This Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread is super moist, soft, and fluffy. Bursting with naturally sweet banana flavor and warm spices, this easy-to-make banana bread will be your new favorite healthy snack, dessert, or breakfast.
As the creator of an online dairy-free and gluten-free baking school, I understand how challenging it is to find delicious gluten-free baked goods that taste as good as their conventional counterparts. My new banana bread recipe promises classic banana bread flavor and soft, fluffy texture without any gluten, dairy, or eggs for an allergy-friendly treat everyone will enjoy!
Table of contents
Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe
You won’t get enough of this easy banana quick bread. Made with a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour and naturally vegan–without any dairy, eggs, or egg replacements–this banana bread relies solely on bananas for its primary flavor and binding.
Naturally sweet, very ripe bananas are perfectly complemented with maple syrup, making this banana bread completely refined sugar-free. Aromatic cinnamon and nutmeg with vanilla add warmth and enhance the banana flavor, with sea salt to balance the overall flavor profile.
The mashed bananas also provide essential moisture in lieu of eggs or vegan egg substitutes. Olive oil adds some richness and additional moisture to the loaf, which is leavened with baking soda and baking powder. Finally, walnuts or any other add-in of your choice are added to the batter and then baked to perfection in under an hour.
The resulting vegan and gluten-free banana bread is scrumptiously soft and tender with the perfect amount of sweetness. All eaters will love this banana bread whether or not they follow vegan or gluten-free diets.
Ingredients
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- baking soda
- baking powder – use grain-free baking powder if required for your dietary needs. However, note that this recipe is not explicitly grain-free due to the flour blend I used.
- fine sea salt
- overripe or very ripe bananas – about 3 large bananas or 4-5 small/medium sized bananas.
- olive oil
- vanilla extract
- maple syrup
- walnuts
Ingredient Substitutions
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour: I have only tested this recipe with this brand and recommend weighing the flour, especially if using another 1-to-1 blend. Note that this 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend contains grains, nightshades, and xanthan gum and excludes yeast.
- Olive oil: You can use avocado oil instead.
- Walnuts: You can use any add-ins like as vegan/dairy-free chocolate chips, seeds, chopped dried fruit, other chopped nuts like pecans, or a combination of them, up to 1/2 cup.
- I don’t recommend any other ingredient substitutions.
How To Make Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Step 1. Prep
Preheat the oven to 350F and either grease a loaf pan with olive oil or line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Mash the banana into a smooth purée in a food processor, blender, or by hand by mashing the banana on a plate with a fork.
Step 2: Make the Banana Bread Batter
In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.
Next, in a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients.
Then, pour the wet ingredient mixture into the center of the dry ingredients. Gently fold in the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture, stirring until just combined.
Gently fold in the walnuts or your add-ins of choice.
Step 3: Pour the Batter into the Loaf Pan
Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to scrape out all the batter and spread it evenly.
Step 4: Bake
Place the loaf pan in the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 55 minutes.
Step 5: Cool
Remove from the oven and allow the banana bread to cool in the loaf pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Serve
Slice, serve and enjoy! Pro Tip: Top with a pat of vegan butter or drizzle with some honey for extra deliciousness!
Tips & Tricks
- Use really ripe or overripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the best, naturally sweet banana flavor. Very ripe bananas will be easier to mash and will offer a stronger banana taste.
- Ensure the banana is well mashed into a smooth purée, using a food processor, blender, or by hand.
- I recommend weighing the flour on a kitchen scale for the best results, especially if using a different brand than the one I used, as it does make a difference in this recipe. Measuring the flour properly is necessary for this recipe as too much flour will create dense and dry banana bread.
- Use room temperature ingredients for optimal results. Let the maple syrup come to room temperature or warm it slightly rather than using it cold from the fridge to ensure smooth mixing.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to maintain a light and fluffy texture. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together until they are just combined. Overworking the batter can result in a tough, rubbery, or gummy texture.
- Limit add-ins to 1/2 cup to prevent needing to adjust the other ingredient proportions.
- Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf. The loaf is ready if the toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- As with all gluten-free baked goods made without eggs, let the loaf cool properly so it fully sets and doesn’t crumble. However, reheating it slightly before serving really enhances the texture and brings out the flavor, especially after storing it in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, this banana bread is not paleo or AIP complaint due to the ingredients in the baking flour. For delicious AIP banana quick breads and banana-flavored baked treats, try my paleo banana bread, gluten-free lemon blueberry banana bread, gluten-free lemon raspberry bread or these banana spice muffins.
I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Note that all gluten-free flour blends are not the same and results may vary. If you use another brand, I recommend weighing the flour with a kitchen scale for the best results. Also, if you’re using a blend without xanthan gum you will need to add 1/2 tsp to the dry ingredients. Xanthan gum is necessary in this gluten-free banana bread for binding and structure since we aren’t using any eggs or vegan egg substitutes as binders.
If you don’t use the recommended brand, I suggest trying another gluten-free 1:1 baking flour rather than a gluten-free all purpose baking flour for this recipe.
Yes, you can use thawed frozen bananas for this recipe. Before mashing, make sure to drain any excess liquid from the thawed bananas and allow to come to room temperature before incorporating the mashed bananas into the batter.
Yes! This vegan and gluten-free banana bread is versatile so you can customize it with your preferred add-ins (up to 1/2 cup). You can also omit the add-ins and follow the recipe as is, without needing to adjust the ingredient proportions.
No. I don’t recommend making the batter and refrigerating or freezing it to bake later. It should be made just before baking to ensure optimal rise and texture.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Room Temperature: Once fully cooled, store this vegan gluten-free banana bread in an airtight container on the countertop for 2-3 days.
Fridge: Store this banana bread in an airtight container or resealable bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave.
Freezer: Cut the banana bread into slices and store them in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag for up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.
I hope you love this Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread. If you do, I would appreciate it if you would give the recipe a rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious and using the hashtag #healmedelicious.
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Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This moist and fluffy Banana Bread is naturally vegan and gluten-free – no gluten, dairy, eggs, or egg replacements besides banana! This easy quick bread is filled with banana flavor and warm spices and is perfect as a healthy dessert, snack, or breakfast!
Ingredients
- 250 g (about 2 cups) *Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1.5 cups mashed, ripe banana
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a loaf pan with olive oil or line the pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine gluten-free 1:1 baking flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Then, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, combine mashed banana, olive oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup.
- Fold the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture. Stir until just combined.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts or your add-ins of choice.
- Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to smooth and spread it evenly.
- Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 55 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the loaf pan for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Slice and reheat slightly to serve warm.
Notes
*I tested this recipe with this specific brand of flour. Add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum if the gluten-free flour blend you are using does not have any. For more information on gluten-free flours, see the Frequently Asked Questions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
I used the exact flour this recipe calls for and the texture of the bread came out awful, dense and gummy. This happens no matter what I make with this flour. Any tips?
Hmmm if this is a problem you continuously have with the flour I’m wondering if you’re using too much of it? Did you measure by weight or by volume? I recommend using a scale in this recipe because using too much of the flour will definitely alter the texture.
This was a REALLY good banana bread. Very easy and yummy and will be my new go-to!! I let the batter sit for 10 minutes before baking and took out 5 mins early, covering with a towel
This recipe is shockingly delicious! Brought it to my 7 yr old’s classroom for their birthday celebration. Passed the test with all the kids and adults. Make this banana bread!