Being gluten-free absolutely does not mean missing out on delicious desserts. There are tons of gluten-free baking recipes that hit the spot, and this gluten-free banana bread just happens to be one of our favorites. Tender, moist and banana-y, this loaf is just as good as any regular banana bread recipe and doesn’t crumble into pieces after the first bite.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Banana Bread
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: This type of flour is not the same as cup-for-cup gluten-free flour, which usually contains xanthan gum. Be aware of this difference when buying your gluten-free all-purpose flour at the store. And it’s always a good idea to read ingredient labels for possible gluten content prior to use, even if you’ve used a brand before—ingredient formulas can change.
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas for this recipe. They’re sweeter and easier to mash up. If your bananas are still too firm, here’s how to quickly ripen bananas.
- Applesauce: We made this gluten-free banana bread recipe a little bit lighter by using applesauce as a replacement for some of the oil.
- Walnuts: A handful of walnuts adds a subtle crunchy texture to the loaves.
Directions
Step 1: Whisk together the dry ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
Step 2: Create the batter
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, bananas, sugar, applesauce, oil and vanilla.
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
Step 3: Pour into pans
Pour the batter into two greased 8×4-inch loaf pans. Sprinkle the tops of each with the walnuts.
Step 4: Bake
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool the loaves in their pans for 10 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans and put them on wire racks. Let them cool completely to room temperature.
Gluten-Free Banana Bread Variations
- Add more mix-ins: Customize this gluten-free banana bread recipe with chocolate chips, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, pecans or a blend of warm spices.
- Splash in another extract: We love this recipe’s delicate vanilla flavor, but almond extract or even rum extract would be delicious, too.
- Bake mini loaves: If you want to bake the batter into a bunch of mini loaves to pass out to friends and family, our baking pan conversions chart tells us that this can be baked into four 5-3/4×3-inch mini loaf pans. Keep in mind, the mini loaves won’t need to bake as long as the regular loaf.
How to Store Gluten-Free Banana Bread
To store, allow the gluten-free banana bread to cool completely to room temperature. Place the loaf in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in storage wrap and aluminum foil. Store the bread at room temperature for up to three days, or in the fridge for up to one week.
How to Freeze Gluten-Free Banana Bread
To freeze, first allow the loaf to cool completely to room temperature. Place your gluten-free banana bread in an airtight container or wrap it in foil, then freeze it in a resealable bag for up to four months. To thaw, place the loaf in the fridge overnight or let it come to room temperature on the counter for about two hours.
Gluten-Free Banana Bread Tips
Does gluten-free flour bake differently?
Baked goods without gluten will bake differently than their counterparts with gluten. The final product may have a more crumbly texture due to the lack of structure-forming proteins. With a little practice and testing, you can still make your favorite baked goods with gluten-free flour.
How do you adjust banana bread for other diets?
Classic banana bread is an easy recipe to adjust for any diet. You can swap out the flour, eggs and dairy to make different versions, like in our vegan banana bread, healthier banana bread and this gluten-free banana bread recipe.
Can you use overripe bananas to make gluten-free banana bread?
Ideally, when making banana bread, you’ll want to look for ripe bananas with yellow peels that have begun to speckle or turn brown. However, you can also use overripe bananas (with peels that are dark brown or black) if that’s what you have on hand.
