Almond Flour Banana Bars made with wholesome ingredients for a feel-good treat. This easy recipe is simple to prepare and makes a lovely afternoon snack, dessert, or breakfast.
Banana bread lovers, you’re going to get a kick out of these healthy banana bars! They are moist, fluffy, not too sugary, and really hit the spot when you’re craving something sweet.
This easy recipe is inspired by my 4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Bars, which call for oats. I wanted to share a recipe with the same great flavor that is grain-free, so we simply swap the oats for almond flour.
Ideal for those who enjoy sweet flavors but also like to keep treats on the mindful end of the spectrum, we’re getting a delicious chocolate and banana experience without any funny business for the perfect treat.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for these gluten free banana bars.
Ingredients for Almond Flour Banana Bars:
Ripe Bananas: The star of the show! Pick bananas that have plenty of brown spots for the best results, as brown bananas taste the sweetest and add the most moisture.
To speed up the ripening process, place fresh bananas in a brown paper bag on the counter for 1-3 days, or until they are ripe.
Almond Flour: Taking the place of regular all purpose flour, almond flour contributes protein, healthy fats, and fiber for a nourishing treat.
Peanut Butter or Almond Butter: Pick your favorite nut butter! This ingredient adds some fat for moist crumbs and also delicious flavor. Peanut butter tastes amazing with bananas and chocolate, so it’s what I use.
Large Eggs: Helps the batter rise into a fluffy texture similar to cake.
Pure Maple Syrup: While the mashed bananas bring the majority of the sweetness, a little pure maple syrup gives the bars a boost.
Pure Vanilla Extract and Ground Cinnamon: Both contribute unique warm flavor, and both are optional.
Baking Powder: The leavening agent that helps the batter rise for an even bake.
Chocolate Chips: Enhance the whole experience with little pockets of melted chocolate goo!
Sea Salt: Big elevator of flavors!
Recipe Customizations:
- Omit the pure maple syrup for a lower sugar treat. Or, substitute brown sugar, coconut sugar, or regular white sugar.
- Add ⅔ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for a nutty crunch.
- Use sugar-free chocolate chips and sugar-free sweetener, like monk fruit sweetener or allulose, for less added sugar.
- Want to get fancy? Add a brown butter frosting or homemade cream cheese frosting for a decadent dessert.
How to Make Almond Flour Banana Bars:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl until creamy. Mix in the peanut butter, eggs, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract until the wet ingredients are well combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spread the banana bar mixture into an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the bars are fully cooked and the edges are golden brown.
Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bars to check for doneness. If their internal temperature is 190 degrees F or higher, they are fully baked.
Allow the bars to cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
I like serving the bars warm with a pat of unsalted butter on top.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave on the counter for up to 2 days at room temperature.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate in an airtight container or a zip lock bag for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze bars in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
The next time you’re craving a sweet treat and you have overripe bananas on hand, whip up this great recipe!
They taste even better the next day after the sweetness and banana flavor has had time to develop!
If you love healthy treat recipes like this one, also try out these gems.
More Healthy Treat Recipes:
- Yogurt Zucchini Bread
- No-Bake Cookie Dough Protein Bars
- Almond Flour Blondies
- Banana Oat Muffins
- Almond Flour Peach Crisp
Enjoy these easy banana bars!
Almond Flour Banana Bars
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe bananas mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup almond butter or peanut butter
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl until creamy. Mix in the peanut butter, eggs, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract until the wet ingredients are well combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the banana bar mixture into an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the bars are fully cooked and the edges are golden brown.
- Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the bars to check for doneness. If their internal temperature is 190 degrees F or higher, they are fully baked.
- Allow the bars to cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
