Welcome to the only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need! Whether you’re gluten-free or looking for a breakfast or sweet treat made with healthy, nourishing ingredients, look no further than this almond flour banana bread. It’s made with no oil, butter, or refined sugar. But you’ll never know because it’s perfectly moist and sweet. It’s the perfect recipe to make when you have extra bananas or overripe bananas about to go bad.
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What readers say…
“Best banana bread in the history of the world. I am seriously in love with almond flour for baking, pancakes, et. al. Everything turns out SO MOIST. This banana bread recipe is off the chart.”
Roxanne
What Makes This Recipe So Incredibly Good
In our family, we consume grains, like einkorn and spelt. It’s not uncommon for us to enjoy homemade einkorn pancakes, sourdough bread, and einkorn muffins.
I’ve also come to love gluten-free flour, particularly recipes made with almond flour. This gluten-free banana bread recipe has become a favorite with our whole family. Here’s what I love about this recipe.
- Simple, Nourishing Ingredients: We’re all about simple, real food. This recipe is the perfect example of how a few simple pantry ingredients come together to create the most delicious banana bread.
- Super Moist: Almond flour makes incredibly moist baked goods. From the softest chocolate chip cookies and bread to pancakes.
- Natural Sweetness: Typical banana bread is made with added sugar, from brown sugar to cane sugar. Instead, this healthy recipe is a quick bread you can feel good about. It’s naturally sweetened with blanched almond flour or almond meal, honey or maple syrup (or stevia for a low-carb option), and extra ripe bananas.
- Zero Gluten: This bread is 100% gluten free and the perfect treat, make-ahead breakfast, or snack for anyone with a gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Ingredients
To make the best almond flour banana bread, you’ll need a few simple ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour starch
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 ripe yellow bananas
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt or a dairy-free yogurt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
What is Arrowroot Starch? Arrowroot is a white, flavorless powder. It’s similar to cornstarch (without the corn) in that it thickens food. Almond flour alone can result in a soggy, dense bread. Arrowroot starch (which is paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and vegan) improves the texture of almond flour treats. Arrowroot lasts a long time. Use it to make stir-fry sauce, almond flour chocolate chip cookies, this particular recipe, almond flour waffles, and homemade foundation powder or dry shampoo.
How to Make, Step by Step
To make this recipe, you’ll need a large mixing bowl, medium-size mixing bowl, and 9×5-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line the bread pan with parchment paper.
Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: almond flour, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: Combine Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Add eggs, maple syrup or honey, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. If you’re adding chocolate chips, walnuts, or dried fruit (see suggestions in next section), stir the ingredient into the batter now.
Step 4: Bake
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake, in the center of the oven, for 60 minutes or until the center is firm. Insert a knife in the center of the bread to check for doneness. The knife should come out clean when the bread is done.
Let the bread cool for at least 20-30 minutes on the top of the stove or a wire rack. Remove the bread from the pan by lifting the parchment paper out of the pan. Almond flour sets as it cools, so it’s important to avoid cutting the bread during this time.
Add-Ins
I love plain banana bread, but sometimes it’s fun to add mix-ins. Here are a few ideas…
Dark Chocolate Chips: Add 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips to the batter, stir to combine. Or use cacao nibs.
Walnuts: Add 1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts to the batter, stir to combine.
Dried Cherries or Cranberries: Add 1/4-1/2 cup of dried fruit, like dried cherries or cranberries, to the batter and stir to combine.
Variations
Make this recipe dairy free, egg free, or sugar free. Or, instead of bread make paleo banana bread muffins.
Dairy Free: This recipe calls for yogurt. Use plain Greek yogurt, whole milk yogurt, or make it dairy-free with a plain plant-based yogurt.
Sugar Free: Instead of honey or maple syrup, some readers have used 1/2 cup applesauce or 1/2 teaspoon stevia. I haven’t tried these sweetener variations, but readers have experienced great success with these sugar-free substitutions.
Egg Free: Some readers who need an egg substitute have used flax eggs. Instead of real eggs, make a flax egg by combining flax seeds and water. How to make your own flax egg (you’ll need 3 flax eggs). This variation may result in a flat bread (a bit more dense), but still delicious.
Pumpkin Bread: If you love this healthy banana bread, try making the pumpkin variation. Use 1 cup pumpkin puree instead of mashed bananas. Follow this pumpkin bread recipe.
Make Muffins: Most quick bread recipes are easily turned into muffins by decreasing the baking time. Spoon the batter into a muffin pan with muffin liners. Bake for 22ish minutes or until firm on top. You could also make mini muffins; just use a mini muffin pan. Or, for a flourless muffin recipe, make flourless almond banana muffins.
What’s the best almond flour to use?
Almond flour is made by grinding almonds into a powder. The flour is commonly used to make keto and low carb treats. It can be used to make cake, muffins, cookies, breads, or as a binder in meatballs or meatloaf (a gluten-free alternative to breadcrumbs).
There are two different types of almond flour…
Blanched almond flour: Made by grinding up almonds with the almond skin removed. This is done by dropping the almonds in boiling water, then cooling the almonds and peeling away the skin. Once the skin is gone, the almonds are “blanched.” Blanched almond flour is a yellow/cream color, and is typically light and fluffy. It’s ideal for making pastries, cakes, and breads.
Almond meal: Made by grinding up almonds with the skin. This flour is typically brown, has a coarse texture, and results in heavier, dense baked goods.
Which is best? I’ve used both almond flour and almond meal to make this bread recipe with great success. I prefer fine almond flour for a lighter texture, but almond meal may also be used in this recipe.
Can I substitute all purpose flour for almond flour?
All purpose regular flour is not a substitute for almond flour in this banana bread recipe or other almond flour bread recipes.
Almond flour, with the absence of gluten, doesn’t perform the same as a gluten-based flour like all purpose, whole wheat flour, or einkorn flour.
If you’d like to make a regular banana bread, with a gluten flour, make this einkorn and spelt bread recipe or einkorn maple-banana muffins. Einkorn is easier to digest than wheat, so it’s my preferred gluten flour.
Pro Tips for Best Results
1. Weigh the flour. There is one thing that you need for fail-proof baking: a scale. Well, actually, two things: a scale and quality ingredients. My cup of flour is probably not the same as your cup of flour. Not weighing flour may result in disappointment when making cookies, cakes, or quick breads. Plus, weighing ingredients is much easier; just keep adding ingredients to the bowl until the scale tells you to stop. I’ve been using this digital scale for a few years now.
2. Use parchment paper: Line the bread pan with parchment paper so it’s easy to remove the bread and let cool. This will prevent the bread from sticking to the bread pan and falling apart, which can easily happen with almond flour before it’s fully cool. Grease the pan with a bit of oil or butter, then place the parchment paper inside the pan. The butter/oil will keep the parchment in place so it’s easy to add the bread batter to the pan.
How to Store and Freeze
Because this bread is so moist, it doesn’t dry out in the fridge. Once the bread cools, store the loaf in an airtight container or bag for up to 1 week in the fridge. Eat at room temperature, cold, or reheat a slice in the microwave or a toaster oven.
The bread is even better the next day, so make this recipe for a prep-ahead meal for breakfast, a snack, or a dinner side dish. I’ll share a few serving ideas under the printable recipe, below.
Freeze the bread, once fully cool, in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Freeze the bread whole or sliced.
Almond Flour Banana Bread
Equipment
- bread pan 9×5-inch loaf pan
- large bowl
- medium bowl
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (260g)
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour starch (34g)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 ripe bananas totally 1 1/4 cups once mashed (340g)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (134g) or honey
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt (58g) or a dairy-free yogurt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Line a bread pan with parchment paper, or grease with butter or coconut oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: almond flour, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Then whisk in the eggs, maple syrup, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into a bread pan. Bake the bread, in the center of the oven, for 60 minutes, or until the center is firm. You can insert a knife in the center of the bread to check for doneness. The knife should come out clean when the bread is done.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 20-30 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan by lifting the parchment paper out of the pan.
- Slice and enjoy. Store any leftover bread in a bag or large airtight container. Store the bread in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Try these simple, reader-favorite recipes that are naturally gluten-free.
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Serving Ideas
Serve this bread as a sweet treat, breakfast, lunch, or snack (one of my favorite 31 healthy and easy snacks). Serve a slice by itself, topped with butter or almond butter, or serve a slice of bread with one of these delicious recipes for a complete meal.
For Breakfast
- Scrambled Eggs
- Spinach Feta Omelette
- Ham and Cheese Omelette
- Omelet Cups
- Healthy Yogurt Bowls
- Serve a slice with a homemade chai latte, iced chai tea latte, or pumpkin spice latte.
For Snack
- Spread two slices of bread with cream cheese to make a banana bread sandwich (also a great lunchbox meal)
- Top a slice of bread with butter or your favorite nut butter
- Serve with a cheese stick or rolled up turkey
- Enjoy a slice with a piece of fruit
For Dinner
- Serve as a side dish with a vegetable (frozen roasted vegetables are delicious) and chicken (whole roasted chicken or crispy chicken thighs)
- Serve as a side dish with a bowl of soup
- Serve on the side of a big salad, like Kale and Romain Caesar Salad
I had everything I needed to make this only to find that my dad ate two of my bananas just hours before! Haha! I mashed my remaining banana and replaced the needed volume with unsweetened apple butter. Worked great! Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly (using the dairy free coconut yogurt option). My dark pan cooked quicker at 45 min, and lowering the temp to 325 halfway through the cook. This is a nice loaf with a lovely texture!
lol, so glad that worked, Tara! Thank you for coming back and sharing and rating. That means so much.
So happy you loved it, Tara! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate.
LS Team.
I so enjoy your site and your recipes. Would you please consider adding a print option so we can enjoy your recipes a little more easily. Thank you.
Hi Rose!
There is a print button at the top of the web page! When you fist get to the page there are three buttons to click: Print recipe, show comments and jump to recipe.
Hope this helped!
LS Team.
Amazing! I have made this many times but this time I used shredded zucchini instead of yogurt and it made it way less wet and fluffier. I liked it a lot better and was happy to leave out the dairy. Highly recommend if you’re dairy free.
I made a double batch of these yesterday. I cut down on the maple syrup so I could add organic chocolate chips. I also added pecans. They are phenomenal! And my kids love them, too. I’ve been looking for a recipe this good for years. Thank you!
Yay, Miriam! That’s awesome!!
Hello! What are the differences between the old recipe & the new one – is it only the addition of the arrowroot flour? Would you be able to repost the old recipe? It worked soooo perfectly for me last time I baked it!! 🙂 Thank you!
Hey Christina, It’s posted in the notes section under the recipe. The only change is the use of maple syrup in place of honey and the use of arrowroot.
This banana bread is absolutely fantastic. I’ve been making it for years. A couple of things with the new recipe – if you don’t have arrowroot starch – I used ground flax seed, and it came out great! It reduces the moisture in the center of the bread that people complained about. It bulks it up a bit. I LOVE the substitution of the maple syrup. Also, I didn’t have any yogurt, so I used sour cream this time. Probably not as healthy, but in a pinch it worked perfectly, and gave it a sour cream coffee cake flavor. I also tried the parchment paper for the first time, instead of greasing the pan. It’s the bomb! It prevented the outside from getting overdone. A great recipe that just keeps getting better!
Yay, Roxanne! So glad you’re enjoying the new recipe variation. Thank you for sharing! So helpful for others.
This bread is absolutely the bomb and just perfect for my sweet “clean” tooth. I make it almost every weekend. I am using the old recipe without the arrowroot flour starch and its perfect! Love it!
Hey Lilly, That’s awesome! I’m so glad you’re loving the bread!
I used the original recipe again (my 2nd try) without the arrow root as it was not obtainable where I lived. It turned out alright and delicious. Substitute honey with sugar.
I do not plan on adding any other flour since it turned out ok.
That’s great, Linda! So glad you’re liking the banana bread.
ok, i see this is a developed recipe (: so another question; what do you think of using cornstarch as a substitute for arrowroot starch? thanks (:
Hey Seba, Yes, the recipe recently went through an update. There’s a note under the recipes “2019 Update” with the original recipe and the recent revisions–just the addition of arrowroot and the absence of walnuts. I don’t know if cornstarch would work. If you had success with the previous recipe, I would stick with that.
I didn’t have arrowroot flour so I substituted corn starch. It’s 1.5 teaspoons of cornstarch to 2 teaspoons of arrowroot flour. In this recipe it translates into 9 teaspoons. I made muffins and they turned out wonderfully. I’m not sure how it would work for a loaf.
Awesome, Miriam! So glad you enjoyed them. Thank you for sharing!
hello, i’ve been making your recipe since 2014! everyone loves it! one question though, did you change the recipe? i don’t remember the arrowroot flour (:
Hi
The banana bread tastes delicious although it appears under cook. I baked it for an hour using original recipe without arrowroot flour. I used sugar instead of honey. It is super moist.
Thank you for sharing this great recipe. How do I prevent it from appearing under cook?
Hey Linda, I’m so glad you liked it. The best solution is to add the arrowroot starch–that definitely helps–and weigh the ingredients versus using the cup measurements.
Hi Kristin….
I did add the Arrowroot corn starch. Saw that suggestion when I found your recipe.
The burning was not on top but along the edges and some side. The bread tasted good.
Just looked undercooked….not mushy in middle but soft. Baked on middle shelf of oven
to get even heat. The batter looked too loose….may try to add more flour. It may also be
the glass baking dishes or elevation location.
Thanks for your feedback help. Great recipe! Going to do some minor changes and try again.
Hi Kristin, I made this recipe for the 1st time last night. I used a glass bread pan and watched lowered the heating time versus lowering the temp. It did not stick to a toothpick in the middle, but still looked undercooked. Also, the sides showed signs of burning. It is a large amount of batter for one bread. Would it help to put in two smaller glass loaf pans to keep from burning and undercooking? Also, using honey versus sugar….doesn’t the honey make the bread heavier? I don’t want a dry crumbly bread…but I also don’t want a bread that looks undercooked. Would almond meal work ok instead of blanched almond flour?
Hey Mike, Did you add the arrowroot starch? The recipe was just recently updated with this modification, so that should help with the undercooked issue. Asking so I know how to help. I’ll offer some troubleshooting below, too:
The bread will still be very moist, but should be cooked through when it’s done baking. The bread really needs the full 60 minutes to bake, from my experience.
The top will appear dark brown, but if you have an issue with the bread beginning to burn on top, I recommend moving it to a new location in your oven–every oven has a hot spot and sometimes moving the bread out of the super hot spot helps to prevent premature burning. If it still looks like it’s burning on top, you could cover it with some parchment. You’ll notice that the bread in the photos has a dark brown crust, which is what should be expected.
You could certainly try to add sugar, if you want. For the almond meal versus flour, this is addressed in the post, so definitely check that part out.
I talk about the difference between the two flours, and suggest using almond flour, but you could try almond meal. Almond meal usually produces a heavier baked good.
Hope that helps for now.
Literally the BEST banana bread!
So glad you’re loving it, Chardea!
I have an idea to use this to make frozen ice cream sandwiches… mixing mini chocolate chips into the real vanilla ice cream. Sandwich between two slices and freeze. Hope it works!
I made this recipe following the directions to a tee. When I went to pull it out, the edges were burnt and the center was uncooked. What do we do in this type of situation?
Hey Jackie, I’m sorry that happened. My best advice in that scenario is to lower the oven temp, or adjust where the bread is in the oven.
My 3yr old and I made this today. It’s so delicious! She couldn’t wait for it to come out of the oven and gobbled it up soon after. We added 1/3 cup Lily’s Dark Chocolate chips.
Hi Kristin,
I’m not gluten free or grain free but I describe my diet as “grain light”. After my MD warned me I was well into the prediabetic range a couple years ago I cut carbs drastically and learned to bake with almond and coconut flour. Most recipes are fair to good, but this is great! Since I always tinker with recipes today I made blueberry banana bread: I used 2 c almond/ 1/3 cup coconut flour, substituted
low sugar blueberry yogurt for plain and halved the honey. I also added fresh blueberries and a splash of soy milk since coconut flour is very absorbent. Delish!!! I cut slices and freeze separately and bring them to work in the am. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
I have made this loaf twice now. So delicious and something I can eat when just a little hungry and wanting something filling and yummy.
Did not substitute anything as one little slice can make no difference to my diet. I have passed this recipe on to others.
This is now my go to bake every Sunday and lasts for ages.
Many thanks.
This came out perfect and delicious! I was a bit concerned about previous comments about being too moist in the center, so I substituted one quarter cup of the almond flour with same amount of psyllium husk flakes, and the texture was perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Debra! Great idea to add psyllium husk.