May 13, 2024

Gluten Free Banana Bread

Finding gluten free dessert recipes can be hard to do. Especially ones that are moist, tasty, and not dried out. This easy gluten free banana bread is a wonderful dessert that you can make, and everyone will enjoy… not just the gluten free people.

In this post you will learn how to make a gluten free banana bread recipe.

What Ripeness of Bananas Should I use?

The best bananas to use in banana bread are the ripened, older bananas that have changed in colour already and are a bit soft. This will make the bananas softer and therefore easier to mash up. Older bananas are also sweeter due to the banana starch being converted to sugar as they ripen.

If you do not have any older bananas available, do not worry. It is possible to use fresher bananas in this recipe. However, if you are planning to make this banana bread recipe tomorrow or in a few days you can use these methods below to speed up the process of ripening your bananas for banana bread.

How to Ripen Bananas Artificially at Home

Brown Bag Method: Take a paper bag and place the unpeeled bananas into it and fold the top of the bag closed. Bananas release a gas (ethylene gas) which speeds up the ripening process. Since the bananas are in a bag, the gas will become trapped and ripen them much more quickly. Make sure to check them periodically, as they can ripen withing 24 to 48 hours by using this method.
Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 300℉/150℃/Gas Mark 2. Place your unpeeled bananas onto a baking sheet and bake them for about 15-20 minutes or until the banana skins turn black. Make sure to keep a close eye on them as they bake to prevent them from over-baking. Let the bananas cool before using them.
Microwave Method: Make a few small slits into the skins of the unpeeled bananas. Place them onto a microwave safe plate and microwave them on high for 30 second intervals until the skins turn black and the bananas feel soft. Let them cool before using.

If I Use Fresh Bananas, Will It Change the Taste?

Using fresh bananas in your banana bread is a suitable option when you do not have any older bananas, and you do not want to try to artificially ripen your bananas. The flavour and texture might be slightly different when compared to banana bread used with older bananas. Below you will find a list of the three things that might be different if you use fresh bananas in this banana bread recipe.

Flavour: fresh bananas are not as strong tasting as ripe or overripe bananas. Using fresh bananas could cause the bananas flavour to not be as pronounced as using ripe bananas. Do not worry though as the banana flavour will still be present.
Texture: fresh bananas are firmer and do not contain as much moisture as ripe or overripe bananas. This can affect the texture of the bread by making is slightly denser and less moist.
Sweetness: fresh bananas are not as sweet as ripe or overripe bananas. If you prefer sweet banana bread, consider adding extra sugar to the batter to compensate if using fresh bananas.

Overall, using fresh bananas in banana bread is perfectly fine for you to do, especially if you do not have time to ripen your bananas. If you would like a stronger banana flavour and moist texture, you will need to artificially ripen your bananas or wait a few days for your bananas to ripen on the counter.

Can I Make This Banana Bread Recipe Dairy Free?

The only dairy used in this recipe is 1/3 cup of butter. You can replace it with vegetable or olive oil. For the substitution of the 1/3 cup of butter, you would use 1/4 cup of whichever oil you choose. You will get the best results if you use olive oil or vegetable oil.

I would stay away from coconut oil as that has a very specific taste which could clash with the banana flavour.

If you do switch out the butter for an oil, this recipe will be a lovely gluten-free, dairy-free banana bread.

Do I Have to Make this Recipe Gluten-Free?

If you do not want to make this recipe gluten-free, that is no problem and easy to switch to a plain banana bread recipe. Merely switch out the gluten free flour for regular all-purpose flour/plain flour at a 1:1 ratio, and only put in three bananas instead of four bananas.

I put four bananas into the gluten free version of this banana bread because I have found that gluten free flour can make baked goods taste a bit dry so the extra banana is for more moisture.

After those ingredient changes, the rest of the banana bread ingredients stay the same.

Ingredients

Bananas: bananas are the main ingredient in this recipe. They provide their natural sweetness, flavour, and moisture to this recipe. Ripened or overripened bananas are typically used because they have a stronger banana flavour and are easier to mash.

Unsalted Butter: unsalted butter adds its richness and flavour to the recipe. For this recipe, softened, unsalted butter is best.

Egg: the egg is the binder that holds all of the ingredients together in the loaf and helps to add structure.

Vanilla: vanilla extract enhances the flavour of the banana bread by adding its depth of flavour and sweetness. It complements the bananas and adds sweetness to the bread.

Plain Gluten-Free Flour: plain gluten-free flour is the ingredient that provides the structure and binds all the ingredients together.

Brown Sugar: brown sugar add sweetness and moisture to the bread. It contributes the golden colour of the bread crust and adds a subtle caramel flavour. Brown sugar is preferred over granulated sugar in this recipe because of its richer flavour and more moist texture.

Baking Soda: baking soda is the leavening (rising) agent in this recipe. This helps the banana bread to rise by producing carbon dioxide after being mixed with the acidic bananas.

Salt: salt enhances the flavour and helps to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients.

Walnuts (optional): walnuts are optional in this recipe. They help to add texture, a crunch, and a nutty flavour to the banana bread. They can either be added directly into the batter or sprinkled onto the top of the batter right before baking.

Tips

Use ripened bananas as that will give the best flavour, texture, and moisture content to the banana bread recipe.
Whisking in the egg to wet ingredients adds extra air into the banana mixture. This method increases the lightness of your bread.
Make sure that it is plain gluten free flour that you are using as you will be using baking soda in this recipe, and self-rising flour has baking powder in it.
Sprinkle the walnuts or chocolate chips on top of the batter before it goes into the oven for a lovely appearance.
For a nut-free option you could add chocolate chips instead and make a chocolate chip banana bread or a different type of nut like pecans.