I have a specific preference when it comes to eating bananas. Just ripe, sweet but super firm, with nary a brown spot in sight. Anything beyond that? You better believe it’s going in banana bread. With a glut of overripe bananas, today’s recipe had to be this gluten free dairy free banana bread.
Gluten free dairy free banana bread
This banana bread uses a very simple mix of ingredients for a delicious, dairy free result. Bananas and a small amount of brown sugar provide sweetness, binding and flavour. Eggs aid further in binding and also in leavening. Some vegetable, olive or coconut oil and dairy free milk act as dairy replacements and a bit of baking powder and soda finishes things off.
This banana bread is xanthan gum free and nut free. It’s assembled in a single bowl, with no fancy equipment needed. A quick, easy and delicious gluten free dairy free banana bread that will keep on the counter for days. What’s not to love?
Recipe notes for your gluten free dairy free banana bread
As always, I recommend sourcing good quality, fresh rice flour. If you use a gritty and musty rice flour, you will be able to taste it in the banana bread.
If you’d prefer, you can use cassava flour in place of the tapioca flour. I would recommend adding a tablespoon extra milk and oil to compensate for the absorbency of cassava flour. Be open to adding extra milk beyond this, too.
The sugar isn’t of structural importance in this banana bread so white sugar or panela/rapadura sugar are suitable replacements. Coconut sugar would likely also work, but it is high in fructose so I don’t often use it. If you have fructose issues, I wouldn’t recommend it here as the banana bread already contains a substantial amount of bananas.
I have no experience with allulose, monk fruit or any other sugar replacements, unfortunately.
FODMAP notes for your gluten free dairy free banana bread
This recipe is not explicitly designed to be low FODMAP. Bananas have a FODMAP threshold, however, so you can make the bread work for you.
As of November 2025, ripe common bananas are low FODMAP in serves of up to 46g. In 47g serves, they contain moderate amounts of fructans. This recipe uses 300g banana and makes around 8-10 slices. This means that 1 slice is a low FODMAP serve if you use ripe common bananas.
Ripe sugar bananas (lady finger or the cute little bananas) are low FODMAP in serves of up to 190g. In 191g serves, they contain moderate amounts of fructose. You can use these for the best of both worlds – ripe banana flavour and a lower FODMAP content.
I have tested slightly underripe bananas and they didn’t make a good banana bread. It wasn’t banana in flavour, nor sweet enough. If you want a low FODMAP loaf, try my gluten free pumpkin loaf.
All the other ingredients in this banana bread as written are low FODMAP. If you use coconut sugar, that changes the equation.
Additional flavour suggestions
This banana bread can be flavoured with any number of different things. You can add some cinnamon and or nutmeg for a bit of spice, or throw in some dairy free chocolate chips. I like adding blueberries to my banana breads, but raspberries or mixed berries would also work well.
In terms of nuts, walnuts are always classically associated with banana bread. I daresay some hemp seeds or toasted sesame seeds would make excellent additions, too.
More gluten free banana recipes
- Egg free gluten free banana cake
- Protein mug cake (gluten free)
- Protein pancakes with banana (gluten free)
- Gluten free sourdough banana bread
- Vegan gluten free banana bread
Gluten free dairy free banana bread
Ingredients
- 300 g ripe banana see body of post for lower FODMAP options
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 60 ml (1/4 cup)* vegetable or neutral oil
- 125 ml (1/2 cup)* dairy free milk of choice
- 2 extra large eggs 44-55g per egg, weighed out of shell
- 175 g white rice flour
- 75 g tapioca flour
- 3g (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1g (1/4 teaspoon) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/356F. Grease a loaf tin. I have used an 22 X 12cm steel pan and a silicon loaf pan, both to success.
- Mash the banana in a large mixing bowl then add the light brown sugar, oil, milk and eggs. Whisk to combine then add the flours, baking powder, baking soda and fine salt. Whisk until a medium thickness batter forms. Add any mix-ins here if you are using them.
- Pour the mixture into the greased loaf tin. You can sprinkle the top with finishing sugar or add on some pieces of thinly slice banana.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Gently remove from the loaf tin and allow to cool for 10-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- See ingredient notes and FODMAP notes in the body of the post.
Love this recipe ( and this site overall!). Is it possible to use almond flour in this recipe? Do you need to mix it with tapioca flour as well?
Hi Anna! I don’t think almond meal would work here because the recipe has been designed for the thirstiness of white rice flour. I think you’d be best seeking a specific recipe for that to get the best result. I’ll try and work on a grain free one at some point!
Hello, this banana bread was lovely and I would highly recommend. I did put 50 grams less sugar than recommended (a purely personal preference) and added walnuts and it’s was delicious. Thank you for putting so much thought and effort into this banana bread.