Moist Banana Bread with Gluten-Free Flour

Learn how to make the best, moist gluten free banana bread with this easy, one bowl recipe! This tried and true homemade quick bread, made with all-purpose gluten-free flour, is naturally dairy-free and can be loaded with nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruits. 

Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe

Don’t throw those bananas out just because they’re too ripe! Overripe bananas are perfect for gluten-free baking, especially in gluten-free banana bread! This easy and ultra moist banana bread is made with all-purpose gluten-free flour, but tastes so good no one will know the difference!

Adding ripe bananas to bread serves as a helpful gluten-free baking tip. It naturally hydrates gluten-free flour, eliminating any gritty or dry texture. Some GF recipes, such as gluten-free biscuits, use sour cream to combat this problem. However, bananas perform a double duty of adding sweetness as well, reducing the amount of added sugar needed.

Because of this, I’ve put the magic power of bananas in other highly-reviewed gluten-free bread recipes, with almond flour banana bread and banana bread made with oat flour being two other favorites!

Below I will share how to make gluten-free banana bread, as well as ingredient modifications, dairy-free notes, and helpful tips for preventing a dense or gummy texture. Let’s make a fluffy banana loaf!

Ingredients Notes

This recipe for banana bread with gluten-free flour uses affordable, kitchen-staple basics, like all the recipes in my gluten-free cookbook and those shared on the website. Listed below are any workable ingredient swaps and notes for a dairy-free recipe.

• Ripe bananas – The uglier the better when choosing bananas for bread. As they ripen the starches turn to sugar, making your baked goods more flavorful.
• Brown sugar – I prefer the caramel taste brown sugar adds, but a little chewiness to the the crust. Granulated sugar may be used or a reduced amount.
• Canola oil or coconut oil – Since this recipe doesn’t use butter, it is naturally dairy-free.
• Gluten-free all purpose flour – I highly recommend using Cup4Cup gluten free flour for best results. However, it does contain milk powder. For a dairy-free loaf, substitute King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gluten-free flour. Learn more about all-purpose gluten-free flour in the recommended flour section.

How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe

This easy, moist gluten-free banana bread recipe can be whipped up in one bowl with no special equipment required. If you don’t have a potato masher to mash bananas, just use a fork.  

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. To begin, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan. After greasing, line the bottom of your pan with a piece of cut-to-size wax paper or parchment paper. This helps the bread slide out of the pan easily with no sticking.  
2. Next, in a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, brown sugar, oil and vanilla.
3. After you are finished whisking those ingredients, add the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir these ingredients until well combined. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. 
4. Bake your bread for 55 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the gluten free banana bread comes out clean. Be sure to not underbake, or the loaf will fall in the middle. With gluten free baking it is always better to error on the side of slightly overbaking. 
5. Finally, cool the bread in a pan for 10 minutes and then run a knife around the edges and turn onto a wire rack to cool. 

HOw to Tell when Gluten-Free Breads are done Baking  

Gluten-free breads are harder to tell when they are done because they often look set and golden on top, but the interior is underbaked. If there isn’t enough time given for the liquids to evaporate, you will end up with a dense, gummy or deflated loaf.

Insert a long skewer or knife in the middle to double check the bread is cooked through and not wet in the center. A small toothpick can be deceiving because it doesn’t go down far enough.

Personally, I like to take the guesswork out of knowing when gluten-free breads are done. Often golden brown exteriors can be deceptive, while the inside is undercooked and gummy.

Therefore, I also use an instant read thermometer. When inserted in the middle it should read 188-190ºF. I check all breads this way from gluten-free rolls to ultra soft gluten-free sandwich bread.

Can I make this healthier?  

With just a few tweaks, this recipe can easily be made into a healthy gluten-free banana bread. This recipe is naturally dairy free, so no adjustments are needed in that department.

 Here are some modifications you may want to try to make a healthy version of the best gluten free banana bread: 

• Sugar Free – To make a no sugar version, all you need to do is replace the brown sugar with your favorite sugar free substitute such as: stevia, agave nectar (for every one cup of sugar, use 2/3 cup agave), maple syrup, honey (for every one cup of sugar, use 3/4 cup honey), or coconut sugar. Low sugar baking blends, agave nectar and coconut sugar are all equal parts one to one cup of sugar. 
• Oil free – In place of the coconut oil, consider using: applesauce, ghee, greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, or avocado puree. For all of these, one cup is equivalent to one cup of oil.  
• Vegan – To make this healthy gluten free banana bread vegan friendly, you will need to replace the eggs. A half cup of applesauce or soy yogurt are great substitutes for two eggs. The recipe may require more baking time since additional liquid is being added.

Recommended gluten-free flour

There is a lot to consider when answering this question, so I dedicated some time to coming up with the answers for myself. To learn more about the best gluten free flours, be sure to check out the guide I created called the Ultimate Guide to the Best Gluten Free Flour .

My number one choice, after running four popular flours through a series of tests, is Cup4Cup gluten free flour in terms of both taste and texture.  

Unfortunately, this flour is slightly more expensive than other brands, but in my opinion – is totally worth it. The taste of baked goods made with Cup4Cup gluten free flour undetectably replicates traditional baked goods.  For those of you who eat gluten free, you know that makes it worth it! 

The other drawback of Cup 4 Cup is the allergens it contains. If you cannot have dairy or corn, King Arthur Measure-for-Measure is a wonderful runner up.

Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix-Ins

One of the great things about banana bread is its versatility! Consider stirring in one of these mix-ins or a combo to make endless versions. 

• Chocolate chips – 1 cup 
• Chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans – 1/2 cup
• Dried cranberries – 1 cup
• Shredded coconut – 1/2 cup
• Butterscotch chips – 1 cup (read label to make sure they are gluten free)
• Creamy peanut butter – 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
• Nutmeg – 1/2 teaspoon

how to ripen bananas

If your bananas get to the point where everyone in your house is saying, “No thank you”- keep ahold of them. They are perfect for this recipe! In fact, overripe bananas give the very best flavor. 

If you don’t have any overripe bananas on hand, place yellow bananas, with their peels on, on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes in a 300ºF oven, or until the skin turns black.  

This works great when you need bananas in a hurry for baking for bread, gluten-free banana waffles, muffins, or banana bars.

dairy free, sugar free, or vegan modifications

This recipe is naturally dairy free because it doesn’t contain any milk or butter. No adjustments required! However, the recommended flour, Cup4Cup, does contain milk powder so you would have to swap out a dairy-free all purpose gluten-free flour.

For a sugar free version, replace the brown sugar with your favorite sugar free substitute such as: stevia, agave nectar (for every one cup of sugar, use 2/3 cup agave), maple syrup, honey (for every one cup of sugar, use 3/4 cup honey), or coconut sugar.

And to make a vegan friendly version, simply replace the eggs with your favorite egg substitute, such as a flax eggs, 1/2 cup applesauce or soy yogurt. The recipe may require more baking time since additional liquid is being added.

What size loaf pan is needed?

In order for your gluten free banana bread to have the nice dome shape, use an 8X4 loaf pan. If you don’t have an 8X4 pan, use a 9X5 pan, but set the timer and check your bread 10 minutes sooner.

adapting for muffins

Adapt this banana bread recipe to make muffins that are perfect for snacking or busy mornings. Since they are the perfect grab-and-go snack, I dedicated a whole post on how to turn this bread into fluffy, gluten-free banana muffins!

storing / freezing

Banana bread may be kept at room temperature, well covered, for up to two days. Gluten free baked goods dry out quicker so I recommend freezing sliced bread if it won’t be eaten in a short period of time. 

I don’t recommend refrigerating the bread because the cool air removes moisture and can leave you with dry, crumbly bread. 

Freeze the bread up to 3-4 months for best flavor. If you are freezing slices, wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag.

To freeze the entire loaf, be sure it has cooled completely and then wrap the entire loaf in aluminum foil before placing in a freezer bag. When you are freezing food, it is a good idea to mark the bag with the date so that you know exactly when it went into the freezer. 

Why did my bread sink in the middle?

With gluten free baking it is always better to error on the side of slightly over baking because under baked goods can fall or have a gritty texture. Even if it appears dry on the top, always insert a long skewer or knife in the middle to make sure. 

If the bread hasn’t been given enough time to bake the liquids won’t adequately absorb into the starches. This is especially important when using gluten free flours because they don’t absorb liquids as readily as traditional flour.

An improperly calibrated oven may also be the culprit. If an oven temperature runs too low or high it will affect the leavening ingredients. I use an inexpensive oven temperature gauge so I always know the true temp of my oven. 

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