This gluten free banana bread recipe is delicious, indulgent, and healthy. This recipe works well for those trying to avoid processed sugars or trying to eat a whole food diet. Sweetened with only the bananas and a little honey, it is a well balanced snack.
My toddler and I love all things banana. This gluten free banana bread recipe is no exception. We like to eat it warm with a little butter spread across the top for breakfast. The ripe bananas along with the honey make this bread plenty sweet without being overly saturated with sugar. It makes an excellent breakfast on the go or a sweet snack to get you through the workday. Being gluten free doesn’t mean giving up delicious and moist baked goods.
Gluten free recipes can turn out dry and crumbly, but this bread is the opposite of that. The coconut oil and buttermilk give this bread a nice richness without being too sticky. Just an FYI, I vote for adding buttermilk to almost every baked good! While I can’t drink buttermilk straight like my grandpa can, it adds delicious flavor and moisture to baking recipes. Of course, if you’re dairy free, you can always substitute the buttermilk for something like almond milk.
How to make this recipe
- The first step to making this banana bread is to get very ripe bananas. I usually make this recipe with darker bananas than what are shown here. Bananas natural sugars increase with age. Mash the bananas, but if there are a few lumps left that’s okay.
- Next, whisk in two room temperature eggs. I use room temperature so that the coconut oil does not solidify.
- Next, whisk in the honey and coconut oil. Last for the wet ingredients, whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla. Be sure to mix all of this well.
- Whisk the gluten free flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding it in. You can adjust the amount of cinnamon based on your personal preference. I only use half of a teaspoon since my husband and toddler aren’t big on it. You can also omit the cinnamon altogether if you are not a fan.
4. Lastly, I take half a cup of walnuts, place them in a plastic storage bag, and roll them with a rolling pin to crush. Next, I take a dark chocolate bar and chop up a quarter of a cup worth. Of course, you can use any chocolate chips, but I like very dark chocolate in this bread (I use 90%) so that there’s the least amount of added sugar possible. This is optional and the bread will be delicious without. However, wherever I can add walnuts in I do. And who doesn’t love chocolate? I then butter a 9×5 loaf pan and pour the batter into it. Bake at 325 for 1 hour.
For this recipe, you will need:
- Two large mixing bowls
- A whisk
- 9×5 bread pan OR 8×8 glass baking dish
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Rubber spatula
Tips for making this recipe
- Be sure to mix all of the liquid ingredients well. While the mashed banana can be lumpy, all of the other liquid ingredients need to be incorporated smoothly.
- Let your eggs and buttermilk get to room temperature before mixing. Eggs can take about one hour on the counter to reach room temperature or a little longer. Buttermilk should only take thirty minutes to one hour. Be sure not to leave these ingredients out too long to avoid the risk of them going bad.
- Be sure to whisk the dry ingredients together well before folding in with the wet ingredients. This will ensure that the salt, cinnamon and baking soda are evenly incorporated into the flour.
Variations:
- You can swap the coconut oil for butter or vegetable oil in this recipe with a 1:1 ratio.
- You can easily add more honey to this recipe if you would like it sweeter. I try to keep the amount of honey low because too much sugar in general can be an inflammatory trigger for me.
- You can swap the gluten free flour for all-purpose flour, just exclude the addition of xanthan gum.
- Get creative with your add ins if you like. Shredded unsweetened coconut would make another great addition to this recipe. If you would rather no nuts, double or even triple the amount of chocolate chips.
Healthy Gluten Free Banana Bread
- 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
- 1 3/4 cups gluten free 1:1 flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1/2 cup crushed walnuts or pecans
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Add the eggs and whisk.
- Next, add the melted coconut oil and honey. Add the vanilla and buttermilk. Whisk well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Lastly, fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Wait ten minutes and then carefully place the loaf on a cooling rack.
How long is this gluten free banana bread good for?
This bread is good for up to four days on the countertop and up to one week if placed in the refrigerator. I usually wrap it up in plastic wrap and place in the bread box to keep it moist. It can also be placed in an airtight container or on a covered cake plate.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. I think it is a great substitute for more processed and sugary versions. It’s filling and satisfying without the guilt and gives you the comfort of knowing you are giving your family a nourishing sweet treat. Let me know what you think in the comments below and if you’ve thought of any more add in combinations!
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