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This oat flour banana bread recipe puts a simple (and gluten-free!) twist on an all-time classic. Gluten-free bakers rejoice: it’s not often that the dietary substitution winds up the hero, but the nutty profile of the oat flour plays perfectly into the banana-nut combo that you’d expect from your favorite banana bread recipe.

Looking for another gluten-free banana bread? Try this almond flour banana bread or paleo banana bread next.

a loaf of oat flour banana bread sliced on a countertop
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The finished product is dense, yet fluffy, slightly gooey in the middle just as you’d expect, and has a nice crumble on top. It’s like a comfort food and a dessert all in one – especially if you add in the dark chocolate chips.

Next time, take the nutty flavor to the next level and brown the butter like in our brown butter banana bread recipe.

Or try some of our other spins on the classic banana bread with our Nutella banana bread or apple banana bread.

Reasons to Love this Oat Flour Banana Bread

  • Quick to make: Preparing your banana bread batter will take less than the 15 minutes it needs to rest before heading into the oven (even if you’re making homemade oat flour). 
  • Gluten-free: It’s everything you’d expect from a fresh, warm loaf of your favorite banana bread, just without the gluten. 
  • Easy prep & cleanup: You’ll most likely have all the ingredients right at home and will barely dirty enough dishes to fill the drying rack.
  • Delicious: It’s bursting with banana flavor, along with a rich, nutty taste thanks to the oat flour, and an extra touch of sweetness with the dark chocolate chips.
picking up a slice of oat flour banana bread from a stack of slices

Grab These Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients for this oat flour banana bread. Most are pantry staples and easy (and affordable ingredients) to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

oat flour banana bread ingredients on a counteretop
  • Unsalted butter: Be sure to leave that other half stick on the counter – you’ll want a nice, soft tab of butter to melt on top of your slice of warm banana bread that’s fresh from the oven.
  • Oat flour: We like Bob’s Red Mill, but even if you don’t have store-bought oat flour at home, you can make your own with oats and a food processor or blender. See below for more tips on making it at home. 
  • Leavens: The mixture of baking soda and baking powder helps the banana bread rise. Make sure they’re not expired!
  • Salt and pure vanilla extract: Although you’re not adding much, don’t underestimate the flavor they both add.
  • Bananas: Use very overripe bananas for the most delicious banana flavor.
  • Brown sugar: You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Both will ensure your bread is soft and moist. Coconut sugar can also be used as a substitute.
  • Eggs: You’ll want to make sure the eggs are at room temperature.
  • Dark chocolate chips: These are optional, but who opts out when it comes to adding chocolate? They add the perfect amount of sweetness.

How to Ripen Bananas Quickly

  • 20-Minute Method: place the bananas (with the peel) on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 250°F. Reduce the bake time based on initial ripeness.
  • One-day method: put the bananas in a paper bag, close and leave it at room temperature and you’ll have ripe bananas the next day. The ethylene the bananas release speeds up the ripening. Add an apple or avocado to speed this process up even more.

Homemade Oat Flour

If you can’t find the oat flour in the store, it’s so simple to make on your own. All you need is oats! Follow our guide for how to make oat flour which takes less than 5 minutes. 

If you wind up with extra oat flour, be sure to try our other oat flour recipes like these oat flour chocolate chip cookies or another breakfast treat, our oat flour pancakes that the whole family will enjoy. You can even learn how to make oat milk. 

How to Make Oat Flour Banana Bread

The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos so you have a clear idea of what to expect. This banana bread is really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure they turn out every time.

Video: Watch How to Make Oat Flour Banana Bread

Start with your wet ingredients by whisking together the melted butter (after it’s cooled slightly) and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the melted butter is thoroughly combined with the sugar.

Place the bananas in a separate small bowl and use the back of a fork or a potato masher to mash the bananas. You should have 1 ½ cups of mashed bananas (about 3 ripe bananas). 

Add the mashed bananas, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla extract to your butter and brown sugar and whisk until everything is well combined and all of the lumps are gone. It’s okay to have some lumps of bananas.

melted butter, mashed banana, eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl

Add the dry ingredients including the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips, into your wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until everything is combined. 

For best results, allow the batter to rest in the large bowl for 15 minutes to let the leavens start to activate. The batter will seem thin at first and start to thicken as it rests.

banana bread batter with oat flour in a mixing bowl

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly into each corner with a spatula or spoon. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out with a few moist crumbs. Start checking the loaf at the 35-minute mark and cover it with foil if it’s becoming too brown.

oat flour banana bread batter in a loaf tin

After removing the pan from the oven, allow the bread to cool inside the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper to pull it out of the pan then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

oat flour banana bread cooling in the pan

Recipe FAQs

Can I replace white flour or wheat flour with oat flour?

Oat flour is best used in baked goods that don’t need gluten to rise, such as quick breads of bread and cookies.

How much oat flour equals white or wheat flour?

If your recipe calls for 1 cup of regular white or wheat flour, substitute it for 1 1/3 cups of oat flour.

Does oat flour have fewer carbs than white or wheat flour?

Compared to white or wheat flour, oat flour has more fiber, fewer carbs, and higher amounts of protein. Oat flour also has a little more iron and calcium than white or wheat flour.

Freezing and Storing Tips

Allow the oat flour banana bread to cool completely then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for two days or in the fridge for up to five days.

Baked banana bread will stay fresh in the freezer for up to four months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve cold or warm each piece in the microwave and enjoy with butter.

a piece of oat flour banana bread on a plate with a bite taken out

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

More Gluten-Free Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe and are looking for more gluten-free baking options, we suggest you try a few of our other great recipes, including gluten-free biscotti, gluten-free peanut butter blossoms, gluten-free snickerdoodle blondies, gluten-free scones 4 ways, or gluten-free angel food cake.

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5 from 3 votes

Oat Flour Banana Bread

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Cool Time: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 40 minutes
This oat flour banana bread is dense, yet fluffy, slightly gooey in the middle just as you’d expect, and has a nice crumble on top. It’s like a comfort food and a dessert all in one – especially if you add in the dark chocolate chips. View the recipe blog post above for step-by-step images of the process.
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Molly Thompson

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Molly Thompson
Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 medium bananas)
  • 1 1/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter or vegan butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (Note 2)
  • 2 large eggs room temperature (Note 3)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups oat flour homemade or store-bought (Note 4)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate chips optional

Instructions 

  • Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 1 lb loaf tin with nonstick spray. Line the center with a strip of parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang on each side for easy removal.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until the butter is fully combined with the sugar.
  • Add the mashed bananas, room-temperature eggs, and vanilla extract, and whisk until well combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients including the oat four, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix until combined. The mixture will seem a little loose at first but start to thicken up as the oat flour absorbs the moisture. Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes to let the leavens start to activate.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Start checking the loaf at the 35-minute mark and cover it with foil if it's becoming too brown.
  • Cool the banana bread in the pan for 10 minutes then use the parchment paper to carefully lift the bread out of the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. You may need to run a knife around the outside of the pan to loosen it. Serve warm with butter or enjoy at room temperature.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Notes

Note 1. Loaf Pan (affiliate link). We use this 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Note 2. Brown Sugar: Substitute equal amounts of regular white granulated sugar or coconut sugar. I don’t recommend any liquid sweeteners, like honey or maple syrup.
Note 3. Room Temperature Ingredients. Chilled eggs can bring up the temperature of the melted butter, causing small pockets of solid butter in the batter that melts when baked, which isn’t ideal for the texture. Bring eggs up to room temperature quickly by placing the eggs (with the shells) in a bowl of hot water for 5-10 minutes.
Note 4. Oat Flour. We like Bob’s Red Mill Certified Gluten-Free Oat Flour. You can also make homemade oat flour if you have rolled oats and a high-speed blender or food processor.
Vegan banana bread: swap the eggs for flax eggs or use an egg replacer, like Just Eggs.
Oat flour muffins: use this recipe to make oat flour banana bread muffins. Pour the batter into a lined and greased muffin pan and bake at 350°F for 22-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Or try these healthy banana muffins in one bowl.
 

Video

Equipment

  • 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan Note 1

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 7.3g | Fat: 36.9g | Cholesterol: 123.4mg | Sodium: 299.1mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 27.7g | Vitamin A: 264.2IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. Hayley Feland says:

    5 stars
    Love this recipe — however I think there’s a typo for butter. I always do 1.5 STICKS, not 1.25 CUPS (which would be 2.5 sticks).

    Reply
  2. Lindsey says:

    5 stars
    The best banana bread! Loved it so much!
    Made some substitutions to make it “clean” and it came out amazing!!
    Made my own oat flour, subbed butter for coconut oil, subbed brown sugar for coconut sugar, omitted the chocolate chips but added some pecans and a dash of cinnamon!! This will be on repeat for me

    Reply