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A recipe for Gluten-Free and Vegan Banana Bread that tastes equally as delicious as your traditional banana bread. No one will know it is gluten and dairy-free!
I often get asked why my recipes use certain flours/starches and why some are vegan while others are not. My recipes are almost always gluten-free because I eat gluten-free (most of the time), but as I’m sure you’ve discovered I am certainly not vegan or paleo or follow any real diet for that matter. Honestly, there is no rhyme or reason to it, my recipes come out the way they do entirely based on what I have on hand.
Sure I make the occasional grocery shop, but especially when it comes to baking there’s always different combinations that can yield the same result. I’m not about to go running out to the store to buy cornstarch and buckwheat if I already have tapioca flour and brown rice flour on hand. Same goes for eggs. If I’m out but have some flaxseed in the fridge, flax egg here we come. When there’s a will there’s a way!
Of course I’m also a sucker for a good science experiment. A while ago I read that mixing applesauce and baking powder can act as a binder instead of eggs. Obviously I forgot to write down where I read it or how to do it, but I gave it a shot and the baking gods must have been on my side because it actually worked out in this recipe.
I really had no intention of posting this recipe when I was baking it because I made it last-minute for C when I visited Montreal a few weeks ago. I sneakily made it gluten-free so I could eat it too. He was shocked at how good it was despite its “healthiness” (healthy food can taste good people!!!) that I knew I had to recreate and photograph it. I then made them into muffins when I catered and fooled everyone there too. I declare myself the banana bread queen because damnnnnn this.is.good.
The Best Ever Banana Bread {Gluten-Free & Vegan}
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 slices 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Bake
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Dry:
- 3/4 cup brown rice flour*
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp gluten-free oat flour (ground rolled oats)*
- 3/4 cup potato starch*
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch*
- 1 tsp xanthan gum**
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet:
- 1/2 cup applesauce, warmed up and then mixed with ½ tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 4 ripe bananas
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 cup chocolate chips or nuts (or a combination)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with coconut oil or non-stick spray (bread is big so don’t use a smaller sized pan)
- Combine all dry ingredients and set aside.
- In a separate bowl mash up bananas. Add in warm applesauce (premixed with baking powder), melted coconut oil, maple syrup, almond milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just combined.
- Add in chocolate chips or nuts if desired.
- Scoop batter into pan and bake for 55-60 mins.
- Remove from oven and let cool for at least 30 mins before removing from pan and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Will keep in a sealed container on counter for up to 5 days.
*Or replace brown rice flour, oat flour, tapioca flour and potato starch with 2 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp of regular all-purpose or whole wheat flour.
**If using regular all-purpose or whole wheat omit xanthan gum
***Can also be made into 12 large muffins (bake for 25-30 mins or until top is brown and springs back)
Like this recipe? Check out some of my other baked goods!
Yum! I love banana bread, especially if it’s a healthy one 🙂 My best ever recipe would probably have to be my healthy cheesecake or sticky toffee pudding!
I’m not a cheesecake person but I would do just about anything for some sticky toffee pudding right about now!
Looks delicious! I’ll have to keep this one in mind. I see a lot of kiddos that can’t have gluten or cow’s milk so this would be perfect!!
I looooove banana bread and the fact that you put chocolate chips in it makes you my hero!
wow that was easy!
I don’t have a ton of time to experiment. I’m lucky when I actually get dinner on the table 😉 This looks easier than I thought… but please, chocolate chips are not optional.
Oh man this looks amazing! My roomie is gluten free so I’m passing on the recipe to her. 🙂
Thanks Mary! I hope she enjoys 🙂
Ok I definitely would never be able to do what you do just adding random ingredients! I shop with a list and the only time I get “creative” is when I have things on hand that so obviously go together. Like I made tacos and then I “creatively” decide to make southwestern eggs. You catch me!? 🙂
well whatever you’re doing it’s working!!!
Oh man this looks good. And not too much sugar, either, for the entire loaf (maybe I’m just open to lots of maple syrup?? 🙂 ) I would love to try it sometime, I just have to get some overly ripe bananas to last long enough in my kitchen!! (I usually eat every last one)
Oh this looks so moist! I have been making Green banana muffins to have for breakfast throughout the week. I might have to try this recipe next time…. Maybe I could add spinach too.
LOVE THE BAKING POWDER + APPLESAUCE TRICK. My stuff always falls apart. Probably because it’s literally like bananas-applesauce-other stuff that is healthy. I also ALWAYS forget eggs or baking powder/soda if I’m making something on my own. Slowly but surely I’m picking things up and learning more things every time. I haven’t experimented much lately (minus the amazingness that is quinoa breakfast muffin) – actually, just kidding, I thought about four things I’ve made lately. I’m such a liar.
I think you just had a minor epiphany on my blog! #honored
I have actually never tried making a gluten free banana bread, great recipe, maybe I should give it a shot.