Banana Nut Bread with Oat Flour

The Easiest Banana Bread

There's so much to love about this recipe, from the simplicity of the preparation to the fact that it stays moist for days, thanks to the 3 (!) mashed bananas stirred into the batter. There's a hint of crunch from nuts and lots of whole-grain goodness from the oat flour. I dearly love a gluten-free recipe that needs just one gluten-free flour to make, and this one hits all of my high notes:

• One bowl! This recipe comes together with minimal fuss. You'll need just one bowl and a spoon to mix it up—what could be better?
• Oat flour magic. I am such a fan of oat flour (see my recipes for oat flour pumpkin muffins, oat flour blueberry muffins, and oat flour scones ... and I have many more if you search for "oat flour"). If you are wondering is oat flour gluten free?, the answer is always YES.
• Not too sweet. You won't need to add tons of sugar to sweeten this loaf if you use very ripe bananas. Save those browning bananas and make banana bread, or chuck them in the freezer to save for when the craving strikes.
• Stays fresh for days. The texture of this loaf improves even more after a night on the counter (or in the fridge).

Ingredients You'll Need

Here's a look at the simple ingredients that go into this recipe. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Bananas - You'll need about 3 large bananas; the riper, the better!
• Oat flour - Easily learn how to make oat flour or buy a package at the store. If you can't eat oats, brown rice flour or sorghum flour are good gluten-free alternatives.
• Eggs - Large eggs work best.
• Granulated sugar - For a more caramel note, swap the sugar for brown sugar.
• Olive oil - I always use extra-virgin olive oil. You could also use coconut oil.
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon - Try ground ginger or cardamom in place of the cinnamon if you like.
• Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt.
• Nuts - I most often use chopped walnuts, but any other chopped, unsalted nuts will work, such as pecans.

More Add-Ins

In addition to nuts, why not try:

• Chocolate - Your favorite chocolate bar chopped and added to the batter, or try semisweet or milk chocolate chips.
• Ginger - For a little kick of warmth, add 2 tablespoons of peeled and grated fresh ginger.
• Coconut - I love stirring in 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut for texture and natural sweetness.

Tips and Some Substitution Suggestions

• Use ripe bananas. My main tip for baking the best-ever banana bread is to use really ripe bananas (the browner, the better). The ripest bananas will infuse the bread with flavor and natural sweetness.
• Can I use frozen bananas? A great way to save ripe bananas is to freeze them (skin on or off, you decide) in a freezer-safe bag. When you're ready to bake, take out as many bananas as you need, let them defrost in a bowl, and drain away any liquid before mashing them up for the recipe.
• Rest the batter. Don't turn the oven on until you have assembled the batter. While the oven is preheating, the oat flour will have time to hydrate (soak up the moisture in the batter), making for a softer, better crumb after the loaf is baked.
• Can I use another flour? You can use a gluten-free flour blend instead of the oat flour by weight (I like to use my homemade gluten free flour blend). Or try another single origin gluten-free flour like sorghum flour or brown rice flour.
• Try other spices. Instead of cinnamon, use ground ginger, or try a combo of ginger and cinnamon or cinnamon and cardamom. Add a pinch of nutmeg for a slightly different flavor note.
• Make it refined sugar-free. Substitute coconut sugar or maple syrup for the brown sugar.
• Vegan. I haven't tried this recipe without the eggs, but banana-based recipes are good candidates for making without eggs because bananas are a good binder. You could also try 2 flax eggs to make this loaf vegan. And don't forget to use melted coconut oil or non-dairy butter in place of the butter.

Serving Options

• Toasted and spread with peanut butter or almond butter!
• With a little cream cheese
• Topped with salted butter
• Plain but served with ice cream for dessert!

Proper Storage

• Counter – Wrap the bread in plastic or foil, or place it in a sealable bag, and keep it on the counter for up to 3 days.
• Fridge – Place the wrapped bread in the fridge or transfer it to an airtight container or sealable bag and store it for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can eat it straight from the fridge, let it warm to room temp, or give it a little toast in a toaster or oven.
• Freezer – Wrap individual slices of bread in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe, sealable bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Or, wrap the whole loaf in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the bread in the fridge before serving.