Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is a classic, no-fooling-around banana bread, with a base of whipped butter and sugars, creamy Greek yogurt for moisture, naturally gluten-free flours, and, of course, chocolate chips! It just doesn't feel like banana bread to me without including chocolate chips (although I love my oat flour banana bread, gluten free rhubarb banana bread, and gluten free banana and blackberry bread recipes dearly, too).

I went a bit rich here, skipping oil in favor of butter and tucking in some protein-rich almond flour for a velvety, long-lasting, and tender crumb. This bread freezes well - if you actually end up with leftovers, or why not bake two batches and save one for another time? I love baking it in a long and skinny loaf pan, but a standard 9x5 loaf pan will work, too. Add some nuts if you want for crunch and flavor!

Why You Should Make This ASAP

• Banana bread. Enough said. I LOVE banana bread, as evidenced by my over-the-top number of banana bread recipes on this site, including gluten free banana strawberry bread, gluten free pumpkin banana bread, gluten free coconut banana bread, and yes, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Scroll down this post for even more ideas ...
• It's a reliable and easy recipe. This is a simple, straightforward recipe both in ingredients and method, which means anyone can make it (even if you're not used to gluten-free baking).
• Undetectably gluten-free. I love this recipe because, like many of my original recipes, you won't be able to tell it's gluten free. This is a great option for when you have gluten-free friends and non-gluten-free friends mingling together, and want to bake one thing that everyone will enjoy. Banana bread, especially with chocolate, is ALWAYS a hit!

Ingredients Needed

Here's a quick look at the ingredients that go into this yummy bread. Make sure to check the recipe card for the full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

• Oat flour - Whole grain, gluten-free oat flour is a wonderful choice for banana bread, creating a sturdy crumb and lending a subtle natural sweetness. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour (or learn how to make oat flour yourself) if needed, or substitute brown rice flour if you can't eat oats.
• Almond flour - Finely ground almond flour rounds out the gluten-free base of this bread, and I love it in recipes using all-purpose flour as well as gluten-free flour because it adds protein and moisture.
• Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon
• Chocolate chips - Semisweet chips are my preference, but when I'm feeling decadent, I make this banana bread with milk chocolate chips.
• Butter - Unsalted butter is always my choice, but if you wish to use salted butter, it will add a complexity of flavor to balance the sweetness of the bananas.
• Brown sugar - Either light or dark brown sugar works very well. Substitute maple syrup for a natural sweetener option.
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs - Large or medium eggs are best.
• Mashed bananas - You'll need about 3 or 4 VERY ripe bananas for the best flavor and sweetness. You know, the spotty ones kicking around on your counter that no one wants to eat.
• Greek yogurt - I almost always use Greek yogurt in my bakes because it adds fat and protein, two things that are very helpful when baking gluten-free. If needed, regular yogurt will work fine, too. Use plain yogurt.

How to Make the Best GF Banana Bread

• Use the right flours. Yes, you can absolutely use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend here (and if you do, please use my homemade gluten free flour blend!). But I will lodge an argument in favor of using the combination of whole grain gluten free flour + nut flour in this ratio. I've tested it so many times, and it always produces a tender, moist, yet sturdy loaf every time.
• Make sure your bananas are ripe. I cannot overstate this! The browner your bananas are, the better (obviously don't use bananas that have mold on them). This means that they are sweet and soft, and will seamlessly blend into the batter. If you don't have ripe bananas, just wait to make this recipe until you do. There's no compromising.
• Cool the loaf completely. While gluten-free bakes are by nature a bit more fragile than those made with wheat flour, an easy solution is to let them fully cool before slicing. A little magic happens during this process in which the crumb tightens, making it just as sliceable as a regular loaf of banana bread. But don't rush it.
• Make it a little extra. Add two teaspoons of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, fold in some chopped pecans, make a brown sugar cinnamon swirl, or the oat streusel from my peach bread recipe (use oat flour for the ap flour) to sprinkle over the top.

How to Store

• Counter - Wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days.
• Fridge - In an airtight container or sealable bag for up to 1 week.
• Freezer - Wrapped in plastic then placed in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.