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.
Turned out amazing! So yummy.
I don’t eat eggs so I subbed in bobs red mill egg replacer and then used butter instead of shortening but wow the texture is just perfect.
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!
I’m so glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for the comment!
Yummy! I decreased the sugar by half because my friend insisted on using three bananas. Not overly sweet but soft and dreamy.
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!
This is so great ha! 🙂 So glad you like the recipe!
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.
This recipe is my go to. I highly recommend it to everybody. It got us through covid and lightened our spirits.
Can i replace the shortening with something dairy free
You can use Earth Balance Buttery Sticks!
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
I’m so glad you like the recipes! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I used butter flavor Crisco and cashew, not almond, milk because that’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!
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!
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
Hi there. I’ve seen a few comments regarding the specified amounts for baking powder and soda. Am I correct in reading, that it’s 1 1/4 teaspoons powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of soda?
This was delicious! Saving the recipe ❤️
Yum!
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!