This easy gluten free banana bread recipe is everything you could want: moist, tender, delicious, and packed with tons of banana flavor but not too much sweetness. Best of all, you only need one bowl and 10 minutes of prep to make this classic gluten free quick bread recipe.
Why this is the best gluten free banana bread recipe
You know how the crumbs from a truly moist quick bread like banana bread can be picked up with the back of a fork? This is that gluten free banana bread. Here's why I think you'll love this recipe:
- The best texture: The acid of the sour cream and the sugar in the ripest bananas you can find tenderizes the crumb of the bread.
- One bowl: Not having to pull a separate bowl for mixing means faster cleanup and less mess between you and that warm bread when it comes out of the oven.
- Melted butter: Since this banana bread is made with melted butter, you don't have to set your butter out to soften first. If your eggs aren't at room temperature, float them in some warm water for a few minutes; warm up the sour cream on low power in the microwave for 20 seconds.
- No burning: The batter is relatively stiff, so it keeps its shape during baking, but has tons of moisture from all those bananas, so it won't burn before it bakes all the way through.
Table of contents
Ingredient notes
- Gluten free flour blend: I like Better Batter or Nicole's Best here (be sure to add xanthan gum), but Cup4Cup works great, too.
- Baking powder/baking soda: Add rise to your quick bread, and the baking soda also helps with browning in the oven.
- Salt: Brightens all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a sweet taste, but also helps keep the bread super fork tender.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor, and also tenderness. Be sure to melt the butter and let it cool briefly so it doesn't heat the raw eggs.
- Eggs: Add rise, hold the bread together, and aid in rising.
- Sour cream: The tang of sour cream enhances the banana flavor; the acid tenderizes the bread and sour cream has less moisture than buttermilk so the bread holds its shape.
- Vanilla extract: Adds depth of flavor.
- Bananas: Ripe bananas have tons of natural caramelized sweetness in them. Never run out of this most important element of banana bread by freezing ripe bananas, then defrosting, mashing (with the liquid!) and adding to your banana bread.
How to make gluten free banana bread
This is one of the easiest recipes you will ever make, since nothing has to be prepared separately. Once you have the ripe bananas you need for everything from banana bread to banana muffins, you probably have everything else in your pantry and refrigerator. Here's how to make this perfect quick bread:
1
Whisk together the dry ingredients
The dry ingredients are so simple: gluten free flour blend (including xanthan gum), baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Place them all in a large bowl, and whisk to combine well.
2
Add the wet ingredients
Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredient, and add the melted butter, beaten eggs, and sour cream. Mix to combine, then fold in mashed bananas carefully so they maintain some texture.
3
Bake at 350°F
The raw batter is thick but soft. Scrape it into a prepared loaf pan, spread into an even layer, and baked until cooked all the way through. It usually takes about 50 minutes.
Tips for making the perfect banana bread
To make the perfect gluten free banana bread, follow this recipe precisely, measuring by weight, not volume. And follow these tips:
Select your ingredients carefully
The proper gluten free flour mixture
Be sure to use one of my recommended gluten free flour blends, measured by weight. Be sure to check out my tutorial on how to make your own superfine rice flour at home if you're mixing your own flour blend.
The right bananas for your banana bread
You want very ripe bananas!
Use bananas that are almost overripe. If you have too many, try also making our gluten free banana cake. Waste not, want not.
Here's a trick for always having proper “baking bananas” on hand. Whenever you find that you have perfect banana bread bananas, simply peel them and place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the bananas are very firm, then transfer the frozen bananas to a zip-top bag and store them in the freezer.
When you're ready to use the bananas, defrost them either at room temperature or in the microwave for about 20 seconds on 75% power.
Don't over-mix the bananas in the batter
Mash the peeled, ripe bananas very well before adding them to the batter. Then fold them into the batter at the end, rather than stirring aggressively.
Use room temperature ingredients
This tip comes is a good one for nearly all recipes, not just this one (except pastry!). Cold ingredients, especially solids like butter and ripened bananas don't mix as well if they're cold or frozen.
When you allow your ingredients to come to room temperature, you'll notice it's so much easier to mix them. You'll also notice a finer end product because you didn't have to overmix your ingredients to fully incorporate them.
Let your gluten free banana bread cool completely
As tempting as it may be to slice into your bread as soon as it's out of the oven, try to resist. When you allow your bread to cool, you'll enjoy a better texture. In addition to the improved mouth feel, the bread will be easier to slice and won't fall apart.
How to store your gluten free banana bread
Because this bread is so moist, you can easily store it on your countertop for several days. Place the bread within an airtight container and leave it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Beyond that, you may notice that it starts to dry out. If that happens, don't worry — it's still perfectly edible. If you want to moisten it, consider using some butter, honey, or syrup.
How to freeze gluten free banana bread
It's super easy to freeze this banana bread by the slice or by the loaf.
To store by the slice, wait until your loaf has cooled completely and then slice. Wrap each slice in aluminum foil, and then place them in a zip-top bag with excess air removed. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
To store by the loaf, again wait until the loaf has cooled completely. Wrap the entire loaf in aluminum foil, and then place it inside a zip-top storage bag with extra air removed. Full loaves can also last up to three months in the freezer.
While this bread can last in the freezer for longer than three months, you may notice changes in its texture the longer you keep it. This is primarily caused by freezer burn, and that's caused by air trapped with the bread, so try to avoid that if you can.
When you ready to eat, you can defrost a slice by leaving unwrapped on the counter for about 30 minutes. If you're defrosting an entire loaf, try letting it defrost on the counter for at least an hour or until you can begin to slice through the loaf.
Once you can slice the loaf, do so and then warm the individual slices in a warm toaster oven.
Substitutions options
In general, I don't advise making substitutions to my gluten free recipes, but sometimes you have to cater to dairy free, vegan, or other ways of eating, or maybe you want to try your hand at a healthier banana bread.
Dairy free banana bread
If you need a dairy free option, in place of butter, try using vegan butter. My favorite brands are Melt and Miyoko's Kitchen.
In place of sour cream, any plain, nondairy, gluten-free sour cream alternative should work fine. If you'd like to use plain nondairy yogurt, be sure to drain it of liquid until it's the consistency of sour cream or it will add too much moisture.
Egg free banana bread
There are two eggs in this recipe. You should be able to replace each of them with a “chia egg.”
For each “chia egg,” combine 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water and allow to sit until it gels. If you have another egg replacer you prefer, try that. This recipe is so adaptable that it might work.
Vegan gluten free banana bread
Just follow both the egg and milk substitutions above, and you'll have a yummy vegan bread. Just be sure that your sugars are vegan, so they're not prepared with bone char.
How to make gluten free banana nut bread
This recipe is adaptable enough that you can add about 1 cup of mix-ins, and it will still turn out well. If you'd like to make banana nut bread, try folding in 1 cup of soft nuts like chopped walnuts or chopped pecans.
If you'd like, you can also make this into banana chocolate chip bread. Just fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips once the batter is otherwise ready to transfer to the pan.
Almond flour banana bread
Almond flour can't be used as a replacement for an all purpose gluten free flour blend. If you would prefer to bake with almond flour instead of a rice-based flour blend, I have another recipe for you.
My almond flour banana bread recipe is a completely different recipe. It's also naturally dairy free and gluten free, too. That may suit your needs better.
Alternative sugars
I haven't tried this recipe with a granulated sugar alternative, but it might be worth trying to replace the granulated sugar with Lankato brand granulated sugar alternative. It does tend to be drying, though, so you may need to add a bit of water. Add it slowly, though, and try to match the texture you see in the photos and video.
Keep in mind that you can't replace a granulated sugar, like the white sugar in this recipe, with a liquid sugar, like honey, without upsetting the moisture balance. That can result in a loaf that just won't bake through without burning, so it collapses as it cools.
FAQs
Adding the correct amount of moist ingredients, like ripe bananas, butter, and sour cream, will result in a beautifully soft, moist gluten-free banana bread.
In general, when baked goods rise in the oven and then fall as they cool, they were baked in an oven that is running hot. The outside of the bread cooks too quickly, before the center has a chance to bake all the way through. Always bake using a small, cheap, freestanding oven thermometer, as most ovens run hot.
Your oven may be too hot (see above). You may also just not have allowed your banana bread to finish baking. It's best to use an oven tester and bake until it comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached.
No, you cannot use unripened bananas to make banana bread. As bananas ripen, they develop natural sugars. To speed the ripening of your bananas, place them in a brown paper bag with an apple. The gases from the apple will speed up the ripening of the bananas.
Like any quick bread, you must let your banana bread cool completely before slicing it. If you rush, and turn it out of the loaf pan too quickly, it will compress the crumb. If you try to slice it before it's cool, you'll tear the banana bread, no matter how cleanly you try to cut.
Yes, sometimes you can fix undercooked banana bread! If you realize that your bread isn't fully cooked within about 10 minutes of taking it out of the oven, and the oven is still hot, put it back in!
The gf banana bread won't rise as high as it would have, but it shouldn't lose its shape as much when you finally take it out of the oven again and hopefully you can slice and eat it.
Gluten Free Banana Bread | So Easy, Moist & Delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click through for full information on appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (150 g) sour cream at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) peeled ripe bananas mashed lightly (from about 2 medium-size bananas)
- 1 small (less) ripe banana for the top (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a standard 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the all purpose gluten free flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry gf banana bread ingredients and add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla, then the sour cream, and mix until just combined. Add the mashed bananas (200 g) and fold them into the batter, taking care not to further squish them.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and smooth the top with a wet spatula. If you're using the optional banana as a topping, place very thinly sliced bananas (cut lengthwise) on top of the smooth batter, sparingly.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until golden brown on top, and a tester inserted in the center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached.
- Baking time will be about 50 minutes without the additional bananas on top, and about 1 hour with them. If the gluten free banana bread loaf is browning too fast for the center to bake fully, tent with foil while it finishes baking.
- Allow the gf banana bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Gluten Free Banana Bread | So Easy, Moist & Delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click through for full information on appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (150 g) sour cream at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) peeled ripe bananas mashed lightly (from about 2 medium-size bananas)
- 1 small (less) ripe banana for the top (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a standard 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the all purpose gluten free flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry gf banana bread ingredients and add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla, then the sour cream, and mix until just combined. Add the mashed bananas (200 g) and fold them into the batter, taking care not to further squish them.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and smooth the top with a wet spatula. If you're using the optional banana as a topping, place very thinly sliced bananas (cut lengthwise) on top of the smooth batter, sparingly.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until golden brown on top, and a tester inserted in the center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached.
- Baking time will be about 50 minutes without the additional bananas on top, and about 1 hour with them. If the gluten free banana bread loaf is browning too fast for the center to bake fully, tent with foil while it finishes baking.
- Allow the gf banana bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Victoria Lincoln says
This is absolutely delicious, my first attempt at gluten-free baking, I’ve missed banana bread so much. I can’t wait to try your other recipes. Many thanks!
Rebecca says
I made this last night and it was amazing!! A very forgiving recipe, since my bananas were just barely ripe and it was still incredible. I used Trader Joe’s gf flour and added chopped walnuts & chocolate chips. I also cooked it for 50 minutes, with a foil tent on for the last 5. My non-gf friends gobbled it up and couldn’t believe it was gf and I’m so happy to have it for my lunch this week. Just the best!!! Thanks so much.
Pam T from Texas says
Nicole, I have Fairly recently stumbled across your gf blog and it has been a great find! My gf family of 5 have enjoyed recipes from 2 of your recipe books. We made your broccoli cheddar soup over the weekend, which was amazing! Big hit among all! I received the scale from Amazon this morning so for the first time I measured out gf flour with confidence. Your banana bread is in the oven, ready any minute, we can hardly wait!
Just wanted to say thank you for creating amazing gf recipes to share,the beautiful pictures and detailed recipes on your blog are wonderful!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Pam,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a kind note. I love that you bought a scale—and I love the way you described measuring with it with confidence. It really does make all the difference. In fact, without a scale (and without salt!) I simply can’t bake a thing “with confidence,” as you said!
By the way, be sure to join our Facebook Group (Everything GFOAS), for like-minded folks and plenty of peer-to-peer help along the way!
Racheli Kornberg Har Dagan says
Used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 mix. Came out yummy! Not 2 sweet either. I baked it 55 minutes though. Also added 2 oz mini morsels.
Thanx 4 a perfect recipe! Next step would B to veganize it. Will update on that.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Racheli,
I’m really glad you had success. For the benefit of others, I do not recommend Bob’s Red Mill blends at all, or their rice flour in any form, as it tends to be very gritty. Their products are of inconsistent quality, I’m afraid, so even if you had success once you may not have success again.
Carolyn Mars says
I substituted 1/2 cup of dessicated coconut for 1/2 cup of the flour, and it was delicious! It was only the 2nd time I’d made it, but both got gobbled up! (to the extent there were bite marks in the piece I’d left in the fridge…large piece. Obviously too hard to just cut a bit off!!)
Nicole Hunn says
Good to know that worked, Carolyn!
Amber says
I know you probably get asked this a ton, but will better batter work okay with this recipe?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Amber, yes of course! If you click through the link associated with the all purpose gluten free flour in the ingredient list, I indicate my favorite blends, including how to make them yourself if you’d like. But I never make mock Better Batter. I just use Better Batter itself, as that is more economical. I only make my own blends when it comes to my Better Than Cup4Cup or my gum-free blend, etc.
Amber says
You are wonderful. I saw the link right after i posted my question- doh! Thank you so much for making such wonderful recipes. I really would be lost without you!
Linda says
Nicole, I can’t wait to make this recipe! I’ll have to find a sour cream substitute as I need to avoid dairy. I already know from making your Pumpkin Granola Breakfast Cookies that the Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour works great in these kinds of recipes. Everyone that tried those cookies loved them . . . and most of those people didn’t have to eat gluten free! I always substitute Earth Balance for butter too. So far so good in doing that. Keep the awesome recipes coming! I love trying them out!
Nicole says
Hi, Linda,
If you can do soy, I think the Tofutti ‘sour cream’ is a really good sub. Tasty. That, or you can try souring some nondairy milk (almond milk would probably work well) with 1 tablespoon vinegar per cup of milk, and using that instead. The batter will be thinner, but the recipe should still work. Thanks for the kind words. :)
xoxo Nicole
Peggy says
I love banana bread! Nicole, you just keep on keeping on bringing on all these wonderful replacement recipes for our old favorites!!! I’m also thinking I could use pumpkin in place of bananas or zucchini for a fun change. Looking forward to having this with a cup of coffee for breakfast or lunch or or……. :)
Nicole says
Hi, Peggy!
This recipe would definitely be a good base for another quickbread. You’d have to add some pumpkin pie spice for pumpkin, but that sounds wonderful! May I have some? ;)
xoxo Nicole
Peggy says
But of course…we’ll teleport you to Sacramento & we can share some with coffee! BTW, I see we have at least two Peggys…wondering if maybe I should add to my name to tell us apart. hummm
xoxo Peggy
Nicole says
Hi, Peggy,
Oh how I wish I were in Sacramento, instead of NY! I’ve always felt like I was meant to live in California. Can’t explain it. And I would be honored to share some coffee and banana bread with you.
There are a few Peggys, actually, but I know which one you are (since I see your email address on the back end of the blog, where I respond to comments). But you could give yourself a moniker, of course, for ease of reference. Peggy from Sacramento?
xoxo Nicole