Moist Almond Flour Banana Bread (Healthy)

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This Almond Flour Banana Bread is moist, tender and naturally sweet. Made without grains, this recipe is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, low carb and high in protein. You will love experimenting with mix-ins like walnuts or chocolate chips.

Healthy almond flour banana bread shown from top, sliced into soft, moist slices ready to be served with toppings.

I came up with this recipe after testing a new version of my protein banana bread. Some readers suggested swapping oat for almond flour to keep things grain-free, so I gave it a go. While in the kitchen I got the idea of making banana bread with almond flour only – you guys already seem to love the protein version as it is.

The result was surprising – rich and moist, packed with banana flavors and natural sweetness. It’s perfect to use leftover ripe bananas while satisfying your sweet tooth. You won’t guess it’s also healthy and low in carbs (I have a keto banana bread recipe if you’d like a keto alternative).

Why you will love this recipe
Ingredients and substitutes
How to make banana bread with almond flour
Recipe variations
Tips for moist almond flour banana bread
How to store and freeze
Frequently asked questions
More healthy banana recipe
Almond Flour Banana Bread Recipe

Why you will love this recipe

Moist and indulgent – While ripe bananas provide natural sweetness and flavor, almond flour lends a delicious melt-in-your-mouth texture. This gluten-free banana bread does a great job in satisfying your cravings.
Healthy and diet-friendly – My recipe doesn’t use refined sugars, grains, oils, or butter. This makes it completely gluten-free, low in carb, and good for the diet. Plus, you can make it vegan with flax eggs and sugar-free with monk fruit or stevia.
Quick and simple – You’ll just need a bunch of pantry staples and one bowl. Plus, it’s a great way to use up those overripe bananas in the fridge.
Customizable and versatile – From chopped walnuts to chocolate chips, there are so many ways how you can add your own touch. It tastes delicious for breakfast, as a dessert or as a snack. My tip is to mix-in some berries and enjoy slathered with almond butter.

Ingredients and substitutes

This healthy almond flour banana bread recipe calls for just a handful of simple ingredients. Here are more details along with substitutes, precise quantities for each can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.

Almond Flour Banana Bread Ingredients – Almond flour, baking powder, ripe bananas, egg, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract and cinnamon

Ripe bananas – You’ll need 2 ripe bananas, those with brown spots all over their skin. They’re sweet, moist and full of flavor. If not ripe enough, either place them in a paper bag with apples or peel and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 15-20 minutes.
Egg – Use one large egg, preferably AA-grade egg from grass-fed chickens. If vegan, swap it for a flaxseed egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseeds + 2 ½ tbsp water) or Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer (it’s gluten-free).
Greek yogurt – I recommend 2% fat or full fat Greek yogurt, plain and unsweetened. Nonfat Greek yogurt can still be used, but it won’t provide the same rich flavor and moist texture. For vegan almond flour banana bread, replace with dairy-free alternatives like Greek-style soy yogurt or coconut yogurt.
Maple syrup – It adds natural sweetness with no refined sugar. You can swap it for honey, agave, date syrup or keto syrup. If using granulated sweeteners like brown sugar, coconut sugar, monk fruit or stevia, you may need 1 extra tablespoon of Greek yogurt.
Almond flour – This recipe requires finely blanched almond flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill superfine blanched almond flour. As it has a grainier texture, almond meal does not work.
Baking powder – It helps the quick bread rise and improves its texture.
Spices and flavors – Vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and sea salt are key for deepening and enriching flavors.

How to make banana bread with almond flour

Grab 2 ripe bananas, almond flour and a bowl. Here’s a step-by-step guide, so you can bake along at home. The printable recipe card with more details can be found at the end of this blog post.

Step 1 – Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mash the bananas then combine with Greek yogurt, egg, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Stir well until the mixture gets smooth and there are no pieces of banana left.

Mashing bananas with a golden fork until smooth to make almond flour banana bread.

Mashed bananas with egg, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon before mixing until smooth.

Step 2 – Add almond flour. Add into the wet mixture almond flour and baking powder. Stir the ingredients together with a fork or whisk, being careful not to overmix. You may need to adjust with little extra flour if the batter is too liquid, or with a splash of milk if it is too dry. This depends on the size of the bananas used.

Adding blanched almond flour to mashed bananas and wet ingredients, to make banana bread batter.

Banana bread batter after combining dry and wet ingredients in a smooth batter.

Step 3 – Bake. Transfer your batter to a 8 in (20 cm) metal loaf pan lined parchment paper or greased with oil. Bake in hot oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 35-42 minutes. The loaf is ready when a toothpick inserted into its center comes out clean – do not overbake, it will firm up further as it cools. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Almond Flour Banana Bread after Baking in a Red Metal Loaf Pan Lined with Parchment Paper

Recipe variations

Keto – Use keto maple syrup or sugar-free sweeteners like monk fruit, erythritol, allulose or stevia (you may need less, as stevia has a stronger sweetening power). To further cut carbs, swap one banana for ½ cup (120 g) pumpkin puree as in my pumpkin banana bread recipe and compensate with a dash of banana extract. Bananas are quite high in sugar (+20 g per fruit), but pumpkin is not.
Sugar-free – Replace maple syrup with a granulated sweeteners you like, compensating with 1 to 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt for the missing liquid. Great options are monk fruit, a mix of monk fruit and erythritol, erythritol, allulose or stevia.
High protein – Replace ½ cup (50 g) of almond flour with ½ cup (50 g) of your favorite protein powder. For a moist, tender texture I recommend vanilla plant protein powder and casein.
Vegan – Replace the egg with either one flaxseed egg (“flaxegg”) or with a gluten-free egg replacer such as Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer. Instead of Greek yogurt, use dairy-free options like a firm soy, almond or coconut yogurt.
Oatmeal – Use 1 cup of almond flour and 1 cup of oat flour in total. To keep your almond flour oatmeal banana bread gluten-free, use certified gluten-free almond flour.
Mix-ins – Stir in the batter dark chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or pecans, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, peanut butter, raisins, cranberries or fresh berries. My favorite is blueberry almond flour banana bread with walnuts!
Muffins – Instead of baking in a loaf pan, portion the batter out into lined muffin tins and bake for 25-30 minutes. When making muffins, be sure to decrease baking time as they cook faster.

Tips for moist almond flour banana bread

Use ripe bananas – A must for a naturally sweet and moist loaf, ripe bananas are much tastier and provide a richer flavor and better texture to desserts.
Pack almond flour – When measuring ingredients in cups, pack the almond flour well. Packing almond flour ensures an accurate measurement, as its fine texture can trap air and lead to using less than needed. For more accuracy, use a kitchen scale.
Don’t replace almond flour – I developed this recipe with superfine blanched almond flour. Substituting it for almond meal, all purpose flour or whole-wheat flour won’t produce the same result.
Prevent browning – If you notice that the top of your bread is browning too fast in the oven, cover the loaf pan with aluminum foil after 20 minutes of baking.
Let cool – For the best taste and texture, allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. I’ve found that it tastes even better if enjoyed on day two, after it has sit in the fridge overnight.

How to store and freeze

Let the bread cool completely – first in the loaf pan and then over a wire rack or a plate. Once it is cool, you can serve it immediately or transfer leftovers to an airtight food container or ziplock bag.

To store. In an airtight container, leftovers will last for up to 3 days at room temperature. For a longer storage, refrigerate for a maximum of 4 days (recommended). It can be served cold or quickly warmed up in an oven or microwave.
To freeze. Freeze slices in zipper bags for a maximum of 3 months. Before serving, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in hot oven or heat in the microwave until warm.

Moist almond flour banana bread topped with bananas and sliced, shown from front to highlight moist, tender texture.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between almond flour and almond meal?

Blanched almond flour is made from peeled almonds ground into a fine, light powder, while almond meal comes from unpeeled almonds and has a coarser texture and darker color. They’re not the same and can’t be swapped in this recipe, as the texture significantly changes.

Why is my bread not rising?

Almond flour doesn’t rise as much as regular flour because it lacks gluten, which gives structure and lift to baked goods. It’s completely normal for almond flour banana bread to be more dense and moist. Make sure to measure ingredients correctly and avoid overmixing to get the best texture.

Why is my almond flour banana bread wet?

Make sure to measure your ingredients accurately, using packed almond flour. You also need a thick Greek yogurt and avoid overly large bananas, as too much moisture can also make the bread wet and dense. Another tip is to let it cool for at least 30 minutes after baking.