walnut banana bread sliced on a wood board with white mug of coffee and slices on a plate

This banana bread is dense and fluffy at the same time, has all the flavor, and made with simple, nutrient-dense ingredients.

walnut banana bread sliced on a wood board with white mug of coffee

I think one of my all time favorite small things in life is something sweet alongside my coffee. Just makes my morning! I love this banana bread with my morning cup, smothered in seed or nut butter, yogurt, fruit, or any toppings i’m feeling.

The flours used are almond flour, buckwheat flour or oat flour, and tapioca starch. These are all some of my favorite gluten free flours. It’s also refined sugar free, and seriously tastes like the real deal!!

walnut banana bread sliced on a wood board with white mug of coffee

This version above has some chocolate chips added, plus a sliced banana pressed into the top before getting sprinkled with the cinnamon sugar topping. It’s my new favorite way to enjoy it 🙂

The smells in your house while this is baking are another huge bonus- i want my house to smell like this banana bread always!

walnut banana bread sliced on a wood board

I can’t wait for you guys to try this one! Enjoy xx

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The Best Gluten Free Banana Bread

  • Author: Mia Zarlengo
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 812 slices 1x
  • Category: Snacks

Description

Thick and fluffy gluten free banana bread. Free of any refined sugars and flours, and full of flavor! 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ripe, spotty bananas
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil OR butter, melted and cooled 
  • 2 eggs 
  • 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract 
  • 1 + 1/3 cup almond flour 
  • 1/3 cup oat flour (can sub buckwheat flour)
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour/starch 
  • 1 tsp cinnamon 
  • 1 tsp sea salt 
  • 1 tsp baking soda 
  • 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • Optional: Chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. For muffins, line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. 
  2. In a large bowl, mash the banana —some chunks left are good!
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Stir mixture into mashed bananas.
  4. Pour in remaining dry ingredients, and stir until everything is well combined. Stir in walnuts and/or chocolate chips.
  5. Pour batter into greased loaf pan (or cupcake liners).
  6. Bake loaf for 50-55 minutes (for muffins, only bake for 23-24 minutes!), or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then lift by the parchment paper to continue cooling on a cooling rack. Important: allow to completely cool before slicing. 

Notes

I have recently made some minor updates to the recipe to make it even better, and to leave out a couple ingredients that ended up not being necessary (ex: the hemp seeds). This is the best version yet 🙂

All of the substitutions I have listed in the recipe are ones I have tested my self. I cannot guarantee results if any other substitutions are made! xo

Breakfast, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Recipes, Snacks, Vegetarian

Category:

Nov 3, 2019

The Best Gluten Free Banana Bread

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to tag @gatherednutrition on INstagram so I can see what you made! Leaving a rating and review on the site is a huge help too!

  1. Megan L says:

    Love! Truly is hearty + fluffy. Now one of my favorite banana bread recipes— will be making again soon!

  2. Artemis says:

    I use this recipe a couple of times and my home spells so good after I bake it! I love this banana bread recipe!!

  3. Rana says:

    I made this, this weekend for a sweet treat post-breakfast … it is phenomenal! One of the best banana breads I’ve taste .. and I’ve tasted a lot! Further, it’s packed with healthy ingredients that are so good for you; honestly guilt-free! The hemp seeds and buckwheat are great in this recipe!

  4. Jackie says:

    Perfect texture and sweetness! Totally satisfies sweet tooth!

  5. Betsy says:

    This is seriously so incredibly good. My picky 6 year old loves it, so it’s for sure becoming a staple in my house and will replace my previous recipe that called for all the sugar, butter, and white flour. Stoked!!

    • Mia Zarlengo says:

      Wow this truly makes me sooo happy! Thank you for the sweet note Betsy- so happy you and your little one love it 🙂

  6. dana says:

    THE BEST BANANA BREAD EVER usually i’m afraid healthier banana breads will turn out dense, but this one was not! it turned out amazing and i will be making this again many more times!

  7. Courtney says:

    Can’t stop eating this. So, so good! Made the following modifications and it’s still amazing.
    *flag eggs
    *pure maple syrup instead of honey
    *didn’t make the topping but sounds delicious!

    • Mia Zarlengo says:

      So glad you loved the banana bread!! Thanks for the notes on the subs that worked for you- always helpful 🙂

  8. Sofia says:

    Hi! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Do you recommend any substitutions for the buckwheat flour? Just realized I don’t have any around but would love to try out this recipe :))

  9. Catherine says:

    I’m not a huge banana bread fan, but this recipe is incredible! The flavors are excellent. It’s very moist and not too sweet. My whole family loved it! I will definitely be making this again! 🙂

  10. Kianna says:

    I made these into muffins and they were so perfect! Hearty, thick, and moist just like you want banana bread to be. Super satisfying. Best banana bread ever!

  11. Katie says:

    Hi Mia! I am so excited to bake this during this upcoming week once my bananas become ripe enough! I was just wondering if the recipe would still work without the hemp seeds? If not, would something else substitute just fine like chia or flax seeds since I don’t have any around the house? Thanks 🙂

  12. Sofia says:

    Hi! I would love to try this banana bread recipe :)) It looks absolutely delicious! I did notice I do not have any tapioca or arrowroot starch unfortunately. Do you know if corn starch would work in place of it?

    Thanks!

    • Mia Zarlengo says:

      I haven’t tried it so its hard for me to say what results you will get! Let me know if you give it a try!

  13. Paige says:

    Is there a substitution for the almond flour? I am allergic to nuts.

  14. Amanda says:

    This is INCREDIBLE! My family ate the entire loaf in less than 1 day 🙂 Thank you once again Mia, your recipes are always a huge hit.

    I didn’t have arrowroot / tapioca so I subbed for oat flour. I also had run out of salt, so omitted. It turned out fantastic with these modifications.

  15. Sam says:

    So good!! The best gluten free banana bread I’ve ever made. Really tastes like the real thing! Used the oat flour instead of the buckwheat and it was perfect!

  16. April M. Reitano says:

    Are there dates in the one you have pictured? I don’t see dates in the ingredient list.

  17. Jordan says:

    If the only flours on hand are almond flour and Bob’s Red Mill paleo baking flour, would I still be able to make this? What portions of the flours should I use?

  18. Claire B says:

    This is THE most delicious banana bread! It’s so moist and flavorful, & I don’t feel guilty eating it since it’s all good-for-you ingredients. I baked it in a 9 x 13 pan and it took about 18 to 20 minutes. Added in some collagen, too, for the added health benefits. This recipe is a keeper!

  19. Jordan B. says:

    Seriously the best banana bread!

  20. Meg G says:

    Going in for round 2 of this recipe today! Your recipes are always so on point!!

  21. anjali reddy says:

    The BEST banana bread!!! (And I don’t say that lightly!) A hit with the whole family!

  22. Sara says:

    I’ve made so many banana breads and this is quickly one of my absolute favorites! I used coconut oil, arrowroot, and oat flour and added chocolate chips. Will be making this again as soon as my bananas ripen!!!

  23. Spencer says:

    Where has this been my whole life?????? So simple, so delicious.

  24. Halle says:

    it tastes delicious, but was still gooey after 50 min. (the toothpick was clean, though). Putting it back in for a bit and hoping for the best.

    • Mia Zarlengo says:

      Hi Halle! Make sure you allow it to completely cool before you slice into it, as it continues to bake a little while sitting on the counter and cooling!

  25. Rana says:

    I’ve commented on this recipe before, as this is absolutely my FAVORITE banana recipe! In spirit of Fall, I replaced the bananas with a cup of pumpkin purée, a tbsp of pumpkin pie spice and topped with chopped pecans. It was amazing!! ????????

  26. rebecca says:

    I Made this with 2 bananas and subbed 1/4 cup pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, and chocolate obv and it was AMAZING. best banana bread ever

  27. Seeta says:

    This REALLY is the best banana bread/muffin recipe I’ve ever made (even better than recipes with gluten and refined sugar). The middles come out light and fluffy but the top still has that nice crispy muffin top — something I feel like is often missing from GF/refined sugar free recipes. I realized after I started that I didn’t have enough almond flour, so I ended up using 3/4 cup almond flour and a bit over 2/3 cup GF oat flour. It still came out great. Thank you for this one!

    • Mia Zarlengo says:

      Thank you so much for this sweet review Seeta! I am so happy you love this banana bread as much as I do 🙂

  28. Paige says:

    Delicious! Made it for the first time tonight and it was wonderful!

  29. Katrina says:

    Truly the best banana bread recipe out there! Thank you for this gem ????????❤️! Our family adores it! The deep flavours, hearty texture – just the yummiest!

  30. Nicole Tammaro says:

    Love this banana bread so much!! Thanks for another great recipe. ????

  31. Laura says:

    This banana bread is so moist and delicious!! My favorite recipe

  32. Abby says:

    The best banana bread recipe! My whole family loves it and they are picky when it comes to “healthy” recipes! So yummy!!

  33. Britney says:

    This is my go-to banana bread recipe!! I probably made like 15 loafs last year using this with slight variations for toppings and they all turned out superbly delicious.

  34. Jessie says:

    The best banana bread recipe by far. It’s honestly better than any of the recipes that call for loads of sugar/butter/etc. By far my fave!!!!!

  35. Amy says:

    Loved this banana bread! So yummy and good ingredients! Except all the chocolate chips sunk to the bottom of the loaf 🙁 tips for next time??

  36. Tessa says:

    My dad is celiac and we both try to eat anti-inflammatory when possible. I made this today for his birthday! Everyone LOVED IT! Soooo good. The best banana bread I’ve ever made. 12/10. Will definitely make again!

  37. Ana says:

    I am eating this as I write this review. I am pregnant and have been craving banana muffins for a while but was looking for a healthy option. What a delicious recipe!

    I didn’t have almond flour, so I added 1 1/3 cup of oat flour and 1/3 buckwheat flour. I also used almond extract (1/2 as much) instead of vanilla extract.

    Hubby is very impressed, baby and mama are satisfied! Thank you!

  38. Ana says:

    I am eating a muffin as I write this review. I am pregnant and have been craving banana muffins for a while but was looking for a healthy option. What a delicious recipe!

    I didn’t have almond flour, so I added 1 1/3 cup of oat flour and 1/3 buckwheat flour. I also used almond extract (1/2 as much) instead of vanilla extract.

    Hubby is very impressed, baby and mama are satisfied! Thank you!

  39. Nicole says:

    Literally the BEST gluten-free banana bread recipe that tastes like the real deal (and I’ve tried a loooot of different recipes!). Hubby even agrees that this needs to become a weekly staple in our house & he can be a tough critic on gluten-free recipes. Great plain, but also love to warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds and top with some yogurt.

  40. Kathy Webb says:

    The best banana nut muffins ever! So easy and delicious! I had to substitute arrowroot for the tapioca starch and it worked well.

    I love making yummy treats that nourish my family.

    Thank you for sharing your gift with others!

  41. Taylor says:

    The BEST banana bread I’ve ever made. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!!!

  42. Asli says:

    Thank you for this healthy and delicious recipe.

  43. Melanie says:

    This recipe has become a staple in our house, I make these muffins regularly and my husband and I love them! The recipe is very easy and the muffins are delicious. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!

  44. Alaina says:

    Delicious. Love that it’s not *too* sweet. I used olive oil instead of coco/butter and it is pretty darn amazing 🙂 Thanks, Mia!

  45. Kierstin Wilson says:

    You can’t tell it is gluten-free and the flavor is soooo good. Love this recipe.

  46. Abby says:

    I can’t stop making this banana bread! It is perfectly sweet and fluffy. I ran out of almond flour while making this and had to substitute 1/3 cup AP flour and it worked well. I have already made a loaf this week and can’t wait to make another one 🙂

  47. Halle says:

    What do you think about using buckwheat, almond flour, and oat flour in 3 equal amounts to equal 2 cups?

    • Mia Swinehart says:

      Hi, that’s really hard for me to say how it will turn out since it’s much different than the original recipe! I’m not sure how the texture would turn out unfortunately!

  48. Nazifa says:

    I used butter & chocolate chips, really enjoyed it both warmed up and even cold straight from the fridge, can’t believe it’s healthy!

  49. Megan says:

    This banana bread is SO GOOD. It is so moist (sorry for lack of a better word) and delicious — my husband and I basically ate the whole loaf in 2 days. LOVE this recipe!

    • Megan says:

      Oh – and for those asking, I used arrowroot powder in place of tapioca starch/flour and think it was a perfect substitution (I have not made it with tapioca so can’t compare, but it was delicious!)

  50. Sarah L says:

    I’ve made a lot of banana bread recipes that have been very good and this is THE BEST ONE by a landslide. It’s amazing.

  51. Megan says:

    This is legit the best banana bread I’ve ever made, even over ones with regular sugar, butter, and flour! LOVE

  52. Erin says:

    This is the best healthy banana bread in the world. Trust me I have tired them all !!!

  53. Nina says:

    My whole family and I absolutely love this recipe! My family do not even follow a gluten free diet, yet they kept on raving about this. I made this into muffins and after the batch was gone, they begged me to make more! Such a delicious recipe! Definitely a go-to in my household now.

  54. Deb says:

    This is an outstanding banana bread. Truly delicious. Bonus points for super easy. I always have the ingredients around. I doubled the recipe and used 1/2 coconut oil and 1/2 plant based becel. Subbed 6 tbsp aquafaba for the eggs. Added walnuts to one of the loaves. They were ready much sooner than the time suggested. Could be my oven?
    Any idea how many calories per slice? I’ll be making this over and over again.

  55. Nina says:

    This banana bread is seriously everything it claims to be! Moist, soft, and incredibly yummy!!! I could not find tapioca starch so I subbed corn starch and used half of the amount of tapioca starch it called for. I also use half butter half coconut oil and felt like it had a rich butter flavor. Added chocolate chips and pecans it was amazing.

  56. Stacy says:

    One of my absolute favorites! Truly I can’t stop making it.
    I use maple syrup and buckwheat flour, and I use arrowroot starch in place of tapioca.
    Careful, the batter is dangerously good 🤤

  57. Sasha says:

    Do you think I could sub tapioca flour for more oat flour?

  58. Jacqueline Le says:

    This recipe is fool proof! Simply delicious, moist and fast. The only downside was I felt like something was lacking, bit still very delicious. I added hazelnuts, I think either chocolate chips or raisins along with some nutmeg would make it a five star!

    • Mia Swinehart says:

      This makes me SO happy to hear– thank you so much Jacqueline!! I do give chocolate chips as an optional add in to the recipe! xo

  59. Meredith says:

    This is by far my favorite banana bread recipe and will be my go-to from now on. It’s so perfect and the texture is unreal!

  60. Nini says:

    My new favorite! Love to snack on it and even have it for breakfast 🙂 I was wondering what’s the best way to store it, (in the fridge, room temp?) thanks Mia!!

  61. Jenny says:

    This is hands down the best banana bread recipe. I ask my sister to make this for me all the time! We do not eat baked goods often but this one is hard not to eat it all!

  62. Rachel says:

    My favorite healthier banana bread recipe! I love that it is lower in sugar yet has an amazing taste and texture!

  63. Shaina H says:

    Finally found the recipe I’ve been LOOKING FOR! Thank you! Altered this by making them muffins and adding big chocolate chips folded in. I also replaced 1/3 cup of the almond flour with walnut flour, instead of using actual walnuts. I also added just a tablespoon of coconut flour to balance out the moisture and they are PERFECT! So far I’ve only made with the buckwheat flour and not oat, but I’m sure it’s great either way!

  64. Keeley says:

    Forever the best banana bread recipe. The flavor and texture are just *chef’s kiss*. I’ve made it several times now – with walnuts & pecans, with chocolate, with both, without. So, so good. Thanks, Mia!

  65. Tyna Brady says:

    Making this for about the 10th time. It’s a repeat in our house because it flavorful, moist and delicious!

  66. Melissa H Sadowsky says:

    My new favorite almond flour banana bread. I used potato starch instead of tapioca since i was out of tapioca flour. Worked great. Also used part maple syrup and part brown sugar.

  67. Claudia says:

    This was delicious!!!

  68. Jessica says:

    My family requests this often. It really is a keeper. I do have a question on the oven temp. I use the convection bake setting on my oven and and reduce to 325. It seems to take way longer to bake though. Maybe the 350 temp is already for convection ovens and just doesn’t specify?

  69. Charlee says:

    Delicious and guilt free when eating it for breakfast!

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Simple. Attainable. Gathered Nutrition.