compromising recipe?
Thanks,
Vanda
Yes that will work great!
Wow! Since I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2018 I have been trying to bake myself and although I am a very good gluten baker I am a horrible gluten free baker. But this recipe is fantastic! This turned out just great, good flavor and good texture… I love it, thank you so much for sharing ❤️
I’m so glad it turned out for you! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Has anyone tried this not in a glass loaf pan but just a regular one with success? I’ve never had much luck with recipes in loaf pans, I grew up with glass loaf pans, but I own none of my own. I’m afraid to try it and have it not work out!
This banana bread recipe was just what I was looking for. So delicious. Moist and flavorful. Will definitely make this again!
Does the gluten free flour require xanthan gum for this recipe?
Yes it does! I like to use a 1:1 (also called measure-for-measure) GF baking flour for this banana bread.
What should I use to replace the almond flour…allergies
You can use an additional 1/3 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of the 1/2 cup almond flour. That should work great! I hope this helps
Mixture was dry like cookie batter not cake batter. Why only 2 tbsp of milk? Doesn’t seem like nearly enough….
I used butter and baked for about 1 hour in a 325 degree convection oven. The bread finished beautifully! It is delicious. I too have tried several banana bread recipes lately. This one is excellent!
I made this bread and it was very tasty! The only problem I had was that it cooked around the edges while the centre was a bit gummy still. I ended up baking it for 65 minutes. I used a tin 9×5 greased pan at 350 degrees?
My guess is you used too many bananas or your oven temperature was off. This always happens when I add 3 bananas whole instead of measuring out the 1 cup. I hope this helps!
I made this today and it’s delicious!!! I subbed coconut sugar for plain sugar, and cut the salt from 3/4 tsp to 1/4 tsp. Came out perfect. YUM!!!
I made this recipe exactly as written except I followed your suggestion to another comment bout 1/4 cup extra of 1:1 flour in place of almond flour and I used butter instead of shortening and my loaf overflowed out of my pan twice while baking and wouldn’t cook in the center. Never had this issue with any other breads I’ve baked. Wondering what may have caused this? It smells amazing and once I can get it to bake thru I’ll taste a piece I’m just worried about the dryness of the rest of the bread from over baking. 🙁
I’m sorry this didn’t turn out for you! Do you know how many bananas you used? It’s important to use 1 cup (and not just 3 bananas). Also what size pan did you use?
My 9 year old LOVES this recipe!! He was so upset when he found he had Celiac’s Disease. I’ve been doing everything in my power to find his favorite foods and make them gluten free. This recipe is a Winner! Thank you!! He always asks me to make this over everything!!
I’m so glad your son likes the banana bread! That makes me happy to hear 🙂
Best GF Banana Bread EVER! It tasted just as good the next day!!!!
I’ve made this recipe so many times without fail, and my mother in law has added it to her regular baking rotation too!
My only question – how well would this freeze? I wanted to bake a few loaves for my mother for Christmas but my bananas are at perfect ripeness right now, about a week before I would give the breads to her.
Phenomenal recipe. Disclaimer: I used butter instead of shortener, and added a cap full of almond extract that I thought would go really nice with the level of ripeness on the bananas- and it did. My adders were dark choc chips and crushed pecans. It turned out great but could have used another five in the oven (55 min total) and I’d like to find out how to prevent the chips from sinking to the bottom. Any clues? Great recipe.