Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Banana bread will never go out of style. Especially this gluten-free banana bread with walnuts!

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About This Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe

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.

Ingredients For Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Granulated Sugar: Just plain white sugar is all you need.

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.

Gluten-Free Flour: I use Cup4Cup multi-purpose gluten-free flour for this recipe. It is my #1 choice for cookies, pastries, and yeast-based baked goods. Cup4Cup has given me great success in the kitchen over the last eight years, helping me to create delicious croissants, empanadas, naan, chocolate chip cookies, pierogi, bagels, and more.

Please note if you use a different gluten-free flour your results may vary. Based on my own experience, you can also make this gluten-free banana bread with King Arthur Measure For Measure, Bob's Red Mill, or even GF Jules.

Can I Make This Recipe With Almond or Coconut Flour?

I do not recommend substituting a single gluten-free flour, like almond flour or coconut flour, for my recipes. My recipes use a gluten-free flour blend, a mixture of different gluten-free grains, starches, and thickeners, to substitute for all purpose flour. Using just one of them, like almond or coconut, will not give you the same results, and will probably lead to a lot of frustration in the kitchen. For most of my recipes, you'll need a blend, like Cup4Cup, King Arthur Measure For Measure, Bob's Red Mill, or GF Jules, to name a few.

For more my top tips on gluten-free baking with success, check out this post!

How To Make Gluten-Free Banana Bread

First, you'll peel your bananas and mash them together with a fork and set aside for later.

Next, you'll cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar with a pastry cutter or a fork, until both are combined.

Then, you'll add the eggs, followed by the gluten-free flour, baking soda, and cinnamon, and finally, the bananas.

Mix everything until it's uniformly combined, let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature, then bake!

Can I Make This Banana Bread Dairy-Free?

Yes, you can make this dairy-free! You'll need to use a gluten and dairy-free flour blend, like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, GF Jules, or King Arthur Measure For Measure (Cup4Cup contains milk powder). You'll also need vegan butter, like Earth Balance butter sticks or Country Crock. I've made it with both of these dairy-free butters and it is still scrumptious.

Tips For Baking Banana Bread

Use ripe bananas. 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!

Don't worry about overmixing. Often we see in quickbreads and muffins recipes to not overmix, or mix until just combined. This is to prevent gluten from developing. But there's no gluten here! So to make sure everything is evenly incorporated into your banana bread batter, mix away!

Let the batter rest. Another tip I learned from America's Test Kitchen for quick breads/muffins is to allow the prepared batter to sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature. Don't go beyond that time frame though. This helps prevent grittiness in your final product!

Banana Bread Variations

Feel free to add ½ cup to 1 cup of 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. Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top for extra chocolatey goodness!

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!

How To Serve Gluten-Free Banana Bread

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! Enjoy some with a cup of tea or coffee for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or for a sweet treat after dinner.

How To Store Gluten-Free Banana Bread

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.

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

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!