I can’t shake the fact that banana bread is still my favorite baked good (probably of all time), even after all these years.
Nothing quite beats a thick slice of banana bread with a little nut butter and a cup of tea or coffee.
Since creating our 1-Bowl Gluten-Free Banana Bread several years ago, I’ve wanted to perfect an egg-free version. You guys seem to LOVE that recipe, and dare I say this vegan version is even better? I know — bold claim. But so true. Let me show you how it’s done!
This 1 bowl recipe starts with a flax egg and mashed ripe banana — 3 ripe bananas to be exact.
Then it’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar, moistened with a small amount of avocado or coconut oil, and gets a boost of healthy fats and protein from almond butter!
For the dry ingredients I stuck with our tried and true Gluten-Free Flour Blend, almond meal, and rolled oats. This combo just seems to work in quick breads.
Walnuts add a nice crunch (and a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids). Plus, they take the aesthetic up a notch.
After about 1 hour in the oven, your house will smell like heaven in a loaf pan. Behold: The Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread of my dreams.
We hope you LOVE this bread. It’s:
Tender on the inside
Golden brown on the outside
Naturally sweet
Incredibly hearty
Satisfying
& So, so delicious
This would make the perfect breakfast on the go, hearty snack, or healthier treat. Banana bread is just versatile like that. Enjoy as is or pair with a bit of almond butter or peanut butter and you’re living the good life.
Into this banana bread? Try our Vegan Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls, Banana Bread Granola, Vegan Banana Crumble Muffins, Vegan Nutella Banana Bread, and Vegan Banana Nut Muffins for 2!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Amazing vegan, gluten-free banana bread made in 1 bowl! Wholesome ingredients, naturally sweetened, and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 batch flax egg* (1 flax egg = 1 Tbsp / 7g flaxseed meal + 2.5 Tbsp /37 ml water)
- 3 medium ripe bananas (3 bananas yield ~1.5 cups or 425 g)
- 1/4 heaping cup unsalted almond butter (or sub other nut or seed butter)
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or sub organic brown sugar)
- 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup (or sub agave nectar or coconut nectar)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other dairy-free milk, such as rice or hemp)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 ¾ cup almond meal (ground from raw almonds)
- 1 ¼ cup gluten-free flour blend*
- 1 ⅓ cup gluten-free oats
- 1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease.
-
Prepare flax egg in a large mixing bowl and let rest for 5 minutes. Then add ripe, peeled banana and mash well with a fork. You want it pretty smooth.
-
Add almond butter, avocado oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, sea salt, and almond milk and whisk to combine. Add baking powder, almond meal, gluten-free flour blend, and gluten-free oats and stir well to combine. Lastly, add half of the walnuts and stir to combine.
-
Pour into the pan and smooth with a spoon. Top with remaining walnuts. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. When done, the loaf should feel firm and be crackly and golden brown on top (see photo). A toothpick or knife should come out clean (or with very few crumbs).
-
Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully loosen sides with a knife or pull up on the parchment paper to transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before cutting or it will be tender and tend to crumble. It’s even better the next day!
-
Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. Slice and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or toaster oven until tender and warmed through.
Notes
*If subbing chicken eggs for flax eggs, 1 flax egg generally = 1 small chicken egg.
*If not gluten-free, use unbleached all-purpose flour or spelt flour in place of the gluten-free blend.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 9)
- Calories: 458
- Fat: 24.5g
- Saturated fat: 2.2g
- Sodium: 322mg
- Potassium: 455mg
- Carbohydrates: 54.8g
- Fiber: 6.7g
- Sugar: 19.6g
- Protein: 10.3g
can i use wheat flour instead?
We haven’t tried it, but it might work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Thank you, I have enjoyed your presentations before and continue to appreciate you and learn.
I’ve been trying to make a gf vegan banana bread and it always comes out soggy and gluey on the inside. The one I made this morning used almond flour and arrowroot, and it’s currently in slices in the toaster oven because I’m trying to dry out the insides. I’d like to try yours but I can’t tolerate oats, and I’m wondering if I can sub additional gf baking mix, or some other combination of flours. Thanks!
Hi Heide, we would recommend replacing the quantity of oats with a half and half mixture of almond meal and our gluten-free flour blend. Hope that helps
Hi
I’m a new mum and my bub is dairy free and egg free. As he’s being growing and now eating solids I have found it really hard to buy ready made food for him as well as trying to made things that don’t use dairy or egg. This website has changed my life and This recipe is gold!!! My son and I love it and make it regularly. He might also be Cealiac and I’m so happy to read other people’s comments about using other flours in it so I might give this a go too. I have also made the zucchini cake on this website and it’s also a winner!!
Hi Rhian, we are so glad you both are able to enjoy this, Rhian! Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Wishing you all the best! xo
I really liked it, but I will cut sugar next time, turn to be too sweet for me :)
Other then great – loved it!
Thanks for sharing, Alla!
Hi! Did you use a regular oven or a convection oven?
Thanks!
Regular oven
This was amazing. Did everything the same, but used regular sugar. The crunchy top was my favorite, thinking of making as muffins next time to get more crunchiness to myself! Eating vegan for 4 months now- I love to bake and have found it challenging to make yummy/healthy vegan recipes. This one goes in my permanent recipe book! Great job!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jamie! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Hi Dana!
I’m a college student with limited kitchen supplies, and since I don’t have a bread loaf pan, I want to try making this in a cast iron skillet. Do you think this would work, and if so, how would I change the oven temperature/time?
Thank you so much!
Hi Sydney, we haven’t tried it, but it might work. We would suggest reducing the oven temperature (perhaps by 25 degrees F) since the cast iron will hold heat and may cause the edges to brown sooner. As for the time, try starting with a little less time and then check every 3-5 minutes after. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
There is no gf flour here. Can I just make it with oat and almond flour? What would be the ratio amounts in cups?
Can I replace coconut sugar maple syrup for dates?
Hi there! That’s a lot of swaps and we can’t guarantee the results. But if you give it a try let us know how it goes!
My daughter who has multiple food allergies loves this bread. She likes to warm it up and put Earth Balance butter on top. It’s not as sweet as most banana breads and that’s the way we like it. Thanks!
Wonderful! Thanks, Shari!
Thank you sooo much for your work. This recipe is so ?
Whoop! Thanks, Emilie!
Can you use oat flour instead of the gf flour blend? Love your recipes.
Thanks
Hi Denise, we think it would end up quite dense. But if you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Oat flour tends to make things very light and fluffy. Like with chocolate chip cookies, I’ve found that.
I used peanut butter when making this, cut down the sugar a little bit in favor of adding 1/2 cup of chocolate chips as well, and used regular flour. Everything else was exactly as the recipe said, and it came out perfect with a beautiful soft texture!
Lovely – thanks for sharing, Elena!
I did not like this recipe at all. I feel like the nut butter adds a weird flavor to the bread. And the consistency seems a bit soft-like it doesn’t firm up once baked. That being said, my boyfriend loved it. So, maybe it’s just my personal preference
Hi, is it possible your nut butter was old? If so, the rancidity could be causing an odd flavor. As for the consistency, this recipe is on the more soft and tender side. Better luck next time!
And, with dense “breads” like this, let them cool down completely first.
Hi!
Love your recipes. Can I use buckwheat instead of the gluten free flour?
Best regards,
Astrid
Hi there! We haven’t tried that variation, but if you do let us know how it goes!
So I’ve made this recipe at least 20 times and modified it a bit. It’s the PERFECT breakfast. I brought some to work one day and one of my coworkers literally paid me to make her 2 loaves. I’m not gluten free and use whole meal flour, I just add it carefully until the batter consistency is right. I’ve used just whole meal, which makes it dense but still perfect. I’ve also used oats and whole meal which is the best consistency: moist, light, but still holds together well. I’ve also tried it with brown rice flour, the consistency came out similar to corn bread. I’ve used peanut butter and the flavor is very strong, but if you use local honey instead of maple I find the peanut butter flavor is not too intense. I’ve also shredded 1 carrot and added golden raisins and walnuts without changing much else in the recipe (using whole meal flour) … and it turned out perfectly. Anyway, THANK YOU. This recipe is my breakfast life now. You’re a baking LEGEND!
Thank you so much for the lovely review, Sara! And for sharing all your tips! So glad you and your coworkers enjoy it! xo
Such an amazing recipe! Made two loaves and brought one into work for my coworkers. They all said it was the best banana bread they’ve ever had. This will be the only banana bread I make from now on!
So kind! Thanks for sharing, Anni!
Sorry. Mine was a brick. Smelled great, but it was horribly heavy. Followed the recipe to the letter except I used Bob’s Egg replacer. Made 12 muffins & a small loaf for a party and was embarrassed to put them out. Ugh.
On the other hand, I made your Zucchini Chocolate Loaf & it was a real hit. Party-goers loved it. Cakey, brownie-like texture. Great taste.
But you let me down on the banana bread. ☹️
Hi Donna, sorry to hear this didn’t turn out for you! It is on the more dense side, but it shouldn’t have been heavy. We wonder if the egg replacer might have been the issue?
Hello!
I am really interested in baking the 1-bowl vegan gluten free banana bread.
Can you please explain to me what is meant by 1 “batch” flax egg?
Thank you!
Hi Mussarat, 1 “batch” flax egg means 1 flax egg = 1 Tbsp / 7g flaxseed meal + 2.5 Tbsp /37 ml water. Hope that helps!
Hi Dana, this recipe looks delicious. At the moment I’m on a very restrictive liver detox diet which means it’s
gluten free
Dairy free
Sugar free
Alcohol free
Caffeine free
Which is why I thought I’d look up recipes that were vegan/ gluten free. I’ve read done of the comments regarding b the maple syrup but obviously I can’t use it. What would happen if I used Stevie or erythritol instead? (I don’t have liquid Stevia either)
Thanks
You could try it! I don’t have recommendations on quantities of stevia, so start small, taste the batter and work your way up!
Thanks so much Dana. I will try and then let you know.
Would almond flour work instead of almond meal?
Yes!
Really!!! So it doesn’t change the consistency or anything? I couldn’t make the almond meal myself, so I’ve been looking for it and couldn’t find it at my local shops 😥.
It should be fine!
This turned out perfectly! I am NOT a baker, but I love to cook, and several of your dinner recipes are in my weekly rotation. I subbed unbleached all purpose flour for the gluten free blend and used almond flour for almond meal. I will definitely make this again.
Hi Dana, I have a question! I would love to bake this bread and add in veggie pulp from juicing. Doing this is very similar to adding zucchini to a recipe. Do you have any suggestions on whether or not adding a zucchini to this recipe would work? Would I need to change another aspect of the recipe? I realize I will be experimenting, but any insight from the pro would be appreciated! Thank you!
Hmm, I’ve never tried that. What kind of pulp are you planning on using? For instance, celery is super stringy and I couldn’t recommend it. Carrot and apple, on the other hand, would be great here. Let me know if you give it a try!
Can you use almond flour instead of almond meal?
Yes!
Hi there!
It’s been so hot lately, was wondering if I could bake it in a toaster oven? Mine has convection and regular settings. The bananas are going black and I didnt want to toss them. Anything to prevent heating up the kitchen!!
Thanks!
DRenee
Hi DRenee, we haven’t tried that, but it might work! Depending on the size of your toaster oven and placement of the racks, you may need to cover with foil to prevent it from browning before baking fully. Let us know if you give it a try!
How did it go?
Hey, I see a lot of your recipes include flax egg what could I use instead?
Hi Lea, for this recipe, you can sub a chicken egg if not vegan. Otherwise, perhaps a chia egg? Though we haven’t tried it and cannot guarantee results!
I made this and did forget the maple syrup, but followed everything else. However, it was too dry and dense. Heated up in the microwave for 30 seconds with vegan butter and it was better, but still not a moist banana bread.
Hi Cathy, That could definitely happen without the maple syrup. We recommend you give it another try with the syrup!
This is delicious! So happy with how well the flax egg works!!! Have read about it a lot, but they actually work! I have made them as muffins and as a loaf. I also added a little bit of cinnamon.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lana. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
I want to try this recipe but I only have Green Banana Flour! Do you think that would still work for this?
Hi Sterling, we haven’t used green banana flour and aren’t sure how it would work! We would love to hear what you learn if you do some experimenting!
Dana,
I want to know which maple flavoring do you like to use. I used to use one I thought was good, but then I found out today that it is an extract.
Thanks,
I appreciate your advice.
Lynda
Hi Lynda, we haven’t used maple flavoring, but instead use pure maple syrup in this recipe. Hope that helps!
Do you use quick oats or old fashioned oats?
Hi Sharma, we used old fashioned rolled oats. Hope that helps!
Can I use chia seeds instead of flax for the egg?
Hi Rachita, we haven’t tried that, but it might work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Beautiful, gluten free banna bread loaf! Another awesome recipe :)
Hi! This recipe looks wonderful, but I was wondering if I could use White Whole Wheat Flour in place of the gluten-free blend?
I think so, but we haven’t tried it. Let us know if you do!
Delicious! I’ve tried a few banana bread recipes and this is by far the best. My first slice was satisfyingly filling where others have not been. It was just sweet enough, but not too sweet. The walnuts are decadent throughout and add a wonderful crunch on the top. I made two loaves thinking I’d give one away as a gift. But now I’m not too sure! Looking forward to my second slice for breakfast already.
Finally made this recipe and it was delicious! The bread turned out a little dense and underbaked after 1hr 15 min so I put it back in for another 20 with foil on top – perfect! Next time, I’ll probably split into two smaller loaf pans. Thanks for the recipe, Dana!
Thank you, Minimalist Baker! I’ve finally found the perfect gluten free and vegan banana bread recipe!! Made this and it turned out beautifully!! I used quinoa flakes instead of rolled oats to make this gluten free for Coeliacs, 2T maple syrup, 1/3c coconut sugar, and the batter looked a bit thick/dry so I added a couple splashes more almond milk. Otherwise everything else was as per recipe. The banana bread had the loveliest tender, cakey texture that I haven’t been able to achieve with other gluten free banana bread recipes! I’m so happy right now :-D
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Jade. xo
Can you use a store bought gluten free mix like Bob Mill’s?
We haven’t tested it that way, but if you do let us know how it goes!
Oh please let me know how’d it go. I planned on making it myself with Bob mills brand of GF biscuit and baking mix. Thx.
Question! My son is obsessed with my banana bread. Unfortunately it’s a traditional recipe and filled with allergens. He’s allergic to tons of foods and can’t have almond meal (or any nuts other than coconut). Can I leave out or substitute the almond meal in this recipe?
If he can have eggs that would help a ton because I’ve found banana + coconut flour and no eggs = mush. You could try subbing in a blend of more oats and gluten-free blend in place of almond meal though. Let us know if you give it a try!
I followed the recipe exactly as written except to add cinnamon. I baked it for 70 minutes and let it cool until room temperature. It sank tremendously after baking and the inside was complete mush. The taste was pretty good but we felt that was partially helped by my addition of cinnamon.
Hmm, which gluten-free blend did you use?
It was a good recipe but came out a tad bit dry. I’m sure if this didn’t happen I would have loved it more because everything else has turned out that I’ve made!
Interesting! Perhaps it was slightly overbaked?!
This recipe was deliciously filling and not super sweet. It’s definitely going on my “make again list.” I made two mini loaves and 5 muffins from this recipe. The muffins took about 35min to cook the mini loaf pans about 40min.
Is it just me or are there two separate recipes listed for this cake? I made it before with apple sauce in the ingredients list and it turned out really well. The second time around the batter is so dry – no way it will pour. Followed the recipe and double-checked quantities- really not sure what went wrong.
Hi Richelle, we don’t have a banana bread recipe with applesauce, but we have an Apple Carrot Snack Cake with both apple and banana in it. Could you clarify more about the recipe so we can help point you in the right direction?
Amazing! Pairs well will the homemade Nutella recipe!
Hey there,
Thanks for all the great recipes. One thing – I’m allergic to nuts. What can I substitute for the walnuts and almond meal?
Thanks!
Hi Rich, Though we haven’t tried doing so, we think you could try a seed meal or something that isn’t a flour consistency to keep the bread light in texture. Hope that helps!
Soooooo yummy! Thank you for your recipes Dana! I did not have a nut butter on hand so I skipped it! I added cinnamon and vegan chocolate chips! Both recipes that I have made from this site have been excellent! Excited to keep trying more of your creations!
So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for sharing, Michelle!
I’ve made and eaten a lot of banana bread. This was my first gluten free and vegan version. It is also now my favorite version!
Hi Dana,
I like your website and approach to vegan cooking.
I have made a number of your recipes and enjoyed them.
My mouth was watering when I saw the one bowl banana bread recipe.
Made it in a bread loaf pan.
It was gorgeous, smelled heavenly, but it was like a brick on the inside.
Only change is that I subbed apple sauce for oil otherwise followed instructions to the letter.
Not sure what went wrong.
Guess that just happens from time to time.
Do you have any suggestions?
Undaunted going to try your one pot easy lentil soup next.
Hi Leslie, thanks so much for your kind words! We are so glad you enjoy our recipes! Our best guess is that the applesauce made it dense. Perhaps try with the oil next time, if possible? Hope that helps!
Dana, is there any way to substitute gluten free oatmeal in this recipe for Banana bread? My Mom is Celiac, but cannot tolerate GF oats?
Thanks so much.
Hi Kathryn, we would recommend replacing the quantity of oats with a half and half mixture of almond meal and our gluten-free flour blend. Also, if not vegan, we would recommend subbing the flax egg for 1 large egg to help with texture. Hope that helps!
Hi Dana!
I made this recipe today and am having trouble figuring out where I went wrong! The bread turned out nicely browned and crispy on the outside, but the inside was total mush. (Still super delicious though!)
I used blanched almond flour in place of almond meal since that’s what I had on hand, and the gluten-free flour I used was Bob’s Red Mill Grain-Free Paleo Flour (a mix of almond flour, arrowroot starch, coconut flour and tapioca flour). I also left out the oats.
Hi Meghan, we think that the paleo flour and/or the lack of oats may have been why it didn’t turn out as expected. Hope that helps!
This bread is the bomb. Soooo hearty & wonderful & filling. Bakes like a vegan dream.
Hello! I just made your black bean brownies and could not believe how amazing they were! Really finding these has been a miracle as my baby boy is allergic to anything and everything (nuts, wheat, dairy, sesame, avacado and egg). And he likes these! AND I absolutely love them too! Thank you!
One question about the banana bread: Can you substitute the almond meal with anything? Like more flour?
Laura
Hi Laura, Though we haven’t tried doing so, we think you could try walnut meal, a seed meal, or something that isn’t a flour consistency to keep the bread light in texture. Hope that helps!
Excellent! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I add craisins, cut up dates, cut up figs, cinnamon, and extra walnuts. Keep up the good work.
Have just gone to make these a second time and realized I completely left out the almond butter last time! Still SO delicious – following the recipe this time around and making muffins with added dark chocolate chunks and carob chips, and sure they will be just as amazing. Dana you make vegan + gluten-free so easy and delicious, THANK YOU!
Delicious! And, as you said, it WAS even better the next day! A bit crumbly, yes, but who cares?
Made this with apple sauce in place of oil and about 1/3 c brown sugar instead of coconut sugar (didn’t have it!). Baked for 12 muffins at 375 for about 35/40 min. Turned out delicious but a bit sticky probably bc of apple sauce instead of oil!
Made this today. Made muffins as others have done. Only change I made was to add cinnamon and mini chocolate chips to half the batter for variety. I have silicone muffin tins and I baked them at 375 for 26 minutes. They were lovely and I am having a hard time limiting my kids consumption. Oh and I doubled the recipe. It made 28 regular size muffins.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Elle!
can’t wait to try them – Farhat Sweets
Hi there. Love love love your recipes and just purchased your cookbook ??. We are not a gluten-free family so can regular flour be substituted in all your recipes?
Typically yes! Just watch the texture and bake time as flours can vary in absorbency and require more / less bake time.
Delicious!! I used an egg instead of the flax egg and sprouted spelt flour instead of the gluten free flour blend. I also made this into muffins, 16 to be exact, filled right to the top of the lined muffin pan. They baked for 20 minutes. I love that they are more hearty than traditional banana bread. My kids loved them also!! Thanks for another delicious recipe
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Britt!
Awesome…..thanks for sharing. I was also wanting to try spelt flour! :)
My go to weekly muffins! They’re perfect! So many great ingredients! ?
Thanks, Nichole!!
I am so thankful for your blog, and I have been for years! This banana bread was AMAZING. Seriously to die for. Thank you for providing a place where vegan and GF folks like me can find a mind blowing recipe time after time. Can’t wait to see what vegan delights are next to come!
Thanks for sharing, Sara!! So glad you liked it.
Looks like my dream breakfast treat! I need to dig into a slice ASAP. Have you tried this recipe with olive oil? I would love to know how it would result in the loaf!
We haven’t, but let us know if you do! I’m sure it’d be lovely.
Hey lady :) Can you let me know if you tried it with the olive oil please. If so, how did it come out? Thx.
I love your recipes! Can I sub the oats for oat flour to make the texture more like traditional banana bread? Also please make a basic gf blueberry muffin recipe!
You can try that but we haven’t and are not sure if it will turn out. Let us know how it goes!
Hello,
I am new to your recipes, but I love what I have tried! For both this recipe and the 4 ingredient vegan brownies, I have needed much more cook time than you advise. My oven is calibrated. I’m wondering… when you say loaf pan, do you mean a small loaf pan or the one that is closer to the length of a loaf of bread in the store. Thank you!
Susan
Hi Susan, thanks for trying out our recipes- glad to hear you have liked them. We use this loaf pan. Hope that helps!
This was fantastic! Moist and flavorful. I baked half of the batter in a half-sized loaf pan for about 30 minutes, and then the rest as muffins for about 15 minutes. Delicious, thank you!
thanks, Nora!!
Thanks for sharing, Elle! Next time would you mind leaving a rating? It’s super helpful for us and other readers! xo
Followed the recipe exactly and it came out great! A little dense but very yummy. Some pieces crumbled slightly when I cut them but I was okay with having to eat those pieces ?. Thanks for the great recipe!
I made this awesome hearty banana bread and now it is my favorite banana bread. It turns out hudge. I like those big slices and we just eat it without adding anything on it. It has a perfect light sweetness to it and I added the Three TBSPs of maple flavoring. We had the choice of two to three. I cooked mine for 1 15 min. Because of the size of it and that was perfect.
Way to go Dana?
Lovely, thanks Lynda!
All I have is almond flour, I don’t have almond meal. Can I use this instead? Can I cut almond meal and just substitute GF flour blend for almond meal?
Amazing, easy! So delicious! I can’t believe how well it rose in the oven, I have the worst time with that and gluten free baking!!! Love love love this recipe going to see if I can adapt it to other breads like pumpkin ??? thank you Minimalist Baker!
Thanks for sharing, Bridget!
I love that your nutritional info is for 1 of 9 slices instead of 1 of 12 or so just to get the calorie count down because lets be real, who can actually get 12 slices out of a loaf of banana bread?! :D
Ha – that’s what we thought ;D
I made this today and I was really curious to see what the texture would be like as it’s the first time I’ve not used egg in a cake from a recipe – I’ve experimented without egg but I haven’t always had success!
I’m used to a slightly different texture as we cook gluten free in our home so I was very happy with this recipe’s texture. Despite me liking the texture I did slice the banana bread very thickly to avoid it falling apart.
I didn’t have almond butter at hand so I substituted with tahini and I did add lots of spices as my family love cinnamon. Without measuring I would estimate that I added a teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/2 a teaspoon of nutmeg and about 4 teaspoons of cinnamon! I’m really happy with the flavour result.
Also, I had a bit more mixture than would fit in my loaf pan so I used my silicon moulds to make 6 extra muffins with some whole walnuts on top. These worked really well and I actually think that next time I might make them all in the muffin moulds as this avoids the need to cut the loaf into slices which can be a little bit challenging.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Tracey! Letting it cool overnight and slicing thick slices (as you mentioned) can be helpful for that. Glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe turned out great! I swapped out gluten free flour blend for buckwheat flour (which is also gluten free), I only needed 1.5 cups and omitted the almond flour and walnuts to save on cost. I added dark chocolate chips which were obviously great. (How can you not love chocolate?) Next time I would add an extra banana as the flavour got lost a bit and it wasn’t as moist as I’d like, probably due to the buckwheat! Otherwise fabulous recipe as always :)
Dana,
I will make this soon thanks to you for sending the recipe to me. I have everything I
need to make it and I am crazy about the way you put the walnuts right on top! I like that look. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm
Thanks again,
Lynda?
I have been craving banana bread ever since seeing this recipe so I finally decided to make it today! I made them into muffins and used a combo of whole wheat and spelt flour instead of the GF and they turned out so well. It actually made 18 decent sized muffins so I’ll be freezing some!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Chandler!
I made the mix into muffins and they were delicious. I used peanut butter and cashew nut milk.
Yay! Thanks, Caro!
Hi Dana I made this recipe and I noticed it didn’t call for any type of extract. I had vanilla and banana extracts and it didn’t occur to me until after I made it that it didn’t call for the extract. I feel like using it would have helped the flavor more. Is there a reason for not using an extract?
Hi Gracie, we didn’t find it to need any, but you are welcome to add vanilla extract if you would like!
Will brown rice flour work instead of GF Flour Blend or Spelt Flour? I have a sensitivity to Spelt and I’m supposed to minimize wheat. Any other GF options that would work and still make it moist?
I’d say a GF blend would be preferred as brown rice on its own has a very strong flavor. You might be able to get away with just oats and almond flour if you subbed an egg or two for the flax egg. But we haven’t tried that and can’t guarantee the results!
This turned out amazingly! I’m somewhat new to your recipes as I’ve only recently (1 month) decided to eat more of a plant based diet and cut animal products. I’ve enjoyed every recipe I’ve attempted, but this one was the best by far. My entire family loved it and it’s a great way to use those really ripe bananas that might otherwise get thrown away (or frozen for smoothies). I’m so glad to have stumbled upon your site.
Lovely! Thanks, Brooke!
Hi Dana,
Do you think I could use this batter and bake in muffin cups instead of a bread pan? Will I need to bake for longer or for less time? Thanks!!
I cooked some of my batter in muffin cups and they came out really good. I cooked them at 180 Celcius for 22 minutes.
Thanks for sharing, Tracey!
I made this last night and substituted whole wheat flour for the GF flour. The taste is lovely and it baked up nicely but it doesn’t hold together when sliced. It is very moist, maybe too much so?? I’m thinking next time to use half whole wheat and half all-purpose. Love the addition of almond flour and oats!
Hmm, we found ours to hold together nicely! We haven’t tested it with whole wheat or unbleached flour so perhaps that was the issue. Glad you enjoyed the flavor!
I think my problem was that I under baked it.
So easy and delicious, the perfect loaf with a cup of tea. Even my non vegan or gf friends and family loved it and didn’t even notice. Lovely taste and texture.
Whoop! Thanks, Amy!
Hi Dana, This is SOOO GOOD. Moist, flavorful, tastes like a slice of love. I added 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1t ground cinnamon, for extra yumminess. Will make this again and again. Thank you so much!!! P.S. I’ve used your gf flour blend in lots of other recipes and it works perfectly every time. I’m very grateful not to have so much guesswork.
Ooh, smart! Lovely additions! Thanks for sharing, Leah. xo
I just made this this afternoon. It is delicious but very crumbly and doens’t hold up when sliced. I followed the recipe almost exactly – ran out of almond meal so had to use ground hazelnuts for 1/8 cup, otherwise i had everything else. i threw in chocolate chips as well since I had them in the house.
Thanks for sharing, Abigail! Did you let it cool completely before slicing?
Hi! I was wondering is it necessary to have walnuts or any hard nuts in it because i’m not really a fan of nuts in baked goods?
Nah, you can leave them out! Or sub CHOCOLATE CHIPS THO.
Well firstly I must let you know I have Never cooked any type of cake in my life before! The recipe is easy to follow and I took note of some of the comments in the thread which I always find helpful. So I used 3 eggs/2.5 cups almond flour/ half cup of coconut flour. The rest of the recipe I stayed pretty faithful to. :) I cooked it for 1 hour open then under loose tin foil for another 20 minutes. It cooled down enough for me and my wife to have a slice each when still warm. Delicious and she was staggered when I told her how I made it. So as a man in my late 60’s baking this cake successfully as a first time Baker can make it then lots of hope for every other novice out there! Keep up the great recipes this is my third of yours to try and my roast pepper and tomato soup is nearly ready now… Yummy thanks
Woohoo! So glad it worked out for you, David! Thanks for the lovely review! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Hi Dana! I looOooOooove all kinds of banana bread too. My girlfriend is vegan so I am excited to make this for her! Can I use applesauce instead of flax egg?
Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
I’m not sure but think that could work! Let us know if you give it a try. xo!
Can I use store bought gluten free all purpose flour instead of making it myself?
This looks amazing. I cant wait till my bananas ripen
We haven’t tested it with any gluten-containing flours yet, but suspect you could sub the GF blend out with all purpose flour 1:1. Let us know how it goes!
I live at a high altitude (5,336ft), We usually adjust our recipes by adding additional flour and liquid. Would we need to adjust this recipe? If so, what are your recommendations, please?
Hmm, I’m no expert in that area. I’d say adjust how you normally adjust!
Can i use frozen bananas that are defrosted or would that the recipe too moist? thanks
I haven’t tested it that way. I think it should work, but let us know if you try it! Usually that’s fine. If the batter appears too runny, compensate with more dry ingredients of your choice.
My flax eggs haven’t been setting up. Do you know what could be the problem? I thought maybe it was old so I bought a new bag of flax but it still doesn’t set up.
Well, they should only slightly thicken. So if they don’t, maybe you added too much water?
I find using warm water is the trick!
Hi
My son is on a limited sugar diet. So could I use honey instead of maple syrup?
Thanks
I think that should work well!
Looks amazing!! Trying to avoid added sugar though…do you think it would be ok without the coconut sugar/just being sweetened from the banana? Can’t wait to try!
We haven’t tried it, but let us know if you do!!
Dana,
I’m new to your site, but looking forward to trying out your recipes. You are the first blogger I’ve found that eats like I do—plant focused and gluten free. I have some additional food allergies too, so I’m wondering how you find the calories and nutritional analysis when you create new recipes? I’d like to be able to do this if I need to adjust any ingredients.
Thanks
Hi Deborah! Thanks for the kind words. We have a nutritionist calculate the nutrition information for our recipes. Hope that helps!
In your nutrition guide, it says 24 grams of fat? Is that right? Numbers don’t add up if you add the 2 fats and divide by 9 servings but then again that is my guess.
We’ll double check and make any updates if needed! Thanks for asking, Kathryn!
Could I substitute almond butter with anything else like apple sauce?
Hmm, I’m not sure how that would work. I might even suggest a little more oil instead. But if you try that let us know how it goes!
Sorry about that, Sara. We just unsubscribed you.
This looks delicious. Is there anything you can substitute the oats with ? I am allergic to them and miss out on so many things. I would love to try this. Thank you.
I’d say they could easily be substituted with more almond meal or more chopped nuts!
Thank you, can’t wait to try it!
Can I make this without the added coconut sugar? I don’t like things too sweet.
Thanks!
It’s worth a shot! Let us know if you give it a try. I don’t find this bread overly sweet, though.
I made it with 1/8 cup of sugar and it was fine… it wasn’t sweet but I like it that way :) thanks it was an easy and yummy recipe :)
Thanks for sharing, Katrina!
What’s the purpose of the almond meal? It’s the only ingredient I don’t have in and wondering if I can leave it out. This recipe looks totally deeeelish. Thanks!
I’ve found almond meal, when blended with oats and the gluten-free blend, just creates a nice texture in vegan baked goods. It adds a little nuttiness but also contributes to a light, not gummy texture. If replacing it, I’d suggesting considering walnut meal, a seed meal, or something that isn’t a flour consistency to keep the bread light in texture. Hope that helps!
Also, can it be something nut free? My daughter is allergic to tree nuts. I appreciate, thanks!
If not gluten free, do you also sub all purpose flour for the almond meal, or just the gluten free blend?
I would sub it only for the GF blend. The almond meal actually adds nuttiness and light texture. Hope that helps!
Any way to do this without oil? Or will it mess up the texture?
Hi Zach, we haven’t tried that and can’t guarantee it will turn out, but you could try subbing the oil for additional almond butter or applesauce. Hope that helps!
Can you sub anything for the almond flour that is GF? My daughter is allergic to almonds. Thank you
I’m thinking walnut meal would be nice!
Should we use the xantham gum in the gf flour blend recipe? Is there any way you can specify for future recipes? I never know when I should be adding it to the blend. Thanks for the recipe!
Erin, you can add it to the blend because in this recipe b/c the banana and flax help bind, I don’t find it critical.
How is coconut sugar considered a natural sweetener? I’m doing no processed sugar right now and would love to make this bread!
Anna, it’s just a lower glycemic sugar option and closer to the natural source. If you’re doing no processed sugar you could try sweetening with stevia?
Can almond flour be used instead of almond meal?
Yes!
Looks delicious!
Do you think I could use spelt flour instead of the GF flour? And, if not, is there another substitute you’d recommend?
I do!
Says in the notes that you can.
Notes
*If subbing chicken eggs for flax eggs, 1 flax egg generally = 1 small chicken egg.
*If not gluten-free, use unbleached all-purpose flour or spelt flour in place of the gluten-free blend.
This looks amazing, I’m not much of a baker but I’m saving this recipe to give it a go! I think banana bread is great because it’s basically a breakfast cake. This recipe look delicious, especially the added walnuts. Do you think any other kind of nuts would go well in here too, perhaps pecans? And would you keep the amount of nuts the same, or would it be ok to add extras (I know this can sometimes ruin a bake).
Charlie x
I think pecans would be amazing!