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More readers reach out to me about struggling to get their gluten free banana bread just right than almost any other recipe. If yours has come out gummy or dense before, it wasn't you. It was the recipe.
This gluten free banana bread is packed with banana flavor, perfectly balanced, and made with sour cream for an incredibly tender crumb. The one-bowl method makes it quick and easy, and you can even make it with frozen bananas any time.
This trusted recipe has 150+ 5-star review, including this one:
“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
Here's what you need to make this recipe, plus a few words about the role each ingredient plays in the perfect banana bread:
- 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 one-note vanillin.
How to gluten free banana bread (step by step photos)
This visual overview of all the steps needed to make this recipe, plus an explanation of why we do what we do to yield the most tender quickbread that doesn't fall apart:
Combine dry
Start by whisking your dry ingredients, including gluten free flour with xanthan gum, baking powder, baking, salt, and sugar, together in a large bowl. This keeps the leaveners from clumping which creates bitter pockets and leads to an uneven rise.
Add wet
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients before adding the the melted butter, beaten eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Beating the eggs ahead of time ensures the yolk and white are fully integrated. Adding everything into a pocket in the dry mixture ensures that everything is fully combined.
Add bananas
Fold in the mashed bananas gently at the end so they're fully integrated into the batter but still maintains some of its structure to avoid a gummy, dense bread. That's why the batter will be thick but soft and easy to spread, not stiff.
Transfer and bake
Scrape the prepared batter into a greased and lined 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan. Lining with parchment helps the bread bake evenly without sliding around, and makes it easy to lift the prepared bread from the pan easily. Smooth the top with a spatula for even baking. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Cool
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes to finish baking and become stable enough to transfer. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing so the starches have time to become firmer and hold their moisture.
Expert tips
Use any ripe bananas
Yes, the riper your bananas are, the sweeter and more flavorful your loaf will be. But if you don't have bananas that smell from across the room, use what you have. To help them ripen quickly, place them in a brown paper bag with an apple overnight.
Use room temperature ingredients
Cold ingredients can throw off your batter. To warm eggs, float them in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes. Microwave cold sour cream for about 20 seconds, then stir.
Cool completely before slicing
Warm banana bread is tempting, but slicing too soon can make it gummy or crumbly. Waiting until the bread is completely cool before slicing makes it more stable, keeping it from drying out by releasing moisture as steam.
Freeze ripe bananas
Next time you have overripe bananas but no time to bake, peel and slice them, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a bag. When you're ready to bake, measure out 200 grams as frozen, microwave briefly before mashing, and then include everything, including the leaked liquid in this recipe.
Ingredient substitutions and add-ins
Here are my suggestions on how to replace additional allergens, or to add mix-ins:
Dairy free
Replace the butter with your favorite block-style vegan butter (like Miyoko’s or Melt). For sour cream, use any plain nondairy alternative, or strained plain nondairy yogurt until it resembles Greek-style.
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.
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.
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.
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.
No—this recipe needs a structured blend. Try my almond flour banana bread instead. If you'd like an alternative flour but need to be nut-free, try our oat flour banana bread.
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.
This gluten free thing is new to us all. Thank you for all these recipes, helps me a lot.
The banana bread, can I use milk instead of sour cream. Thanks again
Hi, Magdel, you’re very welcome. I’m afraid milk is not an appropriate substitute for sour cream, no. You can use Greek-style plain yogurt, but not milk.
Wow This recipe is fantastic, so good. The 5 stars are well earn Thank you so much!
You’re very welcome, Olivia! So glad you enjoyed the banana bread. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Made it and my whole family loved it! I will do again and gain.
So glad to hear it, M! Thank you so much for sharing that. This recipe doesn’t get enough visibility, but it’s one of my favorites!
Nicole,
I just wanted to thank you for all your incredible gluten-free recipes. I’ve followed your work for years.
Your banana bread recipe is absolutely amazing — it is the most perfectly balanced I’ve tasted in over a decade.
Your dedication has made such a difference in my gluten-free journey, and I’m truly grateful.
Warmly,
Sharon Anne
Wow, Sharon Anne, that’s so incredibly kind of you to say. I’m so happy you love the banana bread, and super grateful you took the time to share that with me. Especially during the holidays, tensions seem to run quite high, so it’s especially appreciated right before the Thanksgiving holiday! I’m so happy to have had a chance to help you make the journey easier.
Love this recipe made it this morning.
So glad you loved the banana bread, Gertrude. Thank you for sharing that!
I just made this recipe today! Our friends are gluten free and I bake a lot so I have been learning to make gluten free foods. This recipe was amazing and I think it was more moist and tastier than the gluten versions I have made! I substituted the sour cream for greek yogurt because I didn’t have sour cream and added some cinnamon. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
That’s so great to hear, Kristina. It’s true especially with quick breads and muffins that they’re often better than their gluten-containing counterparts. Tell everyone you know! That’s very kind that you’re baking gluten free for your friends. You’re very kind for doing that, and sharing it with me!
Nicole,
I have four members of my family that have Celiac
They love banana bread
i keep trying new recipes and making the last one the best
Well I am getting rid of all those and your recipe is definitely “The best” due to your recommendations on how to handle the ingredients and put the bread together. Thank you
That’s great to hear, Mary! The ingredient list has to be right, of course, but the instructions make the difference between a good recipe and a great one. Thank you for recognizing that!
Excellent recipe! It turned out even more moist than the regular non-gluten banana breads I’ve baked or bought. Thank you Nicole!
You’re so welcome, Patricia. I’m really glad to hear it.
Hands down it takes like my old gluten Banana Bread.
My husband even asked for seconds……
Thanks for developing this recipe.
You’re so welcome, Anne. Thank you for sharing that, and I’m so glad you have your old banana bread back!
Is truly IS the best. My go-to recipe every time. Quick, easy, delicious!
So glad you love this banana bread recipe, Susan. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.