Almond Flour Banana Bread
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Published Dec 15, 2023
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This almond flour banana bread is super easy to make in one bowl with only 8 ingredients. It’s moist, fluffy, naturally sweetened, gluten-free and absolutely delicious!
I love banana bread! It’s one of my favorite things to make, especially when I have ripe bananas on hand. I have quite a few different variations on the blog already, but today I’m excited to be sharing this almond flour banana bread with you!
It took a few tests to perfect because gluten-free flour is much different than traditional wheat flour and can sometimes be tricky to bake with. But in the end it was all worth it because the recipe I’m sharing today is so dang good! It’s perfectly moist and has a mild nutty flavor that is divine. Plus, almond flour is packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats, which gives this loaf a nice nutritional boost. I can’t wait for you to try it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make – It’s a one-bowl recipe that’s made with only 8 main ingredients.
- Healthy – It’s dairy-free, oil-free and made with almond flour, which is naturally grain-free and gluten-free.
- Naturally sweet – It’s naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and ripe bananas.
Almond Flour Banana Bread Ingredients
As I mentioned above, you only need 8 main ingredients to make this recipe that you probably already have in your kitchen!
- bananas – the star ingredient, adding natural sweetness and moisture to this loaf. Make sure you’re using ripe bananas with brown spots for the best results. The riper the better! Many times I’ll freeze bananas when they’re perfectly ripe so I can use them for banana bread later. Just thaw and use!
- almond flour – my favorite gluten-free flour alternative that gives this bread a nutty taste and tender crumb. Make sure to use finely ground almond flour and not almond meal, which is not the same thing. I love using Bob’s Red Mill super fine almond flour.
- eggs – provide structure to the loaf and helps bind the ingredients together.
- maple syrup – my favorite natural sweetener that complements the banana flavor nicely. Just make sure you’re using pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup that’s made with corn syrup! As a substitute, you can use honey, agave syrup or a sugar-free option like monk fruit maple syrup.
- vanilla extract – a nice flavor enhancer.
- baking powder – helps the bread rise and become fluffy.
- cinnamon – adds a warm, spicy note to this loaf.
- sea salt – brings the flavors together!
- chocolate chips – this is optional, but highly recommended! You can never go wrong with the addition of chocolate chips, am I right?! You can also use a different mix-in of choice like blueberries, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts or pecans (or a combo) if you prefer.
Dietary Substitutions
- Egg-Free/Vegan: I haven’t tested this recipe without eggs, but you could try using 3 flax eggs as a substitute. If you try it be sure to let us know how it turns out in the comments below! You could also try this vegan banana bread if you don’t need the loaf to be gluten-free.
- Nut-free: I wouldn’t recommend swapping the almond flour for a different type of flour because this recipe was specifically tested to be made with almond flour. If you’re looking for a nut-free and gluten-free banana bread try this coconut flour banana bread instead. If you don’t need the loaf to be gluten-free then I’d try my healthy banana bread recipe!
- Low-sugar: If you’re looking for a lower sugar option, you could experiment with reducing the maple syrup or use a a sugar-free monk fruit syrup.
How to Make Almond Flour Banana Bread
Step 1: In a large bowl whisk together your wet ingredients. Then add your dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.
Step 2: Fold in your chocolate chips or mix-in of choice.
Step 3: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and top with additional chocolate chips if desired. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Tips For The Best Almond Flour Banana Bread
- Use ripe bananas: Make sure you’re using ripe bananas for the best results. The more brown spots, the better!
- Use the right flour: Make sure you’re using finely ground blanched almond flour rather than almond meal. Finely ground flour has a lighter texture and ensures your bread isn’t too dense. It also creates a more delicate crumb.
- Don’t swap flours: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again this recipe was only tested with almond flour, so don’t swap it with another flour otherwise the end result won’t be the same.
- Line pan: To ensure that your loaf doesn’t stick to the pan and for easier removal make sure to coat it with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
- Pack flour: When measuring your almond flour be sure to pack it down in your measuring cup, otherwise you might not have enough flour resulting in a wet banana bread.
- Cover if needed: If your banana bread is getting too brown on top I recommend covering it with foil while baking to prevent it from burning.
- Watch closely: Every oven is different so I recommend checking your loaf around the 45-minute mark to ensure it’s not getting too brown on top and to gauge how far along it is.
- Let cool: I know it’s hard, but make sure you let the bread cool completely before slicing. This helps it to set properly and makes slicing easier.
Optional Mix-in’s and Variations
- Berries: Swap the chocolate chips for fresh or frozen blueberries. Just be sure to toss the berries in a little almond flour before adding them to the batter to help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
- Nuts: Either swap the chocolate chips with chopped nuts or add in 1/4 cup nuts for a chocolate nutty combo! I’d suggest walnuts or pecans, but any nut will work!
- Add protein: Want to add protein to this recipe? I’d make my protein banana bread recipe instead! It’s made with a combo of oat and almond flour.
- Muffins: I haven’t tested it, but I’m sure you could turn this loaf into muffins. The cook time will be significantly less. I’d start with 15-20 minutes and go from there. Or just make my almond flour muffins recipe instead.
Ways to Serve Almond Flour Banana Bread
I love eating a slice of this banana bread toasted with butter or nut butter for breakfast or as a mid-day snack, but here are some other serving ideas:
- Enjoy a slice for breakfast alongside your morning coffee with a little butter and a dash of cinnamon. Or spread on your favorite nut butter, like almond butter!
- For a more protein-packed breakfast serve a slice of this bread alongside two hardboiled eggs, baked egg cups and/or a protein smoothie.
- This banana bread would make a great addition to any brunch spread. Serve it alongside this breakfast casserole, breakfast potatoes, fruit salad and mimosas. So yummy!
How to Store & Freeze
At room temperature: Wrap the banana bread in foil or plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Tip! It’s best to slice it as you eat to retain moisture.
In the fridge: For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week. This helps maintain freshness and prevents mold.
In the freezer: Banana bread stores wonderfully in the freezer. Wrap the loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil or place them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Recipe FAQ’s
No! Almond flour and all-purpose flour have totally different properties and can’t be swapped 1:1. This recipe was specifically designed to be made with almond flour so I wouldn’t recommend swapping it with another flour. If you’re looking for a banana bread recipe that uses all-purpose flour try my healthy banana bread, strawberry banana bread or zucchini banana bread instead.
Almond flour and almond meal are not the same thing! Almond flour is made from blanched almonds that are finely ground. And it is typically the preferred ingredient in baked goods for the lighter texture. Almond meal is whole almonds that are less finely ground so the meal is coarser and has a darker color. Almond meal works well in heartier recipes or recipes where the texture of flour doesn’t matter as much, like my almond flour crackers.
Almond flour doesn’t contain gluten, so it naturally won’t rise as much as gluten recipes, but it will still rise thanks to the baking powder. If your loaf isn’t rising at all then your baking powder might be expired or old, so be sure to check and make sure it’s still active before using.
More Almond Flour Recipes
Be sure to check out all of the almond flour recipes and quick bread recipes on EBF!
Almond Flour Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 medium overripe bananas, mashed (1 ¼ – 1 ½ cup)
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour, packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- â…“ cup chocolate chips, optional, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a loaf pan with parchment or spray with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla.
- To the same bowl, add the packed almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt. Mix together until fully combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips, if using.
- Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan. Top with additional chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. It’s okay if it doesn’t come out fully clean as the bread will continue to bake in pan.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yet another home run Brittany. This bread is just delicious! It will not last long that’s for sure. Thank you!
Ahh this means so much! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and are loving it. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!
What’s the difference in baking time to make this as cupcakes?
Hi Dylan. I haven’t tested it, but I’m sure you could turn this loaf into muffins. The cook time will be significantly less. I’d start with 15-20 minutes and go from there. Or just make my almond flour muffins recipe instead.