Banana bread will never go out of style. Especially this gluten-free banana bread with walnuts!
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Everyone was making banana bread in the last few weeks here in quarantine - and I had to join in the fun! So I dug out my recipe book and found the banana bread recipe I made as a child before my celiac diagnosis. Banana bread was one of the first recipes I remember learning to bake, and it's never steered me wrong!
Banana bread is very easy to make and difficult to mess up. If you are new to gluten-free baking, this banana bread recipe is a great way to start your journey. Using a solid gluten-free flour blend, some crunchy walnuts, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, this gluten-free banana bread is a scrumptious treat.
What You'll Need For This Recipe
Granulated Sugar: Just regular white sugar.
Unsalted Butter: Make sure it's at room temperature so it's easy to cream (mix together) with the sugar.
Eggs: We use 2 eggs instead of 1 (what most banana breads call for) for more binding.
Gluten-Free Flour Blend: My go-to gluten-free flour blend is Cup4Cup Multipurpose, but you could also use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, or King Arthur Measure For Measure. All work well in this recipe.
Baking Soda: This will be our leavening agent for the bread to make it rise.
Cinnamon: Just a little something extra for flavor.
Bananas: Make sure they are RIPE! You want them brown - the browner and mushier the better - that means they will be soft and super sweet (the best flavor).
Walnuts: These are optional, but add a great crunch on top.
Tips For Baking Banana Bread
Banana bread can also pack a lot of sweetness without adding too much sugar - the key is to add really ripe bananas. Make sure the bananas have spots on them when deciding which to use for banana bread. This will make the banana bread sweet and also make the mashing step a lot easier!
Another tip I learned from America's Test Kitchen for quick breads/muffins is to allow the prepared batter to sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Don't go beyond that time frame though. This helps prevent grittiness in your final product!
There will always be something special, and classic, about a slice of warm banana bread with some walnuts on top and a little butter. In my opinion, it's pure perfection!
Banana Bread Variations
Feel free to add chocolate chips to the banana bread if that's something you like! It's definitely a crowd pleaser. And combined with the lightly salty crunch of the walnuts, ripe bananas, and the sweet chocolate, it doesn't get much better.
And if you'd rather make banana muffins, try my recipe for banana bread muffins with chocolate chips! Almost the same as this recipe - in muffin form!
More Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
Feel like another easy quickbread? This cranberry orange bread is great year round.
Looking for another scones recipe? Bake a savory version with bacon, cheddar, and chives.
Want to practice your pie making skills? Check out this gluten-free peach pie with lattice design.
Ready to take your baking skills to the next level? Try these delightful, buttery, and flaky gluten-free croissants.
Discover all the gluten-free baking recipes on the blog right here.
Here's the recipe for gluten-free banana bread!
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment! Thank you so much!
Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe With Walnuts
Gluten-Free Banana Bread With Walnuts
Perfect banana bread with chopped walnuts!
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ stick of unsalted butter (6 TBSP), at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour, like Cup4Cup
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil.
In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork and set aside. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a pastry cutter or fork, until combined. Add the eggs, flour, baking soda, and cinnamon, and mix to combine. Finally, add the mashed bananas, and stir, until everything comes together.
Allow the batter to sit for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Don't go beyond that time frame though. This helps prevent grittiness in your final product!
Pour the mixture into the greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the walnuts on top, and bake for 1 hour on the middle rack of the oven. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
Gluten-Free Flour
For the best gluten-free baked goods, I use Cup4Cup Flour or Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour (Blue bag). I've made this recipe with both flours and had great success. King Arthur Measure For Measure also would work well here. Please be aware that if you use a different gluten-free flour blend, your results could vary.
Storage
Banana bread should be wrapped in foil or kept covered at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. If it hardens over time (which it likely will), just pop in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.
Dairy-Free
To make this banana bread dairy-free, use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure For Measure (Cup4Cup contains milk powder), and vegan butter, like Earth Balance butter sticks or Country Crock. I've made it with both and it is still scrumptious.
Chocolate Version
To add chocolate chips, use 1 cup chocolate chips in the batter and mix together at the very end. For extra chocolate flavor, sprinkle more on top.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 397Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 92mgSodium 326mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 3gSugar 25gProtein 7g
The nutrition information on each recipe card is provided as a courtesy and for your convenience. The data is calculated by Nutritionix. You are encouraged to make your own calculations based on your ingredients and preferred nutritional facts calculator. While I try to make sure they are accurate, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these calculations.
How do you typically bake your banana bread?
Do you add any additional toppings like walnuts or chocolate chips?
Let me know in the comments below!
Jackie M says
This banana bread was SO good and easy to make. Will definitely be making again!!
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Hi Jackie! Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. If you like, you can leave a review on the recipe itself.
Debbie Moore says
Great recipe! Just made it...Thanks❤
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Yay! So glad you liked it, Debbie!
Mimi says
Well now. I’m a good cook and very good at following directions so can you tell me why this ended up a gummy mess? I put it back in my calibrated oven for another 30 minutes and STILL it didn’t cook all the way. This did not work for me. Gummy is not yummy.
Jennifer Fitzpatrick says
Hi Mimi, so sorry to hear that! What GF flour did you use?