Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Made with Almond Flour)
This gluten-free banana bread is made with almond flour and naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup. It's simple to make and so delicious! Paleo, too.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Are we still baking banana bread? Is that still a thing? Of course it is. I developed this gluten-free banana bread recipe in response to one of the most common questions on my healthy banana bread recipe: “Can I make this with almond flour?”
While my go-to banana bread recipe offers other gluten-free options within the post (including a delicious oat flour option), the almond flour answer is not as straightforward. I think it took me seven tries to get this recipe just right!
This version required several modifications, so I’m sharing it as its own recipe today. I’ll also walk you through how I modified the recipe to work with almond flour, which might be helpful if it’s your preferred flour, or you happen to have a surplus in your pantry.
This banana bread is very tender, moist and decadent. These qualities are natural by-products of using almond flour and additional eggs to hold the bread together. This “bread” almost reminds me of pound cake in texture, and it could definitely pass as banana cake—perhaps you’d like to top it with cream cheese frosting.
While it’s different in texture from my favorite banana bread, this gluten-free banana bread is awesome in its own right. Like the other recipe, it’s easy to mix together—by hand, in one bowl, no less! It’s also naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup. And, I believe it qualifies as paleo as well. Ready to make some?
How to Make Almond Flour-Based Banana Bread
I basically crossed my healthy banana bread recipe with the lemony-almond blueberry cake in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 197). Here are the changes I made, and why:
Substituted the flour by measuring equal weight (in grams), not by volume (in cups).
Almond flour is actually lighter than “regular” flour (all purpose or whole wheat) when you’re measuring them in the same fashion (stirred, spooned into cups, and leveled with a knife). One cup of regular flour weighs about 125 grams, whereas one cup of almond flour weighs about 92 grams. I’ve found that flour substitutions work out better when you keep the weight constant. For example, 1 3/4 cups (220 grams) regular flour is the equivalent of 2 1/2 cups (230 grams, close enough) almond flour.
This is also true for oat flour. Interestingly, with almond flour, I’ve found that another way to keep the weight constant is to simply pack the almond flour into the measuring cups. When fully packed, you can use the original measurement of 1 3/4 cups.
Slightly decreased the oil.
Almonds, like all nuts, naturally contain some oil. They contain more oil than the very small amount you’ll find in whole wheat flour. Fun fact: all-purpose flour has been stripped of all oils, which is why it keeps longer.
I was able to reduce the amount of oil in this recipe slightly, by dropping the oil from 1/3 cup to 1/4 cup. In fact, I was able to get by with as little as 2 tablespoons oil in this recipe, but I love the rich texture produced by 1/4 cup.
Omitted the milk.
Regular flour absorbs far more moisture than almond flour, which is hardly absorptive at all. I found that I didn’t need the small amount of milk (1/4 cup) called for in the original recipe.
Added two extra eggs.
Eggs are absolutely key to achieving a proper rise for baked goods made with almond flour. Most of my baked goods made with regular flour call for two eggs, while this one requires four, or the middle will be deeply sunken in and wet. (In fact, these pictures show the bread slightly sinking in the middle, but my other batches were perfectly mounded—perhaps the eggs used for the photos were smaller than the eggs I had used in previous tests).
Why do you need more eggs? Regular flours contain gluten, which is a protein that provides structure. It essentially creates a framework that fills with air pockets and stays lofty after baking. Almond flour is gluten free, which means that we’re going to have to find structure elsewhere. Real eggs are the only solution that I know of that can provide sufficient structure. Do not try to make this bread with flax eggs instead—you’ll end up with an unappetizing pudding-like situation.
Added baking powder, and decreased the baking soda.
While my banana bread recipe rises beautifully with baking soda, this nut flour-based version needs help from both baking soda and baking powder. Baking powder is double-acting, which means that it starts producing bubbles when mixed with liquid, and produces more bubbles when it’s heated.
Since we added baking powder (which actually contains some baking soda), we’ll decrease the amount of baking soda. Another reason is that baking soda is much stronger than baking powder, and we simply need less when they’re used together.
In summary: The answer to the question, “Can I substitute almond flour?” is not so simple! The good news is that I use a similar formula for many of my quick bread recipes (like my pumpkin bread and zucchini bread) and muffins, so you can likely use this recipe as a template to adjust the others.
Watch How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe Notes
Almond Flour vs. Almond Meal
I’ve used almond meal interchangeably with almond flour in the past, but I strongly recommend using almond flour (made with blanched almonds) in this recipe for the best texture and flavor. I used Bob’s Red Mill’s super-fine almond flour (affiliate link).
How to Measure Almond Flour
Some of my other recipes specify packing the almond flour into the measuring cups, whereas for this one, you’ll measure the flour as you would any other (stir, spoon into cups, and level with a knife). You can read the reasoning behind this at the beginning of the previous section.
Oil & Flour Your Loaf Pan
This is really important! Generously oil and flour your loaf pan as shown in the photo above. If it looks excessive, you’re doing it right. If you don’t sufficiently oil/flour the pan, you might have trouble removing the loaf from the pan after baking.
Let the Bread Cool at Least 30 Minutes
Almond flour baked goods, since they’re gluten free, are especially delicate when they’re warm. You’ll need to let this bread cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before you try to remove it from the pan or slice it. Trust me!
Craving more?
Here are more gluten-free, almond flour-based treats:
- Almond Cake with Berries on Top
- Apple & Carrot “Superhero” Muffins
- Blueberry Almond Crisp
- Peach Crisp
And more banana-flavored treats:
- Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Banana Coconut Muffins or Healthy Banana Muffins
- Banana Nut Scones (vegan)
- Banana Oat Pancakes (gluten free) or Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
- Banana Oat Waffles (gluten free)
Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Made with Almond Flour)
Make this almond flour-based banana bread for a gluten-free treat (it’s paleo, too). Enjoy it for breakfast or a sweet snack. It’s decadent enough to pass as banana cake, especially if you top it with cream cheese frosting. Recipe yields 1 loaf, which is about 10 slices.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil or high-quality vegetable oil
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 ½ cups almond flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease your loaf pan’s base and sides with cooking oil spray or butter, and generously flour it with almond flour. (Don’t skip this step, or your bread might stick! See photos.)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and honey. Whisk until blended together. Add the eggs, and whisk until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
- Add the mashed bananas, baking powder, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and whisk to combine.
- Finally, add the almond flour. Switch to a large spoon or spatula, and stir until the flour is fully incorporated into the batter. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the center of the loaf is fairly springy to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean. Place the pan on a cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes (this bread is delicate while warm). Use a butter knife to loosen the edges of the bread from the pan, then carefully tip it over to release. Slice and serve!
Notes
Recipe adapted from my healthy banana bread (which also offers gluten-free options for oat flour and gluten-free all-purpose flour), and the lemony-almond blueberry cake in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 197).
Change it up: If you want to make this bread extra fruity, you could add up to 1 cup blueberries (lightly floured in almond flour so they don’t sink). Your bread may need up to 1 hour 10 minutes in the oven with this addition. Or, I suspect you could add ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts, pecans or chocolate chips without needing to adjust the baking time.
Storage suggestions: This bread is quite moist and will keep at room temperature for a couple of days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to several months (slice it first if you’d like to be able to grab a single serving).
Egg free/vegan note: I always try to offer substitution options when possible, but this recipe is highly dependent upon real eggs for structure and lift. I do not know of a workable alternative.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This is the first time I tried this recipe and made muffins instead of bread (didn’t have a bread pan) and they turned out so good!! Baked for 20 mins and put some chocolate chips on top. 10/10
I’m glad you loved it, Vanja! I appreciate your review.
Hi Kate, thanks so much for the almond flour recipe. Grateful for all your testing. Great recipe.
You’re welcome, Jodi! I appreciate your review.
I was going to try your healthy banana bread recipe but noticed that I have heaps of leftover almond flour in the pantry from back when we were doing keto so I gave this recipe a try.
Oh. My. Goodness. Almond flour baked goods are often dry and flaky, but not this one! It turns out moist and just the perfect amount of sweetness as well. My husband couldn’t even tell that it was made of almond flour.
I added 1/2 cup of pecans and they added a slight crunch to it. Amazing! Will definitely remaking this again! Thank you Kate!!
Super tasty!!!
This recipe was a little wet but I kinda like it that way. My family ate it up and didn’t even realize it was a healthy version of a classic favorite.
Thank you, Kristin! I’m glad it was a hit with your family. I appreciate your review!
Love this recipe ! Used almond flour . Did half honey and half coconut sugar. Turned out light and fluffy and great!!!
Thank you for sharing, Lindsey!
Fantastic recipe – as always. Thanks so much!
You’re welcome, Joanne!
Mine turned out fantastic! thank you for such a great gluten free recipe with no emulsifiers or other weird ingredients :)
Made the recipe as listed but was super wet and dense. Outside cooked through before middle could cook through. Middle was total mush! Outside edges that cooked through were delicious but middle was like pudding and inedible.
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you, Kristi. How long did you cook it for? Did you allow it to cook as mentioned?
Thank you for this fabulous recipe Kate!! I’ve made this cake twice now and it’s my absolute favourite! Just delicious and sooo more-ish!! I added slivered almonds for texture and some extra almond flavour and they make a yummy difference!
This is my favorite banana bread recipe. GF, tasty, healthy in my view. We add nuts & a few choc chips for an occasional surprise. I’ve tried alot of regular GF recipes, don’t like the flour. I feel a little guilty using using almond flour, because of the stress on our bees, but so far, I’m continuing. Thank you.
Hello!
Love your recipes. I’m wondering if this could be made in a round pans and how you’d adjust the cooking time please? Or if you have a similar recipe I could use to make round cakes?
Thank you so much!
Hi Amber! You can use my Favorite Banana Cake and make adjustments for the gluten free version in the notes.
I made this recipe last night and although I haven’t tried the finished product yet, I just had to prematurely rate it 5 stars. To be able to find a GF, refine sugar-free and healthy banana bread recipe that my mom can enjoy with her strict dietary restrictions makes me happier than words can express. The bread smells INCREDIBLE and looks like it’ll be super moist and decadent with a rich banana flavor. I tried the batter and it was delicious, so I’m sure the finished version will be superb. I ended up baking it for the full 65 minutes and not adding anything, but next time I plan to add chocolate chips & walnuts. The only thing I’ll note is definitely be super careful when taking it out of the pan as it’s very delicate! I used a knife around the edges and turned it over super slowly but it still broke apart lol. Not a big deal since it’s so dense that mostly all stayed in tact. I’ll report back with the final taste test!!
I hope you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to review.
This is so delicious! Great alternative to my previous fat laden version. Thank you for taking time to construct this. Elle
You’re welcome, Elle! Thank you for your review.
Used 1/3ish cup applesauce and 1 tablespoon oil instead of 1/4 cup oil. Added crunched walnuts. Came out just like u described. Excellent results
Thank you for sharing!
Delicious and super moist!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Annie! I appreciate your review.
This was actually the first banana bread I’ve attempted. I had some overripe bananas and wanted to try a healthier banana bread and I’m so glad I came across this recipe and gave it a shot. It is sooo moist and delicious. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
BEST BB recipe!! Made this today for my daughters and it is delicious! Moist, easy to make and our new go to recipe!
Great to hear, Cyndi! I’m happy you enjoyed this.
The best!
I’m in Australia, recently have to eat a GF diet, and this is the best GF banana bread recipe! I love the use of almond flour, as it tastes normal and decedent. I’m yet to find tasty GF plain and self raising flour recipes that taste any good. So your recipe is perfect for me and my family. Thank you for sharing
I am about to make this recipe but wondered what size loaf pan you used in the recipe? I am concerned mine is bigger. It is 9”x5”. Thanks!
Hi, it may look flatter, but that should work ok. Let me know how it works for you, Susan.
I made this and your regular banana bread. This is delicious! I haven’t tried the regular one yet, but it looks delicious! Thanks for all the information and tips! Looking forward to trying more recipes. This was my first time on your sight.
I made this recipe today and the only thing I can say is I loved it! I had some leftover almond flour and wanted to make a healthier banana bread. Let me tell you it was delicious! Will be a regular from now on. Thank you so much for sharing it.
We enjoyed the result but it definitely didn’t coming out of the pan intact. I did all the greasing and flouring of the pan and waiting 30 minutes after baking and the whole bottom still stuck when trying to remove the loaf. I will use parchment paper next time. Thank you.
I have made this recipe twice recently for my family(picky eaters) and it is now a family favorite!! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Cyndi! Thank you for your review.
good bread yum
Best banana bread I’ve ever had!! Thank you Kate for such a delicious gf alternative. I was a bit hesitant to make it because I don’t like the taste of eggs in baked goods and this required 4. However, it was perfect! I couldn’t taste the eggs, it was hearty, the perfect amount of sweetness, and so moist and tender. I served it at a brunch a day or two after baking and it got nothing but praise. Thank you so much for my new go-to banana bread recipe. I love it! Best to you and your family…
Great to hear, Hillary!
Excellent taste & texture! I used grape seed oil, added chopped walnuts and baked in 4 mini bread pans. I may cut back a little on the maple syrup next time, but will definitely make this bread again
I love this gf banana bread! I’m not gf(or vegetarian /vegan) but always looking for healthier versions of my favorite foods. Do you have a gf zucchini bread version? I used half maple syrup half agave nectar. Next time I’d like to add nuts.
Wonderful to hear! You could try my Healthy Zucchini Bread and use a gluten free flour. Let me know what you think!
Hi! Excited to try this recipe, but wanted to see if you feel walnut flour will have the same effect? I have a sensitivity to almonds- and can’t eat gluten- so trying to find recipes for muffins or breads where I can replace the almond four with walnut. Shifting to cashew milk as a replacement for the almond milk is easy, but the nut flours get very tricky… and sometimes waaaaay mushy. Let me know your thoughts. Thank you!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry! I would be curious, though.
This is a wonderful recipe. I’ve mainly used it for muffins and cook it for 20-25 mins. I’ve cut the almond flour with up to a cup of oat flour since it’s cheaper, and it seems to make it lighter which is nice, too. I use olive oil and half the amount of maple syrup and it tastes perfectly sweet enough. I also double the cinnamon and add other spices sometimes. Thank you for sharing! I love that it’s high protein and I can play around with it.
Great to hear, Ashley! I appreciate your review.
I absolutely love this banana bread and so do my kids. One question- I oiled heavily and floured the pan and let it cool completely before taking it out but it stuck badly and came out in pieces (although tasted wonderful). What did I do wrong?
I’m sorry to hear that! What type of pan did you use?
Delicious! Definitely going on the ‘make again’ list. In my opinion chocolate chips are not optional for banana bread, and they made it so good! My kids were asking for more days later. Thanks for a great recipe!
Grat to hear, Holly! Thank you for your review.
Made your banana bread with Almond Flour, added floured raisins at the end, and baked it in a Lodge cast iron bread pan, which I lined with parchment paper. I did decrease the maple syrup by an ounce because my bananas were super ripe. It came out beautifully and I enjoyed it so much I gave my neighbor a slice and ate all of rest that day, and made another the next day. Thanks a million for the recipe.
Trying your Zucchini recipe next.
Fantastic recipe followed it almost to the letter. I personally like cinnamon so added more. I would have preferred it to be a little sweeter but I can adapt myself for next time. I would suggest keeping an eye on the loaf while baking as the top started to burn after about 40 mins. I really did enjoy the loaf the texture is a little different but so lovely and light. I found that a small slice was very filling and the loaf lasted me several days. I sliced and spread with lemon curd and it was so delicious.
Yes, ovens can vary. I appreciate you sharing you experience.
Love this recipe! How about your pumpkin bread using almond flour?
Unfortunately, this was a different recipe than my original banana bread and took adaptions. It won’t work as a 1:1 for my pumpkin bread. Sorry!
Hi, I will be trying this recipe soon. Wondering about adding ground flax seed or chia seeds? Have you ever done this? Will it impact the recipe negatively? Thank you!
Loved this banana bread! Made it with olive oil and maple syrup.
Will make this again for sure!
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Vicki.
This turned out beautifully! I actually used 4 bananas, added 1 c of walnuts, 1/4 c coconut flour, 1/4 c chia seeds, 2tbs of psyllium husk.
Just took a chance and it taste delicious. My family loves it!
That’s great to hear, Dorne! I appreciate your review.
Forgot to mention…I lined my loaf pan with parchment paper. No need to grease :)
Can’t believe how good this is! So moist and delicious. I’ve made a healthy banana bread before and it was dry and lacking in flavour – this has become our new go to. Thank you so much!!
You’re welcome, Stephanie!
You are a great teacher. I am so lost in the kitchen, but following your steps I was able to make a great banana bread. Thank you much.
This is excellent. Made exactly as is and it was a perfect and delicious…great texture and taste. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Craig!
Holy grail recipe! Baked beautifully and had a perfectly moist, refined crumb that’s hard to achieve with lots of other almond flour recipes. Also seems to be quite a forgiving recipe because all measurements were approximated and it still turned out great both flavor- and texture-wise. Thanks so much for this!
You’re welcome, Annabelle! I appreciate your review.
Can this be made in a bread machine?
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
This is the second year in a row I came back to this recipe to make on repeat with my friends at our yearly beach trip. It is so moist and not too sweet, it’s absolutely perfect for our crew! It’s become a staple, one that gets requested again and again!
Great to hear, Franny! I appreciate your review.
Very nice recipe! I had to use a quarter cup all purpose flour because I ran out of almond flour, so mine was not not entirely gluten free. It was kinda dense like a pound cake, but it was perfectly sweetened, moist, and delicious. Even my 5 year old asked for another slice. I will definitely make this one again.
Hi Kate,
Just wanted to know if the cooking time is for a fan forced or conventional oven?
My banana bread sure is rising fast in our fan forced oven ..
Thanks!
Fingers crossed
Mariek
Hi! This is designed for a conventional oven.
Thank you, Kate, I love this recipe. This is my 2nd time making it and I only had a 1/2 cup of almond flour so used 2 cups oat flour. Batter was v liquid before pouring into the loaf pan so added 1 cup shredded coconut and 1 cup pumpkin seeds with less than 1/2 cup ground up cocoa covered hazlenuts for a bit more sweetness. Baked at full 65 min, rose quite a bit, and came out delicious. Edges are crunchy and inside is moist. love love love
I made this recipe, but I added 1 tablespoon of Lupin flour and two more bananas. I also added more honey to taste and I’m glad I did because it would not have been sweet enough for me with just the half cup. I did not want to put frosting on this banana bread. I also added some chopped pecans. It turned out delicious.
I love to hear that, Tamara! I appreciate your review.
Is it possible to make this in a bread machine? I love your recipes and would love to make this in my bread machine!
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
I made this a couple of days ago. Loved it! Super easy and very moist. Best gf banana bread recipe I’ve tried in several months.I’ll be making it often. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Linda!