I was craving gluten free banana bread today, and every good craving deserves to be met, don’t you think? Fortunately for me, a reader had recently shared her great-grandmother’s banana bread recipe, and invited me to make it.
She had taken this treasured recipe and converted it to gluten free banana bread just by exchanging my gfJules Flour for the all purpose wheat flour her grandmother had long used. It turned out beautifully!
Knowing that grandma’s recipes are always the best (no matter whose grandmother — that’s just a constant), I was eager to give her recipe a try. I updated grandma’s recipe with a modern tweak here and there (oh yes, and I did make it gluten-free!), but I think you’ll agree that this recipe is a family jewel.
Erin F:
Just pulled GF banana bread out of the oven. It tastes delicious and my home smells wonderful! I completely stopped baking until I found gfJules GF All Purpose flour!!! So grateful for it!
Thanks so much to Erin F. for sharing her family’s recipe. I think we can all agree we are blessed to have this recipe in our gluten free repertoire!
Now, go make grandma proud and bake this wonderful bread for your family! Try mini loaf pans (better for sharing!) or double to make two large loaves. You’re going to want more!
Grandma’s Gluten Free Banana Bread
Grandma's recipes are always best. This old fashioned recipe got a makeover--now it's a treasured gluten free banana bread recipe everyone loves!
Ingredients
- ½ cup (8 Tbs.) butter or non-dairy alternative (I used Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 3/4 cup - 1 cup granulated sugar (may use less, to taste)
- 2 eggs + 1 egg white (or favorite non-fruit egg substitute)
- ½ cup buttermilk (or ½ cup minus 1 Tbs. non-dairy milk plus 1 Tbs. lemon juice)
- 1/2 cup mashed banana (= approximately 1 banana)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups gfJules™ All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour (203 grams)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F or 325° F convection.
Oil and lightly flour with gfJules Flour one 8.5 x 4.4 loaf pan and one mini loaf pan or two muffin cups; or use one larger 9 inch loaf pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, whipping until light and fluffy. Add eggs and blend until integrated.
If making non-dairy buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup, then add enough non-dairy milk to total 1/2 cup. Allow the mixture to stand while mashing and measuring the banana.
Mash one large, ripe banana and measure to be sure it equals 1/2 cup, but no more. Add part of another banana if necessary.*
In a separate bowl, whisk together gfJules Flour, salt and baking soda.
Add mashed banana and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture, then add buttermilk alternately with flour mixture and mix well, beating one minute after blended. Stir in nuts, if using.
Pour batter into the loaf pans, filling 2/3 full; add remaining batter to mini loaf pan or muffin tins.
Bake large loaf for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean; bake mini loaf pans 30 minutes; bake muffins 15-20 minutes. The bread will be lightly browned and should spring back to the touch.
Remove to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a butter knife around the inside of the loaf pans and invert gently to remove the bread.
*gfJules’ Note: In quick bread recipes, it’s important not to add too much fruit, as it can make the bread too dense and heavy and can cause it to remain un-cooked in the middle.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
Don’t forget to pin it for later!
If you are like my family, when we travel we take “emergency food” because you just can’t always count on finding a restaurant. In these troubling times, some of our old favorites are gone or have had to change the way they do business. This recipe makes a dozen generously sized cupcakes/muffins that can be a quick breakfast or an on-the-go snack. You could even frost them if you like. (We don’t.)
I know exactly what you mean, Nora! “Emergency” travel food always includes homemade gluten free banana muffins for us, too!! These do travel and keep so well! I’m glad the recipe works great for your family, too!
~jules
Hi Jules,
This recipe looks amazing. Since I’m trying to eat low carb is there a substitute for the flour (maybe almond flour), if so what would the ratio be?
Hi Denise, this gluten free banana bread is truly amazing and I hope you get to enjoy it one day! Unfortunately you can’t just substitute almond flour or another totally different flour in a recipe that was created to be used with wheat flour and then made gluten free with my gfJules Flour. Here’s more information on why: https://gfjules.com/gluten-free-flour-comparison/. If you want to bake with almond flour instead, look for a recipe that was written for making with almond flour. The texture and consistency will be very different, but at least the ratios will be right and the recipe shouldn’t fail.
~jules
I love this recipe. I bake mine in a Bundt pan and it’s a favorite for everyone. I also love your banana cake recipe when I have several really ripe bananas..
Oh what a great idea, Sue! I love the concept of baking this gluten free banana bread in a bundt pan! I’m going to have to try that sometime. And also so glad to know that you’re loving my gluten free banana cake recipe!!!
~jules
Grandma’s Gluten Free, Vegan Banana Bread
with cinnamon and chocolate chips, adapted from gfJules for altitude 8000’
Ingredients
7 Tbs Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, at room temperature
¾ cups + 1 Tbs white granulated sugar (or less)
3 flax eggs
3 Tbs aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas or other beans)
½ cup + 1Tbs of buttermilk (½ cup soy milk + 1 Tbs lemon juice, combine and stir)
½ cup mashed banana (about 1-1 ½ bananas)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups gfJules All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour (203 grams)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder (if you leave out the cinnamon, omit this ingredient)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Oil and lightly flour 4 mini loaf pans.
1. Make flax eggs. Mix 3t ground flax + 9 Tbs warm water. Let sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Make vegan buttermilk. Mix 1/2 cup soy milk and 1Tbs lemon juice, combine and stir. Set aside.
3. Mash banana to fill no more than ½ cup.
4. In small mixing bowl, whisk together gfJules Flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside
5. In medium mixing bowl, cream buttery sticks and sugar, whipping until light and fluffy. Blend in flax eggs and aquafaba. Mix in banana and vanilla extract.
6. Add buttermilk alternating with flour mix, mixing well, beating for one minute.
7. Stir in chocolate chips.
8. Divide evenly into 4 small loaf pans.
Bake loaves for 45 40 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bread will be lightly browned and should spring back to the touch. Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes, then remove from pans and continue to cool on wire racks. Freezes well.
I used altitude adjustment instructions from The Accidental Scientist Science of Cooking Monthly Feature: The High Art of Baking at Altitude https://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/icooks/article-3-03.html
This is so fantastic, Kim! Thank you SO much for taking the time to to share your modifications to this recipe for vegan and also high altitude (and also your yummy picture!). This is SUPER helpful! I know it will be useful to lots of folks who have had trouble baking gluten free banana bread at altitude. Thanks so very much for sharing!!!!
~jules
It is your recipe. Feel free to post it as your recipe. High Altitude Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread withs.
My husband had a last day of class pot luck. I sent two loaves of this bread and told him not to tell a soul it’s gluten free unless prompted. He didn’t have leftovers to bring home, and had a request for the recipe. The person who asked refused to believe him that it was gluten free.
THAT is a fantastic test, Addie, and I’d say you and this recipe passed with flying colors!! I LOVE this story! How fantastic! Congratulations – sounds like you have a keeper recipe on your hands!!!
~jules
Delicious banana bread recipe but Can I use the same from scratch recipe for a banana cake?
Hi Mary, you can absolutely bake this recipe into a cake pan instead. I also have a gluten free Banana Cake recipe in my first cookbook, Nearly Normal Cooking for Gluten Free Eating!
~jules
I just made this and baked in mini loaf pans, I added 1/2 cup frozen cranberries, delicious I give it a five star.
Ooooh I love the sound of that, Pauline! YUM!!!
~jules
Hi. Do you have the nutritional breakdown for your bread, cakes, etc.?Being on WW, I really try to do the program. Thanks and have a glorious Mother’s Day and stay safe and well.
This is our family Favorite. I make it all the time and it gets eaten very quickly 😁.
I love to hear that, Robin! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review and let me know. We sure to love this recipe, as well. I always love having extra over-ripe bananas because it means it’s time to make Grandma’s Gluten Free Banana Bread!
~jules
I just made this and used yogurt for milk, this us the best recipe I have ever had. Thanks so much!
I’m so happy to hear it, Susan! Thanks for leaving a comment and sharing what you did and your experience. May all your gluten free baking be so happy from here on out!
~jules
Would you suggest a plain yogurt or would vanilla yogurt work?
Hi Laura, I always love the addition of some vanilla flavor from the yogurt, but plain works just fine, too. Vanilla is usually what you’ll find in my fridge though!
~jules
This bread was perfect! It was delicious.
Wonderful to hear that you loved the gluten free banana bread, Luana!!! Thanks for leaving a review!
~jules
I want to try this recipe, can I substitute yogurt for milk?
Hi Susan, you may substitute yogurt for milk; I would thin it with a bit of water just so it’s not too thick. The end measurement should be the same amount though, so you’re not adding more liquid in the end. I hope that makes sense! In other words, I think if I was doing it, I would use maybe 6 T yogurt + 2 T water in place of 8 T milk. It may take a bit of guess-work to get it just right, but that’s as good a starting point as any!
~jules
4 Thumbs Up! Mine, and my 5-year-old’s two sticky thumbs! Great recipe, thanks Jules!
Awww, great to hear it, Maureen!
~jules
Awesome. Enjoyed by my non Celiav family members. I added one step I do for my gf breads. I remove bread from pan and return loaf to oven for 5 minutes at 375. Helps make the crust more consistent. Pecans were perfect but we have used walnuts in the past
Hi Ron, thanks for sharing that tip! So glad your whole family loved the bread! Yay for winning recipes!!
~jules
This bread is wonderful!! I want to double to recipe. Do I need to use 4 eggs and 2 egg whites? Or, can I use 5 whole eggs?
Hi Liz, yes, you could use 5 whole eggs instead. Using the two whites makes the loaf a little lighter, but it should still work out for you.
Happy baking!
~jules
This bread is wonderful. When it first came out of the oven it had a beautiful dome which raised up slightly over the 9” loaf pan. I let it cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. When I checked on it, it had fallen and was slightly sunken in the center. The taste was still good, but the bottom of the bread was slightly doughy. I used convection feature on my oven. Should I have taken it out of the pan earlier? Why did it fall?
Also, I used granulated sugar and reduced it to 3/4 cup.
I’m so happy to hear you loved the recipe, Liz!
There are a couple of options for the sinking issue. One is that reducing the sugar will have somewhat of an effect, as the creamed butter and sugar effect helps with the bread’s structure. If it sunk and was doughy on the bottom, the other possibilities are that the bread wasn’t cool long enough or that the ratio of liquid:dry ingredients was off. This can be due to measuring the flour. Do you weigh or measure flour using cups? If using cups, spoon the flour into the cup and then level off with a spoon. If you weigh, one cup of my gfJules Flour is 135 grams. Here are some other gluten free baking pointers for your reference. Oh, and be sure to check the temperature of your oven! If it’s not baking hot enough, you’ll need to adjust it and also perhaps bake longer.
~jules
For the people wanting to make this sugar free, I made this with coconut sugar. It was perfect. Mine didn’t rise as tall as the picture but it tasted great! Thank you, GFJules for your wonderful recipes!
Thank you so much for sharing your results with coconut palm sugar, Alcie! I’m thrilled to hear it was delicious prepared that way!
Happy baking!
~jules
I’ve tried this recipe twice and it’s just not working for me. It keeps falling and coming out underdone no matter how long I bake it. Which is a bummer because from what I tried it taste good. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I follow this recipe step by step. It’s a little frustrating. 🙁
Hi Alex, sorry you’re having troubles with this recipe. Are you using my gfJules Flour?
The other question would be if perhaps you were using too much banana? If there’s too much liquid or fruit in a recipe it will cause the middle to sink until the whole thing is baked through. You can always cover it with oiled foil and bake longer to try to account for that, but definitely make sure you’re not adding extra banana or liquid, or the converse would be that you add enough gluten free flour.
~jules
I love this recipe. But I have a question. Why does my banana bread “fall” after it is out of the open??
Hi Susanna, so glad to hear you love this recipe too!
Assuming you’re using my gfJules Flour and haven’t made any other ingredient substitutions, a few things I’d look to would be:
is your oven temperature accurate? Get an oven thermometer and put it in the oven, moving it around to different spots to make sure it’s accurate.
did you add too much banana or liquid? sometimes fruit recipes are hard to get just right because it’s hard to measure “mashed banana”
did you weigh or measure the gluten free flour? If you don’t get 135 grams per cup of my gfJules Flour it can throw off the dry: wet ingredient ratio. Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife if not weighing.
Bake longer – a toothpick inserted into the center may hit a spot of banana and not be a good indicator; try a few other spots in the bread before removing from the oven.
Here are some more gluten free baking tips to look at implementing next time.
~jules