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These 13 gluten free quick bread recipes for everything from banana, cinnamon swirl and cranberry to zucchini and pumpkin. Not every muffin can be a quick bread, but these get the job done!
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Gluten free quick breads are not exactly like cake and not like cupcakes either. They're not yeast breads, as they make use of chemical leaveners (baking soda and baking powder) rather than yeast to rise. They tend to have less sugar than cakes, but it's not like you're going to make a sandwich on a quick bread.
Cakes and cupcakes are, technically, quick breads. But to me and for the purposes of this round up, it's not a quick bread unless it's baked in a loaf pan. And you can't just take any old cake or cupcake recipe and throw it in a loaf pan and bake away. Well, you can (free country!) but sometimes it'll work and sometimes it won't. It can be very frustrating (*ask me how I know this*).
But there is something super satisfying about serving yourself a thick slice of a quick bread. I always like my slice with a generous smear of butter, even though I never put butter on a muffin. If you order a muffin in a diner, though, you better believe they're going to slice that muffin in half, toast it and serve it with butter. But I never, ever that do that myself. Mysteries abound!
These are some of my favorite gluten free quick bread recipes. By the way, although I love pound cake and have plenty of recipes for different kinds of gluten free pound cake if you wanna be technical about it, they're not quick breads. No chemical leaveners.
Here's the 10¢ tour of these gluten free quick bread recipes and what I love about each of them:
This super simple recipe for chocolate chip yogurt quick bread always makes a perfect loaf. It's moist and tender, with a nice mild tang from the plain yogurt. The miniature chocolate chips are optional, but it's hard to imagine why you'd opt out…
Gluten free peanut butter bread is low in sugar and with no butter or oil, but still moist and tender, and full of peanut flavor. When I say “full of peanut flavor,” I really mean it. If you don't love peanut butter, keep scrolling!
Our one bowl gluten free banana bread will make a Shoestring Evangelist out of the most skeptical of gluten free home bakers. So many of you have told me that it's become your favorite quick bread of all, gluten free or not. It always comes out perfectly. Want a sweeter loaf? Use really ripe bananas!
What if you love banana bread but you're avoiding rice flour? Our almond flour banana bread is made with the perfect combination of almond flour and coconut flour, three bananas and just a touch of honey for added sweetness. As a bonus, you make this easy quick bread batter in the blender.
If your family ever goes on a weekday breakfast strike, like mine does from time to time, tempt them right back in with this gluten free cinnamon swirl bread. It’s an offer they can’t refuse! Seriously. I'd like to see them try.
This lightly sweet gluten free honey bread is just perfect with a smear of butter and an extra drizzle of honey.
Gluten free lemon zucchini bread takes the classic zucchini loaf to another level with a pop of citrus flavor from lemon juice and zest. A simple lemon glaze brings it all the way to wow.
This soft and tender gluten free strawberry bread is lightly sweet and packed with strawberry flavor. It's a perfect alternative to banana bread, and it can even be made with frozen berries in the cold months. That's what I do!
This gluten free pumpkin bread is surprisingly light and fluffy. And it doesn't hurt that it's packed with pumpkin flavor. Pumpkin butter is sooooo much better for baking than straight-up pumpkin puree.
The classic sweet zucchini bread. You just can't go wrong with gluten free zucchini bread. Zucchini really keeps it moist, and otherwise disappears into the bread. You may see it, but you won't taste it!
The Cadillac of zucchini breads, this loaf of gluten free bittersweet chocolate zucchini bread is rich and chocolatey, tender and moist. I may just allow my husband to grow as many zucchini plants as he likes next summer. Usually, I have to rein him in. Next year, the sky's the zucchini limit. Long live zucchini!
This gluten free lemon poppyseed bread is a classic, with the subtle taste of fresh lemon from lemon juice and zest. As always, moist and tender every time.
Finally, gluten free cranberry bread that's super moist, lightly sweet and only just a bit tart. It’s the perfect quick bread for your holiday table!
So many of you are partial to the marriage of cranberries and orange, and you reported great success substituting out half the milk in this recipe with fresh orange juice and adding some zest. I think this will be the year that I finally try that!
Quick breads are my favorite thing to bake! I’ve made at least half of these recipes and will try out a couple more. Next on my list is the pumpkin bread. I have delayed, however, because as much as I love a good pumpkin spice bread plain, this year it is fairly crying out for a cream-cheese swirl to be added. Do you think it would make it too wet and fall flat? Thanks for these glorious recipes. Let the fall baking bonanza begin!
I’m afraid I wouldn’t recommend just adding a cheesecake swirl to my pumpkin bread recipe, no, Faith! Too dangerous. But you might like this Pumpkin Butter Cake, though. It’s like a pumpkin cheesecake baked in a cake.
Thanks very much Nicole! All the recipes look luscious. I’m making the peanut butter one for my brother who loves peanut butter (who doesn’t).
Also, the pictures are calling me to make everyone of your quick breads!
Kathy P.
I love that peanut butter bread, Kathy! It’s actually really light, not very sweet and truly perfect for breakfast. :)
Are any/all of these freezer friendly? Would love to make ahead and freeze for surprise guests, gifts or just because I’m busy.
Thanks!
If memory serves, I have frozen all of them. I’d recommend cooling, slicing, then wrapping tightly and freezing. I will usually freeze the slices in groups of 3 since I have 3 children and tend to defrost in groups of 3. Hope that helps!
I have your Bakes Bread cookbook. Are these all in it?
No, they’re not, Mary Ann. Most of the blog recipes are original to the blog, and the book recipes original to those books.
No receipts are showing
Please click on the link in the text below each photo for the recipe of each quick bread, Brenda!
Made the honey loaf today and it is CRAZY good!!! Super moist and soft but holds together so nicely. For breakfast with a cup of coffee and a snowing morning… Ah, heaven! A total hit at my house, or as my little one said it was “nummy!!” Of course I haven’t tried one single recipe you have that hasn’t been fantastic.
I made the Beer Bread today. It is the closet to its gluten version. Mine barely rose, maybe because I used the Whey Protein Isolate. (it is all I have) But it tastes great, the consistency was fine. I used Redbridge beer, it has a very mild flavor, but my Whole Foods doesn’t have the one you used (at least not in single bottles)
Do you have “doneness” temperatures for these breads like in the bread book?
No, that doesn’t apply to quick breads, I’m afraid LyttleO. It’s the ‘toothpick clean’ test for those!
I’ve already made 3 of these quick breads – all fantastic.The honey loaf is next on my list. I slice and freeze them, and the slices defrost like a charm, as does your Cinnamon Coffee Cake. Oh, that Cinnamon Coffee Cake is SO very delicious. It has become a favorite! Thank you, Nicole!
Allison I haven’t made that cinnamon coffee cake in a little while but I love it so. Glad you do, too!
I’ve made at least 2 of these recipes and they are awesome!!!! SO EXCITED by the way….
As usual, Jennifer shows me up. I’ve only made the cranberry bread (once with orange, twice without), and it is phenomenal. The last time I made it, I made it in mini-loaves and gave them out as gifts. It is *so* perfect. Everyone hop on board the quick bread train!