Best Paleo Banana Bread Recipe
Posted Jan 04, 2018, Updated Feb 03, 2024
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This is the best Paleo Banana Bread recipe you will ever try! It’s easy to make, moist with a beautiful crumb and tastes like it’s from a bakery but it’s grain-free & dairy-free, with no refined sugar.
There’s something about the cold weather that makes me crave banana bread! Really, when are bananas not in season? They’re always available at the grocery store (or gas station or drug store) for a reasonable price, I always have some on hand in the freezer, and I’m never without a few overripe bananas sitting on my counter.
This Paleo Banana Bread recipe makes the best healthy banana bread ever. It tastes like it’s from a bakery but it’s gluten & grain-free, dairy-free with no refined sugar.
And I have to say, that this is the very best grain-free banana bread I have ever eaten! Here are a few reasons why I love this recipe, and you will too:
- It’s so moist and dense, yet has a beautiful crumb.
- The ingredient list is short, and consists of things you probably always have on hand!
- It’s a healthy and nutritious treat that tastes decadent but is actually good for you.
How to make Paleo Banana Bread
This paleo banana bread recipe is easy to make! I love that all the ingredients can be mixed in one bowl, and that it only takes 5 minutes of prep time to make this recipe. Here are a few step-by-step photos showing how to make this paleo banana bread (don’t forget ot watch the video too)!
Mix-in suggestions
Here are some suggestions on mix-ins for the paleo banana bread recipe.
- Chocolate Chips (milk, dark, light, etc.)
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Cinnamon chips
- White chocolate chips
- Blueberries
- Dried fruit (cranberries, rasins, etc.)
- Swirl of peanut butter or Nutella
- Unsweetened coconut
Paleo Chocolate Chips & Bars
Sometimes it’s hard to figure out which chocolate chips are Paleo, so here are some of my favorite healthier chocolate options.
- Hu Kitchen Chocolate Gems. This is my favorite paleo chocolate. These gems are delicious and easy to toss into cookies (no bar chopping required).
- Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate Bars. You can also buy dark chocolate bars and chop them up to toss into these paleo chocolate chip cookies.
- Lily’s Dark Chocolate. They make chips and bars that are stevia sweetened, low carb, keto, etc.
- Enjoy Life Foods Dark Chocolate Chips are a good option that are vegan, dairy-free but not fully paleo.
Serve
Serve this bread warm with a slather of grass-fed butter (or cinnamon honey butter), almond butter (homemade vanilla almond butter), or peanut butter.
Store
Store this paleo banana bread recipe in an airtight container or plastic bag to ensure it does not dry out. If you plan on eating the entire loaf in a day or two, you can store it at room temperature. If it will take longer, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator.
How to freeze paleo banana bread
This paleo banana bread freezes very well. I recommend freezing it in slices in an airtight container. That way you can pull out a slice at a time to enjoy.
Paleo Banana Bread: Substitutions
Here are a few potential substitutions that can be made in this recipe. I do not recommend altering the amount or type of flour at all. Paleo baking is truly an art, and the ratios & kinds of flours used in this recipe were carefully tested and chosen!
- Coconut oil. Grass-fed butter or ghee can be used in place of coconut oil.
- Almond butter. I have also made this recipe with cashew butter with delicious results. Any nut or seed butter can be used in this recipe.
- Maple Syrup. Honey is a good substitute for maple syrup.
- Chocolate chips. They are optional, but not really. Use Enjoy Life Foods or hu kitchen chocolate chips for allergy friendly options, also see list of suggested mix-ins.
Recipe FAQs
Make sure you use overripe, brown bananas. They have the best flavor, maximum sweetness, and are the easiest to mash! They should be very dark brown or almost black and soft to the touch.
Yes, you can double this recipe and bake it in two loaf pans.
Yes, fill the wells of a standard muffin tin with 1/4 cup of batter and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
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Best Paleo Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large overripe bananas (1 cup, mashed)
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup creamy almond butter
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×4” baking pan (you can use a 9×5” pan but your loaf will be thinner and baking time will be less) with parchment paper and grease. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large, glass mixing bowl melt together coconut oil and almond butter (for about 1 minute on high), stir until combined.
- Add mashed banana, maple syrup and vanilla extract stir until combined.
- Stir in egg.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until completely combined. Let it sit for 2-5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Gently mix in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before gently removing the loaf from the pan to a wire rack to cool.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Coconut oil. Grass-fed butter or ghee can be used in place of coconut oil.
- Almond butter. I have also made this recipe with cashew butter with delicious results. Any nut or seed butter can be used in this recipe.
- Maple Syrup. Honey is a good substitute for maple syrup.
- Chocolate chips. They are optional. Use Enjoy Life Foods or hu kitchen chocolate chips for allergy friendly options, also see list of suggested mix-ins.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More delicious banana recipes:
- Check out our favorite BEST banana bread recipe!
- These paleo zucchini banana muffins are one of my favorite breakfast recipes!
- Paleo Blueberry Banana muffins are a reader favorite.
- This peanut butter banana baked oatmeal is SO good!
- These are literally the best banana muffins you will ever make or eat! Seriously the best.
- This banana cake is to die for.
- Spinach banana muffins are healthy and delicious!
- Try this healthy banana bread! It’s delicious and no one can tell it’s good for you!
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Yumm! My paleo banana bread recipe is actually the most popular recipe on the blog and I’m so not surprised as it’s one of our all time favourites!
I loveee that you added almond butter to your though so I need to try this!
That’s awesome!! Banana bread is such a classic treat! I love baking with almond butter!
This bread looks too good to resist! And you just had to throw those chocolate chips in to further entice, didn’t you? Evil, pure evil.
Thank you Alisa!! Chocolate is a total necessity when it comes to banana bread (in my opinion)! 😉
So craving a big ol’ chunk of this bread right now!! My bananas need to hurry up and ripen!
LOL Jamie! I always keep some overripe ones in the freezer…just for moments like that! 😉
Yep scheduled THIS to pin for sure. My husband LOVES banana bread but I always make him the naughty version. I am going to try this and see if he notices, because I hate not being able to eat it! This looks perfect!
LOL the “naughty” version is delicious too! 😉 He might notice but he might not mind….seriously I can’t stop eating this!
This looks great! Love the mix of coconut and almond flours. Can’t wait to try!
I agree! It’s my go-to gluten-free baking flour combination!
Mine came out a little soft in the middle even after cooking for 40 minutes, any tips on what I could have done wrong?
Hey Yvonne! I’m sorry this happened! Did you follow the recipe exactly without any ingredient substitutions? If so…then it’s important to take into account that all ovens can be different! Make sure you bake the bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean!
Mine did too. I followed the recipe exactly. I cooked for 40 minutes until it came out clean but still a little soft in the middle. It was still delicious but not really that crumbly. I would still make again.
This looks perfect! I’m with your daughter, I would absolutely love a slice of this beauty for dessert!
My daughter is a smart cookie! 😉 Thank you Sonali!
That is a total Mom win! These look so delicious! My kind of recipe and chocolate chips are always a win!
Yes!! Now I want to try turning it into french toast or something….if I can get a loaf to last more than a day! LOL!
YUMMMMMM – yeah for dairy free recipes!! I haven’t made banana bread in ages, but this is definitely making me want to get on it! Especially because I can bake in bulk and freeze!
YES! I love freezing banana bread in slices and pulling them out for a special treat!
Haha your daughter Bethany knows whats good! It’s so true that bananas are always in season therefore banana bread should be made year round and this version js everything banana bread should be but HEALTHY! 🙂
Thank you Rachel! I love that sweet girl…except if she loves something it means I have to share so…. 😉 It’s so great that bananas are available all year long! 🙂
This looks incredible!
Thank you Tawnie!