It is no secret that banana bread is a classic. But what about banana bread made with almond flour?
If you have been around for a while you know that I love baking with almond flour and have already featured similar almond flour quick bread recipes like Almond Flour Pumpkin Bread, Almond Flour Zucchini Bread, and my savory Almond Flour Bread recipe.
Don’t get me wrong, I am already a fan of regular banana bread. But after enjoying one too many banana bread slices, I knew I had to come up with a version that omitted the regular all-purpose or whole wheat flour, dairy, and refined sugar. That was the inspiration for this gluten-free banana bread made with almond flour.
Upon all the recipe testing, I discovered two tricks:
- Getting the right ratio of almond flour to mashed bananas.
- Adding a secondary “binder” to ensure the banana loaf is baked until light and springy, rather than dense and sunken.
The bonus is that this almond banana bread is naturally low-carb, paleo, gluten-free, grain-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, and with the right adjustments, keto-friendly, too!
How To Bake Bread With Almond Flour
This is a question I get a lot from readers. I finally was able to answer it with this Almond Flour Bread recipe. But today, I wanted to take it a step further and create a recipe for banana bread using almond flour that could be enjoyed as a sweet breakfast treat, afternoon snack, or even dessert.
It’s also another sweet treat I can add to my library of almond flour recipes.
Recipe Ingredients
All you need is a few healthy simple ingredients to make this banana almond loaf. As with all quick bread recipes, the following are broken down into two categories – wet ingredients and dry ingredients. You will need:
Wet Ingredients:
- Vegetable Oil – I used grapeseed oil, but avocado or coconut oil would also work. If you decide to go with coconut oil, melt the amount you need in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds and allow it to cool as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Very-Ripe, Brown-Speckled Bananas – The more brown spots your bananas have, the better! This is an indication of overripe, naturally sweet bananas. As long as your bananas are sweet going into the batter, there is no need to add a ton of sugar. Either purchase yellow bananas a few days in advance and allow them to ripen on your kitchen counter or ask a grocery store salesman if they have a reduced produce rack. This is an underrated area of the grocery store where they place the produce that is past its prime – brown-speckled bananas included!
PRO TIP: Rather than relying on the number of bananas called for in the recipe, use a digital kitchen scale (affiliate link) or measuring cups for the mashed bananas. Since bananas vary so much in size, weighing or properly measuring out the mashed bananas will ensure accuracy and consistency every time.
- Eggs – Three large eggs is the first binding ingredient. Make sure to bring them to room temperature.
- Coconut Sugar – The only added sugar in this recipe is coconut sugar – no refined sugar in sight. I love baking with coconut sugar because it does not spike your blood sugar like conventional granulated sugar and includes an added dose of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – The acid in the apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda to create carbon dioxide, which helps give this healthy gluten-free banana bread an extra lift.
- Vanilla Extract – Make sure to use pure vanilla extract for a floral sweetness that brightens up all the flavors.
Dry Ingredients:
- Almond Flour – My favorite brand is Blue Diamond (affiliate link) and the one I recommend for all of my almond flour recipes. It is blanched almond flour that is light golden in color and subtly sweet in aroma, making it my go-to choice. If you prefer to use almond meal (almond flour with the skins still intact), I really like Barney. If all else fails, you can always make almond flour at home with raw, unsalted almonds.
- Ground Flaxseed – This is the secondary “binder” and the second trick I learned when baking this easy banana bread recipe. Just like when you make a flax egg, the ground flaxseed naturally gels when mixed with the wet ingredients. This creates a better structure overall. Ground golden flaxseed will also work.
- Ground Cinnamon – I first tested this almond flour banana cake with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, but I felt the cinnamon overpowered all the other flavors. I found 1 teaspoon to be just the right amount while still being able to taste the banana flavor.
- Baking Soda – As mentioned before, the alkaline properties of baking soda react with the apple cider vinegar to produce carbon dioxide bubbles. It also creates a darker, golden brown color.
- Baking Powder – Flourless banana bread needs as much help as it can get in the leavening department to ensure a proper rise. Baking powder helps to make this possible. For the paleo version, in place of 1 teaspoon of baking powder, you can mix together 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
- Fine Sea Salt – Fine sea salt or kosher salt will do. I find the fine sea salt granules dissolve better into the batter.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (optional) – The chocolate chips are optional, especially if you are watching your sugar or following a Low-Carb, Paleo, or Keto diet. Enjoy Life (affiliate link) makes delicious dairy-free chocolate chips that I simply adore.
- If you decide to opt-out of chocolate chips, you can also decorate the top with a few tablespoons of sliced almonds.
How To Make Banana Bread with Almond Flour
You will need two bowls, a whisk, and a spatula to make this healthy banana bread with almond flour. Simply:
- Prepare the loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×5 inch or 8×4 inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon oil. Line the center with a piece of parchment paper hanging off the sides, as this helps for easy removal.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the coconut oil, mashed bananas, eggs, coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a larger bowl, whisk together the almond flour, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Optionally, add the chocolate chips (or mix-ins). If using, gently fold in the chocolate chips (or any other mix-in) until just combined. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and top with an additional 2 Tablespoons of chocolate chips or mix-in, gently pressing into the surface.
- Bake. Baking time is between 55 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then gently transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
PRO TIP: I recommend allowing the almond banana bread to cool completely, at least 1-2 hours. The almond flour and banana provide a lot of fat and moisture, so it will be very soft and gooey while still warm. The longer it sits, the more the ingredients can marry together, creating a balanced, flavorful banana bread.
Variations:
This flourless banana bread can be made with a few variations:
- Banana Nut Bread: Add ½ cup unsalted, lightly toasted nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.
- (Flourless) Banana Bread with Dried Fruit: Add ¼ – ½ cup dried cranberries, raisins or diced Turkish apricots.
- (Gluten-Free) Banana Coconut Bread: Add ½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut to really bring out all that coconut flavor!
- Banana Spice Bread: As I mentioned before, I only used 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to keep the flavors cleaner. But if you enjoy banana bread with a kick of warming spices, add another 1 teaspoon cinnamon or mix it up with ¼ teaspoon each ground allspice, nutmeg and cloves.
How To Store, Freeze, & Thaw
For best results, store the wheat-free banana bread in an airtight container or wrapped in parchment paper on the kitchen counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to one week.
I would not recommend wrapping this banana nut bread in plastic wrap, as this method will trap moisture and make the bread too soggy.
For longer storage, slice and place 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.
To enjoy, simply thaw to room temperature or pop a slice in your toaster!
Expert Tips
Here are a few tips that will help you get the best almond flour banana bread on your first try:
- Place a thin piece of parchment paper in the center of your loaf pan. This makes it easier to remove the banana bread from the pan without ruining those delicate chocolate chips on top.
- For Paleo Banana Bread: For the paleo version, in place of 1 teaspoon of baking powder, you can mix together 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
- Weigh or use measuring cups after mashing the bananas. I mention this tip again because it is the key to baking this quick bread recipe to the right texture.
- If you do not have Apple Cider Vinegar on hand, replace it with an equal amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- For an alternative sweetener, try a mix of 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar and 2 Tablespoons maple syrup, honey or agave nectar. If you would prefer to use only a liquid sweetener (maple syrup, honey, agave), I would reduce it down to ¼ cup, to account for the added liquid.
- For a Keto-friendly version, I read a few recipes that included no added sugar and relied only on the sweetness of the bananas. You can also replace the coconut sugar with 1/4 teaspoon of stevia powder for a keto banana bread recipe.
FAQs
This banana nut bread yields 10 slices of banana bread, and according to my nutrition calculator, each slice is 254 calories. For more information, please see the recipe card.
I would not recommend using coconut flour as it behaves differently. Since coconut flour requires more liquid, if you use it in place of almond flour you might end up with dry banana bread.
Store almond flour bread in an airtight container or wrapped in parchment paper on the kitchen counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to one week.
You sure can. Simply divide the batter equally in a 12-cup muffin tin and bake in a pre-heated 375 F degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
Similar Baked Goods You Might Also Like:
Other Almond Flour and Banana Recipes You Might Like:
- Almond Flour Banana Pancakes
- Banana Almond Flour Muffins
- Flourless Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins
Other Almond Flour Cakes/ Quick Bread Recipes:
- Zucchini Bread with Almond Flour
- Almond Flour Apple Cake
- Paleo Carrot Cake recipe
- Almond Flour Pumpkin Bread
- Almond Flour Cake
There you have it, friends. An absolutely delicious easy banana bread recipe with almond flour that you can serve everyone in your family. If you are in need of a quick visual, watch the quick how-to video I made for you in the recipe card.
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) (14g)
- 2-3 Ripe Bananas Brown-Speckled, Medium Bananas, mashed, about 1 ¼ cups (300g)
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (70g) Coconut Sugar OR ¼ cup (84g) Maple Syrup/Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (15g)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (4g)
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups Almond Flour (240g)
- ¼ cup Ground Flaxseed (28g)
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (3g)
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda (4g)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder* (4g)
- ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (2g)
- ¼ cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips 60g plus 2 Tablespoons (30g) extra for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8X4 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, coconut sugar OR maple syrup/honey, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Mix dry and wet ingredients together. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
- 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
- Want to turn these into muffins instead? If so, simply divide the batter equally in a 12-cup muffin tin and bake in a pre-heated 375 F degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
- For the paleo version, in place of 1 teaspoon of baking powder, you can mix together 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
- Banana Nut Bread: Add ½ cup unsalted, lightly toasted nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.
- (Flourless) Banana Bread with Dried Fruit: Add ¼ – ½ cup dried cranberries, raisins or diced Turkish apricots.
- (Gluten-Free) Banana Coconut Bread: Add ½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut to really bring out all that coconut flavor!
- Banana Spice Bread: As I mentioned before, I only used 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to keep the flavors cleaner. But if you enjoy banana bread with a kick of warming spices, add another 1 teaspoon cinnamon or mix it up with ¼ teaspoon each ground allspice, nutmeg, and cloves.
angela
Can I omit the eggs and replace with extra ground flaxseed?
Aysegul Sanford
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.
Shell
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is wonderful.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Shell,
I am happy to hear that you liked it.
Thanks for coming by!
Vilma
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.
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! This is music to my ears, Vilma. Thank you so much for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!
baking in philly
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.
Aysegul Sanford
Good to know that I can make this in a 9X9 pan as well.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers!
Rosanna
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!
Aysegul Sanford
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!
Tina Holden
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.
Aysegul Sanford
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!
Maria H.
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.
Aysegul Sanford
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!
Dane Tracy
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.
Aysegul Sanford
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!
Julie Crespo
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.
Aysegul Sanford
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!
Paniz
I made this and it turned out so good! I was wondering if I can double the recipe when I have extra bananas.
Aysegul Sanford
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.
Eva
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?
Aysegul Sanford
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!
a
hello! i don’t have ground flaxseed, it’s hard to get it at the moment. any suggestions? thank you!
Aysegul Sanford
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.
Katie
I love the use of maple syrup in this recipe! It adds just the right amount of sweetness!
Aysegul Sanford
Can’t agree more. Thanks Katie.
willie
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!
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! A great sign, indeed. 🙂
Toni
This is absolutely amazing!! I can’t wait to make it again!
Aysegul Sanford
Music to my ears. Thanks Toni.
Lauren Kelly
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!
Aysegul Sanford
It would totally work without the chocolate chips. So glad to hear that you liked to.
Thanks for coming by Lauren.
Laura
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!
Aysegul Sanford
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!
pb
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!
Aysegul Sanford
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.
Rachelle Bodle
I can’t wait to try it out this weekend. Keep you posted!
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! Thank you so much Rachelle.
Tara
Love this recipe! I’m allergic to eggs and wonder whether I can substitute them for anything else?
Aysegul Sanford
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.