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This is the only gluten free banana bread recipe you'll ever need. It’s incredibly moist, full of real banana flavor, always gets rave reviews.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Super moist and tender texture (thanks to sour cream or a dairy free sub!)
- Quick & easy (one bowl method)
- Tastes even better than your “old favorite” classic banana bread (and mine!)
- Can use frozen bananas to make it any time
- Trusted recipe (150+ 5-star reviews!)
“Excellent recipe! It turned out even more moist than the regular non-gluten banana breads I’ve baked or bought. Thank you Nicole!” – Patricia
Ingredients explained
what's in it
This simple GF recipe is made with a handful of simple gluten free pantry staples. Your success is basically assured if you understand what each ingredient does:
- Gluten free flour blend – A well-balanced, high-quality gluten free flour blend, like Better Batter's original blend, Nicole's Best multipurpose, or Bob's Red Mill's 1-to-1 (the blue bag) adds structure to keep the bread together without the toughness that mixing a gluten-filled quickbread fully can create. If your flour is Nicole's Best, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum; Bob's has some xanthan gum but needs 1/2 teaspoon more.
- Very ripe bananas – The riper, the better. Their natural sugars deepen the flavor and improve the texture, but any ripe bananas will do. Measure 200 grams peeled bananas by weight so your bread has plenty of flavor and sweetness, but isn't too moist to bake all the way through.
- Sour cream – Makes this recipe special by adding richness and acidity to create a uniquely moist and tender crumb. Be sure yours has some fat to enhance the bread's mouthfeel.
- Butter – Melted butter makes prep easier, and adds richness plus some gentle chew that's super satisfying.
- Eggs – Help bind the bread and provide structure to hold the rise as the bread cools, so there's no sunken top.
- Granulated sugar – Enhance the sweetness of the bananas and help keep the crumb tender. It also adds bulk, so even if your bananas are super sweet, don't reduce it further.
- Baking powder, baking soda & salt – The essentials that round out flavor, provide rise, and help the bread brown in the oven. Fun fact: baking soda reacts with bananas to create those brown flecks in the bread.
- Vanilla extract – Add depth through a complex blend of flavors, unlike artificial vanilla which only has vanillin.
How to make gluten free banana bread
Follow along with my clear instructions below to see how to make gluten free banana bread in your own kitchen.
1. Combine dry: Start by whisking your dry ingredients—flour, leaveners, salt, and sugar—together in a large bowl.
2. Add wet: Create a well in the center and add the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Mix until just combined.
3. Add bananas: Finally, fold in the mashed bananas gently. The batter will be thick but soft and easy to spread.
4. Transfer and bake: Scrape it into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
5. Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
substitutions
Allergy-friendly swaps and add-ins
The full list of ingredients is in the recipe card, and you'll find dairy, eggs, and refined sugar. Here are my suggestions on how to replace them, or to add mix-ins:
Dairy free – Replace the butter with your favorite vegan butter (like Miyoko’s or Melt). For sour cream, use any plain nondairy alternative, or drained plain nondairy yogurt.
Egg free – Swap each egg for a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground chia seeds + 1 tablespoon warm water, mixed and allowed to gel).
Mix-ins – Add up to 1 cup of extras like chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips. Fold them in once the batter is mixed and ready for the pan. Add up to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients with or without other mix-ins, and try sprinkling about 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar on top of the raw bread right before baking for a warm, sweet crispy top.
Expert tips
Use bananas that are deeply speckled or fully brown. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your loaf will be.
Mash the bananas thoroughly, then fold them in last. This keeps the batter light and the crumb tender.
Bring all your ingredients to room temperature. It makes mixing easier and prevents overworking the batter.
Let it cool completely before slicing. Warm banana bread is tempting, but slicing too soon can make it gummy or crumbly.
Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (See Recipe Notes for Recommendations)
- 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 (from about 2 small- to medium-size bananas)
- 1 small slightly less ripe banana, sliced thinly lengthwise, for topping (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. Whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla, then the sour cream. Mix until just combined.
- Add the mashed bananas (200 g) and fold them gently into the batter to avoid overmixing.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and smooth the top with a spatula dipped in water. 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 the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Baking time will be about 50 minutes without the additional bananas on top, and about 1 hour with them. If the top is browning too quickly before the center is fully set, tent loosely with foil for the final 10–15 minutes.
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Storage instructions
Let the banana bread cool completely, then wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, slice the loaf, wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap or Press'n Seal, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrost slices at room temperature, microwave for 20 seconds, or toast gently to refresh.
FAQs
Usually, that means your oven is running hot. The outside sets too fast, before the center can bake through. Use an oven thermometer to confirm your temp.
Fully ripe bananas give the best flavor and texture. To ripen quickly, place them in a brown paper bag with an apple overnight.
No—this recipe needs a structured blend. Try my almond flour banana bread instead.
Yes! Try my gluten free banana muffins or divide the batter from this recipe into three 6×3-inch pans and bake for 25–30 minutes.
How can I get rid of the adds that is covering your recipes?
Kathy, the advertisements are the only way I get paid for all the free content that I provide. If you’re on an older phone with a small screen, some ads may cover content as Google requires a certain size, no smaller. I make no apology for making a living, but feel free to move on to other recipe sources if you aren’t willing to deal with a minor inconvenience.
If I make more than one, can I freeze the others!
You absolutely can, Roz! This banana bread freezes amazingly well.
Can I make this sugar free using monk fruit?
The issue with using monk fruit in a larger recipe like this, Christine, is that it’s sweeter than sugar, but the sugar does more than sweeten. It tenderizes and adds bulk. If you’d like to try using Lankato brand monkfruit in place of the granulated sugar, you’ll also likely need to add a bit more moisture, as it tends to be drying. You’ll have to experiment, and I really can’t promise results!
Agreed!! This is a most delicious banana bread!! Made it this week and had a hard time letting it cool before cutting into it. There’s almost nothing left and it’s only been 1 day!! Thank you!
That’s so awesome, Elaine! Every time I make it, I’m amazed all over again how simple the ingredients are. It makes it look easy! hahahaha
Hi Nicole, can I bake this in a bunt pan in the ninja foodie, thanks so much for all the wonderful recipes, I want to order some of your books!
I don’t recommend baking this in a bundt pan, Verna. Bundt cakes are kind of finicky, since there’s so much batter and it all has to bake very evenly for a long time. I assume a Ninja Foodie is like an Instant Pot? I’m afraid I don’t have much experience baking anything other than a cheesecake in an Instant Pot. Wish I could be more help!
I was a bit concerned with how thick this batter was, but its actually baked up really nice. I did not have sour cream, but I decided to risk it and try greek yogurt. I am not sure what the original recipe tastes like, but with the yogurt it was excellent. I love that they are springy and light and moist, but with more substance than a lot of gf quick breads. I made mine into muffins. It made a dozen nice sized muffins. I greatly appreciate that the recipe is written with measurements in grams. I like to be precise. Also, I used Better Batter AllPurpose flour (no extra xanthin gum added).
We made the one bowl banana bread today and I am blown away! Soft, tender, moist, like cake and pastries I haven’t had for 3 years! Brought tears to my eyes. THANK YOU Nicole!
could I use yogurt instead of sour cream? I have yogurt and want to make it now and don’t drive lol
probably wouldn’t have mattered….I hope you substituted and it turned out great for you.
I did and mine came out perfect. I made it into muffins instead of a loaf.
This showed up in a FB post today and immediately I reacted with “I’ve got all these ingredients on hand.” Have one in the oven now – not a loaf pan, and I’m hoping that won’t matter, as it is pretty hard to go wrong with banana bread (at least that was my gluten-filled past experience.” Wish I had some chocolate chips, however.
We have LOVED this banana bread. Sadly, my 5 year old just added dairy and eggs to her list of food allergies. If I sub apple sauce for the butter and chia egg for the eggs, think it will still work?