Almond Flour Banana Bread

Thick slices of Almond Flour Banana Bread really hit the spot for a simple breakfast or snack! Enjoy this delicious grain-free banana bread alongside coffee or tea for a delightful treat!  

For those of you who follow a gluten-free diet or a grain-free diet, I’m here with one of my favorite banana bread recipes of all time!

Made with a combination of almond flour and tapioca flour, zero oil or refined sugar, this healthy banana bread recipe tastes just like classic banana bread!

If you’ve been a long time follower, you may have made my Paleo Banana Bread that I shared way back in 2014. While I absolutely love that recipe and it is nearly identical to this one, I made a few changes to make it even better.

What makes this recipe the best almond flour banana bread?

The sultry thickness, soft texture, perfect sweetness and moisture of the bread are what make it the best almond flour banana bread.

I engineered the bread to be extra thick and full with moist, soft texture and plenty of sweetness but not too much.

​Almond flour is full of healthy fats which is why we don’t need any oil (such as olive oil, coconut oil or butter) to get a luscious result.

I have included detailed instructions in the recipe card below so that you’ll have great success in baking this bread. The basic steps make it so easy! The hardest part is waiting for the bread to bake and cool off before diving into it. You’ll love how cozy your house smells while the bread bakes!

When I first started baking grain-free recipes, not all grocery stores carried gluten-free or grain-free flours. Oh how times have changed!

Thankfully, your local grocery store is bound to carry everything you need to make this delicious grain-free banana bread!

For other flour options, you can also make my Coconut Flour Banana Bread which is grain-free and nut free or The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe, which calls for a gluten-free flour blend.

Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for almond flour banana bread!

Ingredients for Almond Flour Banana Bread:

Almond Flour and Tapioca Flour: The combination of almond flour and tapioca flour together make a light and fluffy blend, much like regular all-purpose flour.

Fine almond flour brings the light texture and the tapioca flour provides the starch which helps keep the bread held together nicely for a tender crumb and a flexible bread, similar to using regular flour.

If you don’t normally bake with tapioca flour, you can simply use 3.5 cups of almond flour and leave the tapioca flour out. Just know that the texture will be grainier and the bread won’t hold together as nicely but it will still taste delicious.

While almond meal will work in this recipe, it’s best to use finely-ground almond flour for the fluffiest, lightest results. Almond meal can turn out denser and a little more crumbly but it will still work in a pinch.

Ripe Bananas: Overripe bananas get mashed into a creamy sweet deliciousness to provide sweetness, banana flavor and also moisture.

The bananas play a crucial role here so be sure you’re using bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best results.

I also recommend measuring out the mashed bananas to be sure you’re getting about 1.5 cups.

Since bananas can vary greatly in size, measuring out the mash can be super helpful in getting the right flavor and best texture.

Eggs: A few large eggs are used to help bring rise to the bread and also to ensure it stays held together nicely.

For those of you who want to try an egg-free version of this recipe, you can follow my Chocolate Chip Paleo Vegan Banana Bread recipe which uses flax eggs in place of regular eggs.

Because this particular recipe is so thick, I don’t recommend using flaxseed meal as an egg replacer as the bread won’t hold together as nicely and will turn out with a raw effect in the center.

Pure Maple Syrup: While the ripe bananas bring a great deal of sweetness to the recipe, I still like to add some pure maple syrup to level up the sweetness a bit.

You can also use coconut sugar, granulated white sugar or brown sugar if you’d like. The banana bread turns out deliciously even without added sugar, so feel free to omit the sweetener altogether. 

If you’re adding chocolate chips, adding the sweetener isn’t as important because the chocolate chips do a great job of lending just the right amount of sweetness.

Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract brings warm flavor to the banana bread, giving it that traditional banana bread coziness. If you don’t have any on hand, it’s not a big deal to skip it.

Baking Powder & Sea Salt: We use baking powder for the leavening agent which helps the bread rise and gives it amazing texture. Sea salt levels up all of the flavors, so be sure you don’t skip it!

Chocolate Chips: As an optional addition, you can toss in some chocolate chips! I love adding them because those little molten pockets of chocolate goo are just so addictive to me. Use any chocolate chips you enjoy or skip them. 

Optional: Chopped Walnuts or Pecans: For banana nut bread, chop up ⅔ to 1 cup of raw walnuts or pecans and stir them into the batter.

Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients for almond flour banana bread, let’s bake a loaf!

How to Make Almond Flour Banana Bread:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment paper.

Mash the bananas into a large mixing bowl until they are creamy.

Whisk in the eggs, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract until the wet ingredients are well combined.

In a separate large bowl, stir together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt (dry ingredients).

Stir the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients until a thick banana bread batter forms. If adding, stir in chocolate chips (and/or chopped walnuts or pecans).

Pour banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer.

Cover the bread pan with aluminum foil, leaving the foil tented to give the bread room to grow. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 45 minutes with the foil on. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown on top and baked through.

Baked goods are considered fully baked when they reach an internal temperature of 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use an instant read thermometer to check the bread for doneness. Insert the thermometer into the center of the bread and wait for the numbers to stop moving to get an accurate read.

Because the bake time can vary depending on your elevation and the ingredients used, I recommend always using the thermometer method to get the best results. 

Allow the bread to cool completely (to room temperature) before slicing and serving.

Enjoy warm with nut butter (or regular butter) on top, or with some fresh fruit.

Banana bread tastes even better the next day and following couple of days after baking! 

You can store banana bread covered with plastic wrap on the counter for up to 2 days. Transfer any remaining banana bread to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. You can easily freeze banana bread by slicing the remaining loaf into individual slices, wrap those slices in plastic wrap then freeze in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months. 

You can easily turn this recipe into almond flour banana muffins by baking the batter in a muffin pan lined with muffin papers at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until the almond flour muffins test clean.

Or you can follow my Almond Flour Banana Muffins recipe.

And that’s it! The best banana bread that the whole family will love! 

Keep this almond flour banana bread recipe on constant rotation so that you always have this nostalgic treat on hand the next time the craving strikes. 

If you love baking quick bread recipes, also try out these reader favorites!

More Quick Bread Recipes:

• Paleo Morning Glory Quick Bread
• Almond Flour Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
• Paleo Double Chocolate Banana Bread
• Grain-Free Hummingbird Bread  
• Keto Cinnamon Swirl Bread  
• Almond Flour Zucchini Bread  

Enjoy a thick slice of grain-free banana bread with your morning coffee or tea!

Almond Flour Banana Bread

The best almond flour banana bread made with no oil, dairy, or refined sugar! You'll love the moist texture and explosion of banana flavor in this simple recipe!

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

1 Loaf

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 large ripe bananas, 1.5 cups mashed bananas
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 2/3 cups finely ground almond flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot flour**
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 2 tsp ground cinnamon, optional
• ▢ 3/4 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9” x 5” loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Mash the bananas into a large mixing bowl until they are creamy.
• Whisk in the eggs, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract until the wet ingredients are well combined.
• In a separate large bowl, stir together the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt (dry ingredients).
• Stir the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients until a thick banana bread batter forms. If adding, stir in chocolate chips (and/or chopped walnuts or pecans).
• Pour banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer.
• Cover the bread pan with aluminum foil, leaving the foil tented to give the bread room to grow. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 45 minutes with the foil on. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown on top and baked through.
• Baked goods are considered fully baked when they reach an internal temperature of 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Use an instant read thermometer to check the bread for doneness. Insert the thermometer into the center of the bread and wait for the numbers to stop moving to get an accurate read. Because the bake time can vary depending on your elevation and the ingredients used, I recommend always using the thermometer method to get the best results. 
• Allow the bread to cool completely (to room temperature) before slicing and serving.

Notes

*If you don’t typically bake with tapioca flour, you can omit it and use 3.5 cups of almond flour. You can use 3/4 cup of tapioca flour for a more bread-like texture

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice (of 10) – Calories: 282kcal – Carbohydrates: 29g – Protein: 9g – Fat: 17g – Saturated Fat: 2g – Cholesterol: 56mg – Sodium: 328mg – Fiber: 6g – Sugar: 7g

Course: Breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: almond flour banana bread, chocolate chip almond flour banana bread recipe, dairy free banana bread, grain free banana bread, healthy banana bread, paleo banana bread, refined sugar free banana bread

Servings: 1 Loaf

Calories: 282kcal

Author: Julia

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