Gluten Free Banana Zucchini Bread Recipe (Naturally Dairy-Free)

Every summer, I inevitably end up with two things hanging around my kitchen: overripe bananas covered in brown spots and more summer zucchini than I know what to do with. This gluten-free banana zucchini bread recipe is the delicious little love child of those two situations.

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It’s tender, warmly spiced, naturally dairy-free, and packed with fresh zucchini and mashed bananas. Add a handful of chocolate chips if you’re feeling fancy—or if you live in my house, where adding chocolate is almost never considered optional.

Best of all, this is an easy quick bread made with simple ingredients and no mixer required. A bowl, a whisk, a wooden spoon, and a loaf pan will get you there.

It’s a great way to use extra zucchini from the garden and those brown bananas nobody seems interested in eating anymore.

Why You’ll Love This Banana Zucchini Bread

If banana bread and zucchini bread are already two of your favorite breads, this one might become your new favorite.

Bananas add natural sweetness and moisture, while shredded zucchini keeps the loaf incredibly tender without making it taste like vegetables. Brown sugar gives it a cozy caramel note, cinnamon and nutmeg add warmth, and vanilla extract ties everything together.

And then there are the chocolate chips. They’re optional, technically, but those melty pockets of chocolate are arguably the best part.

This is one of those moist quick breads that works just as well for breakfast as it does for an afternoon snack or something sweet after dinner.

The Best Bananas to Use

For the best flavor, use very ripe bananas. I’m talking spotty bananas with lots of brown spots—the kind you might otherwise toss into the freezer and promise yourself you’ll eventually use. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful it becomes. Those bananas also mash easily and help create the soft texture we want in a really good moist banana bread.

You’ll need about 1 cup of mashed bananas, or roughly two large bananas. Basically, if the bananas look a little too far gone for your morning cereal, they’re probably perfect for this zucchini banana bread recipe.

How to Prepare the Zucchini

You can shred your fresh zucchini using the large holes of a box grater or pulse it briefly in a food processor.

One medium zucchini should give you about the amount needed, though obviously zucchini has a habit of growing to baseball-bat proportions in summer. If you’re working with a particularly large zucchini, scoop out any very large seeds before grating.

The important part comes next: squeeze out the excess water. Pile the grated zucchini into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly over the sink. You can also use several layers of paper towels. Zucchini has a high moisture content, and leaving too much excess moisture behind can make gluten-free quick bread gummy instead of tender. You don’t need to wring it completely dry—we still want some moisture—just give it a good squeeze.

How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Zucchini Bread

• Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper so the bread lifts out easily.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: mashed bananas, grated zucchini, brown sugar, white sugar or maple syrup, oil, eggs at room temperature, and vanilla extract.
• I like room-temperature eggs because they blend more easily into the batter.
• For the oil, use something fairly mild. Canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, light olive oil, or melted coconut oil will all work. Coconut oil should be cooled slightly before adding so it doesn’t cook the eggs.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
• Don’t overmix. A few tiny streaks of flour are much better than beating the batter into submission.
• Fold in chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or whichever of your favorite mix-ins you happen to have around.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips or walnuts over the top, and bake until golden brown.

How Long Does Banana Zucchini Bread Bake?

The cooking time is usually about 55–65 minutes.

Start checking around the 55-minute mark. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached.

If the top is becoming too dark before the center is finished, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil and continue baking.

Once it’s done, let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack.

I know slicing warm banana bread immediately is deeply tempting, but letting it cool gives the crumb time to set.

FAQ about banana zucchini bread

What Gluten-Free Flour Works Best?

This recipe uses a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum.

If you’re used to traditional baking recipes made with whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or another whole grain flour, it’s fine to substitute those here if (unless you need the loaf to remain gluten-free).

A quality gluten-free purpose flour blend is specifically formulated to behave more like conventional flour and will give you the best results. Because gluten-free flour blends vary, I always recommend using one you already know works well in baking (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1).

Can I Add Chocolate Chips?

Please do. Fold about ½ cup of chocolate chips into the batter, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Because the loaf is naturally dairy-free, just check your chocolate chips if dairy is something you need to avoid. Walnuts, pecans, or a combination of nuts and chocolate are also delicious. That’s one of the reasons this is such a great recipe—it’s incredibly easy to customize.

How to Store Banana Zucchini Bread

Once the loaf is completely cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container.

• It will keep at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for about a week.
• For longer storage, freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap and tucked into a freezer-safe bag. They’ll keep for up to three months and thaw quickly whenever you need a snack.

This easy zucchini banana bread really is one of the best ways to use up both overripe bananas and an abundance of summer zucchini.

Moist, tender, warmly spiced, and dotted with chocolate chips, it’s exactly what I want from a good quick bread—and a pretty compelling reason to let those bananas get a little browner.

Of course, I love regular banana bread and zucchini bread, but this gluten-free banana zucchini bread recipe is one of those kitchen staples that never goes out of style. It’s the perfect way to use up overripe bananas and that endless supply of summer zucchini, and it’s versatile enough for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Moist, tender, and just sweet enough, it’s the kind of loaf that disappears slice by slice—especially if you’ve added a handful of melty chocolate chips. Whether you keep it on the counter in an airtight container, wrap it in plastic wrap for the freezer, or share it warm with friends, this bread is guaranteed to bring a little comfort and joy to your table.

More Gluten Free Quick Breads to Try

• Moist & Tender Gluten Free Banana Loaf with Chocolate Chips
• The Best Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Recipe Around
• The Best Double Chocolate Gluten-Free Zucchini Bread Recipe

✨ If you bake this zucchini banana loaf, I’d love to see it! Tag me @atable_defloured so I can cheer on your kitchen wins.

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