Best Gluten Free Banana Bread

Your hunt for the perfect gluten free banana bread is over, because this is it! This recipe is easy to make, made in one bowl and yields the perfect moist and fluffy banana bread that tastes just like a classic loaf.

This gluten free banana bread is an absolute winner. It’s moist, fluffy, made in one bowl (my favorite kind of recipe), totally dairy free and has the perfect banana flavor.

A lot of banana bread recipes I’ve tried have been too much bread and not enough banana, but I managed to strike the perfect balance with this one. It’s bananay, it’s bready, it’s just perfect let me tell you.

With a crunch of walnuts if you want, a sweet sugary topping, moist and fluffy interior, this is a recipe you will come back to time and time again.

Warm up a slice and smother it with butter and you’re in for a treat! If you love this recipe, try my banana cake, carrot cake banana bread or blueberry banana bread next!

Before we get started!

• Pureeing the banana really helps prevent a gummy texture here! You will need about 4 large ripe bananas which will yield 1 1/2 cups pureed.
• To make this recipe dairy free, swap the butter for refined coconut oil or dairy free butter and the yogurt for a dairy free greek yogurt like the one from Kite Hill.
• I recently updated this recipe to make it better than ever! However, if you want the original recipe, it is the same as what is written, just swap the yogurt for 1/4 cup milk, use 1 1/2 cups GF all purpose flour and 3/4 cup of oat flour.

How to make gluten free banana bread

Puree the bananas in a blender and measure out 1 1/2 cups. It’s important to have exactly 1 1/2 cups. Too little and the bread will be dry, too much and the bread will be too dense. 

Add in all remaining wet ingredients and whisk together. 

To the same bowl, add in the flours and all remaining dry ingredients aside from the walnuts. Be sure to spoon and level the flour into a dry measuring cup, don’t scoop from the bag. 

Mix together just until no flour clumps remain. Stir in the chopped nuts just until they are evenly incorporated.

Transfer to a loaf pan and top with additional chopped walnuts and a sprinkle of brown sugar. The topping is optional but it adds a really nice flavor and crunch to the bread.

Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 60 minutes is ideal in my oven. Avoid opening the oven while baking because this can prevent the bread from rising properly. 

How to store and freeze

Once prepared, this gluten free banana bread will keep for about 3-5 days on the counter. You can store it in the fridge for longer if you prefer, then warm it up quickly so it’s good as new!

I find that with any baked good that uses fruit, like bananas or apple sauce, it keeps better on the counter but not in an air tight container. I like to just leave it on a plate with a some foil on top, but leave a little air so it can breathe and doesn’t get mushy.

This banana bread also freezes well! Let it cool completely, slice and place in a freezer safe ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temp or reheat in the oven until warm through the center.

Tips for success

Avoid slicing before the bread cools. I know this is so annoying because the smell of banana bread will be circulating through your house and you just absolutely need a slice right now.

However, allowing the bread to cool for 2 hours will ensure it stays intact and doesn’t crumble all over the place. Plus, it allows the fluffy texture to really take hold!

Mix just until combined. You don’t want to over-mix most baked goods, but this is especially true for a gluten free banana bread.

Over-mixing can cause the batter and therefore the bread to be gummy and dense which we want to avoid at all costs! Don’t want dense bread? Don’t over-mix and be sure to measure properly!

Use an aluminum loaf pan. These conduct heat the best, and are all around the best kind of pan for banana bread or other kinds of quick bread. I like this one.

Use very ripe bananas. They should be very spotty and brown which will add a natural sweetness to the bread and a deep banana flavor.

To ripen your bananas faster, add them to a ziplock bag (before peeling) and keep them in a warm dark place. They should be very ripe within a day or two!

Ingredient swaps

Sugar. You can use any kind of granulated sugar you like here. I used brown because it has a bit of a richer flavor, but white will also work. If you prefer you can sub for coconut sugar for a refined sugar free option. I do not recommend a liquid sweetener here.

Nuts. Don’t like nuts or have an allergy? Leave them out or sub for chocolate chips! You can even add in a cup of blueberries for a blueberry banana bread.

Flour. I used the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour which I highly recommend for this recipe. Other GF all purpose flours should work, but make sure your blend has xanthan gum in it. I don’t recommend almond flour here, but you can try my almond flour banana bread instead.

Dairy. To make this dairy free, just use coconut oil or vegan butter in place of regular butter and stick with a non-dairy greek yogurt like the one from Kite Hill.

Eggs. The eggs are a key ingredient in this recipe to give the bread its height and fluffy texture. I do not recommend leaving them out. You can try my vegan gluten free banana bread instead!

Try these recipes next!

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