Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This one-bowl gluten-free chocolate chip banana bread is ultra soft & moist thanks to a few simple ingredients. You’ll love the classic flavor, soft texture & chocolate in every bite!

Have a few ripe bananas on your countertop staring you down? This gluten-free chocolate chip banana bread recipe is the perfect way to use them!

It’s got all the flavor of classic chocolate chip banana bread, simply made gluten-free with a few easy swaps. You’ve got the soft, ultra-moist texture, a delicious layered flavor, and plenty of chocolate in every bite. We think it’s the best gluten-free banana bread recipe around!

This easy banana bread recipe is so forgiving and flexible–the perfect baking project for kids or beginner bakers. Plus, you only need one bowl to make it! Here’s all you need to get started…

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

• RIPE Bananas. The more ripe the bananas, the sweeter and softer they are. I recommend extra ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. (I prefer spotty bananas to fully brown bananas!)
• Brown Sugar. Some light brown sugar adds delicious caramel-y flavor and keeps this gluten-free banana bread super moist. (If you prefer, you can use half white sugar + half brown sugar or even use dark brown sugar instead.)
• Melted Butter. No softening required! Melted butter mixes easily into the banana bread batter, which makes for fuss-free assembly.
• Sour Cream or Yogurt. If you have it, some sour cream or plain Greek yogurt adds a subtle brightness that makes a big difference! Don’t have any? You can add 2 Tablespoons more butter instead.
• Vanilla Extract. Always! Vanilla + banana + chocolate = amazing.
• Almond Extract (or Some Cinnamon!). Most people make banana bread with ground cinnamon, but I actually love swapping it out for some almond extract. It adds another subtle layer of flavor that’s delicious with the chocolate banana flavors. If you want to go classic with cinnamon, feel free.
• Gluten-Free Flour. We’re keeping things simple with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I HIGHLY recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour, but if you use another brand (like Bob’s Red Mill), make sure it contains xanthan gum, and measure carefully so you don’t add too much flour!
• Baking Soda. For the perfect softness & rise.
• Salt. To balance the flavors–it’s a must!
• Mini Chocolate Chips. After making our Bakery-Style Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins, I started using mini chocolate chips in my banana bread, and I love the effect! The chocolate is a bit more spread out, but you get chocolate in every single bite!

How To Make This Gluten-Free banana Bread, Step By Step:

1. Preheat Oven Temperature to 350 Degrees and line a metal 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Mash Bananas. If you haven’t already, mash the ripe bananas with a fork (or puree in a food processor for a super-smooth texture). Measure the mashed bananas for accuracy.
3. Combine Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract (or ground cinnamon). Stir until well combined and cohesive.
4. Add Dry Ingredients. Next, add gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until almost fully combined, with just a few dry patches left.
5. Fold In Chocolate Chips. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips and gently fold them in with a spatula until evenly distributed.
6. Pour Batter Into Prepared Pan and smooth the top a little so it’s even.
7. Bake 45 Minutes at 350 degrees.
8. Tent Loosely With Aluminum Foil & Bake Another 20-25 Minutes, or until the top is golden brown, a toothpick inserted in middle of the loaf comes out with just a few moist crumbs (no wet batter), and the interior reaches 200 degrees F.
9. Cool & Slice. Let the banana bread cool about 5-10 minutes in the pan before lifting it out of the pan using the parchment paper handles and placing it on a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Slice and enjoy.
10. Store leftover banana bread in a bag or airtight container 1-2 days at room temperature, 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or 2 months in the freezer. I like to warm slices up in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, or you can use a toaster oven!

Variations & Toppings To Try

We love this moist banana bread recipe exactly as written, but when you’re looking to change things up, these are some great options to try:

• Add Nuts! Some chopped walnuts or pecans can be delicious! Add 1/2 cup along with the chocolate chips for some crunch.
• Add A Spread! Top a slice of banana bread with peanut butter, almond butter, Nutella, or your favorite nut butter. 
• Try Chocolate Chunks Instead! Swap out the mini chocolate chips for some chocolate chunks for a more rustic texture.

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The BEst Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Swaps & Substitutions

• Can I Make This Dairy-Free? For a dairy-free option, you can swap in vegan butter for the regular butter and use vegan yogurt or add 4 Tablespoons additional vegan butter. (You can technically use 8 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil in place of the butter & sour cream, though this will add a slight coconut flavor to your loaf.) Then, just use dairy-free chocolate chips!
• What’s The Best Egg Substitute For Banana Bread? You can make 2 flax eggs (combine 2 Tablespoons ground flax meal + 6 Tablespoons water) or you can use an additional 1/2 cup mashed banana. The texture won’t be identical, but it works!
• Flour. I do NOT recommend swapping in coconut flour, oat flour, or almond flour for this recipe, since they will drastically alter the texture and structure of the banana bread. (Coconut flour absorbs a LOT of liquid and almond flour ADDS additional liquid to the recipe.)

🌟 Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe! We can’t wait to hear what you think!

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