This gluten free banana bread is lightly spiced and perfectly moist. It’s so quick and easy to make and is sure to become your favorite!
I’ve never been much of a banana bread person, but this bread has changed my mind forever! The banana breads I’ve had in the past have all been very dense and almost rubbery. I know that sounds weird to call bread rubbery, but that’s the exact word I would use to describe it. But this bread is perfectly moist without being overly dense and is in no way “rubbery.” Haha!
A reader recently gave me a great idea and I have to thank her for it, so Debbie, if you’re reading this, thank you for giving me the wonderful idea to use my gluten free pumpkin bread as a starting point for this banana bread! It came out more amazing than I even imagined it would.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE BANANA BREAD
Quick breads made gluten free are SO easy!! One of the great things about baking gluten free is that many baked goods that don’t require much gluten development are often better than their gluten-filled counterparts. Cakes, cookies, brownies, muffins, quick breads–they’re pretty easy to convert to gluten free.
You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already:
- Kim’s gluten free flour blend, or your favorite blend with xanthan gum, such as Cup4Cup
- Baking soda
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Coconut oil–you can use vegetable or canola oil, but you should try the coconut oil–it really makes a difference in the flavor and texture
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Bananas
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and the sugar. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the center and add the melted coconut oil, eggs, water, and mashed bananas. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour into a loaf pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes. That’s all, folks! Simple, but sooooo good.
What Size Loaf Pan is Best?
The pan I used to make this banana bread is a long and narrow loaf pan, which I picked up at my local Lidl about a year ago. If you have a Lidl near you, you know their non-food items come and go constantly so I can’t say they’d have it now, but this one is similar to the one I have.
A standard 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan will also work just fine. I think if you go any bigger than that (9 by 5-inch for example) you’ll need to double the recipe (which can be done by the way).
CAN THIS BREAD BE MADE INTO MUFFINS INSTEAD?
You can definitely make this bread into muffins! Just adjust the baking time to 20-25 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when touched or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Should I Use Really Ripe Bananas?
Here’s the thing I’ve figured out with some trial and error. I might catch flack for this from everyone, but I think less ripe bananas work better! When bananas are overripe, they are so much more liquidy and super sweet and I’m pretty sure that’s why I’ve never liked banana bread until now. Or maybe it’s just because I just don’t like mushy bananas!
Toss the ordinary banana bread out the window and try this gluten free banana bread instead for a change of pace you’re sure to love!!
Gluten Free Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1½ cups plus 2 tbsp (227 g) Kim's gluten free flour blend (or your favorite gluten free flour blend containing xanthan gum)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup (about 2-3) bananas, mashed (not overly ripe)
- ½ cup (120 ml) coconut oil, melted (substitute canola or vegetable oil)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp (92 ml) water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the melted coconut oil, bananas, eggs, water, and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Pour into greased loaf pan.
- Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and cool on wire rack until room temperature.
As for the coconut oil, are you using the ‘virgin’ one that tastes like coconut or the one that does not taste like coconut (refined)?
Good question! I actually used virgin because I wanted that background taste of coconut (I like coconut and bananas together), but I’m sure refined would work just fine, too 🙂
Hello,
OMGoodness this was the BOMB!!!! So so so good. This is the second recipe of LTEGFC and I’m so happy, and very impressed. This banana bread is about to become ‘the’ banana bread recipe. Finally, no more hunting for recipes. I’ll be making your pie dough tomorrow for Thanksgiving weekend this coming weekend. Thank you for your brilliant recipes. Cheers,
Deirdre
Yay!!! So glad you don’t have to hunt anymore for a good banana bread recipe! Thanks so much, Deirdre 🙂
Another cracking recipe. The family loved it. Thanks again!
Thanks, Manisha 🙂
Oh my goodness!! I make this tonight and it’s the best!! This taste almost like my gluten banana bread. It will be my recipe from now on. Well done Kim!
Thanks, Cyndi! Glad you liked it 🙂
I would like to add chopped walnuts to the batter. 1/2 chopped shouldn’t hurt it, right? My mother’s banana bread with ap flour always had walnuts, and my husband tells me I must be channeling my mother. Lol! Thank you.
I should have put that in the post that nuts can be added if desired, but yes, you can definitely add nuts 🙂
Could you use an egg substitute in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it, but I think you probably could.
I’m about to make it I’m do 3xcited
As I was gathering ingredients for your lovely GF Banana Bread, I noticed a small typo that you might want to correct. It is the omission of Cinnamon. Though you initially list cinnamon in the ingredients, it is not included in the directions later. Most people will notice that and put it in, but just in case…..
Your proofreader in Asheville :>)
Oh no! Thank you so much for finding that, Marie! I’ll correct it right now 🙂
Great recipe. Made it today for the first time. Used Cup4cup flour on hand and only 1 cup of sugar since I prefer a less sweet taste. Added 1/4 cup pecans, just enough to add interest. Baked perfectly in two Fat Daddio’s BP 5642 pans from Sur le Table – my favorite for GF loaves. Coconut oil made a crispy, slightly chewy exterior when it was warm. (Couldn’t wait for it to cool.) Interior is dark, moist and tender. Flavor is somewhat caramel-like, probably because the bananas were well ripened, but still firm. Look forward to making it again.
I need to check into that Fat Daddio’s pan! Thanks for the wonderful review 🙂
Epic Fail for this recipe. I made muffins and they are so flat is embarrassing! You have such reat recipies, but this one failed to produce? Why didnt they dome nicely?
Did you get my email response? I think they maybe weren’t baked long enough.
Wow, another great recipe Kim, love, love this banana bread. Both my husband and I think it’s one of the best. Just like what I use to make years ago with wheat flour. Thank you once again for an awesome recipe. Can’t wait to try your Pumpkin Bread, which is my absolute favourite sweet loaf. 🦋🌞
Awe, thanks so much Shari!! I’m so glad you and your husband loved it. The pumpkin bread is my favorite, too and I can’t wait for you to try it 🙂
I have just recently discovered all your wonderful GF Recipes and love them all (well, all of the ones I have tried so far)!!! I was very curious and was wondering if you had a cookbook I could purchase? With all the adds on websites these days and my glitchy internet constantly reloading the page, it is a pain in the butt to make anything! I know there is a printing option, but I seem to miss place them. Hahaha Plus, I would love to have all your glorious recipes in one place so I don’t miss a thing!
Thank you
Hi, Ashley and thank you so much for your kind words! I hear ya about the ads. Unfortunately, for now those are the only way I make money that allows me to continue creating new recipes and keep the blog. At some point I would LOVE to write a cookbook, but I’m just not there quite yet. Hopefully within the next year that will happen.
Until then, I do have an idea. What I did with all of my personal recipes (family recipes, etc that are either written on pieces of paper or cut out of magazines, etc) is took pictures or screen shots of each one and added them to a private (secret) board on Pinterest and that’s how I pull each one up. Another option is go to the print recipe option, but instead of printing it to a printer, save it as a PDF on your device.
I hope this helps 🙂
This is by far the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted! I’m very new to gluten free baking and your recipes are the most delicious! I did gluten free for a year about 16 years ago at the recommendation of my son’s doctor. Gluten free baking has come a long way since then. Thank you for all your experimentation that benefits others. What a blessing!
Awe, thank you so much, Alisha!! I really appreciate your kind words 🙂
Not sure what happened, but mine is currently spilling over the sides of the pan while baking. 😬 It smells great, and I’ll wait to see what the end result is before rating. I used a standard loaf pan. Fingers crossed.
Oh no! I don’t know why that happened, but I hope you solved the problem and it turned out well?
Could this recipe be used to make zucchini bread in exchange for the bananas?
Yes! You read my mind as my gluten free zucchini bread will be posted tomorrow 🙂
Awesome! Thanks for the zucchini bread recipe
This is absolutely the best banana bread recipe I have tried!! It has amazing flavor. I wanted to add chocolate chips because I love chocolate chip banana bread of course I love chocolate chip anything lol but the chocolate chips sink to the bottom and melted in the bottom of the pan… any suggestions??
Thanks so much, Joanie!! Next time, coat the chocolate chips with a little bit of the flour from the recipe (all you need is a tablespoon or two) before adding them to the batter. That should help suspend them in the bread when baked 😊