Roasted Banana Bread (Gluten Free)

This gluten free Roasted Banana Bread recipe is moist and easy to make, and baked with cinnamon and walnuts. A great twist on the classic!

My new favorite version of the classic has to be this Roasted Banana Walnut Bread. The twist in this recipe is that the bananas are roasted in the oven making them extra sweet and banana-y.

Banana bread is great because you can go so many different directions with it. There are probably thousands of banana bread variations in existence and all of them are unique in their own way.

The roasted bananas also help to keep this bread super moist and provide that little extra something that makes the recipe extra special.

Walnuts are added for extra crunch along with cinnamon for great flavor.

And you really can't have too many banana bread recipes.

Jump to:

• How To Roast Bananas
• Why Roast The Bananas?
• How To Make Roasted Banana Bread
• Ingredients For Roasted Banana Bread
• How To Make Banana Bread Moist
• Combine All Of The Ingredients For Banana Bread
• Do I Need To Add The Walnuts?
• What Temperature To Bake Banana Bread?
• What Type Of Pan Should I Use?
• How Long Should I Bake The Banana Bread?
• How Long Does Banana Bread Last?
• Can It Be Frozen?
• Roasted Banana Bread (Gluten Free)

How To Roast Bananas

I got the idea to add roasted bananas to baked goods a few years ago with these Roasted Banana Walnut Muffins.

I roast vegetables ALL. THE. TIME. and it's one of the absolute best ways to enjoy them.

Some of my favorite roasted vegetables include Garlic Green Beans, Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower, and Maple Dijon Brussels Sprouts.

Why Roast The Bananas?

The roasting process helps to draw out the sugars and the edges of the vegetables get browned and caramelized. You can make almost any vegetable even more delicious by tossing it in olive oil and throwing it in the oven for 20 minutes.

So, I figured the same had to be true of fruit. I threw some overripe bananas on a baking sheet, tossed it in the oven for 20 minutes, and never looked back.

The roasting process does something magical to the bananas. Is it a little more work? Yes. Is it worth the extra time? Yes.

1. Peel 3 overripe bananas and place them on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. (You can also brush a little olive oil on the baking sheet). Alternately, you can place them onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
2. Place the baking sheet in an oven that has been heated to 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
3. Flip the bananas over at the 10 minute mark so they roast evenly.

A Note About The Bananas

It's important that the bananas are overripe or getting there. An under-ripe banana (one in which the peel is still green) is not sweet enough for banana bread.

The bananas will get a bit mushy in the oven as they bake. This is totally normal.

How To Make Roasted Banana Bread

This recipe is a variation on one that I found in an old church cookbook years ago and have been making ever since.

Ingredients For Roasted Banana Bread

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 3 Overripe Bananas
• Cooking Spray
• 1 ½ Sticks (equals ¾ cup) Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar (can use Dark Brown Sugar)
• 2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend (or regular AP flour if not gluten free)
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• ½ cup Milk (or non-dairy milk alternative)
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• ½ cup Walnuts (or nuts of choice) (unsalted)

The wet ingredients are added to one mixing bowl and the dry to another and then combined.

1. Add 2 cups gluten free flour blend (or AP flour if not gluten free), 1 tsp. baking soda, and ½ tsp. kosher salt to one mixing bowl.
2. Cream 1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) of softened unsalted butter and 1 packed cup of light brown or dark brown sugar in another mixing bowl using an electric mixer or a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Add 2 eggs (one at a time) to the bowl along with 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low to combine.
3. Mash the cooled roasted bananas and add them to the bowl of wet ingredients. Mix the bananas into the batter on medium-low speed until completely combined.

How To Make Banana Bread Moist

Roasting the bananas really helps to keep this bread moist. It's also important not to add too much flour to the batter as that can make the bread dense and dry.

At this point all the ingredients are combined to form a batter.

1. Add half of the wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
2. Add ½ cup of milk (or non-dairy alternative) to the bowl and stir to combine.
3. Add the remaining wet ingredients to the dry and stir until completely combined (the batter will be a little dense and lumpy).

Love old fashioned desserts? Don't miss these recipes!

• Old Fashioned Blueberry Buckle
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• Streusel Sour Cream Apple Muffins
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• Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

Combine All Of The Ingredients For Banana Bread

I don't know about you guys but I love adding cinnamon to baked goods. In my mind cinnamon makes everything from Apple Pie to Pumpkin Bread Pudding to Pumpkin Coffee Cake taste just a little bit better.

This Roasted Banana Bread is no different.

1. Once everything is combined add 1 tsp. of cinnamon and ½ cup of unsalted chopped walnuts to the batter.
2. Stir just until combined.

Do I Need To Add The Walnuts?

If walnuts aren't your thing you can certainly substitute any kind of nut from pecans to macadamia nuts to hazelnuts.

You can also leave them out altogether if you have a nut allergy (or just don't like nuts).

Love cinnamon in desserts? Don't miss these recipes!

• Apple Galette
• Cinnamon Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Cast Iron Skillet Apple Crisp
• Gluten Free Apple Crisp
• Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie
• Maple Bourbon Walnut Pie

What Temperature To Bake Banana Bread?

350 degrees Fahrenheit is the standard temperature for baking quick breads like this one.

1. Once everything is combined pour the batter into a 9x5 inch bread pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or greased with butter to prevent it from sticking sticking.
2. Pop the pan into an oven that has been heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

What Type Of Pan Should I Use?

I tested this recipe with both a glass and metal bread pan and found the metal pan to be far superior. I recommend using a metal bread pan for even baking. (Glass bread pan is pictured here for photographic purposes only).

How Long Should I Bake The Banana Bread?

Baking times may vary. I recommend checking on the bread at the 60 minute mark and baking for an additional 5 minutes if needed (check by inserting a toothpick into the middle of bread).

It's important not to use more than 3 bananas in this recipe - I tested it with 4 and found it to be too mushy. 3 should make it moist without the mushiness.

Once the bread is finished baking it's good to go! Allow it to cool slightly before serving.

I love a little bit of warm butter on top of banana bread with a cup of coffee but you can top it any way you like.

How Long Does Banana Bread Last?

This Roasted Banana Bread doesn't last more than a few days in our house but it can be kept on the counter top stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

It may dry out a bit the longer it sits so its best to enjoy it within a few days.

Can It Be Frozen?

You can also freeze banana bread and enjoy at a later time!

How To Freeze

1. Prepare the bread as directed and allow to cool completely before freezing.
2. Wrap the bread tightly with aluminum foil and place in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Press any extra air out of the bag and seal. Label with the date and store up to 3 months.

How To Thaw

1. Remove the wrapped bread from the bag and place on the counter to thaw for a few hours.
2. Enjoy as you normally would once thawed.

If you love banana bread be sure to check out this Coffee Infused Banana Bread!

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