Ever since my GF Zucchini Choc Chip Muffins, I have been shook at how simple it can be to create a delicious and moist quick bread with the texture of a regular glutenous bread. I'm sure we've all had at least one bad experience with a gluten-free muffin or cookie that just didn't live up to our expectations. Well, this bread. This bread! It's good. It's moist. It tastes just like the real deal. And it's better for you than other sugar loaded banana breads!
I took my favorite Healthier Banana Nut Bread and simply swapped out the flour for my own GF flour/starch blend! Once you have all of your ingredients compiled, this recipe is so easy! I like to bake this bread at a lower temperature for a tad longer just to make sure it comes out nice and moist – as I think a banana bread should be. Feel free to omit the walnuts and add in your favorite mix-ins – white or dark chocolate chips, blueberries, poppy seeds, etc. And as always, happy baking!
1.) Preheat your oven to 300°F. Spray a loaf pan with olive oil and then line with parchment paper, making sure you a couple of parchment "tabs" overhanging the sides to make for easy removal of your baked loaf. It's very important to make sure all four sides of your pan are lined with parchment (and not just non-stick spray) as the almond flour will cause the loaf to stick. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for about 10 minutes.
2.) In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and honey. Whisk in the eggs and then the mashed banana, almond milk, applesauce, and vanilla until totally combined; set aside.
3.) In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, tapioca flour/starch, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the liquid ingredients and gently mix until nearly combined. Add in the chopped walnuts, mixing gently until no flour pockets remain. Feel free to get creative with your mix-ins (add chocolate chips, poppy seeds, or other fruit!).
4.) Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake at 300°F for 65-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out with crumbs. The lower temp + longer cook time yields a moist banana bread.
5.) Allow your baked loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before gently using the parchment paper to lift it up and onto a cooling rack. Slice and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life.
If you've been following my blog or Instagram, then you know I'm a sucker for chocolate. Specifically, big pools of melted chocolate enrobed in a perfectly sweet and crispy cookie. I mean, COME ON. Look at that chocolate!!
I love using coconut oil in place of butter in my version of a classic chocolate chip cookie, because I always have it on hand + it's easier on the wallet than vegan butter. I find that coconut oil creates a cookie that's crispy at the edges and totally reminiscent of a regular ole buttery cookie. You can even use refined coconut oil to lessen the chance of tasting the coconut.
I packed these cookies with chopped dark chocolate (to get those melty pools!) and chopped walnuts – YUM! I added a bit of spelt flour, a nutritious, ancient whole grain, to add a bit more nuttiness to these cookies. I'm so happy with how these turned out, and let's just say I was very tempted to eat the whole batch! Happy baking, friends!
1.) Bring your egg to room temperature by placing it in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. In a large bowl, beat together the solid coconut oil and sugars. Beat in the egg and then the vanilla; set aside.
2.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet, stirring gently with a wooden spoon or large spatula until nearly combined. Add the chopped chocolate and chopped walnuts and gently combine.
3.) Scoop all of the dough balls, 1.5 Tbsp in size, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll dough balls smooth, making sure chunks of chocolate are visible on the top of each cookie. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
4.) Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake cookies, six at a time, for 7-9 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.