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Home > Gluten-Free Muffins & Quick Breads > The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread

The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread

LAST UPDATED: May 7, 2020 PUBLISHED: Oct 17, 2018 158 Comments
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The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread! EASY to make with perfect texture and delicious flavor! Sure to become your go-to gluten-free banana bread recipe!

If you love this bread be sure to try this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread. If it’s muffins you’re looking for, try these Gluten-Free Banana Muffins. Both recipes are made with the same gluten-free ingredients!

slices of banana bread on parchment paper with plate with buttered banana bread in background

The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread

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 very favorite.

It is moist with the perfect amount of sweetness and banana flavor. Not to mention an ideal texture that is not crumbly, mushy or gummy like gluten-free baked goods can often be. Whenever I have brown bananas on my counter this is hands down my favorite thing to make!

This recipe has a few tricks so you get soft, moist, easy-to-slice and completely delicious gluten-free banana bread every time.

slices of gluten-free banana bread stack on marble background

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How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Bread

When it comes to gluten-free baking I’ve learned a few tricks over the years. Lately I’ve been loving using King Arthur Flour Measure-for-Measure Flour in gluten-free recipes (not sponsored – just my favorite!).

I also like to add a little almond flour for delicious flavor and browning. A touch of almond flour is also my secret to The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.

This banana bread has one unusual ingredient – palm shortening.  Palm shortening (or regular shortening if you prefer) gives this banana bread an irresistible crumb and texture. 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! The palm shortening helps this loaf turn out easy-to-slice and cooked all the way through.

loaf of bread sliced for serving with white plate in background

This 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. This recipe also doubles great. It 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!

buttered banana bread on plate with fork taking a bite

Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe

– Good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend: Use one that contains xanthan gum. I like this King Arthur Flour Measure-for-Measure Flour in gluten-free recipes (not sponsored – just my favorite!)

– Almond flour: Add a little almond flour for delicious flavor and browning

– Palm shortening: Palm shortening (or regular shortening if you prefer) gives this banana bread an irresistible crumb and texture

– A splash of milk: A few tablespoons of milk (or almond milk) help keep this banana bread perfectly 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 3/4 cup of any mix-in.

 

image for pinterest with stacked gluten-free banana bread

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slices of banana bread stacked on parchment paper

The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Author: Erin Collins
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 10 mins
The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread! EASY to make with perfect texture and delicious flavor! 
5 from 78 votes
Servings: 12 servings (1 loaf)
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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 9x5 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.
Nutrition Facts
The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Amount Per Serving
Calories 208 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 205mg9%
Potassium 118mg3%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 50IU1%
Vitamin C 1.1mg1%
Calcium 46mg5%
Iron 0.9mg5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Calories: 208kcal
Erin of Meaningful Eats

Hi, I'm Erin!

BS Food Science, MS Nutrition
I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I'm here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you! More About Erin

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Barbara Bell says

    June 27, 2020 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    My 15 year old son said, this recipe is phenomenal! We loved it!!

    Reply
  2. Julie says

    June 28, 2020 at 9:25 pm

    This was an easy recipe and delicious, the only change I made was using Buttermilk instead of the listed milk. Very moist and good flavor!

    Reply
  3. Mary says

    July 06, 2020 at 10:58 am

    5 stars
    Yum!

    Reply
  4. JoAnne Drake says

    July 10, 2020 at 10:36 am

    5 stars
    This was delicious! Saving the recipe โค๏ธ

    Reply
  5. Miranda Rumley says

    July 20, 2020 at 7:48 pm

    Hi there. Iโ€™ve seen a few comments regarding the specified amounts for baking powder and soda. Am I correct in reading, that itโ€™s 1 1/4 teaspoons powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of soda?

    Reply
  6. Cristina says

    July 21, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    5 stars
    THIS IS THE BEST BANANA BREAD EVER! Need I say more?!!! My tongue jumped out and smacked me AND my mama in the head and she’s 18 1/2 hours away!
    PS
    I think I’m gonna just love off this

    Sincerely,
    New
    Newest member to the ULTRA sensation Celiac’s club

    Reply
  7. Allison L says

    August 02, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    5 stars
    So going into this I had really low expectations because I’m a skeptic when it comes to finding good recipes. I feel like the recipes always over-promise and under-deliver and I end up left feeling disappointed that I wasted ingredients and time and energy. In this case my three-year-old who is gluten and dairy free has never had banana bread so I was looking for a simple recipe to introduce her to something I have always enjoyed but mostly I was also looking for an activity to do with her. I justified the likeky waist of ingredients by saying well at least we will be spending some quality time together baking. I I’m happy to say this is one of the few instances where the recipe under-promised and over-delivered! You all know that almost never happens! The only change I made in the recipe is I
    (out of necessity) substituted the butter for coconut oil. When it baked something amazing happened. The banana bread ended up tasting like I got transported to the tropics–between the coconut oil, the toasted almond flavor from the freshly ground almond flour I made (also out of necessity, as I had nothing else) , and the ripe bananas! All of those flavors worked beautifully together and played off of each other! The bread was perfectly moist and surprisingly better than any other banana bread I have tasted, gluten free or otherwise! I didn’t think that was possible. I rarely write reviews, usually because there is rarely anything to rave about. But in this case I have to just to say thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply
  8. Lorayne says

    August 15, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    5 stars
    I used butter flavor Crisco and cashew, not almond, milk because thatโ€™s what I keep in my fridge. I got distracted and left out the sugar. I put a little non dairy butter and a little cinnamon sugar mix on a slice and it was good. It must be great with the sugar actually in it!

    Reply
  9. Monica Allen says

    August 25, 2020 at 8:17 am

    5 stars
    I just found your recipes for chocolate cookies and banana bread. I am so thankful to find these by what sounds like someone who’s tested and also needs this diet. My new boyfriend has celeatic deseace and I am now learning about this. I have digestive problems too so this might be good for me too. I hope to be getting a recipe book created by you. Thank you Monica Allen

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      August 27, 2020 at 4:42 am

      I’m so glad you like the recipes! Thanks for the comment ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  10. Crystal says

    August 25, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    Can i replace the shortening with something dairy free

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      August 27, 2020 at 4:41 am

      You can use Earth Balance Buttery Sticks!

      Reply
  11. Kaylin Stevens says

    October 04, 2020 at 2:32 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is my go to. I highly recommend it to everybody. It got us through covid and lightened our spirits.

    Reply
  12. Flora says

    October 14, 2020 at 5:51 pm

    5 stars
    This is really good banana bread. My kids like it and they are used to regular banana bread. We add chocolate chips. I followed the recipe to the T except I added 2 tbs of plain yogurt instead of milk.

    Reply
  13. Kathy says

    October 17, 2020 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      October 19, 2020 at 5:43 pm

      This is so great ha! ๐Ÿ™‚ So glad you like the recipe!

      Reply
  14. Saja says

    November 06, 2020 at 11:39 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy! I decreased the sugar by half because my friend insisted on using three bananas. Not overly sweet but soft and dreamy.

    Reply
  15. Amy says

    November 15, 2020 at 2:08 am

    5 stars
    Oh. My. Gosh.

    You would literally NEVER know that this is gluten-free. It’s so moist, flavorful, and perfect in every way. Pleaaaaase make a cookbook, Erin. I will buy one million copies. Approximately.

    SO GOOD!

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      November 18, 2020 at 8:52 am

      I’m so glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for the comment!

      Reply
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Erin of Meaningful Eats

Hi, I'm Erin!

BS Food Science, MS Nutrition
I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I'm here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you! More About Erin

Freebies

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Join my free email list to receive this Gluten-Free Dinners cookbook!

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