The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe (Vegan)
Jan 09, 2019 • Updated Nov 27, 2023
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This is the BEST, healthiest banana bread recipe and possibly the most delicious way to use up your ripe bananas. Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, and eggless! It’s perfect for a sweet breakfast or an afternoon snack with tea and is meal prep friendly too! Most importantly, this gluten-free banana bread is perfectly moist and easy to make.
The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Bread Recipe!
There are some recipes that just never get old, like this easy Gluten-Free Banana Bread recipe! It’s my favourite way to use ripe bananas when I’m not freezing them for smoothies, and one of YOUR favourite recipes too.
No, really, if you follow me on Instagram, you know I’m constantly re-posting your recreations, and this banana bread constantly tops the list of most-made recipes. It’s a classic banana bread made completely gluten free and vegan. Such an easy recipe with the BEST texture and delicious taste!
It’s also one of my most re-pinned recipes on Pinterest, so at this point, it’s safe to say it’s a crowd-pleaser!
What Makes This Recipe The Best
Before posting this recipe, I never thought to share how I make banana bread because, well, it’s one of those recipes that almost every food blogger has posted before. Even within the vegan community, you’ll find countless banana bread recipes.
So what makes this Gluten-Free Banana Bread recipe so different? To start, it’s eggless! But also refined sugar-free, and made without any added oil. Just about as healthy as it gets in my book, and what’s better than a delicious dessert that does the body good, too?
No eggs? How?! This eggless banana bread is delicious, moist, and really doesn’t have eggs! Instead, I use ground flax seeds mixed with water to create the same texture as an egg. You’d really never know the difference!
My gluten-free banana bread recipe is also so easy to customize. You can get crazy and throw in chocolate chips, or cacao powder to make a chocolate banana loaf. And you’re always welcome to get fancy and throw in additional ingredients like chopped nuts, dried fruit, or peanut butter, just to name a few. You can even make gluten-free banana muffins if you want.
It can also be frozen (does that count as a meal-prep-friendly dessert?), and you can toast it to enjoy it again within minutes. Now that I’ve convinced you, let’s make this bread!
How To Make Gluten Free Banana Bread
The recipe calls for very similar ingredients to that of my Fluffy Apple Loaf, because that recipe was actually inspired by THIS trusty go-to banana bread recipe.
It’s definitely fluffy, bursting with banana flavor, and pretty easy to make too. The hardest part is waiting for it to bake in the oven because it smells divine while it’s baking!
Ingredient Notes
- Bananas → Because you can’t have banana bread without mashed bananas in it! Use up extra bananas or those brown ones you froze a few months ago!
- Gluten-free flour → I use a blend of quinoa flour and oat flour, but I also love using garbanzo bean flour, which adds a little plant protein. You can also use gluten-free flour blends like King Arthur measure for measure or Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all purpose flour.
- Pure Maple syrup → This is the sweetener we’re using that not only adds moisture to this bread but also eliminates the need to use refined white or brown sugars. We’re not adding too much, because bananas are naturally sweet.
- Ground flax seeds → This is the key to making an eggless banana bread recipe. It’s called “flax eggs” and replaces what would be an egg in a traditional banana bread recipe. When ground and mixed with water, it creates this gelatinous texture that resembles the texture of an egg. Bonus: ground flax seeds are also an amazing source of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.
- A little almond butter → Adding just a touch to give the banana bread a boost of healthy plant fat! If you aren’t able to eat almonds, cashew butter or tahini could also work.
- Non-Dairy Milk + Apple Cider Vinegar → Choose your favorite plant-based milk.
- Baking staples → Vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare your baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. The pan I used measures roughly 8.5 x 4.4 inches. See notes below about baking dish recommendations.**
- In a small bowl, combine your non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for about 2 minutes or until slightly thicker. This creates a mock “buttermilk” effect.
- In a large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (maple syrup, mashed banana, nut butter, vanilla, almond milk mixture) along with your ground flax.
- Sift in your remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined and a smooth batter forms.
- Transfer the mixture to the lined baking pan and pop it into the oven for about 35-45 minutes (you may need to bake for additional 5-10 minutes if the mixture looks undercooked). I recommend starting with 35 minutes, checking by poking a toothpick into the center, and baking longer as needed. This time will vary based on the size/shape of the pan you’re using.
- Once baked and lightly golden brown on top, let the bread cool for 30 minutes before enjoying or slicing (I know, this is the hardest part!).
Secrets to Success
- B-A-N-A-N-A-S: My most important reminder–please use very, super duper, über ripe bananas. The spottier, the better. This is important because it will not only be the correct texture to mash but will also add enough moisture and sweetness to the batter. Using overripe bananas makes it easy to bake this bread without needing to add extra oil.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend: As mentioned, I like to use a blend of oat flour and chickpea flour. You can opt to use all oat flour as well, but I find the texture is much better when using a blend and less prone to becoming gummy or uncooked in the center. That’s the reality of gluten-free baking sometimes.
- Flour Alternative: If you’re not avoiding gluten, go ahead and use regular all-purpose wheat flour! You just want to keep an eye on the bake time as the bake time may vary slightly.
- For an Even Bake: I definitely recommend going with a wider, more shallow baking pan if you have one. You could even use a small casserole pan like this Staub 10.5 x 7.5 one if you’d like, to ensure that the center is baked through and not gummy. This is especially important if you’re not using the suggested flour mix and are using all oat flour.
- Parchment Paper: I highly recommend lining your baking dish with parchment paper, or greasing it so that the loaf won’t stick to the pan. I usually like to lay a small piece of parchment paper across my baking dish so that I can use it to gently lift the loaf out of the pan once it’s ready.
Serving Tips
- Once baked and lightly golden brown on top, allow the loaf to cool for 30 minutes before enjoying or slicing (I know, this is the hardest part!)!
- I like to wiggle a knife around the edges to loosen them before serving. Be gentle with your banana bread, friends!
- Slather some vegan butter on top or eat by itself.
Storage Tips
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Move to the refrigerator to extend the shelf life up to 5 days, though I know it will be gone before then! Because it’s eggless banana bread, it has a longer shelf life at room temperature, but in humid climates, bread is always best stored in the fridge.
- To freeze, let the loaf cool completely. Cut into individual slices or leave the loaf whole. Wrap in plastic wrap and place wrapped slices or loaf into an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Thaw overnight, toast up a slice, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
You may have forgotten the baking powder or baking soda. Baking is a science, and without exact, measured ingredients, bread can be especially tricky!
There are a few! 1. Forgetting ingredients (see question above!). 2. Not using exact measurements (because, science!). 3. Overmixing the batter. 4. Using under-ripened bananas (see my secrets to success above!).
Gluten-free flour can be tricky. Baking times are crucial. If your texture is gummy, your bread is underbaked. It’s really worth waiting for, I promise!
There are so many versions of egg replacements. You’re welcome to try one, but baking is again a science. This recipe has been tested with these exact dry and wet ingredients, so be mindful if you plan to make this eggless banana bread with something different.
Try These Delicious Vegan Treats
- Easy Pancake Bake
- Lemon Raspberry Poppyseed Muffins
- Fluffy Apple Crumble Loaf
- Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf
- Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies
If you try this recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and for a chance to be featured! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below.
The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Bread (no eggs or oil!)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup non-dairy milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas* roughly 3-4 bananas
- 2 heaping tablespoons creamy roasted almond butter or other nut/seed butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup quinoa flour
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare your baking pan by lining with parchment paper. The pan I used measures roughly 8.5 x 4.4 inches. See notes below about baking dish recommendations**
- In a small bowl, combine your non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for about 2 minutes or until slightly thicker. This creates a mock “buttermilk” effect.
- In a large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (maple syrup, mashed banana, nut butter, vanilla, almond milk mixture) along with your ground flax.
- Sift in your remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined and a smooth batter forms.
- Transfer mixture into lined baking pan and pop into the oven for about 35-45 minutes (you may need to bake for additional 5-10 minutes if mixture looks undercooked). I recommend starting with 35 minutes, checking by poking a toothpick into the center, and baking longer as needed. This time will vary based on the size/shape of the pan you’re using.
- Once baked and lightly golden brown on top, allow the loaf to cool for 30 minutes before enjoying or slicing (I know, this is the hardest part!).
Notes
Secrets to Success
- B-A-N-A-N-A-S: My most important reminder–please use very, super duper, über ripe bananas. The spottier, the better. This is important because it will not only be the correct texture to mash but will also add enough moisture and sweetness to the batter. Using overripe bananas makes it easy to bake this bread without needing to add extra oil.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend: As mentioned, I like to use a blend of oat flour and chickpea flour. You can opt to use all oat flour as well, but I find the texture is much better when using a blend and less prone to becoming gummy or uncooked in the center. That’s the reality of gluten-free baking sometimes.
- Flour Alternative: If you’re not avoiding gluten, go ahead and use regular all-purpose wheat flour! You just want to keep an eye on the bake time as the bake time may vary slightly.
- For an Even Bake: I definitely recommend going with a wider, more shallow baking pan if you have one. You could even use a small casserole pan like this Staub 10.5 x 7.5 one if you’d like, to ensure that the center is baked through and not gummy. This is especially important if you’re not using the suggested flour mix and are using all oat flour.
- Parchment Paper: I highly recommend lining your baking dish with parchment paper, or greasing it so that the loaf won’t stick to the pan. I usually like to lay a small piece of parchment paper across my baking dish so that I can use it to gently lift the loaf out of the pan once it’s ready.
Serving Tips
- Once baked and lightly golden brown on top, allow the loaf to cool for 30 minutes before enjoying or slicing (I know, this is the hardest part!)!
- I like to wiggle a knife around the edges to loosen them before serving. Be gentle with your banana bread, friends!
Storage Tips
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Move to the refrigerator to extend the shelf life up to 5 days, though I know it will be gone before then! Because it’s eggless banana bread, it has a longer shelf life at room temperature, but in humid climates, bread is always best stored in the fridge.
- To freeze, let the loaf cool completely. Cut into individual slices or leave the loaf whole. Wrap in plastic wrap and place wrapped slices or loaf into an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight, toast up a slice, and enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post may contain affiliate links.
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