This banana bread is a gluten-free millet bread, made without flour of any kind. Instead, it's made with millet seed, an ancient grain. The bread is a hearty banana bread that's high in fiber, thanks to the whole grains and psyllium husks, and perfect for toasting or using as millet sandwich bread.
This fantastic bread is super easy to make. All you need is a high speed blender, a mixing bowl, whisk, and loaf pan and about 15 minutes of prep time, mostly spent while the blender works its magic.
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Jump to:
- ๐ฉโ๐ณ Bread Bakers
- โค๏ธ Why you'll love this recipe
- ๐ง Main Ingredients + Notes
- ๐ค What is Millet?
- ๐ค What are Psyllium Husks?
- ๐ช Recommended Equipment
- ๐ฉโ๐ณ Substitutions Guide
- โ Tips for Success
- ๐๏ธ Making This Recipe at High Altitude
- ๐ซ Storage Tips
- ๐ฝ Serving Suggestions
- ๐คทโโ๏ธ Banana Millet Bread FAQ
- Welcome to Breads Made with Ancient Grains by the Bread Bakers!
- Gluten-Free Banana Millet Bread
It's pure magic how a few simple ingredients combine to form a loaf of bread with your own hands. There's no comparison for the texture and flavor as compared to store-bought pre-packaged breads, and you can experiment by adding different ingredients to make the bread your own.
For example, Jiffy cornbread turns into a Mexican Cornbread by adding creamed corn, Hatch chiles, sour cream and cheese to the batter. Or use seasonal fruits and veggies to switch up a loaf bread like this Persimmon Bread.
This banana bread is very different from my other banana bread on this website. This one uses no flour, no butter, and no eggs. And yet it's full of flavor and hearty enough to use as sandwich bread. It has a couple of ingredients that might be new to you including the ancient grain, millet.
👩🍳 Bread Bakers
This month I've joined a group of fellow bread bakers to bake breads that use ancient grains as a predominant ingredient. Each month we choose a different theme, but every January we bake with ancient grains. It's been fun to try different flours each year.
For example, this it was January, nine years ago, when I started to experiment with Einkorn flour. There's more information on our group and a list of all of our breads at the end of this post.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Millet has a robust nutritional profile
- It's high in fiber from the psyllium husk, bananas, and millet seed.
- This millet bread recipe only needs about 15 minutes of prep, most of which is spent waiting for the blender to finish it's job.
- This is a gluten-free bread that's egg-free, dairy-free, and packed with flavor.
- It's an incredibly delicious recipe. 😋
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The secret to many dishes often lies in the ingredients. For example, some ingredients make a huge difference to the flavor and/or texture of the finished recipe. And purchasing the right ingredients can save you valuable time in the kitchen.
This list only covers ingredients that require some notes. For all of the ingredients, measurements, and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Millet - This recipe uses proso millet, sometimes seen as panicum millet, in a whole form. It's considered to be a yellow millet, Some stores sell millet seed in bulk and several companies sell it in bags, such as Bob's Red Mill. See the Millet section in this post for more information on this ancient grain.
- Bananas - They should be fully ripe and soft enough to mash but not squishy or bruised.
- Maple sugar - you can use brown sugar or date sugar instead, but maple sugar adds such a perfect sweetness with the bananas. I find it in the baking aisle with the other sugars.
- Whole psyllium husks - Do not substitute psyllium flour, you need the husks. I find this in the area of the store that sells food supplements such as protein powder and collagen.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🤓 What is Millet?
When I told my husband I was making millet bread, his response was "Isn't that bird seed?". He did not ask the question with excited pleasure.
The truth is that millet is used as bird seed, but don't dismiss it as purely for the birds. It's an ancient grain originally grown in Asia and found in archeological sites over 7500 years old. And it's popular with farmers still today, particularly in semi-arid regions, for its drought-resistance and short growing season.
Some Quick Facts
- Appearance. Millet is a spherical-shaped seed that is pale mustard in color.
- Flavor. This grain has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.
- Versatile. When cooked with a small amount of water, you get a fluffy pilaf. When cooked with a lot more water, the seed completely dissolves to form something that looks like mashed potatoes. It was likely the original polenta.
- Healthy. Millet seed has more nutrients than most other grains.
- Gluten-free. It's gluten-free and generally easier to digest as compared to other grains. And for folks who turn to rice as a gluten-free alternative grain, millet has a much lower glycemic index than any kind of rice.
- Storing. Store millet in an airtight container in a dry, cool place. The pantry is fine for up to 2 months, but I recommend the refrigerator for storing up to 6 months, and the freezer for up to 1 year. It is a grain that can go rancid, with the flour having a shorter shelf life than the whole seed.
🤓 What are Psyllium Husks?
If you've ever taken Metamucil, you had a form of psyllium as it is a soluble fiber popularly used for fiber enriching supplements. Psyllium is also used in baking for its thickening and binding properties. It's an excellent substitute for xantham gum for individuals with very sensitive digestive systems.
Psyllium husks are the outside shell (or husk) of a seed from a particular herb. Package labels will sometimes use the identifier "psyllium flakes". Both labeling refers to the whole psyllium husk. This supplement is also available as psyllium husk powder which is made from ground husks.
Some Quick Facts
- Forms. Psyllium is available in husks and powder form. This recipe calls for husks as the powder doesn't work as well for this particular bread.
- Flavor. This additive has a very mild flavor that's a little earthy.
- Nutrition. Psyllium is all about soluble fiber and therefore helps to keep you feeling full, helps to manage glucose levels, and greatly aids digestion and elimination.
- Uses. In addition to being a supplement (we even add it to our dog's food) it's used in gluten-free baking, as in this recipe. It's an excellent thickener and binder replacement for xanthan gum when making breads
🔪 Recommended Equipment
Having the right equipment for recipes makes prepping much easier. If you want more fuss-free prepping and cooking, check out my updated list of favorite kitchen tools and equipment.
- Loaf pan (or bread pan or pullman pan)
- High speed blender
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Cooling rack
👩🍳 Substitutions Guide
- Millet flour is fine to use in place of the whole millet seed but the amount must be the same as the millet seed in weight, not volume. For this recipe, 2 cups of millet seed weighs 408 grams. So, to substitute millet flour, you will need to weigh 408 grams using a kitchen scale. If you don't have a high-speed blender, use millet flour.
- Psyllium flour, on the other hand should not be substituted for Psyllium husk. You must use the husks which are sold in a flake form.
- I love maple sugar in this recipe but other sugars are fine to use, such as date sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sugar.
✅ Tips for Success
- Run the blender until the batter is completely smooth. This can take several minutes, up to 10 minutes, so be sure to stop the blender every couple of minutes to scrape down the sides of the container and allow the blender to cool down if necessary.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (psyllium husk flakes, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda) in a large bowl before adding the batter. There are 2 reasons:
- This ensures that the chemical leaveners and salt are evenly dispersed through the dry ingredients before they're mixed into the batter; and
- Once the batter hits the psyllium husks, the batter will quickly thicken. If you add the remaining ingredients after that, they are more difficult to thoroughly mix into the batter. You can do it, but it's more difficult.
🏔️ Making This Recipe at High Altitude
- Reduce the baking powder to 1 ยพ teaspoons.
- The baking time will be about 10 minutes longer. Because there is variability between the different oven manufacturers, it's best to test it 15 minutes before the time is up.
🫙 Storage Tips
After the finished loaf cools to room temperature, double wrap with plastic wrap and store on your counter for up to 2 days.
For longer than that, store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 2 months in an airtight container.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- I've been enjoying this bread in the mornings with my fruit and yogurt. My yogurt is dairy-free Siggi's and I augment it with this protein powder and chia seeds. This meal carries me through most of the day.
- Some mornings, I've made this orange-mango smoothie and sip on it with a slice of this bread.
- Eat it all by itself, warm, with butter and drizzle of maple syrup.
- Use as millet sandwich bread: smear a slice with peanut butter, layer sliced bananas, and then top with another slice of millet bread.
🤷♀️ Banana Millet Bread FAQ
Why does this recipe use millet seed instead of millet flour?
The quick answer is that millet seed is healthier. The seed form has more fiber than millet flour, and therefore brings additional health advantages over the milled form:
- Improved digestion and elimination
- Heart health
- Feeling full for longer (best for weight loss)
Do I need to presoak the millet seed?
No, that isn't at all necessary. The seed will dissolve in the liquid in the blender after several minutes of running the high-speed blender on high.
Should I fill the loaf pan all the way to the top?
No. Although this bread doesn't rise a huge amount, you must leave at least ยฝ" clearance when filling the loaf pan. If you have excess batter (I did on one of my batches when I used a different loaf pan), pour it into a ramekin and bake it alongside the loaf pan. It will bake more quickly, depending upon how much excess batter you had, so keep that in mind when setting your timer.
Can I use a food processor to making this instead of a high speed blender?
I haven't tried it and recommend pre-soaking the millet seed to ensure a very smooth batter.
Welcome to Breads Made with Ancient Grains by the Bread Bakers!
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. This month's them is breads made with ancient grains and it's hosted by Stacy at the Food Lust People Love blog.
You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to [email protected].
This month the Bread Bakers
- Bajri Tilachi Bhakri from Sneha's Recipe
- Banana Millet Bread from The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Banana Oat Pancakes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Khapli Wheat Roti from Cook with Renu
- Milled Ancient Multigrain Bread from A Messy Kitchen
- Peanut Butter Ancient Grain Corn Muffins from Palatable Pastime
- Spelt and Poppyseed Sourdough Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Spelt Coconut Sourdough Bread from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
- Sprouted Spelt Banana Walnut Muffins from Food Lust People Love
Don't have time to run to the grocery store? Order the ingredients for this recipe using Instacart (affiliate link). Just click on the Instacart button in the recipe card below, and the ingredients will all be organized for you on their site. Plug in your zip code, choose the store you prefer, and select the ingredients you want delivered to your home.
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Gluten-Free Banana Millet Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked hulled proso millet (yellow millet) (see the post for more information on millet)
- 2 cups mashed bananas about 5 fully ripe bananas
- 1 ¼ cups water room temperature
- ยฝ cup maple sugar (see the notes for options)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- โ cup whole psyllium husks (see the post for more information on psyllium husks)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (See the High Altitude notes for recommended adjustments)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt or ยพ teaspoons sea salt
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
Optional Topping
- 2 slices banana sliced lengthwise as thinly as possible
- ยผ teaspoon maple sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F(180C). Lightly oil the sides and bottom of a 9×5-inch (22.5×12.5 cm) loaf baking pan.
- Place the millet, mashed bananas, water, maple sugar, vinegar, and vanilla extract in the container of a high speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. This may take as long as 7-10 minutes, so be patient. The liquid will become smooth. Stop the blender every few minutes to allow it to cool down, if needed, and to scrape down the sides.
- While the blender liquifies the millet mixture, whisk together the psyllium husks, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
- When the millet mixture is smooth, pour it into the bowl with the psyllium husk mixture and quickly stir it all together using either a large spoon or rubber spatula. The batter will thicken very quickly from the psyllium husks.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. There is a slight sizing difference between different types of loaf pans, so only pour enough batter into the loaf pan that allows ยฝ inch clearance at the top. If you have excess batter left over, pour it into a lightly oiled ramekin for baking alongside the loaf pan.
- For an optional topping, arrange two thin slices of banana on top of the batter. Sprinkle them with ยผ teaspoon maple sugar.
- Bake for 70-80 minutes or until a knife inserted into the thickest part of the bread comes out clean or with only a few loose crumbs.
- When the bread is done, remove it from the oven to cool on a cooling rack. After 10-15 minutes, run a sharp knife around the sides of the bread and flip the loaf out of the pan. The finished loaf is a bit of a crust loaf on the outside, but moist and tender on the inside. Continue to cool the bread on the cooling rack for at least another 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
-
- Millet flour is fine to use in place of the millet seed but the amount must be the same as the millet seed in weight, not volume. For this recipe, 2 cups of millet seed weighs 408 grams. So, to substitute millet flour, you will need to weigh 408 grams using a kitchen scale. If you don't have a high-speed blender, use millet flour.
-
- Psyllium flour, on the other hand should not be substituted for Psyllium husk. You must use the husks which are sold in a flake form.
-
- I love maple sugar in this recipe but other sugars are fine to use, such as date sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sugar.
-
- Run the blender until the batter is completely smooth. This can take several minutes, up to 10 minutes, so be sure to stop the blender every couple of minutes to scrape down the sides of the container and allow the blender to cool down if necessary.
-
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (psyllium husk flakes, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda) in a large bowl before adding the batter. There are 2 reasons:
-
- This ensures that the chemical leaveners and salt are evenly dispersed through the dry ingredients before they're mixed into the batter; and
-
- Once the batter hits the psyllium husks, the batter will quickly thicken. If you add the remaining ingredients after that happens, they are more difficult to thoroughly mix into the batter. You can do it, but it's more difficult.
-
- Whisk together the dry ingredients (psyllium husk flakes, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda) in a large bowl before adding the batter. There are 2 reasons:
-
- Reduce the baking powder to 1 ยพ teaspoons.
-
- The baking time will be about 10 minutes longer. Because there is variability between the different oven manufacturers, it's best to test it 15 minutes before the time is up.
Nutrition
This recipe was modified from one I saw on Power Hungry.
Author: Susan Pridmore
Owner, The Wimpy Vegetarian
Professional Recipe Developer
Read my story.
Stacy
Thanks for sharing the conversion if using millet flour, Susan. Very helpful! Your husband's comment about bird seed made me laugh. I think that's just a western thing because millet is used a lot in the subcontinent. Your banana bread looks lovely and I especially love the banana on top!
Susan Pridmore
Thanks so much Stacy! Yes, millet is a staple in many areas of the world - for many centuries, northern China used millet in the same way southern China used rice. And yes, it's very common in various countries in Africa. But here in the US, it's thought of as bird seed.
Wendy Klik
I might be tempted to make them all in ramekins and serve them for breakfast with banana slices and maple syrup.
Susan Pridmore
That is a fabulous idea!!! I think I'll do that next time I make it!
Hobby baker Kelly
Lol, when I was little I did call the seeded bread that my mom used to buy, "bird seed bread!" I love millet flour now and will definitely be sharing this recipe with my vegan friends.
Susan Pridmore
I love that - bird seed bread! Thanks so much!
Karen's Kitchen Stories
I learn something new every day! Psyllium is something I've never used in baking before. Beautiful bread.
Susan Pridmore
Thanks! Some people with sensitive digestive systems can have issues with xantham gum, so psyllium husks can be a great substitution.
Sue Lau
I like being able to buy one bag of seed and find ideas for using it ground into flour and the rest as seeds. Especially as a small family and what with the millet having a shorter shelf life. Thanks for sharing!
Susan Pridmore
That makes a lot of sense to me. Thank you!
Renu
I am too making a lot of millet bread these days and they surprisingly turn out good. Your bread is just perfect and best for a vegan diet too.
Susan Pridmore
Thank you! Yes, this recipe is perfect for vegan diets ๐