Almond Flour Banana Bread

My love for baking with almond flour started back in 2016, after I had an almond-flour chocolate cake at a cafe in Boston. I had no idea flourless baking could be this good.

I immediately started playing with it, and since then I have published over 20 almond flour recipes on this website alone. 

This recipe came out of necessity when I found myself staring at a few ripe bananas on the counter. After a few trial and errors, I learned that there are two tricks to making this recipe work:

1. Weigh your bananas: Bananas vary widely in size, so saying you will need 2 to 3 bananas will yield different results. My recipe here uses 300 grams (or 1 1/4 cups) of mashed bananas, which I found to be the perfect ratio of almond flour to banana.
2. Use ground flaxseed as a binder: Almond flour does not absorb liquid the way regular flour does. Eggs bind the batter, but between the eggs and mashed bananas, the batter was too wet. I needed something to absorb the extra moisture. A quarter cup of ground flaxseeds did exactly that, and the bread held its shape and rose beautifully instead of sinking in the middle.

Ingredients Notes

You will need a set of dry and wet ingredients to make this banana bread recipe with almond flour. I have included all of the ingredients and exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Below are a few helpful ingredient notes that need a little guidance.

Wet ingredients

Vegetable Oil: I used avocado oil, but any vegetable oil like grapeseed or melted coconut oil would also work. 

Very-Ripe, Brown-Speckled Bananas: Use overripe, sweet bananas for this bread recipe. I like them because they are sweeter and softer (and easier to blend).

Coconut Sugar: I used coconut sugar for its tropical flavors, but light brown sugar works well as a substitute.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Baking soda only works when it meets something acidic. Mashed bananas are acidic but not enough to fully activate the baking soda, so a small amount of vinegar activates the rest, which helps the bread rise and keeps it from tasting soapy. And no, you will not taste it in the banana bread after it is fully baked.

If you do not have Apple Cider Vinegar on hand, you can replace it with an equal amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Dry ingredients

Almond Flour: My favorite brand is Blue Diamond, which I recommend for all of my almond flour recipes. Bob’s Red Mill superfine almond flour would work as well.

If you can not get your hands on it, you can also make almond flour at home with raw, unsalted almonds.

Ground Flaxseed: Both regular brown or golden flaxseeds would work in this recipe. Keep in mind that flaxseeds go rancid fast, so it is best to buy them whole, grind them yourself, and keep them in the fridge. 

Chocolate Chips (optional): I like to use a handful of chocolate chips as a topping, but it is optional. Alternatively, you can top it with a few tablespoons of sliced almonds.

How To Make Almond Flour Banana Bread

This banana bread recipe comes together in a few steps using only two bowls and a whisk.

Step 1 – Prepare the loaf pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and grease a 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) or 8 ½ ×4 ½ inch (22×11 cm) loaf pan with 1 teaspoon oil. 

Line the center with a piece of parchment paper hanging off the sides to make it easier to lift the loaf out cleanly once it is baked.

Step 2 – Whisk the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract until fully combined.

Step 3 – Whisk the dry ingredients: Grab another (larger) bowl and mix almond flour, ground flaxseeds, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Step 4 – Combine: Add the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix until fully combined. 

Step 5 – Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan: Pour it in and smooth the top with a spoon. If using, sprinkle it with 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips (or sliced almonds).

Step 6 – Bake: Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. It is done when the top turns golden brown and springs back when it is lightly pressed. You can also insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it is ready.

Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully for at least an hour before slicing.

Troubleshooting

The center sank after baking: Almond flour batters set later than wheat batters, so a loaf that looks done on top can still be raw underneath. Check the center with an instant thermometer. It should read 200 °F.

An oven running cooler than what the dial says will prevent even baking. Another culprit would be bananas adding more liquid than the recipe assumes, so it is best to weigh your ingredients. 

The bread is wet in the middle and crumbles when sliced: This usually happens if the bread is underbaked or it is not fully cooled. Almond flour banana bread sets as it cools, so let it cool fully before slicing.

It has a soapy or metallic taste: This happens when too much baking soda is used or if it did not fully activate. Be sure to measure it, and do not skip the vinegar.

How To Store, Freeze And Thaw

Store: Bring it to room temperature and store it in an airtight container or wrapped in parchment paper on the kitchen counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.

I do not recommend plastic wrap; it traps moisture against the bread and can make it soggy.

Freeze: Slice and place the bread into a large plastic freezer storage bag with small squares of parchment between each slice. Alternatively, you can also wrap them individually with pre-cut parchment paper. 

Seal tight, label, date, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thaw: No need to thaw it. You can warm up the slices in a toaster oven until warmed to your liking.

More Almond Flour Quick Bread Recipes To Try

If you are looking for more quick bread recipes made with almond flour, here are a few worth trying: 

For warm, spiced flavors, my Almond Flour Pumpkin Bread has a similar moist texture, with pumpkin and warm spices mixed in.

For a plain savory loaf, my Almond Flour Bread recipe is a great place to start.

Have extra zucchini? My Zucchini Bread with Almond Flour follows the same easy method.

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Almond Flour Banana Bread Recipe

4.97 from 28 votes

By: Aysegul Sanford

Yields8 slices

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

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The one and only Almond Flour Banana Bread recipe you need. Sweetened with a little bit of coconut sugar and ripe bananas, this low-carb banana almond loaf is gluten-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, and paleo friendly.

Ingredients 

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Wet Ingredients:

• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus 1 teaspoon for greasing the pan (coconut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil would all work)
• ▢ 1 ¼ cup mashed ripe bananas, Brown-Speckled, Medium Bananas, mashed
• ▢ 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• ▢ ⅓ cup coconut sugar , or light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• ▢ 2 cups almond flour
• ▢ ¼ cup ground flaxseeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder*
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ cup chocolate chips, optional – plus a 2 tablespoons more as topping

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8 1/2 X 4 1/2 inch or 9×5 inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon oil and line with a piece of parchment paper in the middle, with excess hanging out of the sides (this helps for easy removal).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, mashed bananas, eggs, sugar, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, flaxseeds, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
• Mix dry and wet ingredients together. If using, fold in the chocolate chips.
• Transfer to the prepared loaf pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with chocolate chips, if using, gently pressing them onto the surface. Bake 55-60 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Slice and serve.

Video

Notes

• Yields: This banana bread recipe makes 8 1-inch slices. The information below is per slice.
• Storage:  Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
• Freezing: Wrap each slice tightly with parchment paper and place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. No need to thaw; just warm it up in the toaster oven.

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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