Almond Flour Banana Bread (Paleo, Gluten Free) (2024)

The best almond flour banana bread that's paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. This recipe, made with a few healthy substitutions, tastes like old-fashioned homemade banana bread!

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This grain-free banana bread comes closest to the banana bread I made before going gluten and dairy-free. The quick and easy bread has a great texture—almond flour gives it a wonderful, moist, tender crumb. Many gluten-free baking recipes call for a long list of ingredients, but this recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients and comes out perfect!

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Banana bread recipe makeover

This banana bread was the first paleo recipe I adapted, substituting almond flour and honey for wheat flour and sugar. It took many, many versions to recreate the flavor and texture that I remembered. Of course, the trial and error resulted in breads that were edible, but none that mimicked traditional banana bread so well. This healthy version of banana bread is spot on.

The traditional banana bread recipe I'd made for years was from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook—a simple recipe with only a few ingredients.I wanted to keep the spirit of this simple bread as I converted it. My updated banana bread is moist and tender like the original but slightly less sweet.It will definitely hit the spot if you have a banana bread craving, though. This bread is great comfort food!

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• bananas
• eggs
• honey (or maple syrup)
• lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
• almond flour
• baking soda
• sea salt
• walnuts or chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and oil or line your mini loaf pans with parchment paper (you could also use coconut oil cooking spray).
2. Prepare the wet ingredients: Beat the eggs until thick and pale yellow using an electric mixer and a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer. Mash bananas, add to eggs and mix until combined. Pour in honey and lemon juice and mix until combined.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, then add to wet ingredients in 2 additions, mixing until combined. Stir in chopped walnuts or chocolate chips, then spoon batter into each loaf pan.
4. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Secrets to getting the best texture and flavor

The key to getting the perfect texture in this bread is beating the eggs really well to incorporate air and help create the leavening for the bread. If you use a stand mixer to make the batter, let the eggs whip while you gather the rest of the ingredients. By the time I have everything measured, the eggs are thick, pale, and ready for the next step. If you use a hand mixer to beat the eggs, make sure to whip them until they are pale yellow.

It's also essential to use very ripe bananas. You want to see a lot of brown spots on the peel, which means the bananas will be nice and sweet. This really enhances the flavor and sweetness of the banana bread—and makes it taste more like traditional banana nut bread. And because the overripe bananas provide sweetness, you don't need to add a bunch of sugar. All it needs is a little bit of honey.

Variations

Now that I've experimented with this bread in several adaptations, I've found this almond flour banana bread is equally good plain or with added walnuts or chocolate chips (look for gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate chips). It all depends on your mood.

You can also spice it up by adding cinnamon, nutmeg, or a pumpkin spice blend to the batter.

Great ways to serve it

While it's great on its own, this banana loaf is also great toasted.Spread it with some ghee or almond butter for a real treat! The combination of banana and almond is incredible (and is even delicious for making sandwiches drizzled with some honey).

The finished banana bread freezes well and that's the best way to store any leftovers. If you freeze the bread, I recommend slicing it before freezing so you can pull out a couple of slices at a time.

Pro tip: toast your banana bread slices in a low oven (300 to 325 degrees) for a perfect golden brown. The toaster oven is ideal for this!

This banana bread is the perfect answer if you're craving something slightly sweet or if you're looking for breakfast ideas or shareable recipes. My friends and family love this recipe, and this is a healthy treat that's meant to be shared!

This simple bread pairs well with coffee or tea. And it's a great solution for using up your bananas before they go bad. Those spotted bananas are perfect for this recipe—don't toss them out! Instead, use them as ingredients for this delicious snack.

More healthy quick bread recipes

• Banana Muffins
• Blueberry Muffins
• Lemon Berry Scones
• Easy Drop Biscuits
• Grain Free Cornbread