Who doesn't love banana bread? It's a much loved classic recipe for good reason. But if you you eat gluten-free, you need a new recipe. Here is my modern recipe for the best gluten free banana bread.
Remembering my mom and all of the baking we did together, I overhauled her 1950's banana bread recipe. Out with the white flour, refined white sugar and nasty partially hydrogenated fat. In with gluten-free flour, coconut sugar and coconut oil. What a difference 50 years makes.
Gluten-free Flours
There are many options for gluten-free flours: buy a gluten-free blend or make your own blend. I tested this recipe with both pre-blended and home-blended flours. You cannot go wring either way.
See notes at the end of the recipe card.
Branded Blends
For a purchased blend, I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour (blue bag) with great results. I've also tried their All-Purpose GF flour blend and a brand called Cup 4 Cup. Each blend is a bit different (read the ingredient label) so your results might be a little different based upon your choice.
The flavor is great, tender crumb, slices beautifully.
Blending Your Own (option)
For the adventurous, creating your own blend requires teff flour, sweet rice flour, brown rice flour and sorghum flour plus cornstarch.
The difference? This loaf has a rich brown, almost chocolaty color, a tender crust, slices nicely and tastes fantastic. I realize you've got to love baking to do this version but I wanted to include it as an option.
You'll need a digital kitchen scale, a terrific and inexpensive addition to your kitchen. Weighing ingredients is more accurate and actually faster.
Baking Tools
I use a light silver colored, uncoated, heavyweight aluminized steel loaf pan. The one I use is made by Chicago Metallic and measures approximately 10″ x 5″. If your pan is a different size, you may need to adjust your baking time.
Lastly, a food processor makes it easy to mix sticky bananas, oil and other ingredients quickly and smoothly.
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven and grease your baking pan.
- Blend the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and soda, salt) in one bowl
- Add the wet ingredients (bananas, sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla) to a food processor workbowl
- Pulse the banana group until smooth, then add the dry ingredients and pulse until combined.
- If you want to add the optional chopped nuts, pour the batter back into the bowl and fold in by hand.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake according to the recipe card.
To Serve
After removing the baked banana bread form the oven, cool it on a wire rack. Have a slice while it's still warm. It's so good. It will keep a room temperature a few days, then refrigerate or freeze what is left.
Related Recipes
For another delicious gluten-free bread try this Irish soda bread.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Banana Muffins
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- Light colored metal muffin pan
- Avocado spray or baking spray
- #16 disher or cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups gluten-free flour blend I use King Arthur
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large ripe bananas, peeled
- ⅔ cup golden brown sugar or golden monk fruit/allulose blend
- ½ cup unrefined organic coconut oil, melted plus extra to grease pan or use spray
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional Add
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup chocolate chips mini or regular
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees (conventional oven). Spray the wells of a 12-cup baking pan with avocado oil spray or baking spray.
- To a medium bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. Add the bananas, eggs, oil, and vanilla to a blender or food processor and puree just until smooth. If it gets too stiff, use the tamper of your blender or a long flexible spatula to help it along. It will puree.
- Add the sugar to the blender. If your blender has trouble blending the brown sugar into the banana mixture, use a spatula or a tamper to help it along-or stir it in by hand after blending. The mixture will be thick, especially if your bananas are on the firm side.
- Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 18-22 minutes. When done, the muffins will feel firm to the touch and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack. Freeze what you don't eat within a 4 days. They freeze for up to 3 months individually wrapped or in a freezer-safe container. Remember to label and date.
Notes
- ½ cup chopped walnuts.
- ½ cup regular or mini chocolate chips.
- ½ - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Nutrition
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Chef Sherry Hall says
This recipe looks great! I love the Cup4Cup flour! I will definitely try this recipe for clients.
Thank you! 🙂
Sally says
Sherry, the C4C is nice. I'd highly recommend you get the GF flours and make the blend. That loaf was incredible! If you do, please report back.
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says
Sally, As long as I have been reading your blog I have not read one of your post that you seemed so proud. I have been working my way toward healthier cooking so I guess this one should go on my list.
You are absolutely correct about getting a scale. I have a difficult time now when I hear someone say a cup of flour – so is that 4.25 oz, or 4.5, or even 5 oz. ? It can be the difference between delicious and hockey puck. And, all those years baking in dark pans when the directions really meant light colored pans, I think these are things experienced bakers find obvious is really critical for those of us - the uninformed.