Banana Bread Gluten Free
Here’s a simple, reliable Banana Bread Gluten Free recipe you can bake on a quiet afternoon. It’s moist, gently sweet, and has that cozy banana aroma that fills the kitchen. No fuss, no fancy steps—just a loaf that slices cleanly, toasts well the next day, and plays nicely with a swipe of butter or peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/3 cups or 340 g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (80 ml) or melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (100 g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt or dairy-free yogurt (80 ml)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (1:1 blend with xanthan gum), leveled (260 g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional but lovely)
- Optional mix-ins: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, or 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment, so the long sides hang over for easy lifting. Lightly grease the short sides.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine.
- Whisk in the eggs, oil (or butter), sugars, yogurt, and vanilla until the mixture looks cohesive and glossy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. This helps avoid pockets of leavening.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. If using nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in. The batter will be thick and a little sticky.
- Pause for 10 minutes. This brief rest lets the gluten-free flour hydrate, which means a better crumb.
- Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. If you like, sprinkle a few extra nuts or chips over the surface.
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a rack before slicing. This is the hardest step, I know, but it sets the crumb.