Almond Flour Banana Bread Recipe

This almond flour banana bread is a soft, moist, gluten free loaf made with 3 ripe bananas, 2½ cups of blanched almond flour, 3 eggs, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil. It is mixed in one bowl in about 10 minutes, bakes at 350°F in a 9×5 inch loaf pan for 50 to 60 minutes, and gives about 10 slices.

There is no wheat flour, no starch, and no gums. Almond flour bakes up tender on its own, and the bananas do double duty as sweetener and binder. The key is very ripe, freckled bananas and blanched almond flour, not coarse almond meal.

What to Expect

• Yield: 1 loaf, about 10 slices
• Pan and oven: 9×5 inch loaf pan, 350°F (175°C), 50 to 60 minutes
• Flour: 2½ cups blanched almond flour, nothing else
• Sweetener: ¼ cup maple syrup plus the bananas
• Diet: gluten free, dairy free with coconut oil
• Storage: 3 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge, slices freeze well

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Gluten-Free Banana Bread Made With Almond Flour (Dairy-Free Option)

Almond flour is naturally gluten free, so this loaf needs no gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, or starch. The eggs give it structure, the almond flour gives it a tender, slightly dense crumb with a golden crust, and baking soda gives it lift. If you bake for someone with celiac disease, check that your almond flour, baking soda, vanilla, and any chocolate chips are labeled gluten free.

To keep it dairy free, use the melted coconut oil rather than butter, and choose dairy free chocolate chips if you add them. With maple syrup as the only added sweetener, it is also free of refined sugar. It is not low carb or keto, though, because of the bananas and the syrup.

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Almond Flour vs Almond Meal

I use blanched almond flour, which is finely ground from skinned almonds. It gives a cleaner, softer crumb. Almond meal is coarser and often includes the skins, so a loaf made with it is denser, darker, and more rustic. It still works if that is what you have, but expect a heavier slice. If you have made my almond flour pancakes, you will know how much the grind changes the texture.

Do not swap in regular all purpose flour cup for cup. Wheat flour absorbs liquid very differently, and the batter would turn out dense and gummy. For a wheat version, use my classic banana bread recipe instead.

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Why Each Ingredient Is There

Spotty bananas bring the flavor, moisture, and much of the sweetness. Underripe bananas do not mash well and taste starchy, so wait until they are fully freckled. Maple syrup adds a gentle caramel note and blends evenly into the batter. Honey works too, but its flavor is stronger and slightly floral.

Coconut oil adds richness without dairy. Melt it fully, and have the eggs at room temperature so the oil does not seize into clumps when it hits them. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon warms the flavor without taking over. The batter has no milk or yogurt, because almond flour does not absorb liquid the way wheat flour does.

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Mixing and Baking

Mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small chunks are fine. Whisk in the eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add the almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and stir with a flexible spatula until a thick, even batter forms. Fold in walnuts, chocolate chips, or blueberries at this point if you like.

Spread the batter in a parchment lined 9×5 inch metal loaf pan and smooth the top. Glass pans tend to bake this loaf unevenly. Start checking at 50 minutes. It is done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and the top is golden with a slight crack. If it browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. Cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then on a rack until completely cool before slicing. Almond flour bread is fragile while warm.

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Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Sunken center: the bananas were very wet, the loaf was underbaked, or the oven ran hot. Bake until the toothpick test passes.
• Crumbly slices: it was cut while warm, or the batter was too dry. Cool completely, and add 1 tablespoon more oil next time.
• Sticking to the pan: line the pan fully with parchment.
• Dry edges: overbaked. Watch closely in the last 10 minutes.
• Dense and heavy: almond meal was used, or the flour was packed. Weigh the almond flour if you can.

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Variations and Add-Ins

Fold in ⅓ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, dark chocolate chips, or blueberries. Add ½ teaspoon of cardamom for a fragrant twist, or ½ teaspoon of espresso powder for depth when serving it with coffee. Use honey instead of maple syrup for a sharper sweetness. The batter also bakes well as muffins.

For more ideas from the same family, try blueberry banana bread, chocolate chip walnut banana bread, or honey oat banana bread. For more almond flour baking, see my almond flour muffins, almond flour cookies, and almond flour chocolate chip cookies, or a paleo bread.

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Storing and Freezing

Keep the loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Slicing it before storing makes it easy to grab a piece. To freeze, separate slices with parchment, wrap them tightly, and thaw at room temperature or warm them in a toaster oven. The slices stay soft after freezing, which makes this a good loaf to bake ahead.

Serve it warm with almond butter, with yogurt and berries, toasted with coffee, or with a spoonful of fig or raspberry jam.

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Readers Often Wonder

Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour in banana bread?

Yes, but the loaf will be denser and more rustic. Blanched almond flour gives the softest crumb.

Is almond flour banana bread healthy?

It is gluten free, has no refined sugar, and gets its fat from almonds and coconut oil. It is still a sweet bread, and it is not low carb because of the bananas and maple syrup.

How do I make it dairy free?

Use coconut oil instead of butter and dairy free chocolate chips if you add any. Nothing else in the recipe contains dairy.

Why is my almond flour banana bread gummy in the middle?

It was underbaked or sliced too early. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs, then cool completely.

Can I make it without eggs?

I do not recommend it. In this recipe the eggs provide most of the structure that gluten would normally give.

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Pin this almond flour banana bread so you always have a gluten free loaf ready to bake. If you try it, tell me in the comments which add-in you used and how you served it.