My dad does not eat fruit… and that includes bananas. But if there’s one way I can get him to eat bananas, it’s when they are hidden in this beautiful loaf of soft banana bread that is also loaded with pockets of melted chocolate! Warm, soft, perfectly sweet, and bursting with flavor… this banana bread is everything a classic banana bread should be, but without the gluten or the dairy. Now you have the perfect recipe for that bunch of quickly-ripening bananas sitting in your homestead kitchen, and it’s one that modern pioneers of all ages will love!

gluten-free chocolate chunk banana bread slices

Modern Pioneer Recipe

While making homemade bread is certainly a pioneer skill, I still consider this banana bread to be a modern pioneer recipe. Bananas wouldn’t have been a common food to find out on the American frontier. Nonetheless, bananas are one of my favorite fruits so I am thankful we have access to them and I can use them in my baking in my modern pioneer kitchen! You will love this modern pioneer recipe for several reasons:

Allergy-friendly– This gluten-free chocolate chunk banana bread is not only free from gluten, but it is also free from other common allergen foods. Even if you have dietary restrictions, you can still enjoy a slice of warm banana bread! This recipe is…

gluten-free
dairy-free
tree nut free
coconut free
refined sugar free
corn free

Need a banana bread recipe that is grain-free? Check out my grain-free chocolate chip banana bread recipe!

Super Simple– There’s nothing complicated about this banana bread recipe. It’s almost a one-bowl recipe if you didn’t have to mash the bananas in a seperate bowl before adding them to the batter. Regardless, you will find that you can whip up this bread in just minutes. The longest part is waiting for the loaf to bake!

Prevents Food Waste– Overly ripe bananas are not the best for munching on, they don’t usually slice well to add to cereal or oatmeal, and they don’t generally work well in smoothies either. So what options do you have left? Baking with them! Some recipes need fairly firm bananas, but for banana bread, the bananas can be various levels of ripeness without affecting the recipe results significantly! Instead of throwing out those over-ripe bananas…. make a batch of banana bread!

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a loaf of gluten-free banana bread with thick slices cut from it

Tips for Baking with Bananas

Bananas are such a versatile fruit to bake with. They can be used in breads, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, muffins… you get the idea. In most cases, a recipe will call for bananas with a certain ripeness, so it’s helpful to know how to evaluate the ripeness of your bananas.

Here are some guidelines to follow when figuring out what level of ripeness your bananas are at:

unripe– green peels, very firm
eating ripeness– yellow peel, firm
ripe– yellow peel with a few brown specks, firm
very ripe– yellow peel 50% covered in brown speckles, soft
overly ripe– brown peel, very soft

The ripeness of the bananas will affect the consistency of the batter you are baking the bananas in. Ripe bananas can easily be mashed, but they don’t have as much moisture content as very ripe or overly ripe bananas. For this banana bread recipe, you can use bananas ranging from ripe to overly ripe. Here’s how to adjust the recipe as needed based on the bananas you use:

ripe bananas– follow the recipe as is
very ripe bananas– follow the recipe as is but if the batter seems too moist, add 1-2 tablespoons of additional gluten-free flour
overly ripe bananas– add 2-3 tablespoons of gluten-free flour to prevent the banana bread from sinking after it has risen and baked

A few other delicious banana recipes that you might want to check out include these gluten-free banana pancakes or these grain-free banana muffins!

a slice of gluten-free chocolate chip banana bread spread with honey butter

Recipe Questions

How mashed should the bananas be?

The bananas should be thoroughly mashed and almost like a puree. I like to use a fork to mash the bananes thoroughly in a shallow bowl. Leaving chunks of banana may affect the consistency of the batter since the chunks of banana won’t add as much moisture to the batter. They may also brown in the bread once it is sliced.

Have some leftover mashed banana? Make the banana cookie recipe in The Pioneer Chicks Cookie Cookbook to help use up those leftovers!

What is the correct batter consistency for this banana bread?

The batter consistency for this banana bread should be thick but still pourable. It should almost be like a thick pancake batter. The batter should fall off your spatula when you scoop it but it should not be runny. If the batter seems too thick and you can’t pour it into the bread pan, add a few tablespoons of water until the batter it the correct consistency. If the batter seems too thin, add a few tablespoons of additional gluten-free flour.

Can I make this banana bread egg-free?

I have not tried making this banana bread egg-free. Gluten-free baked products benefit greatly from the additional protein added by eggs in a recipe. The eggs can help give the bread lift when it rises and prevents the bread from being too crumbly when sliced.

How can I tell if the banana bread is done?

The banana bread should be richly browned on the top. The center of the loaf should be set and should have risen nicely. You can also use a cake tester to poke into the center of the loaf, if the tester comes out with moist batter on it, then the bread needs to bake for longer. However, it can be tricky to tell the difference between unbaked batter and melted chocolate on the cake tester.

Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped baking chocolate?

Yes! You can easily just use chocolate chips instead of chopping up a baking chocolate bar. The pockets of melted chocolate won’t be as big in the bread, but you will still have bursts of warm, melty chocolate chips in every slice. To keep the bread allergy-friendly, I recommend Enjoy Life chocolate chips or dark chocolate mega chunks. For baking chocolate, I like to use Lily’s Sweets baking chocolate bars. They are also refined sugar free!

NOTE: If baking with chopped chocolate bar, it is best to slice the banana bread while it is still warm. Slice up the whole loaf after it has cooled for 20-40 minutes. Once the chocolate chunks in the banana bread cool completely, it can be hard to get pretty slices of banana bread unless you have a very sharp knife.

This gluten-free chocolate chunk banana bread will quickly become a staple on your homestead! It is the perfect solution for overripe bananas that doesn’t take a lot of time to make.

Gluten-free Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Recipe by The Pioneer Chicks

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 10

Servings 1 9×5″ loaf

Author Alexa Lehr

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas 3-4 bananas
1/4 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 large pasture-raised, organic eggs room temperature
1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/3 cup coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. organic cinnamon
1 cup chocolate baking bar, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9×5" laof pan with unbleached parchment paper or generously oil the pan with coconut oil.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed banana, oil, maple syrup, and eggs. Stir until combined.
Add the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until the batter is smooth. Fold in the pieces of chopped chocolate bar.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Use your spatula to smooth the batter into the pan.
Bake for 45-55 minutes. The top of the loaf should be risen nicely and browned. It should be set when pressed gently or when a cake tester is inserted in the center of the loaf.
Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing from the loaf pan. Slice the banana bread while it is still warm to get pretty banana bread slices!
Store leftover, cooled banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Where to Find the Ingredients:

homemade banana bread cut into thick slices and served with honey butter

This gluten-free chocolate chunk banana bread is perfectly soft, moist, sweet, and bursting with chunks of melted chocolate! Whether you’re looking for a reliable banana bread recipe that is gluten-free, or simply needing a solution for those overripe bananas sitting on your counter… this recipe is the perfect solution for either scenario. A slice of this sweet, flavorful banana bread is perfect to accompany breakfast, be enjoyed as a mid-morning snack, or even used as an after-lunch dessert!

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