My love for baking with almond flour started back in 2016, after I had an almond-flour chocolate cake at a cafe in Boston. I had no idea flourless baking could be this good.
I immediately started playing with it, and since then I have published over 20 almond flour recipes on this website alone.
This recipe came out of necessity when I found myself staring at a few ripe bananas on the counter. After a few trial and errors, I learned that there are two tricks to making this recipe work:
- Weigh your bananas: Bananas vary widely in size, so saying you will need 2 to 3 bananas will yield different results. My recipe here uses 300 grams (or 1 1/4 cups) of mashed bananas, which I found to be the perfect ratio of almond flour to banana.
- Use ground flaxseed as a binder: Almond flour does not absorb liquid the way regular flour does. Eggs bind the batter, but between the eggs and mashed bananas, the batter was too wet. I needed something to absorb the extra moisture. A quarter cup of ground flaxseeds did exactly that, and the bread held its shape and rose beautifully instead of sinking in the middle.
Ingredients Notes
You will need a set of dry and wet ingredients to make this banana bread recipe with almond flour. I have included all of the ingredients and exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Below are a few helpful ingredient notes that need a little guidance.
Wet ingredients
Vegetable Oil: I used avocado oil, but any vegetable oil like grapeseed or melted coconut oil would also work.
Very-Ripe, Brown-Speckled Bananas: Use overripe, sweet bananas for this bread recipe. I like them because they are sweeter and softer (and easier to blend).
Pro tip: You will need 1 ¼ cups of mashed bananas (300 g) in this recipe. While you can use a cup measure, I recommend using a kitchen scale if you have one. It eliminates the guesswork and yields consistent results every time. I own and recommend this digital kitchen scale if you are in the market for a new one.
Coconut Sugar: I used coconut sugar for its tropical flavors, but light brown sugar works well as a substitute.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Baking soda only works when it meets something acidic. Mashed bananas are acidic but not enough to fully activate the baking soda, so a small amount of vinegar activates the rest, which helps the bread rise and keeps it from tasting soapy. And no, you will not taste it in the banana bread after it is fully baked.
If you do not have Apple Cider Vinegar on hand, you can replace it with an equal amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Dry ingredients
Almond Flour: My favorite brand is Blue Diamond, which I recommend for all of my almond flour recipes. Bob’s Red Mill superfine almond flour would work as well.
If you can not get your hands on it, you can also make almond flour at home with raw, unsalted almonds.
Can I use almond meal? While almond flour is recommended, you can use almond meal in a pinch, but keep in mind that you will end up with a less fluffy, denser banana bread.
How about coconut flour? I do not recommend it because it behaves differently and needs much more liquid.
Ground Flaxseed: Both regular brown or golden flaxseeds would work in this recipe. Keep in mind that flaxseeds go rancid fast, so it is best to buy them whole, grind them yourself, and keep them in the fridge.
Chocolate Chips (optional): I like to use a handful of chocolate chips as a topping, but it is optional. Alternatively, you can top it with a few tablespoons of sliced almonds.
How To Make Almond Flour Banana Bread
This banana bread recipe comes together in a few steps using only two bowls and a whisk.
Step 1 – Prepare the loaf pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and grease a 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) or 8 ½ ×4 ½ inch (22×11 cm) loaf pan with 1 teaspoon oil.
Line the center with a piece of parchment paper hanging off the sides to make it easier to lift the loaf out cleanly once it is baked.
Metal vs Ceramic/Glass Loaf Pan: I use a metal loaf pan for this recipe, and that is what I recommend. If you only have a glass or ceramic pan, keep in mind that the baking time will be slightly longer as glass and ceramic conduct heat more slowly than metal.
Can I use a muffin tin instead? I developed this recipe for a loaf pan, so I would not recommend baking it in a muffin tin. However, I have a separate recipe for almond flour banana muffins, which is very similar to this one.
Step 2 – Whisk the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
Step 3 – Whisk the dry ingredients: Grab another (larger) bowl and mix almond flour, ground flaxseeds, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4 – Combine: Add the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until fully combined.
Step 5 – Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan: Pour it in and smooth the top with a spoon. If using, sprinkle it with 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips (or sliced almonds).
Step 6 – Bake: Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. It is done when the top turns golden brown and springs back when it is lightly pressed. You can also insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it is ready.
Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully for at least an hour before slicing.
Do not skip the cooling: Almond flour has more fat and moisture than regular flour, so the loaf will continue to set as it cools. If you slice it too early, it may still be wet and crumbly.
Troubleshooting
The center sank after baking: Almond flour batters set later than wheat batters, so a loaf that looks done on top can still be raw underneath. Check the center with an instant thermometer. It should read 200 °F.
An oven running cooler than what the dial says will prevent even baking. Another culprit would be bananas adding more liquid than the recipe assumes, so it is best to weigh your ingredients.
The bread is wet in the middle and crumbles when sliced: This usually happens if the bread is underbaked or it is not fully cooled. Almond flour banana bread sets as it cools, so let it cool fully before slicing.
It has a soapy or metallic taste: This happens when too much baking soda is used or if it did not fully activate. Be sure to measure it, and do not skip the vinegar.
How To Store, Freeze And Thaw
Store: Bring it to room temperature and store it in an airtight container or wrapped in parchment paper on the kitchen counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
I do not recommend plastic wrap; it traps moisture against the bread and can make it soggy.
Freeze: Slice and place the bread into a large plastic freezer storage bag with small squares of parchment between each slice. Alternatively, you can also wrap them individually with pre-cut parchment paper.
Seal tight, label, date, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw: No need to thaw it. You can warm up the slices in a toaster oven until warmed to your liking.
More Almond Flour Quick Bread Recipes To Try
If you are looking for more quick bread recipes made with almond flour, here are a few worth trying:
For warm, spiced flavors, my Almond Flour Pumpkin Bread has a similar moist texture, with pumpkin and warm spices mixed in.
For a plain savory loaf, my Almond Flour Bread recipe is a great place to start.
Have extra zucchini? My Zucchini Bread with Almond Flour follows the same easy method.
Almond Flour Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus 1 teaspoon for greasing the pan (coconut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil would all work)
- 1 ¼ cup mashed ripe bananas, Brown-Speckled, Medium Bananas, mashed
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar , or light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup ground flaxseeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder*
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup chocolate chips, optional – plus a 2 tablespoons more as topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch or 9×5 inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon oil and line with a piece of parchment paper in the middle, with excess hanging out of the sides (this helps for easy removal).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, flaxseeds, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Mix dry and wet ingredients together. If using, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer to the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using, gently pressing them onto the surface. Bake 55-60 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- Yields: This banana bread recipe makes 8 1-inch slices. The information below is per slice.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: Wrap each slice tightly with parchment paper and place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. No need to thaw; just warm it up in the toaster oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I omit the eggs and replace with extra ground flaxseed?
HI Angela,
Sadly, almond flour recipes do not work well without eggs so I would not recommend using flaxseeds in place of eggs.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is wonderful.
Hi Shell,
I am happy to hear that you liked it.
Thanks for coming by!
I made it with pecans, shredded coconut and chocolate chips it was delicious. It was first time using almond flour and I loved it. I did not have coconut sugar so I used brown sugar.
YAY! This is music to my ears, Vilma. Thank you so much for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!
Good job. Thanks for using weighed ingredient measures. I prefer with half as much sweetener and walnuts. It bakes perfectly in a 9×9 pan as well.
Good to know that I can make this in a 9X9 pan as well.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers!
I absolutely love this recipe! I have tried many banana bread recipes using almond flour, while sheltered in place and this by far has been the best one yet! I stayed very close to the recipe, making one minor change; I used 1/4 cup honey instead of the coconut sugar it called for. My bread turned out delicious!! I love how the bread had density, was not over-moist and had the perfect amount of sweetness to it. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Rosanna,
This is music to my ears. I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed it.
I will try with honey next time I make it. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Cheers!
This banana bread recipe was surprisingly easy to make. We just found out that my son has celiac disease and I found it as I was searching for a simple gluten-free banana bread recipe. We already made it three times. The only thing I didn’t have on hand was flax seeds so I made it without them.
Thanks for such a great recipe. I will be trying more of your almond flour recipes in the future.
Hi Tina,
I am sorry to hear about your son having celiac disease. Luckily, nowadays there are so many gluten-free recipes online to choose from.
I am glad you enjoyed this banana bread recipe. It is a favorite recipe in our household as well.
Cheers!
This is the best gluten-free banana bread recipe I have ever tried. I love that you used coconut sugar instead of maple syrup as everyone else does.
I used less than you used in your recipe because my bananas were so sweet.
Good recipe. I will be making it again.
This is music to my ears Maria. I use maple syrup often in my baking but lately coconut sugar has been my favorite. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe.
Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!
This was my first time baking with almond flour. I didn’t have a loaf pan so I made it in a muffin tin. They disappeared in minutes. My nephew and his friends loved them.
Thank you for the recipe.
I am glad to hear that you had a great experience with the recipe Dane. Thanks for coming by and giving it a try.
Cheers!
I made this bread for a church event over the weekend. People loved it. Of course, extra chocolate chips on top helped. LOL.
Thanks for a great recipe.
PS: I want to try the almond flour bread recipe of yours next time.
Oh additional chocolate never hurts 🙂
So glad you liked it Julie and I hope you try the almond flour bread recipe soon. I am here if I can help in any way.
Cheers!
I made this and it turned out so good! I was wondering if I can double the recipe when I have extra bananas.
Hi Paniz,
Honestly, I have never doubled the recipe. If you have a loaf pan large enough for double amount of batter it might work. However, it might take longer for it to bake.
It is hard to say without trying it but I think it sould work.
You can also make muffins using the same batter so if you double the batter, perhaps you can make some muffins and a loaf?
I hope this helps.
I start making homemade almond milk recently so I have so many almond pulp left. I use almond pulp to make almond flour. Can I use it for your recipe?
Hi Eva,
It is funny that you sent me this note as I am in the process of writing a very detailed post on using almond pulp for all my almond flour recipes. The answer to your question is unfortunately no. OR it could be yes if you are okay with a denser and less moist banana bread recipe.
Since the almond pulp is mostly stripped off of its fats during the milking process the flour made from it is much less fatty. As a result, quick breads, cookies, and cakes made with almond pulp are much denser and less moist than the ones made with almond flour/meal.
This is not to say that they taste bad, but I think after testing over 10 recipes with both variations, I personally prefer the versions made with almond flour/meal.
It is a personal preference and as long as your expectations are lowered you can make still make it.
I hope this helps.
Cheers!
hello! i don’t have ground flaxseed, it’s hard to get it at the moment. any suggestions? thank you!
Hi A,
I haven’t tried this myself, but another reader made this banana bread without flaxseed and she said it turned fine. I would just omit the flaxseed and bake it without it.
I hope this helps.
I love the use of maple syrup in this recipe! It adds just the right amount of sweetness!
Can’t agree more. Thanks Katie.
I had just found a hidden bag of almond flour in my freezer when I saw this recipe. I took it as a sign that I should make this bread, and I am so glad I did! Delicious!
YAY! A great sign, indeed. 🙂
This is absolutely amazing!! I can’t wait to make it again!
Music to my ears. Thanks Toni.
Yum, great recipe! I love baking with almond flour. We made this without the chocolate chips because we didn’t have any but it was still yummy!
It would totally work without the chocolate chips. So glad to hear that you liked to.
Thanks for coming by Lauren.
Hi Aysegul. I am not much of a baker. But this was so simple and easy to make! Absolutely delicious! I have learned so much from your site, especially from the “Pro Tips’. Toasting walnuts, more juice from limes, getting eggs to room temperature. I have made the gluten free banana bread and blueberry muffins. Thank you so much! Stay safe and look forward to seeing your recipes in my inbox!
Hi Laura,
This is music to my ears. I am thrilled to hear that you learn new things from my posts.
I love this recipe myself and make it at least once a week.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Stay safe as well. Cheers!
Hi! Can I make this without flaxseeds? I dont have any on hand? And can I not add the liquid sweetener and only add coconut sugar? Thanks!
Hi pb,
Honestly, I have never tried making this recipe without flaxseeds so it is hard to say. However, if you omit flaxseeds, I thing it would still taste good. It would possibly have less of a “body”.
In terms of the liquid sweetener: I am not sure what sweetener you are referring to as there is no liquid sweetener listed in the list of ingredients other than coconut sugar.I’d be more than happy to help, if you could elaborate on your question.
I hope this helps.
I can’t wait to try it out this weekend. Keep you posted!
YAY! Thank you so much Rachelle.
Love this recipe! I’m allergic to eggs and wonder whether I can substitute them for anything else?
Hi Tara,
Unfortunately, eggs are an important part of this recipe. However, I am working a vegan version of this recipe and plan on publishing that in the coming months so stay tuned.
Thanks.