This recipe for Banana Bread is one of my favorites. It’s also one of the most popular bread recipes on this website!
I love my Banana Bread with a cup of caffeine-free Dandelion Root Coffee.
Banana Bread Recipe
Back in 1998, when I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I knew I’d need to create a gluten-free banana bread recipe.
Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Frankly, I had no choice other than to create my own gluten-free recipes.
That’s because I went on a gluten-free diet decades ago during the Dark Ages of gluten-free living. Back then there was nothing.
Out of that void came many gluten-free bread recipes, as well as this beloved Banana Bread recipe.
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Healthy Banana Bread
What makes this healthy banana bread recipe special?
First, the flavor. While most banana bread recipes have one cup of sugar, this one is very lightly sweetened with only one tablespoon of honey.
I love that because the banana flavor really shines through.
Banana Bread with Almond Flour
Second, this is not only a low-carb recipe, it’s a gluten-free banana bread with almond flour that’s high-protein and full of healthy fat.
Finally, with only eight healthy ingredients it’s an easy banana bread recipe that you can throw together in no time at all!
Ripe Bananas for Banana Bread
When you make this banana bread, be sure to use ripe bananas.
Wondering how to ripen bananas more quickly I place mine in a paper bag in the pantry. Trust me it works!
How to Make Banana Bread Tall
If you want a nice tall loaf of Banana Bread, be sure to use the recommended size loaf pan.
If you use a larger one, you won’t have enough batter to fill the pan to the top and the result will be a very short and sad loaf of Banana Bread.
Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup palm shortening
- 2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Pulse together bananas, eggs, vanilla, honey, and shortening in a food processor
- Pulse in almond flour, salt, and baking soda
- Scoop batter into a greased 7.5 x 3.5 inch magic line loaf pan
- Bake at 350°F for 55-65 minutes
- Cool for 1 hour
- Serve with Dandelion Root Coffee
How to Store Homemade Bread
To store this Banana Bread, wrap in a paper towel, seal in a plastic bag, and refrigerate for up to one week.
Bananas Recipes
Check out some of my other delicious banana recipes:
Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
I imagine this Banana Bread recipe would be amazing with chocolate chips!
I have a Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes recipe made from cashews with seven ingredients total –a beloved reader favorite.
The Best Keto Recipes
Did you know that my keto recipes are my most requested? Below you’ll find the best keto bread recipes.
Keto Bread
Of all of my bread recipes, Keto Bread is the most similar to traditional store-bought bread. It’s our family’s favorite.
Keto Blueberry Lemon Bread
Both the Keto Bread above and this incredible Keto Blueberry Lemon Bread with almond flour are “one-bowl” recipes that could not be easier to make!
Low-Carb Bread
My Low-Carb Bread has a fantastic nutty flavor and is full of nutrient-dense ingredients. I love it smothered in homemade Plum Jam.
Keto Cornbread
Warm Keto Cornbread baked in a cast-iron skillet then covered in ghee? Yes, please!
Nut-Free Keto Bread
Want a fantastic keto snack? Avocado toast made with my Nut-Free Keto Bread. YUM!
Keto Zucchini Bread
My Keto Nut-Free Zucchini Bread is a cake-like bread and a complete winner that the boys love! This nut-free low-carb bread recipe uses one of my favorite ingredients, coconut flour.
Substitutions
Feel free to experiment with your own ingredient choices and substitutions for my Banana Bread recipe as well as my other bread recipes. Just be sure to leave a comment and let us know how it goes if you do!
Unfortunately, I cannot forecast the results that your proposed substitutions will yield. I wish I had a crystal ball and knew intuitively if a substitution worked. Sadly, I don’t. I test each of my recipes dozens of times to get the results that I do.
Substitutions and Testing
In fact, every time I make the slightest change I retest a recipe. That means a whole new batch of bread in the oven when I adjust the baking soda up or down by even one-quarter teaspoon.
I guess that’s why they say baking is a science, not something you can improvise. That’s also why I get the feedback that my easy low-carb recipes are the most reliable you can find!
The Best Bread Recipes
Over the years I’ve worked on this bread recipe and refined it to pure perfection.
What’s your favorite bread recipe? Is there something you’re looking for that you didn’t find here? Leave a comment and let me know!
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first shared this Banana Bread recipe in September 2011.
Jeny Staiman says
Dear Elena, this recipe continues to inspire curiosity and exploration for me. I love it so very much!! I posted a comment earlier about a technique I have applied to this recipe from America’s test kitchen (how to cram in twice as many bananas and cut the sweetener completely). Now I want to tell you something else about your recipe that I think is pretty cool: it is extremely versatile. I’m sure you already know this. ;)
Even though you have several excellent recipes for pumpkin bread, I was curious if I could use this banana bread recipe and just swap out squash for banana. The answer is YES! When I make the squash version I add ginger and other pumpkin spices, and that one does require adding sweetener. But the recipe is otherwise the same.
It also works with apples! That is a little more fussy though — after cooking apples until soft, you have to squeeze out as much liquid as you can through a cloth, then boil that down to a thick syrup and then add it back to the apples. Otherwise the water content is too high. I added cinnamon and a little sweetener to my first apple version. I bet it would also be great with dried cranberries.
Next up: pear, quince. :)
Elana says
Jeny, you are amazing!
Laura says
I so appreciate all the hard work you do to give us so many great posts. When I use a sweetener, like for 1 Tbsp honey, I use 1-1./2 tsp organic Stevia Leaf Extract plus 1-1/2 tsp full fat cultured Greek yogurt.
The yogurt makes up for half of the volume of the sweetener. I can hardly wait to make your recipe.I can tell this is a keeper.
Thanks! Take care…
Elana says
Thanks Laura!
Alexa says
Thank you, Elana! This is one of my favorite recipes. I substitute maple syrup for the honey and coconut oil for the palm shortening…and add lots of chocolate chips!!! Soooooo yummy!!!
Elana says
Alexa, thanks for letting me know this is sooooo yummy!
Don Magnusson says
First, I want to thank you for all of your recipes…..greatly appreciated! However, I think you should get some information (or watch a documentary) about the severe negative effects of palm oil plantations on the orangutans in Borneo. Almost 80% of orangutan habitat has disappeared in the last 20 years. We are losing over 6,000 orangutans a year. I hope that if you look into this, it will convince you to remove palm shortening from your recipes.
Elana says
Thanks Don!
Alison Bacus says
I often use the other recipe in your cookbook which is much simpler using coconut sugar and oil. Only change I make is adding 3/4 cup pecans and I bake 10 muffins in a 12 cup muffin pan for 25 minutes. It is so fabulous and ALL my friends love to make it that way. LOVE all you recipes!
Elana says
Alison, thanks so much!
Helene says
Second time I’m making this fantastic banana loaf
I froze some of mine and after thawing warned it it the microwave for a few second
Love it
Thank you Elana
I used Trex(UK)
It’s made of palm oil and rapeseed oil
It came out lovely
Xx❤️
Elana says
Helene, thanks so much for letting me know this is lovely!
Dana says
Thank you for this recipe Elana. I’ve made this many times over the years, shared the recipe and now, with iso ,have returned to making it each week with leftover bananas from my farm share box. I’ve always substituted coconut oil for the palm shortening and it’s great! Sometimes I leave the honey out depending on how I feel. Bananas are so sweet. Usually top it with crushed walnuts before baking for some extra texture and I’ve been known to sneak in some raw cacao or shaved Well Naturally dark chocolate. Sending lots of gratitude from Australia.
Elana says
Dana, I’m so happy to hear you are enjoying this recipe! Sending big hugs to you in Australia :-)
Debby says
I have also added raw unsweetened coconut flakes and raisins/dried cranberries along with nuts and my family loves this!
Elana says
Debby, that sounds amazing!
Millie says
I used salted butter & regular sea salt, and it was pretty good. Thank you very much.
Elana says
Thanks Millie!
Mary Leibforth says
I finally got around to trying the Paleo Banana Bread recipe. You asked us to let you know about substitutions, so I used unsalted butter in place of the shortening, and powdered Stevia in place of the honey (can’t tolerate sugar in any form) and it was wonderful! I will never use another recipe for banana bread again! Thank-you so much!
Elana says
Mary, I’m so happy to hear that you love this so much that you will never use another recipe for banana bread again :-)
hedy says
Was all ready to make your paleo banana bread when I realized I was a half cup short of almond flour ; I substituted golden flax meal and it came out perfect.I like the use of honey because most artificial sweeteners make me nauseated.Is there a general rule for substituting honey for sugar or other sweeteners?
Elana says
Hedy, thanks for your comment! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. I’m not a user of general rules, I’m more of a test it a million times until it’s perfect type of gal, since each recipe is so unique. All of the recipes on this website use natural sweeteners and I have hundreds of them for you to try here:
https://elanaspantry.com/recipes/?diet-type=&recipe-type=desserts&ingredients=
Enjoy!
Elana
susan montanaro says
I’ve made this recipe several times but now that we are quarantined, I’m about to bake my 3rd loaf! It’s delicious with the roasted dandelion + chicory coffee :). Thanks Elana, be well.
Elana says
Susan, thanks for the reminder. I’m going to make some too! Take care and stay safe :-)