One Bowl Banana Bread (Gluten Free, Vegan)
An amazing one bowl banana bread that’s gluten free and yields perfectly moist banana bread with a tender crumb and satisfying flavor. The best ever vegan gluten free banana bread!
Introducing the only Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe you’ll ever need. That’s right I said it. It’s Saturday and I can do whatever I dang well please! 😉 Plus, we’re allowed to go a bit bold, a bit adventurous and more than a bit sassy come the weekend! Or else what’s the point of all that hard work we did during the week, right?
Now before I go off on another tangent totally not related to magical one bowl banana bread, let me steer this recipe/ship towards the right location. Today’s the day we revisit one of my most popular banana bread recipes—in fact, the most reader-loved gluten free banana bread I’ve ever shared.
We’re going to chat about how to make vegan gluten free banana bread, how to store it, and why you’d even think about making this one bowl banana bread. Are you game? Let’s bake this!
Vegan Gluten Free Ingredients for Beautiful Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread
“Delicious vegan gluten free banana bread isn’t possible,” they said. “There is no such thing as a vegan gluten free banana bread recipe that isn’t gummy, gross and straight up inedible,” they cried. “Secretly gluten free one bowl banana bread might as well be a dream!!”, they ranted. Let’s defy what they all think and make the best friggin’ vegan gf banana bread ever. Wanna see what beautiful vegan gluten free ingredient we’re using? Let’s do it.
- Bananas: bananas are one of the most wonderful ingredients to work with, ain’t it? I love ripening my bananas as much as possible before mashing them up to make my vegan gluten free banana bread. Bonus? Bananas are naturally gluten free!
- Coconut oil: we’re trading the dairy (think: butter), and subbing it with vegan-friendly coconut oil. If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, melted vegan butter would probably be the closest substitute.
- Maple syrup: just the perfect amount to enhance the taste of bananas in the perfect vegan gluten free banana bread recipe!
- Gluten free oat flour and almond meal: If you’re new to vegan gluten free baking, these are two of my recommended ingredients to get for your pantry. GF oat flour creates a rich and cozy backdrop for nearly any flavor–the best being bananas, while almond meal pairs so beautifully with the sweet fruit. The nuttiness of almond meal truly brings out the flavor of bananas. Bonus? It’s naturally gluten free!
- Flax egg: my favorite vegan egg substitute. If you’ve never made a flax egg before, there’s nothing to worry about. It’s super easy! You can learn how to make a flax egg here.
- Add-ins: Try walnuts or whatever you’d like! I love vegan gluten free add-ins such as allergy-friendly chocolate chips, dried fruit, or seeds.
How to Make Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread
Preheat
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Mash & Whisk
Add peeled bananas to a large mixing bowl and mash until mostly smooth.
Prepare the Wet Ingredients
Add the rest of the wet ingredients: coconut oil, maple syrup, flax egg and vanilla. Whisk all the ingredients together until it’s well mixed.
Combine to make Banana Bread Batter
Add all of the dry ingredients to the same bowl (1-bowl, woohoo!!): oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Now whisk it all together until no flour patches remain.
Now, for the fun part: choosing your favorite add-ins! I love using walnuts for a classic banana bread taste, but feel free to use chocolate chips and more!
Once the batter is well-mixed, but not over-mixed, it will look like this:
Pour the Batter into a Loaf Pan
Pour your vegan gluten free banana bread batter into the loaf pan your prepared earlier. Smooth the batter out, then shape it to resemble a loaf—your loaf will bake up very much how it looks raw.
For fun, grab a butter knife and cut a slit slightly off center down the loaf. Once done, give the knife a wiggle back and forth in the slit to widen it. Go ahead and sprinkle your vegan gf banana bread with walnuts or your favorite topping.
Bake, Cool and Enjoy
Bake for about 65 minutes, cool and enjoy the best vegan gluten free banana bread!
Banana Recipes You’ll Love >> Gluten Free Banana Oat Muffins (Vegan) // Vegan Banana Cookies with Peanut Butter (GF)
How do I know when my bananas are ripened just-right for the best banana bread?
Good question! We’ve all been in the banana boat (couldn’t help it) where we’re trying to use green bananas to make banana bread. Unfortunately, that’s not gonna cut it. Green bananas have what some might call a vegetable-y taste. It’s not what’s intended for today’s perfect vegan gf banana bread. Here are some tips on when to know if a banana is the perfect ripeness for making banana bread:
- brown spots: when those brown spots start coming in, that’s when you know you’re getting close to perfectly ripe bananas for banana bread. Just–ignore the brown spots if they’re a result of rough handling. Yep, bananas can bruise, too. The brown spots you’re looking for naturally blossom as the bananas ripen.
- rich yellow color: still not sure, even with the brown spots? Look for a bold yellow color. Sometimes a banana can be green and have brown spots, so that’s not a good indicator. Look for a rich yellow color and brown spots.
- soft to the touch: lastly, I recommend gently picking one of your bananas up. Is it soft to the touch, or firm? If it’s firm, with a thick skin that feels almost plasticky, it’s not ready. If the skin seems to be getting almost… thinner, press your finger gently into the side of the banana. If it’s soft, it’s ready!
Testimonials
Isabel says, “LOVED this recipe. I did have to make a few modifications due to some allergies, but it was AMAZING!!! This is the first time I’ve ever baked banana bread, but I’ve tried gluten free/vegan bakeries, and nothing has compared to how delicious this recipe is!! I ended up making this twice… My kid who hates bananas LOVED them… Thanks for getting me so excited to bake!”
Maria says, “Second time making this – love it! Bananas and walnuts are just the perfect combination. Thanks.”
Sylvie says, “This was amazing! I baked it in an 8×8 pan as my family has declared war on “loaf” breads…it baked in 45 minutes in case anyone was wondering! I then made a thin glaze with powdered sugar, almond milk and vanilla extract…Fabulous!! thanks so much for this amazing recipe!”
Amanda says, “Just made this and it’s so great! My 4 year old son loved it and ate two pieces! Thank you for creating such a great recipe. I’ll be making this again soon. I modified only by adding a little less than 1/4 cup maple syrup.”
Storing and Freezing One Bowl Banana Bread
Store it at Room Temperature
You can absolutely store your one bowl banana bread at room temperature—just make sure to keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources which could spoil it. Store vegan gf banana bread in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Some readers like it best on day 1, others on day 3. 😉
Store it in the Freezer
Go ahead and make a double batch so you can conveniently freeze your gluten free banana bread and enjoy it whenever you please! Just throw (okay, fine, gently slide) your vegan gluten free banana bread into a freezer-friendly container and keep it for about 1-2 months.
Just give it about 15-30 minutes to thaw at room temp before enjoying, or heat the banana bread in 10-second increments in the microwave until just warm.
Also try >> Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe // Vegan Banana Brownies Recipe // Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars // Deliciously Healthy Orange Bread
The only vegan gluten free banana bread recipe you’ll ever need—1-bowl & easy, the best deliciously moist banana bread ever.
Grab just one bowl, a huge appetite, and get ready to bake it like it’s hot. Which it totally will be. Once the oven gets warm. It’s truly a pleasure to bake all the delicious vegan gf treats with you. And joke around, because life’s too short not to have a bunch of good laughs. I can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe. ‘Til the next baking adventure…
Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
☀ Click below to Pin ☀
📸 Did you make this vegan gluten free recipe? Take a pic and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #beamingbaker & tag @beamingbaker. I’d love to see it! 📸
Banana Bread Recipes You’ll Love
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- Best Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Irresistible Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
- Healthy Banana Recipes for Ripe Bananas
- NEW >> Secretly Healthy Banana Muffins Recipe
- Vegan Banana Bread Bars – Healthy + Super Moist!
Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread (GF)
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 slices (1 loaf) 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread (GF): an amazing 1-bowl vegan gluten free banana bread recipe that yields perfectly moist banana bread bursting with banana flavor! Vegan, Gluten Free.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons mashed, ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon golden ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, whisk together, set for 15 mins)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free oat flour – if using homemade oat flour, make sure it’s very finely ground (not coarse)*
- ¾ cup almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped or your favorite add-in (chocolate chips, chopped dried fruit, etc.)
Optional Topping
- 1 tablespoon walnuts, chopped or favorite add-in
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside.
- Peel bananas and add to a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter (recommended) or sturdy whisk, mash bananas until smooth. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, flax egg and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Add oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until just incorporated, making sure no flour patches remain. Fold in chopped walnuts.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Using a rubber spatula, smooth batter into an even layer, with the shape of a rise down the center—just like a loaf. The loaf will bake up very similarly to how it looks raw—now is the time to shape it. Using a butter knife, cut a slit slightly off center down the loaf. Take the butter knife and go back into the slit, gently wiggling the knife back and forth to widen the slit/seam. Optionally, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Lightly press walnuts into the top.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes. Mine took 65 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a toothpick into the center of the loaf. The toothpick will come out clean when the loaf is done. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 2 hours. Lift out, slice and enjoy!
Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipes & More
Notes
A Note on Homemade Oat Flour: *If using homemade oat flour, make sure to blend the flour until very fine and sift the flour to remove coarse bits of oats that could create less than ideal results. Store until needed, then measure the amount required for the recipe.
Storing Instructions: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.
Freezing Instructions: This loaf freezes well. Store in a freezer-friendly, airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes, or heat in the microwave in 10-second increments until just warm.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Snack, Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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Can I substitute oat flour for coconut flour and what would be the conversion be please?
This is absolutely delicious!!! I added 1 cup of organic raisins, 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup organic maple syrup. Pure natural sweet goodness!! OMG me and my husband loved it!! Will make again. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Janet!! 🙂 The combo of raisin and nuts that you added sound incredible! So happy that you and your husband enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to let me know! .
Hi Aditi, so sorry to hear about this! I know this recipe is a big reader favorite, so I’m not sure what went wrong here. 🙁 Did you make any substitutions? Also, did you measure out the mashed banana–to equal 1 cup and 2 tablespoons?
Thanks Demeter! Used everything else as is except did frozen bananas and measured them.. wonder if that could have made a difference (water content?)? The batter wasn’t too liquidy and quite thick like banana bread style.. Lol, the biscotti is yum.. I’ll see when I get my hands on more oat flour n give it another shot maybe..
I really enjoyed this! I skipped the walnuts and used chocolate chips lol!
Oh YES!! Adding chocolate chips is always a plus in my book! Haha. Glad to hear you liked my recipe, Emaleigh. 🙂
This worked great- thanks so much!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this, Kathy. 🙂
LOVED this recipe. I did have to make a few modifications due to some allergies, but it was AMAZING!!! This is the first time I’ve ever baked banana bread, but I’ve tried gluten free/vegan bakeries, and nothing has compared to how delicious this recipe is!! I ended up making this twice. Once as a bread and second time as muffins. Below are the modifications I made in case others have similar allergies:
Bread Substitutions:
Almond Flour- I used sunflower seed flour from Eat Seed (Amazon). I found this to be the best substitute for almond flour.
Flax Egg- I used The Neat Egg (made from chia seed and garbanzo bean)
Next time I will add about 1/8 a cup of maple syrup as I prefer a bit more sweetness. Mine was ready in about 55 min, so keep an eye on your oven.
After my son smelled the bread baking in the oven he asked if it was something he can have. I did not think about making it safe for him to eat as he does not like bananas. I had one ripe banana left, so I decided to try and make muffins out of it, by cutting the recipe in half. These came out AMAZINGLY delicious. Below are the substitutions I made.
Muffin Substitutions:
Almond Flour- I used sunflower seed flour from Eat Seed (Amazon). I found this to be the best substitute for almond flour.
Flax Egg- I used The Neat Egg (made from chia seed and garbanzo bean)
Walnuts- I used Enjoy Life chocolate chip cookies instead because he has a nut allergy. I think I used about 1/2 a cup, but I would have used a cup had I made the full recipe.
Coconut Oil- I used Kerry Gold butter because he has a coconut allergy.
I did add a bit more syrup to these! I got about 11 muffins out of them. I used silicone cupcake liners, and cooked about 25 min at 350 degrees. I can’t wait to make these again in a large batch for lunches! My kid who hates bananas LOVED them, they almost taste like a gooey chocolate chip cookie 🙂
Thanks for getting me so excited to bake!
Hi Isabel! First of all, THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful and thorough comment! I had such a ball reading through your substitutions (“kitchen adventures” as we’d call them at my house). You know, I’ve ALWAYS thought sunflower seed meal/flour would work!! I’ve been recommending that as a possible substitute to folks with nut allergies–and now I’m so happy to know that you love it so much. Thank you for leaving such detailed sub notes–I know many readers will appreciate them. It’s wonderful to hear that you and your son just loved these.
As for getting you excited to bake–it’s truly my pleasure. There’s little that makes me happier than encouraging others to get back into the kitchen and seeing what awesome creations can be made! 🙂
You are so welcome!!! I know I appreciate reading comments that people leave when they have to modify recipes. That’s how I found that sunflower seed flour is a great sub for almond flour. I actually went to order more yesterday and it was no longer available on Amazon, and their web address was not working ..♀️ I did see another brand that I will try.
I’m actually enjoying my banana bread as I’m writing this and it tastes better now days later (if that’s even possible, lol)!
Thanks again!!! This is for sure a keeper. I can’t wait to try more of your delicious creations 🙂
Sorry that was suppose to be 5 stars!
No worries! I just have to figure out how to fix it. Lol. 😉
The original recipie is amazing! I brought it over to a family dinner and no one knew it was vegan. Thank you very much. Def going in my recipe binder.
I just made a second batch with all oat flour as you recommended and some dark chocolate shavings. I will let you know how it turns out
Fantastic! Isn’t it the BEST when no one knows it’s vegan? 😉 I can’t wait to hear how the second batch turns out… I’ve always wondered. Thanks for reporting back on the first batch! 🙂
Just made this and it’s so great! My 4 year old son loved it and ate two pieces! Thank you for creating such a great recipe. I’ll be making this again soon. I modified only by adding a little less than 1/4 cup maple syrup.
Woohoo! I’m so thrilled that your son enjoyed it! .
Going try this for a healthy snack after dinner tonight. I wanted to know if there was a nut free version for my son to take to school?
Hi Amanda, you might be able to sub the 3/4 cup almond meal with 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons oat flour. I haven’t tried this yet, but generally speaking, oat flour is more absorbent than almond meal. You might have to play around with this a bit to get just the right moistness and texture. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck! 🙂
Hi this looks great! Could I sub the oat flour with regular gluten free flour (don’t have oat flour on hand!)? And sub the almond meal with the same? Baking for a school Fete and I want to make it nut free too.
Thanks Lyn! Hmm… you might be able to sub the oat flour for all purpose gf flour, but I wouldn’t recommend subbing the almond meal with gf all purpose. Almond meal is a lot less absorbent that other flours. You could try subbing the almond meal with 1/2 cup all purpose–but I worry that this will dramatically change the texture of the loaf. Good luck! 🙂
Second time making this – love it! Bananas and walnuts are just the perfect combination. Thanks.
So happy to hear you enjoyed this, Maria! 🙂 Bananas and walnuts are just meant to be… 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. xo
Hi there! Your recipe looks amazing! I was just wondering if the recipe would still work if I didn’t add in the coconut oil and maple syrup. Are there any substitutes that you would recommend?
Hi Rowena, thank you! To substitute the coconut oil: you could try vegan butter. To sub maple syrup: brown rice syrup or honey if you’re not vegan. 🙂
Hi.. How about If I only have brown sugar ,? How much should I use instead of the maple … and can I use coconut milk to replace the liquid that the maple add to the bread ?
Hi Sonia! . Try dubbing the maple syrup with 1/4 cup brown sugar and perhaps 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk. I don’t recommend using coconut milk unless it’s the drinkable beverage (in a carton) versus the kind that’s canned & much thicker. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
I spend the same amount of time dithering over blog openings – we are sisters! Meantime, I am ALL IN for anything involving a banana, and this bread looks FAB. Perfect for weekend baking happiness!
Haha. Yeah, we are! 😉 The scent of this bread totally makes the weekend feel more weekend-y! 😉 Thanks Kate!
Yum – need I say anything more? It WAS perfect Banana Bread and loved he walnuts!- too bad it is all gone……
Yum just about covers it all! 😉 I’m so pleased that you enjoyed my recipe, Christine. Can you tell I’m beaming? 😉 Thank you for taking the time to let me know how it turned out. Happy baking!
This looks wonderful but banana bread isn’t a favorite of mine. Would you have something similar that is an apple or pumpkin version with the almond meal and nuts? If not would you consider making one or both? 🙂
Hi Jacquie, I have a pumpkin version that I think you’d love (made with almond meal): https://beamingbaker.com/one-bowl-gluten-free-vegan-pumpkin-bread-v-gf-df/ Enjoy! 🙂 P.S. I’ll start writing down some ideas for apple bread–which will probably be ready by Fall. Lol. Happy baking!
I should be expecting a package of this bread in the mail…. yes? Because closer than close besties! And Umm ‘naner nut bread happens to be one of my favorite things in the entire universe! And of course your version looks absolutely perfect and has me drooling like a rabid dog! Oh, speaking of dogs- how have I never seen the movie Up?!? Obviously I am going to Google that shhh as soon as I’m done commenting here! Mosltly because you recommended it, but also because your spirit self has a staring role. 🙂 Anyways, LOVE this bread and I toe-ts wish I was stuffing my face with slice after slice right now! Pinned of course! Love ya my sweets! Xoxoxo
Yes!!!! Lol. 😉 LOVE the transition to dogs! Bahahaha. How do you ALWAYS crack me up tho? . You have to watch Up. It’s so touching and absolutely amazing. Then, call me afterwards with a big box of tissues in hand. Come on over right now for a fresh loaf! Love ya! xoxoxo
I absolutely love this banana bread! It’s full of walnuts, and has a beautiful rise, I just want a slice or two right now 🙂 Pinning and sharing, of course! Have an awesome week, Demeter! xo
I’m so happy, Marsha! 🙂 Thank you for pinning and sharing! Have a fantastic week. xoxo
Any recommendations for a replacement for someone with an almond allergy?
Hi Monica, I’ve tried making a similar loaf with more oat flour to replace the almond meal. It was good, but the texture was a bit dry. Perhaps replace the 3/4 cup almond meal with 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons gf oat flour. You might need to experiment a bit to get just the right texture. Alternately, you can also try subbing the almond meal with sunflower seed flour. Good luck! 🙂
Hi! I can’t eat oats – can you substitute coconut flour instead? X
Hi Lucy, unfortunately, coconut flour is going to absorb too much moisture. I’ll try to work on an oat-free banana nut bread for the future. Sorry about that! xo
Hi! Could I use zucchini instead of bananas?
Thanks!
Hi Karina, I’m not sure… I haven’t tried that substitute yet. Let me know how it turns out if you do! 🙂
Hahaha – Oh Demeter – I’ll just say good morning to ya, ya “lovable type of gal”!
By the way, yes YES YES – I do so LURVE this recipe of yours for One Bowl Vegan Gluten Free Banana Nut Bread!
Each slice is so chock full of nuts – making each bite heavenly as I so lurve a good dose of nuts in ma banana bread – other than that I like it plain though sometimes I like some non-dairy whipped topping with it.
Happy Monday to ya, my friend. I hope this week is a wonderful one for ya! xoxo
Good morning! Haha. Now we don’t have to overthink this at all. 😉 Nuts and whipped topping would be such a good combo! Happy Monday to you too. Wishing you a fantastic week! xoxo
I’ve never seen the movie Up, but now I may have to! Openings to blog posts can be so hard, I struggle with that a lot, too. This banana bread looks gorgeous, Demeter! I’m not a fan of nuts in baked goods, but I know my husband would go CRAZY for this! Love that it’s just one bowl, too. The easier to clean, the happier I am! 🙂 Pinned, of course! Hope your Monday is off to a great start!
You’ve totally got to see it, Gayle. It’s AMAZING. But get ready to cry like a baby! Lol. Hope you and your husband enjoy this. Who knows, you might just come around to nuts with this recipe. 🙂 Thanks for pinning! Happy Monday. 🙂