I love the crusty ends of quick breads. I may make my next batch in my husband’s brownie edge pan to maximize the crunchy edges. I’ll keep you posted.
Note that this bread does not rise as high as wheat flour banana bread.Yet the texture is still light and tender. Quinoa flour–which is naturally gluten free– lends a delectable nuttiness to baked goods; I especially love it in combination with banana.
Quinoa Flour Banana Bread (gluten free)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
This otherwise humble bread is a most delicious example of a true comfort food. It’s the perfect use for bananas that are past their prime for eating out of hand.
Ingredients
- 1–2/3 cups quinoa flour
- 2 tsp baking powder (GF, if needed)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg (see my vegan option, added 6/1/16)
- 3/4 cup mashed VERY ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup milk (dairy or nondairy)
- 1/2 cup natural cane sugar, coconut sugar or sugar of choice
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed, or unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8- by 4-inch glass or ceramic loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, banana, milk, sugar and oil until blended.
- Add the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just blended.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.
Notes
Storage Tip: Store the cooled bread, wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Alternatively, wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil, completely enclosing bread, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours before serving.
Vegan Option: Use the coconut oil option (or the vegetable oil of your choice). I have had the best success using a psyllium egg. Here is how to make it: mix 3-1/2 teaspoons water, 1-1/2 teaspoons whole psyliium husk and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken, then use in place of the egg! The psyllium provides great structure to the bread in a way that other egg replacements cannot.
This is an amazing recipe! I added walnuts and flax seed for some crunch and used 2 eggs instead of 1 to make it fluffy. My bread was ready in around 40 minutes. Have to say, the bread turned out having just the right texture, not too crumbly, not too moist. Thanks for this gem.
★★★★★
So glad to hear it was a success, Amna! And thank you for sharing your adjustments 🙂
OMG. This is soooooo good. In fact it is too good. I have no idea of the calories I’m putting in my body. My fiancee makes this for me and me alone. My biggest problem is I can eat it in one sitting but I don’t. Just how fattening is this?
Hi, I have just now tried your recipe, and even with good quinoa flour and REALLLLLLLY ripe bananas, i found the bread to be sour. However, the texture is amazing, so i will try to put in more bananas and a little chocolate chips magic into the mix.
Thank you for this recipe, i’ve been looking for one for a long time! 🙂
Hi Monia! I am so glad the texture came out great, but also sorry to hear that the taste was sour. I’m not sure what could be causing that. The quinoa flour can have a bitter edge if there is some residue saponin–now I am curious… I hope the chocolate chip magic works to your liking. Choco chips can indeed do wonders 🙂
Very gud….. i followed recipe but made muffins instead… loved it
I have been looking for a recipe like this 🙂 I am not GF, but I wanted to make banana bread w/ quinoa for the health benefit. I made this last night, and my husband said it was as good as “regular banana bread.” I made some modifications:
Added 1 T milled flax seed, 1/2 c chopped walnuts, 1/3 c natural applesauce, and 1 tsp vanilla. I also increased the coconut oil to 1/3 c and used about 1 c mashed bananas.
We ate our slices warm and a la mode last night and room temperature with peanut butter this morning 🙂
I think it would be good w/ chocolate chips if you wanted to turn it into a sweet dessert bread, as well.
Thank you for your creativity!
You are so welcome, Melissa! Your variation sounds great!!!
OMG! I have tried other banana bread recipes with quinoa flour and I couldn’t get past the gluey consistency. Most took a long time to bake and turned out dense. This recipe is a keeper. It’s fluffy and the quinoa gave it a pleasant, nutty taste. It must be the addition of the coconut oil that makes this loaf so moist and airy. Thank you! My son urged me to bookmark it to bake it again and again!!
Yay!!!! So glad it worked out for you, Raluca! 🙂
Can walnuts be added to recipe ?
Absolutely! 🙂 Any nuts or seeds..or chocolate chips 🙂
Hi Camilla,
I’m trying this recipe out in the UK and I’m not used to the cup measuring system.
I just wanted to check if it is 1 and 2/3 cups of quinoa flour or 1 to 2 thirds?
I’m hoping to make this today to take as a yummy protein snack for work this week.
Hopefully you can reply soon!
I can’t wait to try this!
one and two thirds–sorry for any confusion, Lola
Camilla! Thank you so much for the recipe! I used coconut sugar instead of cane sugar, homemade almond milk and coconut oil! It turned out wonderful! I am totally hooked on it!
OOh, I will have to try with the coconut sugar! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Svetlana!
This was my first time to try a dairy-free, gluten-free recipe and it was fabulous. I liked it even better than my light banana bread recipe. I used Almond milk, coconut oil and quinoa flour with some super ripe bananas and it was fabulous. I tripled the recipe, but it seemed a tad too sweet though. Could I have reduced the sugar by 1/3 or 1/2 when using really ripe bananas?
I’m a believer!
Great, Stacy! es, definitely cut back on the sugar some when the bananas are super-sweet. You may want to add 1 to 2 tbsp of additional liquid *since the sugar provides moisture as well as sweetness). Cheers!
Yeah… So mine’s been in the oven for over 90 minutes and it’s still basically porridge in the middle and near burnt on the outside. Sigh…
Just made this and omitted the sugar and added shredded coconut. Really bad. Tastes almost sour…maybe it was the milk I used?
I’m pretty sure that omitting the sugar is the problem. Quinoa flour has a slightly bitter flavor–you really need the sweetness to balance it. The sugar also adds moisture and contributes to the browning of the bread.
Hi, just wanted to ask if this recipe do in a muffin version? Thanks!
P.s. I just made coconut banana muffins with quinoa flour ( another recipe ) but it came out very moist inside…Is that quinoa flour or I just put too much liquid ( almond milk)?
Ivy
Sure, this would work in muffin form. I would aim for 12 muffins at 18-23 minutes. Not sure about the other recipe you tried, but quinoa flour, in general , tends to absorb more liquid than wheat flour. The ratios must have been off in the recipe.
Any idea if I can substitute liquid Stevia or xylitol for the sugar?
I’m a low-carber and the bananas alone would cause a higher Glycemic index. I also don’t do artificial sweeteners like Splenda.
Any suggestions would be appreciated; I don’t want to mess up the ratio of wet to dry and have my bread flop 🙂
Hi Leslie,
That should work, but yes, you will wwant to up the liquid a bit (perhaps 1/4 cup more milk?)
Use the bananas right after the go from green to yellow, the more brown the higher the glycemic index.
Hi Sheila,
Actually, that would lead to poor results here. You need the starch to break down so that the bananas are really mushy. The bread will be too dry and starchy if you do not use really ripe bananas.
Hi im just wondering what the gooey goodness is on the top of the cake in the main picture? i CANT FIND A MENTION IN THE recipe THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THIS WHICH I PRESUME YOU DO AT THE END?
Hi Sarah! It is some homemade plum jam 🙂
Hi Sarah.
It’s just jam, strawberry I think. Love jam on everything 🙂
I’m thrilled, Theresa!
This was my first recipe with quinoa flour and it wonderfully! Delicious! Thank you!
Yay! So glad, Theresa!
This is my first time using Quinoa flour too. I put a Lille extra brown bananas in and 1/4 cup of milk. It’s in the oven now. When I eat some I will post again!😊
Wonderful! I hope that you like it 🙂
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Kristin! Oh I am so sorry it did not work out for you!
I have a strong suspicion that the flour you bought was rancid given that it had such a bad smell when you opened it, and then , of course, when it came out! That is the same brand I buy and used for this recipe. Since quinoa can spoil more quickly than regular flour, I am guessing that it went bad somehwhere along the way.
I would suggest trying another brand or grinding your own in a coffee mill (1/4 cup quinoa yields about 1/3 cup flour; shake the grinder as you pulse it).
Cheers,
Camilla 🙂
Camilla, I just found your blog this morning and have already made your mock “Clif” bars and I am now on to this banana bread. Thank you for these terrific gluten free recipes and ideas. Your writing, recipes and lovely photos are ery inspirational. Cheers from Orinda! ( I read you are from Berkeley originally). -Annette
Do you think you could do any subs for egg and yogurt to turn in to a “vegan friendly” bread? Or would it make it too dense? I would use regular baking powder, and maybe flax meal, and maybe some coconut milk… any thoughts or might just try and see how it works!
Thanks so much for posting this! I’ve been trying to get away from using xanthate gum in my GF baking and have just started baking with quinoa flour. I cannot wait to try this!
Serena
Thanks for this recipe! I love your blog. I have made the bean protein bars, the lara bars, southwest eggrolls ( i think you)will make this today and have made others. THANKS for incorporating coconut oil and alternative flours! I have been using barley flour lately and looking to try making bean flour in my vitamix and add some to breads. THANKS! I posted the ling for this on my blogs facebook page! WWW>apronsandapples.blospot.com a crafty, healthy blog!