Almond Flour Banana Bread Recipe (Gluten-Free)

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.

A sliced almond flour banana bread recipe photographed from the top view.

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!

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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.

A woman is photographed from the top view as she is folding the dry ingredients into the wet ones

A woman is photographed from the top view as she is adding chocolate chips into the batter

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.

A sliced almond banana bread photographed from the front view and served with a few cups of coffee.

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

How many calories is a slice of this gluten-free banana bread?

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.

Can I use coconut flour in place of almond flour in this recipe?

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.

How to store almond flour 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.

Can I Make Banana Muffins Using The Same Batter for this banana bread with almond flour?

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:

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Other Almond Flour Cakes/ Quick Bread Recipes:

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 (Gluten-Free)