Gluten Free Banana Bread insanely good guilt free delight
Bake insanely good gluten free banana bread that’s moist, one-bowl, and guilt free—perfect for breakfast, snacks, or a cozy dessert.
Ingredients
- This insanely good gluten free banana bread uses simple pantry staples and a few smart swaps to keep it moist, flavorful, and guilt free. Here’s exactly what you’ll need for one standard 9×5-inch loaf.
Wet ingredients
- 3 large very ripe bananas mashed (about 1¼ cups / 300 g)
- The spottier they are the sweeter and more moist your banana bread will be.
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- Help the loaf rise and stay soft; bring them out of the fridge 15–20 minutes ahead if you can.
- ⅓ cup 80 ml melted coconut oil or neutral oil
- Adds richness and keeps this gluten free banana bread tender without butter.
- ⅓ –½ cup 70–100 g coconut sugar or light brown sugar
- Use ⅓ cup for a lightly sweet healthier loaf or ½ cup for a more dessert-like version.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Rounds out the banana flavor with a cozy bakery style aroma.
Dry ingredients
- 1½ cups 180 g gluten free all purpose flour blend (with xanthan gum)
- Choose a reliable 1:1 gluten free flour; this is the backbone of your loaf.
- ½ cup 50 g almond flour or fine oat flour
- Adds extra moisture and a tender crumb helping your gluten free banana bread stay soft.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- This duo gives the loaf a gentle rise and prevents it from turning dense.
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Balances the sweetness and boosts flavor.
- 1 –1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon optional but recommended
- For a warm cozy spice note that pairs perfectly with banana.
Optional add-ins
- Pick one or mix and match to make this loaf your own:
- ½ cup 85 g dark chocolate chips
- For a more indulgent yet still feel good banana bread; use dairy free chips if needed.
- ½ cup 60 g chopped walnuts or pecans
- Add crunch healthy fats, and classic banana bread flavor.
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats or crushed nuts for topping
- Sprinkled on before baking they give a rustic, bakery style finish.
Before you start
- Make sure your bananas are very ripe—mostly brown and soft—for natural sweetness and a moist crumb.
- Spoon and level your gluten free flour or weigh it to avoid packing in too much and drying out the loaf.
- If your batter looks overly thick after mixing you can stir in 1–2 tablespoons of milk (regular or dairy free) to loosen it slightly before baking.
Instructions
- Follow these simple steps for an easy, one bowl gluten free banana bread that comes out moist and golden every time.
Prep your pan and oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, letting a little overhang on the long sides. This makes it easy to lift out your gluten free banana bread once it’s baked.
Mash the bananas
- In a large mixing bowl, add the very ripe bananas.
- Mash them with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps.
- You want about 1¼ cups (300 g) of mashed banana; this is what keeps the loaf naturally sweet and wonderfully moist.
Whisk in the wet ingredients
- To the mashed bananas, add the eggs, melted coconut oil (or neutral oil), sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk until the mixture looks smooth and slightly glossy.
- At this stage you should have a unified, pourable base—this is the heart of your guilt free banana bread.
Add the dry ingredients
- Sprinkle the gluten free flour blend, almond or oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon evenly over the wet mixture.
- Using a spatula, gently fold everything together just until you no longer see visible streaks of dry flour.
- Avoid vigorous stirring. Overmixing is the fastest way to turn a moist gluten free banana bread into a dense one.
Fold in your add-ins
- If using chocolate chips, nuts, or other add-ins, scatter them over the batter.
- Fold them in with a few light strokes so they’re evenly distributed.
- The batter should be thick but scoopable; if it feels extremely stiff, you can stir in 1–2 tablespoons of milk (regular or dairy free) to loosen it slightly.
Fill the pan and add toppings
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- For a bakery style finish, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or oats on top.
- Gently tap the pan on the counter once or twice to release any large air bubbles.
Bake until risen and golden
- Place the pan on the middle rack and bake for 50–60 minutes.
- Check from the 45-minute mark onward: the top should be deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs (melted chocolate is fine).
- If the top is browning too quickly while the center is still underdone, loosely tent the loaf with foil and continue baking.
Cool for the perfect slice
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes. This helps it set so it doesn’t break when you remove it.
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the loaf onto a wire rack, then cool completely before slicing.
- It’s tempting to cut in right away, but giving your easy gluten free banana bread time to rest makes the texture even softer and the slices neater.
- Once cooled, slice and enjoy your insanely good, guilt free delight as a cozy breakfast, snack, or dessert—this homemade loaf is designed to feel indulgent while still fitting into a balanced routine.
Notes
Nutrition Information (per serving – approx.)
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Total Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3 g
- Sugars: 15 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 210 mg