Easy Gluten Free Banana Bread is soft and fluffy, made with overripe bananas, brown sugar, and cinnamon, with minimal prep time and bakes in only an hour!

My family asks for banana bread almost every week, so I’m always looking for new versions of it! Check out these homemade banana breads Chocolate Banana Bread, Vegan Banana Muffins, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, and my favorite banana muffins recipe Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins!

Pinterest pin with a loaf of banana bread in a bread pan on a table.

Easy Gluten Free Banana Bread is perfect for a quick breakfast on busy weekday mornings, and freezes well so you can make a double batch and grab it by the slice to put in the toaster! This is one of my all-time favorite banana bread recipes.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Individual ingredients for banana bread on a table.

Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. I usually use 1:1 gluten free flour because it works really well with most recipes, and the taste and texture of the banana bread is perfect!

The Bob’s Red Mill Cup-for-Cup and King Arthur’s Measure-for-Measure gluten-free flour blends both contain xanthan gum already, so you won’t have to add any yourself. 

Sugar. A mixture of white sugar and brown sugar gives the perfect sweetness level and extra flavor, and moisture from the brown sugar.

You can still use all of one or the other, if that’s what you have in your pantry. 

Chocolate Chips. Use a gluten free brand of semi-sweet chocolate chips, which balance really well with the sweetness of the bananas. 

You can also try dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips for some variation. 

Bananas. Bananas that are over-ripe with brown spots on the skin and a softer center are perfect. Avoid bananas that have already turned brown in the middle.

The softer they are, the more banana flavor you’ll get. I use a fork or a potato masher for mashed bananas. 

A cup of mashed bananas is 2-3 larger bananas, or 2 extra-large bananas. Keep extra on the side for medium-sized bananas and use additional bananas as-needed.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda. To get the proper rise in the bread, and to get a light and fluffy texture, use the combination of baking soda and double-acting baking powder. 

I like the top of the loaf to have some rise, so I use a full teaspoon baking powder and teaspoon baking soda. If you want a denser bread, cut these measurements in half. 

Spices. I like cinnamon and nutmeg in my banana bread. You can leave these out if you want something more banana-forward. You can also use a teaspoon cinnamon to sprinkle on top for decoration. 

Egg. The egg acts as a binder, holding everything together. The yolks also add fat to the recipe, which keeps moisture in the bread. 

Butter. Use unsalted butter, so you can add salt later and make sure the final bread doesn’t turn out too salty. The butter has to be softened so you can mix it with the sugar, helping the bread to have a softer texture. Cold butter won’t work. 

You can skip creaming the butter and sugar together and add melted butter or vegetable oil instead, but the bread will be more dense (but still good!).

Salt. Balances the flavor and sweetness of the banana bread. 1/2 teaspoon salt is perfect. 

Vanilla. Adds flavor to the bread. You can add an extra teaspoon vanilla extract if you enjoy the flavor.

How to Make Gluten Free Banana Bread

Step by step instructions for how to make gluten free banana bread.
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a bread pan with cooking spray or butter and dust lightly with gluten free flour. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer or stand mixer to cream together white sugar and butter. Then mix in brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and mashed bananas.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
  3. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then mix together until just combined.
  4. Pour into the prepared loaf pan, and tent the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 50-60 minutes in a preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the banana bread cool before serving.

How to Ripen Bananas Quickly

You don’t need to wait for brown bananas when you can make them yourself! Here’s a few ways to make over ripe bananas the same day so you don’t have to wait to make this gluten-free banana bread recipe. 

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake loose bananas in the oven at 400°F for 5 minutes, or until they’ve browned. 
  • Poke holes in the banana peels, then place in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time. It will take about 2 minutes to ripen the bananas.  
  • Place the bananas in a paper bag (preferably with an apple) and fold the top to close the bag. The paper bag traps ethylene gas and helps ripen the fruit faster. This should take about 24 hours, so do it the day before.
  • Store the bananas in a warm place, keeping the bunch together. This may be the longest way but they’ll ripen faster. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my gluten free banana bread rubbery?

Banana bread can end up rubbery when the batter is over-mixed, but because this banana bread is gluten free we don’t have to worry as much about this. 

If you have gummy banana bread, you may have added too much xanthan gum. Try using a gluten free 1:1 baking flour that already has the xanthan gum added in the right ratio. 

Why is my gluten-free banana bread crumbly?

Here’s a few tips that can keep your moist banana bread from turning into crumbles!

Flour mixture. Try to use a cup-for-cup flour mixture that contains xanthan gum. The xanthan gum works as a replacement for gluten and helps hold everything together.

Don’t over-bake. Watch your time closely, adding 5 minutes at a time until a toothpick comes out clean. Baking the bread for too long will result in a dry crumbly texture.

The oven is too hot. If your oven temperature is hotter than what it’s set for, too much moisture will evaporate and your banana bread will dry out and get crumbly. This problem is pretty common. Use an oven thermometer to make sure the oven temperature is working correctly.

Measure ingredients. Use a butter knife to level the measure cups. Adding too much flour or other dry ingredients can create a dryer texture. 

What is the secret to making gluten-free bread?

The biggest thing that you can do for gluten free baking is choose the right gluten-free flour blend. There are a lot of options nowadays, and some really good mainstream ones that have a good balance of starch and protein. 

Try to choose a brand that has xanthan gum already so you don’t need to add it separately. And if you use a 1:1 flour blend, you can substitute regular flour recipes with the 1:1 gluten free flour. 

How to Make Gluten Free Banana Bread Vegan or Dairy Free

If you need a dairy-free option, there’s a few easy swaps you can make. 

  • Swap the butter for vegetable oil.
  • Swap the egg for 1/4 cup applesauce.
  • For vegan recipes, buy sugar that meets vegan standards.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover pieces in an airtight container for up to a week.

Freeze gluten-free banana bread in an airtight container for 3-4 months. I usually wrap the container in an extra layer of plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

More Gluten-Free Baked Goods 

Cooking Tips

  • Add a cup of chocolate chips, walnuts, almonds, or pecans for a different flavor. 
  • Scoop this into a muffin tin for gluten free banana muffins. 
  • If you don’t have a dedicated bread pan you can use a meatloaf pan. If it’s smaller, you may need two, or to do two batches and reduce the baking time slightly. Refrigerate the batter in-between. 
  • Serve toasted with butter and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. This also goes great with a cup of coffee.
  • Add slices decoratively on top of the bread before baking for an optional banana topping. 
Pinterest pin with a loaf of banana bread in a bread pan on a table.

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

Pinterest pin with a loaf of banana bread in a bread pan on a table.

Easy Gluten Free Banana Bread

Easy Gluten Free Banana Bread is soft and fluffy, made with overripe bananas, brown sugar, and cinnamon, with minimal prep time and bakes in only an hour!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Author: Jacqui
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups overripe bananas, mashed
  • 2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour , 1:1
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Equipment

  • 1 bread pan
  • 1 electric hand mixer or stand mixer

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a bread pan with cooking spray or butter and dust lightly with gluten free flour.
  • In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer or stand mixer to cream together white sugar and butter. Then mix in brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and mashed bananas.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, mixing together until just combined. Pour into the loaf pan, and tent the pan with aluminum foil.
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes to get a golden brown top. Let the banana bread cool before serving.

Notes

Click on the time in the instructions to start a timer!
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.
Freeze in an airtight container for 3-4 months. 
How to Make These Vegan or Dairy Free
  • Swap the butter for vegetable oil. 
  • Swap the egg for 1/4 cup applesauce. 
  • For vegan recipes, buy sugar that meets vegan standards. 
Cooking Tips 
  • If you don’t have a dedicated bread pan you can use a meatloaf pan. 

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcal (18%)Carbohydrates: 61g (20%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 13g (20%)Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 54mg (18%)Sodium: 298mg (13%)Potassium: 285mg (8%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 34g (38%)Vitamin A: 425IU (9%)Vitamin C: 5mg (6%)Calcium: 66mg (7%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish and tag #dishingdelish!

We are a participant in both the RewardStyle and Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which are affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and through RewardStyle.