A delicious twist on an old favorite – this chocolate banana bread is gluten free and refined sugar free! This rich chocolate loaf is easy to make, and it’s a dessert that everyone loves.
Banana bread is one of our favorite things to bake at our house. It’s simple to make, most people love it, and it’s easy to make it gluten free or vegan. If we’re travelling, I’ll often bake banana muffins or banana bread to take along with us – it makes a great breakfast or snack for the road!
This is a fun variation on the normal recipe, because it combines two delicious flavors – bananas and chocolate. You maybe surprised at how easy this chocolate banana bread is to make.
Top Tip
Another thing that helps this loaf turn out well is using a glass loaf pan lined with parchment paper. You won’t have trouble with this bread sticking if you use parchment paper.
Ingredient Notes
- Bananas – One of the secrets to this recipe is to use very ripe bananas – I’m talking over ripe bananas that have been stashed in the freezer and are now extra sweet. They’ll give this bread great flavor and keep it tender and moist.
- Coconut Sugar – I used coconut sugar, since it’s an unrefined sugar, but if you don’t love coconut sugar, you can go ahead and use regular sugar or a blend of regular sugar and brown sugar.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – Blends like Gluten Free 123 or Namaste Perfect Flour Blend should work well in this recipe. If you aren’t gluten free, this recipe should work just fine with regular flour or spelt flour. This recipe will not work with coconut flour.
Variations
- You can make muffins if you prefer, just shorten the baking time – 16-20 minutes should do it
- You can add chocolate chips or chocolate chunks if you want a little more sweetness
- You can add coconut flakes or seeds or nuts to the batter if you wish – be creative!
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Recipe
Chocolate Banana Bread (Gluten Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free).
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup organic coconut oil measure when solid, then melt it in the microwave
- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅜ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper so that there is an overhang on both sides.
- Place the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
- Place the bananas in a separate bowl and mash with a fork. Add the melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, and water. Stir well.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool completely in the pan before using the parchment paper to remove the loaf for slicing.
Teresa
I’ve been making this for a few years, once or twice a year – it’s delicious! I use whole wheat flour but only 141 g (per recommendations on King Arthur Website for subbing whole wheat for all purpose flour). It comes out better that way, otherwise it is too thick! Sometimes I do need to ad a little extra water too. I also cut the sugar in half and use half Stevia, which works! I will say this is in general a denser bread and is not a puffy loaf, but it’s delicious!
Kelly Roenicke
I’m glad you like it!
Elizabeth
Taste yummy! I got six giant muffins at 40 minutes in the oven and I used my oat flour. Two less solid brown bananas here!
Marieta
Great recipe! I added 1/3 cup chopped walnuts and 1/3 cup dairy free chocolate chips.. used Bob’s 1:1 GF flour in blue bag and increased coconut oil just a bit to 1/2 cup. Made exactly 36 mini muffins in greased tins, baked at 350 in convection oven for 13-15 minute and they are AMAZING!! Thanks for this recipe… love that everything in it is a staple in my kitchen. I’ll be making it again for sure!!
Jackie
Hello! I’m anxious to try this. One question you say 1/3 c coconut oil measured solid, once you micro it tho it will be less than 1/3. Just use whatever it is once melted?
Kim
SO GOOD! Added chopped walnuts and dark chocolate chips. I may cut back on the coconut sugar next time.
Molly Renteria
Made this with bob’s red mill gluten free baking mix, and everything else as written. Very delicious! I would probably use less sugar if I made it again but we all loved it!
Deanna
By far the tastiest V, GF chocolate bread I’ve had yet! Tastes AMAZING! However the middle sinks in a little bit. It cooks perfectly, even in the middle, so the taste is unaffected. It’s more of an aesthetic issue. I’m using an 8×4 in pan. I subbed the 1 cup coconut sugar for 3/4 c cane sugar. I used 1/3 cup oil, but I did a 3:1 blend of avocado oil: coconut oil to lessen some of the coconut flavor. Any suggestions?
Christina
I tried making this delicious banana bread. It was fantastic! I have an allergy reaction to sugar. Also autoimmune disease. So I can’t take lots of stuffs. This recipe is great! Thank you so much for sharing.
Rebekah Kerrigan
Hi Kelly! I am hoping to try this recipe tomorrow and am super excited! How long will the bread keep and how should I store it? I’m hoping to bake it tomorrow to eat the day after, will that be ok?
Kelly Roenicke
It will be fine for a few days! At least 3-4. Just store in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap.
Mags
I just made these into muffins. Used 3/4 cups of oat flour. Used 3 bananas, added chopped walnuts, dark chocolate chips and 2 tbsp chia. Was moist and delicious! Will definitely make these again. Thank you!
JoAnn
I am in the process of making this and I don’t see a loaf pan size?????? Guess I will have to wing it!
Nicole
Most DELISH Banana bread….even preferred over cake by non vegan and non GF friends (AND KIDS) 🙌🏾 Followed directions to a T and it turned out perfectly. I did refrigerate it over night before eating, which could’ve helped to set the middle. But I believe any banana bread tastes better the next day anyways 😉 All around super yummy. Have to make second batch bc it was gone so quickly! Lol
Kelly Roenicke
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! THank you for letting me know!
Heidi
I made this recipe with the exact ingredients but I made it into muffins and cooked them for 30 min. They came out perfect! I used Bob’s Red Mill flour 1 to 1. I have had such a hard time making gluten free baked goods that everyone likes for my daughter. Thank you for this recipe! Next time I will probably try adding chocolate chips because they make everything better of course.