Gluten-Free Sourdough Banana Bread

This gluten-free sourdough banana bread is stable, flavorful, low in sugar, and naturally dairy-free! For more discard recipes check out my GF sourdough banana pancakes and GF sourdough banana muffins!

Gluten-free sourdough banana bread sliced on a blue towel.

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Why You Will Love This Recipe

Texture. I worked on this recipe until no soggy layer remained in the loaf! The bread is fluffy and stable.

Flavor. You can taste bananas in every bite!

Easy to make. Just mix and bake! No need for overnight fermentation.

– Pairs perfectly with a cup of unsweetened or lightly sweetened tea.

What Is Sourdough Starter?

Sourdough starter is wild yeast that people use to make bread. I bake gluten-free, so I use a gluten-free sourdough starter (it is easy to make at home!) to make gluten-free sourdough bread. As you maintain and build up the strength of the starter, you will need to discard some of it on a daily basis. To avoid waste, you can bake with your starter discard! For more similar recipes check out my gluten-free sourdough discard recipes collection.

Ingredients

Ingredients on a white surface.

Baking powder – check the package to make sure it is gluten-free.

Milk – use any type of milk you have. It adds moisture to the batter.

Eggs – use room temperature eggs. To bring them to room temp quickly, just leave them in a bowl with hot water for 50-10 minutes.

Sourdough discard – use any discard you have! Make sure it is not too watery but rather is like a thick paste.

Gluten-free flour – I use my homemade gluten-free flour mix, but you are free to use any other type, just make sure to weigh the flour!

Sugars – I use both white and brown sugar in this recipe.

Substitutes And Variations

Add chocolate chips for more sweetness and flavor.

Use walnuts or other nuts in place of pecans if you need to.

For a vegan option, substitute eggs with applesauce. 1/4 cup of applesauce replaces 1 egg!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. In a large mixing bowl mash bananas with a potato masher or with a fork. You can leave bits of banana in, it doesn’t have to be completely pureed.

Mashed bananas in a bowl with a potato masher.

Place butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium-low heat.

Melting butter in a small saucepan.

Once the butter is melted, stir it continuously to prevent burning. Once the butter has been browned, turn off the heat and continue stirring the browned butter for another minute. Brown butter adds a nutty flavor to the banana bread.

Browned butter in the saucepan.

Add eggs, milk, sourdough discard, and sugars and mix well. Then, slowly pour the browned butter while continuously stirring the mixture.

We ingredients in a bowl before mixing.

Then, combine gluten-free flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and xanthan gum (if using) in a separate bowl and whisk to incorporate.

Dry ingredients in a bowl before mixing.

Finally, add dry ingredients to the bowl with wet ingredients and whisk to combine but avoid overmixing. Mix until you don’t see white streaks of flour in the batter. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes. During this time the flour will absorb liquids and the batter will be more stable.

Banana bread batter combined in a mixing bowl before baking.

Step 2

Grease a bread baking pan (9×5 inch, 23x12cm) with lard, butter, coconut oil, or any other fat you have on hand. Then, transfer the banana bread batter into the bread pan using a rubber spatula. Spread the batter evenly in the pan with the spatula and add sliced banana to the top for decoration (optional).

Banana bread batter before baking in a bread pan with sliced bananas on top.

Bake for about 1 hour or until the bread is firm to the touch and the toothpick comes out with 1-2 crumbs. Keep checking on the bread at the 30,40, and 50-minute mark to make sure it is not browning too much on the top. If it is, cover the banana bread with foil and continue baking (I did not have to do that but all ovens are different!).

Step 3

Once the bread is baked, separate the sides of the bread from the bread pan using a metal spatula, then carefully transfer the banana bread onto a cooling rack. If you don’t have a cooling rack, place the banana bread in a way that all sides are getting aired out until completely cooled down. If you don’t air out the bread during the cooling stage, it will get soggy on the bottom!

Serve with some butter, maple syrup, or honey! Enjoy!

A slice of the banana bread up close on a fork.

Tips for Success

Use a digital scale to weigh your gluten-free flour. It is easy to overpack flour when using cups and every extra gram will alter the texture of the banana bread! After all, you only need to buy a digital scale (12$) once and it will serve you well for many years to come!

Make sure your starter is not watery. You can use any starter (fed, unfed, new, old) as long as it is not more than 100% hydration, meaning that the amount of water is not more than the amount of flour (by weight). Generally, you want your starter to be like a thick paste. More on that in my gluten-free sourdough starter post.

Cool the banana bread completely before slicing as the crumb is still setting during the cooling time. If you cut into it too soon the bread might end up denser and more crumbly!

– Use ripe bananas for the best flavor! You can even use black bananas (as long as they are not moldy!).

– If you find this banana bread is not sweet enough for you, serve it with sliced banana, maple syrup, or jam (I have a great elderberry jam recipe!).

FAQ

Can I Freeze This Banana Bread?

Yes! It is best to slice the banana bread first, then wrap each slice in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer bag or container, and freeze them for a few months! To defrost quickly, unwrap the banana bread slices and pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds or place them in a toaster. You can also let them thaw at room temperature or reheat them in the oven at 350F/175C for 5-10 minutes.

Can I Use Frozen Bananas?

Yes, you can use frozen bananas, just thaw them before using. You can thaw frozen bananas in a microwave. For the best results, weigh your bananas before adding to the batter!

Why Is My Gluten-Free Banana Bread Rubbery?

If your gluten-free banana bread is rubbery, it might not have baked all the way through. This could be because you used too much banana. I suggest weighing your bananas before using them in the recipe. Another reason could be your starter being too watery. Your starter should look like a thick paste, not too liquidy.

Why Did My Gluten-Free Banana Bead Not Rise?

Reason #1 is expired baking powder. To see if your baking powder is still active, follow these instructions. Sometimes banana bread will rise and then fall after you take it out of the oven. If that happens, that is because the banana bread is not baked through yet or there is too much moisture which inhibits an even bake-through in the bread.

If you liked this gluten-free sourdough banana bread recipe, you will also like these GF sourdough banana muffins and these GF sourdough banana pancakes. I also have a great recipe for GF sourdough pizza crust, fluffy GF sourdough pancakes, and GF sourdough chocolate chip cookies. For more similar recipes check out my gluten-free sourdough discard recipes collection!

Gluten-free sourdough banana bread sliced on a blue towel.

Gluten-Free Sourdough Discard Banana Bread

Natasha
This gluten-free sourdough banana bread is fluffy, soft, and full of banana flavor!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Resting Time 10 mins
Total Time 1 hr 25 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 loaf
Calories 437 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 baking bread pan
  • 2 large mixing bowls
  • 1 wisk
  • 1 potato masher

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium (220g) bananas ripe
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 2 tbsp plant-based milk any type of milk will work
  • â…“ cup (73g) butter
  • ½ cup (130g) gluten-free sourdough starter discard fed/unfed/new/old work
  • 1/2 cup (100g) white sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
  • 1½ cup (214g) gluten-free flour I used my own homemade mix but other types should work, too
  • 2 tsp (7g) GF baking powder check the package to see if it's GF
  • 2 tsp (4g) cinnamon
  • ½ cup (52g) pecans or walnuts crashed

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. In a large mixing bowl mash bananas with a potato masher or with a fork. You can leave bits of banana in, it doesn't have to be completely pureed.
  • Add eggs, milk, oil, sourdough discard, and sugar and mix well.
  • Finally, add dry ingredients to the bowl with wet ingredients and whisk to combine but avoid overmixing. Mix until you don't see white streaks of flour in the batter. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes. During this time the flour will absorb liquids and the batter will be more stable.
  • Grease a bread baking pan (9×5 inch, 23x12cm) with lard, butter, coconut oil, or any other fat you have on hand. Then, transfer the banana bread batter into the bread pan using a rubber spatula. Spread the batter evenly in the pan with the spatula and add sliced banana to the top for decoration (optional).
  • Bake for about 1 hour or until the bread is firm to the touch and the toothpick comes out with 1-2 crumbs. Keep checking on the bread at the 30,40, and 50-minute mark to make sure it is not browning too much on the top. If it is, cover the banana bread with foil and continue baking (I did not have to do that but all ovens are different!).
  • Once the bread is baked, separate the sides of the bread from the bread pan using a metal spatula, then carefully transfer the banana bread onto a cooling rack. If you don't have a cooling rack, place the banana bread in a way that all sides are getting aired out until completely cooled down. If you don't air out the bread during the cooling stage, it will get soggy on the bottom!
  • Serve with some butter, maple syrup, or honey! Enjoy!

Notes

Use a digital scale to weigh your gluten-free flour. It is easy to overpack flour when using cups and every extra gram will alter the texture of the banana bread! After all, you only need to buy a digital scale (12$) once and it will serve you well for many years to come!
Make sure your starter is not watery. You can use any starter (fed, unfed, new, old) as long as it is not more than 100% hydration, meaning that the amount of water is not more than the amount of flour (by weight). Generally, you want your starter to be like a thick paste. More on that in my gluten-free sourdough starter post.
Cool the banana bread completely before slicing as the crumb is still setting during the cooling time. If you cut into it too soon the bread might end up denser and more crumbly!
– Use ripe bananas for the best flavor! You can even use black bananas (as long as they are not moldy!).
– If you find this banana bread is not sweet enough for you, serve it with sliced banana, maple syrup, or jam (I have a great elderberry jam recipe!).

Nutrition

Serving: 2slicesCalories: 437kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 6.5gFat: 20.9gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 133mgPotassium: 410mgFiber: 6.9gSugar: 14.8gCalcium: 103mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Gluten Free Banana Bread, Gluten-free sourdough banana bread, Gluten-free sourdough discard recipes
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