Gluten free Almond Flour Banana Bread is a moist, melt-in-your-mouth quick bread your entire family will love! It’s paleo friendly, refined sugar free and can even be made vegan- your family will go bananas for it!
We eat grains, but absolutely love goodies with almond flour like almond flour banana muffins, almond flour waffles, plain almond flour muffins and almond flour pancakes.
Table of contents
- Almond Flour Banana Bread
- Why Make Banana Bread Recipe with Almond Flour?
- Ingredients for Almond Flour Banana Bread
- How to Make Almond Flour Banana Bread
- Optional Add-In’s and Variations
- Tips for Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread Results
- FAQs
- Serving Recommendations:
- Making This Recipe in Advance
- More Healthy Quick Bread Recipes
Almond Flour Banana Bread
This almond flour banana bread always disappears fast in my kitchen (well really any homemade snack does!). It is a banana bread loaf that is tender, delicious and flavorful. Only lemon zucchini bread disappears faster.
I’m not a huge baker but I bake a lot of quick breads for healthy breakfasts plus snacks – and although we are not a grain-free family, using almond flour in some of these bakes has become part of our well-rounded diet. I use organic whole wheat flour or spelt flour in my healthy banana bread and in many of my favorite muffin recipes.
Why Make Banana Bread Recipe with Almond Flour?
- Easy to make: One bowl is all you need to make this almond flour banana quick bread!
- Wholesome: Nutrient dense with simple ingredients.
- Healthy: Almond flour is lower in carbs, lower on the glycemic index (i.e. doesn’t spike blood sugar!) and high in vitamin E.
- Naturally gluten free: For those avoiding gluten, almond flour banana bread is very similar to the real deal!
- Versatile: This banana bread can be made vegan and keto and is suitable for paleo and dairy-free diets!
Ingredients for Almond Flour Banana Bread
- Ripe bananas: 3 very ripe bananas – deep yellow colour with plenty of black spots on the outside. This makes or breaks the banana bread recipe with almond flour. Just like in my healthy banana pancakes recipe.
How can you tell if a banana has spoiled? While a banana with dark spots is preferred as it produces a sweeter almond flour banana bread, if there are white spots on the inside after you peel it and the banana is ‘runny’- this means the banana has spoiled.
- Almond flour: Almond flour tastes different from any other flour. It is basically finely ground raw blanched almonds. It adds a moist, melt in your mouth texture, almost like cotton candy (especially when paired with peaches in Instant Pot cobbler!). It produces the most amazing “real” desserts like in my almond flour brownie recipe – so much fudge is going on!
- Eggs: Provides lift and structure to this bread. Need an egg-free + gluten free banana bread? I have had success using a chia egg!
- Sweetener: Use any liquid sweetener like maple syrup, honey, agave etc. I also tested this recipe with same amount of Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (erythritol). Taste was great!
Because almond flour already has a sweeter, nuttier taste you are able to use ‘less sugar’ in almond flour bakes!
- Oil: Any mild tasting oil works.
- Pure vanilla extract: Use the real stuff, not imitation.
- Cinnamon and salt: Cinnamon for a warming taste (plus it will make your house smell amazing!) and then salt to taste.
- Baking powder and soda: Leavening agents to provide rise. If you are making paleo banana bread, ensure your baking powder is grain free. Also, check the label for sneaky ingredients like wheat to make gluten free banana bread.
While there are some grain free baking powders on the market, they can be a bit pricey and hard to find. Luckily, it’s easy to make your own at home using 2 parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking soda. Tapioca starch or arrowroot powder (also called starch/flour) can be added to prevent clumping.
How to Make Almond Flour Banana Bread
Detailed recipes card is located below.
- Prep: Spray only bottom and lower 1″ to get a good rise.
This banana bread recipe with almond flour rises better in a metal loaf pan – if you have that, use it!
- Wet ingredients: Mash bananas and then add eggs, sweetener, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and leavening agents.
- Measure flour properly: Fill each cup fully with a hill, do not pack and skim off top with butter knife. Stir until batter forms.
- Bake for 50 mins in preheated 350F degrees oven: Check with toothpick for doneness. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Optional Add-In’s and Variations
- Add-ins: You can add up to 1/2 cup chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or blueberries (dust them in almond flour before adding to prevent from sinking in).
I don’t recommend adding in chopped apples to this bread as they contain too much moisture and almond flour banana bread batter is already ‘wet’.
- Out of cinnamon? Try nutmeg, ginger or another warming spice – pumpkin pie spice could be great, too! Just keep in mind some spices are more potent than others and you may want to use less.
- Oil: Any mild tasting oil like light olive oil, melted coconut oil, grapeseed oil will work.
- Vegan: I have successfully tested this with a chia egg – note it is a bit more dense/flat but turns out wonderful!
- Mini loaves: Is a great idea especially if you want to freeze some for later! Try baking for 30 minutes then doing toothpick test.
- Muffins: Bake for 20 minutes or just make my recipe for almond flour banana muffins.
Tips for Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread Results
- Make sure your bananas are ripe: From my experience with almond flour banana muffins, I know some people use just yellow or even (scary to think) 50 shades of green bananas.
- To prevent too much browning on the top of your banana bread cover it loosely with foil during last 15-20 minutes of baking.
- Let it cool completely! Almond flour banana bread needs time to ‘set’ after baking, slice it too soon and it will be gooey and crumbly.
- Use a serrated knife when cutting into the bread- it also helps to keep it from falling apart.
- Do not swap flours – this is worth repeating over and over! Baking is a science and my version of banana bread with almond flour has only been tested as it is written.
- For easier clean up, line your baking pan with parchment paper!
FAQs
Make sure to use only 3 medium-large (1 cup mashed) bananas and I highly suggest metal baking loaf pan. I didn’t have great results with ceramic or glass – bread caved in.
No. The texture almond flour provides baked goods cannot be matched by any wheat, coconut flour or other gluten free flour.
Probably because bananas were not very ripe. You can also add 2 more tablespoons of sweetener next time.
The only thing that’s not paleo in this banana bread is baking powder. You can make your own at home easy-peasy.
To adapt to be keto-friendly, use two bananas, a sugar free sweetener and make a grain free baking powder alternative (see FAQ above). Since the batter might be slightly drier with less bananas, keep an eye on it in the oven, it may need a shorter baking time
Serving Recommendations:
- Protein topped: A smear of peanut or almond butter pairs so good with this bread and makes for a filling breakfast or snack!
- Traditional: Spread a small amount of butter or honey butter- sometimes you just don’t mess with the best!
- Savory: Cream cheese would be decadent, or try my healthy icing used on pumpkin cake that is made with greek yogurt/cream cheese!
- Dessert: I would never turn down a slightly warm slice with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream!
Making This Recipe in Advance
Storing: First 24 hours, we store banana bread on a counter right in the loaf pan covered with towel. After, I transfer any leftovers to resealable plastic bag to prevent it from drying. Bread stays fresh on a counter for up to 3 days – making it great for meal prep. After you can refrigerate for another 3 days.
Freezing: Bake banana bread and cool completely. I recommend you do not slice bread before placing in the freezer. It retains its moisture better this way. Place in a gallon size Ziploc container, let out as much air as possible and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thawing and reheating: Defrost on a counter. Takes about 3-4 hours. Bread will taste just like freshly baked. Pop it into a toaster for a minute for that freshly baked bread warmth and aromas.
Enjoy this almond flour banana bread!
More Healthy Quick Bread Recipes
Almond Flour Banana Bread {The BEST!}
Ingredients
- 3 medium-large bananas 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas with brown spots
- 3 eggs large
- 1/4 cup any sweetener
- 1/4 cup any mild oil or melted butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 cups almond flour not almond meal
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line metal 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper or leave non-stick as is. Spray only bottom and lower 1″ with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add bananas and mash with a masher. Then add eggs, sweetener, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk until combined.
- Add almond flour and stir and mix gently with spatula to combine.
- Pour batter into previously prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove almond flour banana bread from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool off for 10 minutes. Remove bread from a loaf pan and let it cool another 10 minutes. Slice with sharp serrated knife – works best with breads to keep them from falling apart.
Store: Store bread in an airtight container or bag in a cool dry place for up to 3 days. After refrigerate for another 3 days or proceed to freezing.
Freeze: Bake and cool completely. I recommend to freeze bread unsliced to retain moisture. Place in a gallon size Ziploc container, let out as much air as possible and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours.
Video
Notes
- Metal pan: I have way better success baking this bread in metal pan vs. ceramic. It rises better and is not as wet. I believe it is because nuts are high in fat and steam stays in the glass/ceramic pan more.
- Oil: Any mild tasting oil like light olive oil, melted coconut oil, grapeseed oil will work.
- Flour: You can’t use ANY other flour besides almond flour. Has to be almond flour.
- Add-ins: You can add up to 1/2 cup chocolate chips, nuts or blueberries (dust them in almond flour before adding to prevent from sinking in). I do not recommend to add things like chopped apple because almond flour is “wet”.
- Sweetener: I have successfully baked this bread with honey, maple syrup and even Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (erythritol). I think any dry or liquid sweetener works in same amount.
- Vegan: I have successfully tested this with a chia egg – note it is a bit more dense/flat but turns out wonderful!
- Mini loaves: I have not tried baking in mini loaves but I don’t see a reason why not. I would try 30 mins bake time and do a toothpick test.
Nutrition
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My name is Olena Osipov. I'm a mom to 2 boys, a wife to Alex and we reside on magical Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This is our healthy family recipes blog. Originally from Ukraine, I grew up on real food. As an adult, I struggled with diets for years because none worked long-term. Now for over 10 years, I cook easy healthy meals for my family. I can help you with “What’s for dinner?” too.