Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Banana Bread

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Banana Bread tastes just like the classic version: fluffy, moist, slightly sweet and full of banana flavor.

By using wholesome ingredients like almond flour and a touch of pure maple syrup, it’s the perfect balance of healthy and delicious.

Plus it’s also grain-free, refined sugar-free and Paleo friendly.

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Why this recipe works

Traditional banana bread is a classic for a reason – it’s easy to make, keeps well and is a nice treat without being too sweet.

So this gluten-free and dairy-free banana bread keeps all those characteristics but swaps out some of the traditional ingredients that some of us can’t tolerate. You still get the light, fluffy, moist texture without the ingredients that can cause inflammation or spike blood sugar.

Instead of flour, we’re using almond flour. Almond flour retains the protein, fiber and healthy fats of the almonds, making this bread more filling.

Instead of butter, we’re using palm shortening. Unlike old-fashioned shortening, this newer version contains no trans fat, uses a cleaner manufacturing process and, if you choose the right brands (recommended below), is environmentally sustainable.

And instead of sugar, we’re using maple syrup. This adds a slightly deeper flavor but we’re not adding that much, trusting the natural sweetness of the bananas to also infuse the bread. So this version is lower in sugar than many other versions.

And that, my friends, is how you make banana bread dairy-free, gluten-free and refined sugar-free.

It’s perfect as is or toasted, eaten plain or smeared with ghee, grass-fed butter or jam. Or for an easy and quick version of French toast, sauté slices in ghee over medium heat until the edges are caramelized and crispy.

And while I’m keeping this pretty plain and classic, see below for add-in ideas like chocolate chunks or blueberries.

What you need

Ingredients:

• cooking spray (like avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray)
• ¼ cup palm shortening – This is a great dairy-free alternative to butter for baking. I use Spectrum, which contains no trans fat and uses environmentally friendly manufacturing methods.
• 2 cups superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal) – Use the “scoop and level” method for measuring.
• ¼ cup arrowroot flour/starch – This is used to keep the almond flour from making the bread too moist and dense.
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar – This is what helps the bread rise (along with the baking soda and eggs).
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon – This is just enough to add a subtle flavor without overwhelming the bread. If you leave it out, the bread will be a little bland.
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or 1 teaspoon kosher salt)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup mashed bananas (from about 2-3 large bananas) – Make sure the bananas are all black or almost completely covered with black spots.
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup, room temperature – This is just enough to add a bit more sweetness without turning this bread into a dessert.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment:

• a 9×5″ (2 quart) loaf pan
• parchment paper
• mixing bowls – 1 small, 2 medium and and 1 large
• measuring spoons (<– these are my favorite as they actually fit into spice jars)
• measuring cups
• a measuring glass
• a fork or potato masher
• a whisk
• a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)

How to make Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Banana Bread

Step 1: First, please make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. If your eggs are fridge cold, submerge them in a bowl of very warm water for 5 minutes. If the maple syrup is cold, measure out ¼ cup, put the measuring glass in a bowl and fill the bowl with very warm water until it reaches the height of the maple syrup. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Heat the oven to 350° F.

Step 3: Line the loaf pan with parchment paper just barely coming up the long sides of the pan so it’s easy to pull out the bread later. Spray the short sides of the pan with cooking spray.

Step 4: In a small bowl, melt the palm shortening in the microwave, about 1 minute. Or you can melt it in a small saucepan over medium heat, then scrape into a small bowl. Set aside to cool.

Step 5: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar and cinnamon.

Step 6: In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher and measure out 1 cup.

Step 7: In another medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, melted and cooled palm shortening, vanilla extract and 1 cup mashed bananas.

Step 8: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. The batter should be thick but pourable.

Step 9: Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, until the top is dry and golden brown. (Don’t bother with a toothpick – it’ll come out clean even after 30 minutes but that doesn’t mean the bread is done yet.) Let the bread cool to room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Other recipes you might like:

1. Almond Flour Banana Cookies (Paleo, gluten-free)
2. Paleo Chunky Monkey Muffins
3. Gluten-Free Zucchini Banana Bread (Paleo)
4. Paleo Pumpkin Bread
5. Paleo Apple Bread
6. Paleo Pecan Molasses Bread

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