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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This is my 3rd time making it. Hubby asked to have this as his birthday cake! One variation for 3rd time – organic natural peanut butter and choc chips. Simply tasteful!!! Thank you, thank you!
Help! I have tried baking this 6 times and every time it comes out mushy!! I’ve baked it in smaller pans, I’ve baked it in bigger pans, I’ve baked it for an hour, and nothing is helping! The taste of the bread is phenomenal but I cannot get it to resemble the texture of bread at all. SOS!
Hey Nicole! Did you make any substitutions to the recipe? I’ve only heard that happen when people try to substitute other flours for the coconut flour! Do you have a convection oven?
Amazing recipe. Moist, light and delicious. Thank you!!!!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hello there!!! I really want to try this recipe asap, but have no coconut flour at my house, neither did the closest supermarket! I know you said paleo baking is tricky and you dont recommend substitutions, but do you, by any chance, know of that would work by adding only almond flour and, if so, what other adjustment I’d have to make?
Thank you so much!!
I used sunbutter and cassava flour (in place of almond due to allergies) and it was wonderful. Thank you for your hard work in coming up with such a great recipe!
Thank you Chelsi! SO glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe worked beautifully with sun butter as my base instead of almond butter. I could barely stop eating the whole loaf. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it Renee! Also great to know that sunbutter works well in this recipe!
Awesome recipe! Swapped out the maple syrup for some coconut sugar, and used Guittard extra dark baking chips. It baked in a 9×5 for about 30 minutes and is absolutely beautiful! I haven’t even tasted it yet but it smells divine, so I know it’ll taste like heaven!
Hello!
Thins looks sooo good. The only hung I an I’m allergic I egg eggs. CAN i substitute with flax egg?
Hey Sarah! I have not tried substituting the eggs in this recipe. Paleo baking is a touch finicky and I don’t usually recommend substitutions. If you try it let me know how it goes!
New favorite banana bread recipe!
YAY! SO glad you loved it Megan!
This is amazing! The only thing I did different was to bake it in an 8″x 8″ square cake pan for 25 minutes. When I got it all mixed up, the batter looked a bit thin but I resisted the urge to make any other changes. Glad I left it alone. It was SO good.