Almond Flour Banana Nut Bread

This almond flour banana nut bread is delicious, extra moist, gluten free and full of protein. Almond flour also has less carbs than all purpose flour. You have to like all of these almond flour banana bread positives!!

Moreover, the addition of chopped walnuts (or sliced almonds or chopped pecans) provides this almond flour banana nut bread with a nice “crunch”… and even more protein!

Recipe Sections

1. Ingredients
2. Instructions
3. Helpful Tips

Obviously, since this banana bread is made with almond flour and chopped nuts, it should NOT be served to anyone with a potential nut allergy. Always be safe when serving any food that contains nuts.

Key Ingredients – Ripe Bananas & Almond Flour

Almond flour banana nut breads tend to be flatter than banana nut breads made with all purpose flour. Why? Because almond flour is usually gluten free. The lack of gluten limits the rise of the banana nut bread.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 Cups – Mashed Bananas (ripe) – 288 grams – This equals roughly 3 medium bananas but use 1 1/4 cups for the best & most consistent results!
• 3 Large Eggs – 171 grams– Large eggs (not extra large or jumbo eggs)
• 3/4 Cup – Light Brown Sugar (packed cup) – 161 grams – The brown sugar adds a richer flavor. However, you can use white granulated sugar if you want a lighter color banana bread (due to less caramelization during baking).
• 2 1/2 Cups – Almond Flour (finely ground) – 280 grams – This recipe does not use almond meal
• 1 Teaspoon – Vanilla Extract – 5 milliliters
• 1 Teaspoon – Baking Soda – 5 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Baking Powder – 4 grams
• 1/2 Teaspoon – Salt – 3 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Ground Cinnamon – 3 grams
• 1/2 Cup – Chopped Walnuts – 115 grams – You can also use sliced almonds or chopped pecans. Of course, you can make this almond flour banana bread recipe without chopped nuts if you do not have any at home.

FYI – My recipe does not use any butter or vegetable oil because almond flour contains lots of almond oil.

Servings – Roughly 12 slices

Equipment Needed – Measuring cup & spoons, mixing bowl, long wooden spoon, 9 by 5 inch metal bread pan, oven mitts, silicon spatula, cooling rack and an oven.

Mixing Bowl with Ingredients for Almond Flour Banana Bread

Batter for Almond Flour Banana Nut Bread in Bread Pan

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C).
• Mash bananas with a fork.
• Beat the eggs. FYI – The banana bread will have a little more rise if you strongly beat the eggs (as this helps to trap more air within the beaten eggs).
• Mix mashed bananas, eggs and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Stir until completely mixed.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients (except the chopped walnuts). Stir until the batter is fully mixed.
• Add the chopped walnuts to the batter. Make sure the chopped walnuts are evenly spread throughout the batter.
• Pour the finished batter into a nonstick bread pan. Smooth out the top of the batter within the bread pan with a large spoon. FYI – Given that almond flour banana breads are structural soft due to the lack of gluten, I recommend that you use baking parchment paper to line the interior of the bread pan. This allows for less breakage when removing the banana bread from the pan. See the tips section below for more info.
• Bake the banana bread in your oven at 325 F (163 C) for 55 to 60 minutes.
• Take the pan out of the oven and let the banana bread cool down in the bread pan for 15 minutes. Do not remove the banana bread from the bread pan during this 15 minute cool down period. Use oven mitts as the bread pan will be very hot coming out of the oven. FYI – Do not skip this step as the “cool down” completes the baking process.
• After 15 minutes, lift the banana bread from the bread pan and remove the baking parchment paper (if used) from the banana bread. Place the banana bread on a cooling rack in order to completely cool. This cool down can take 2 to 3 hours.
• Please READ the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully & to avoid common banana bread problems.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment below & give us a 5 star rating. Jump to comment section

📌 Save this recipe – Bookmark or pin it

Love bread machine recipes? Then subscribe to my email newsletter

Almond Flour Banana Nut Bread – Moist & Nutty!

Helpful Tips

• The tips below are designed to help banana bread “novices” and/or people with limited baking experience.
• Click on this “print recipe” link if you want to print out this recipe. It includes all of the recipe’s ingredients and instructions. However, the recipe print function does not include my tips section. Please read the tips section in order to avoid common recipe problems.
• Since this almond flour banana nut bread recipe contains almond flour & chopped walnuts, please do NOT serve it to anyone with a potential nut allergy.
• This recipe is part of Bread Dad’s series on easy Banana Bread Recipes such as pecan banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread and blueberry banana bread.

• Use RIPE bananas for the BEST flavor. Ripe bananas are soft and have a yellow peel covered with many small black spots. Hard yellow/green(ish) bananas are too starchy and have much less banana flavor. FYI – A beautiful pure yellow banana (without any spots) is not fully ripe!!
• Using UNRIPE bananas will result in a very bland banana bread (with little banana flavor).
• To avoid any recipe problems (e.g. the banana bread is too dry or too wet), you should use EXACTLY 1 1/4 cups of mashed bananas.
• My recipe uses one more egg and a little less mashed banana then my banana bread recipes made with AP flour. Since almond flour banana bread is generally gluten free, the extra egg adds some more structure & lift to the banana bread. In turn, a 1/4 cup of mashed bananas was removed to offset the extra “liquid” from this additional egg.
• Use FRESH walnuts. After you have opened a bag of chopped walnuts, the walnuts can go rancid (bad) quickly due to their high oil content. Once the walnut package has been opened, you should store the chopped walnuts in an airtight container in your refrigerator or freezer. Do not use old walnuts that have been sitting in your pantry in an already opened bag. Also check the expiration date on sealed (unopened) walnut packages in order to make sure that they are still good.
• If you run out of chopped walnuts, you can use sliced almonds or chopped pecans as a chopped walnut substitute.

• This recipe is based on using finely ground almond flour. It will not work with almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse than almond flour. Almond meal’s extra coarseness lowers the “structural integrity” of an almond flour banana nut bread and makes it more likely to crumble & break.
• Do not add any heavy toppings (e.g. lots of nuts or chocolate chips) to the top of this almond flour banana bread. Why? Given the lack of gluten in this banana bread, an almond banana nut bread has much less “structural integrity” and finds it hard to hold up lots of extra weight. The addition of extra weight on the top crust is more likely to cause the middle of the banana bread top crust to sink/collapse.
• Do not use more than 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, sliced almonds or chopped pecans. Again given the lack of gluten, an almond flour banana bread has less “strength” (structural integrity) to hold the weight of the nuts.
• Also I would recommend that you break the chopped walnuts into small bits in order to reduce their individual weights (so less stress on the structure of the banana bread) and so they “float”/spread out better inside the almond flour banana bread.
• Optional – You turn this recipe into an chocolate chip banana nut bread by replacing 1/2 of the chopped walnuts with MINI chocolate chips. Given the lack of gluten, heavier regular-sized chocolate chips tend to sink in an almond flour banana bread (and collect near the bottom of the loaf). Lighter mini chocolate chips tend to “float” better and spread out better in an almond flour banana bread.
• Optional – Some people like to replace 1/2 of the chopped walnuts in banana bread with dried fruit (such as juicy golden raisins).
• Visitors – Do you like to add anything extra to almond flour banana breads? Such as mini chocolate chips? Extra spices? Dried fruit? Different nuts? Please leave your almond flour banana bread thoughts in the comment section below.

• Almond flour banana bread has many positives. For example, almond flour banana nut bread is a protein banana bread! Why? Because almonds have lots of protein. For example, 1 cup of almond flour contains roughly 20-25 grams of protein (depending on the brand & type of flour that you use). And my recipe uses 2 1/2 cups of almond flour… so there is a lot of protein in this banana bread and this doesn’t even count the extra protein from the chopped walnuts!!
• If you want to try other banana breads with protein, you might like my recipes for Protein Powder Banana Bread and Greek Yogurt Banana Bread.
• The use of almond flour helps you to create a gluten free banana nut bread. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. It is not found in almonds. However, in order to make a fully gluten free banana nut bread, you need to make sure that all of the recipe’s ingredients were processed in a certified gluten free facility (in order to avoid the possibility of cross contamination with other products containing gluten).

• Almond flour also helps you to make a lower carb banana bread. As I stated at the top of the page, almond flour has less carbs than all purpose flour (wheat based). Therefore, an almond flour banana nut bread generally has less carbs than many “regular” banana breads (those made with wheat-based all purpose flour). For more info on the amount of carbs in almond flour & other almond nutritional facts, you might like to read this Almond Board of California article.
• Almond flour banana bread is also a higher fiber banana bread (versus banana bread made with all purpose flour). While the fiber number can vary based on the manufacturer, almond flour has roughly 8 to 14 grams of fiber per cup. In contrast, all purpose flour (wheat-based) often has only 3 or 4 grams of fiber per cup. Of course, for exact fiber numbers, check the nutrition label on your flour package.
• As you probably know, fiber helps things to “pass” through your digestive system!
• Almond flour has other benefits such as lots of monounsaturated fats (not the saturated fats found in animal-based products), nutrients (e.g. vitamin E and magnesium), etc.
• Almond flour banana bread is also very moist because almond flour contains lots of natural oils. This is the reason that I have not added any butter or vegetable oil to this recipe. FYI – The oil in almond flour is the reason why almond flour feels a little greasy if you touch it.
• Visitors – Are there other almond flour positives that I have missed? Please post your almond flour thoughts in the comment section below.

• However, almond flour has some negatives. For example, almond flour is MUCH more expensive than most of the all purpose flours found in your local supermarket.
• Almonds are obviously nuts and some people are allergic to nuts. Therefore, do NOT serve almond flour banana bread to anyone whose has or might have a nut allergy.
• Almond flour goes rancid/spoils very quickly (much quicker than all purpose flour). To extend the shelf life of almond flour, many people like to place the almond flour in an airtight container and store the container in their refrigerator or freezer.
• Given the lack of gluten, almond flour banana nut bread tends to be flatter & denser than banana bread made with all purpose flour. Why? Less gluten means less strength & structure to hold up the banana bread and to “trap” the gas bubbles (which help the rise of the banana bread) from the baking soda & baking powder.
• Almond flour banana breads are very soft due to the lack of gluten. This makes them more likely to break when being removed from the bread pan. Use baking parchment paper to gently lift the banana bread from the pan to reduce this potential problem.
• Visitors – Are there other almond flour negatives that I have missed? Please post your almond flour thoughts in the comment section below.

• Banana bread with almond flour bakes faster than banana bread made with all purpose flour. So you need to keep an eye on almond flour banana breads so they don’t overbake.
• Almond banana nut bread also takes longer to cool given the lack of gluten in almond flour. You also want the almond flour banana bread to COMPLETELY cool for better “slicebility”. Gluten free banana bread is more likely to crumble if you slice it too early (because almond flour banana bread is very tender when it is still warm).
• Harder to convert your favorite all purpose flour recipes. You need to make lots of changes to standard all purpose (AP) flour banana bread recipes in order to turn them into almond flour banana bread recipes. For example, you need to use more almond flour (versus AP flour) to properly fill the bread pan (due to almond flour’s greater density & lack of gluten). Moreover, given the natural oils found in almond flour, you need to reduce the butter or oil used in many AP flour banana bread recipes.

• Do NOT use an electric mixer to mix your ingredients (when combining the wet and dry ingredients). Stick to an old fashioned wooden spoon. An electric mixer can overmix the ingredients and the banana bread will turn out rubbery & gummy.
• Make sure to use level teaspoons & tablespoons when measuring ingredients (such as flour and baking soda). You can level off the ingredients in a measuring spoon or cup with the flat back of a butter knife or similar utensil. No “mountains” of ingredients in your measuring spoons & cups!! Adding too much of an ingredient can lead to recipe problems (such as too much flour can result in overly dry baked goods).
• To prevent your banana bread from sticking to the bottom of the bread pan, you should consider either “greasing” the bottom of the pan with butter or vegetable oil, using a cooking spray, using a nonstick pan or lining the interior of the bread pan with baking parchment paper.
• Since almond flour banana breads can very soft (due to the lack of gluten), I strongly suggest that you use baking parchment paper to line the interior of the bread pan.
• FYI – Baking parchment paper is NOT regular paper. It is a specialty paper designed for use with baking.

• This doesn’t happen often but if the top of the banana bread looks too moist or undercooked, you should try the “toothpick test”. Gently push a long wooden skewer into the top of the bread and see if any batter sticks to the wooden skewer. If batter is sticking to the skewer then it hasn’t completely cooked. Place the bread pan back into the still hot oven for another 2 or 3 minutes. Make sure to wear oven gloves because the bread pan will be very hot. After the 2 or 3 minutes, remove the bread pan and test the banana bread again with the wooden skewer.
• Instead of the “toothpick test”, some people like to use a bread thermometer to test if their banana bread is done. Generally, a “quick bread” (e.g. banana bread or pumpkin bread) is done when the internal temperature reaches 200-205 degrees F. Just make sure to measure the temperature in the center of the loaf for the most accurate reading.
• Make sure that your oven has been completely preheated. If the oven has not been properly preheated, this quick bread could come out undercooked. I like to use a hanging oven thermometer to check my oven temperature and ensure the oven has been properly preheated.
• It takes roughly 10-20 minutes to preheat most ovens with some variability due to the size of the oven, planned baking temperature (hotter takes longer), etc.
• FYI – Do not open your oven during the baking process in order to “check” on the banana bread. This will allow the hot air to escape & cold air to rush in and this can cause your banana bread to collapse.

• Always try to use relatively FRESH baking soda & powder for the best results. For example, using baking soda from an open container (that has been deodorizing your refrigerator for months) may lead to subpar results. Old & hard baking soda/powder may lead to rising problems and/or leave small bitter clumps in your walnut banana bread.
• Store your ingredients (e.g. flour & sugar) in airtight containers to avoid “funky” flavors & smells being added to your baked goods. Airtight containers also prevent contamination by moisture (in the air), dust, pests, etc.
• Long-term storage – If you want to keep your banana bread for more than 1-2 days (depending on your home’s temperature & humidity), you will need to freeze it. Please read Bread Dad’s How To Freeze Banana Bread for more details.

• In case, you didn’t see this in the “equipment used to make this recipe” section, this recipe is based on using a standard 9 by 5 inch bread pan. This means that the interior of the bread pan (not exterior) measures 9 inches in length, 5 inches in width and 2 1/2 inches in depth/height. Of course, Bread Dads are crazy about exact measurements… thus the use of measuring tapes! Ha!
• Please use the suggested 9 x 5 bread pan to make this recipe. If you start using different sized pans, there is a greater potential for bread top collapses (potentially less bread pan “wall” support for the quick bread as it rises), different interior batter to exterior crust ratios (thus the need for different baking lengths), smaller pans are more likely to overflow, etc.

• My recipes are based on using a metal bread pan and NOT a glass bread pan. Glass bread pans bake faster than metal bread pans. If you use a glass bread pan for my recipes, you are more likely to overbake your banana bread (e.g. burnt crust).
• My recipes are based on using a regular oven and NOT a convection oven. Convection ovens bake faster than regular ovens and require less baking time than what is stated in my recipes.
• Place your banana bread in the middle of your oven. If you place it on the top or bottom racks, the banana bread may be too near the oven’s heating element and bake faster than expected.
• If you like banana nut bread recipes, you might also like to try Bread Dad’s recipes for Easy Banana Nut Bread, Mini Banana Nut Bread (small loaves), Pecan Banana Bread and Sourdough Banana Nut Bread.
• Or if you have a bread machine, you might like to try my Bread Machine Banana Nut Bread recipe.

• If you have a problem with a banana bread recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly (e.g. using the correct oven temperature), using the correct amounts of ingredients (e.g. don’t eyeball the measurements versus using a measuring cup or accidentally add a tablespoon when a teaspoon is called for), using the correct ingredients (e.g. baking soda/powder versus yeast or all purpose flour versus bread flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
• My recipes are based on US ingredient measurements (e.g. US cups & tablespoons). However, as a courtesy to our European visitors, I have also included some very ROUGH European equivalents (e.g. grams & milliliters). Since I rarely use European measurements when baking, please let me know in the comment section below if any of the European ingredient measurements need to be changed (e.g. for XYZ ingredient, milliliters are more commonly used versus the grams information listed in the recipe).
• Always wear oven mitts/gloves when dealing with a hot oven and bread pan.
• For more delicious banana bread recipes (e.g. chocolate chip banana bread or blueberry banana bread), please visit Bread Dad’s section on easy Banana Bread Recipes.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment below & give us a 5 star rating. Jump to comment section

Plan to make this again? 📌Pin it or save it for later

Want More Recipes? Try These Next

1. Bread Machine Recipes – 90+ recipes for banana bread, sourdough bread, pizza dough, cinnamon raisin bread, etc.
2. Bread Recipes – French bread, buttermilk bread, bagels, Italian bread, etc.
3. Banana Bread Recipes – 60+ recipes for chocolate chip banana bread, banana nut bread, eggless banana bread, etc.
4. Quick Bread Recipes – Recipes using baking soda such as pumpkin bread, cranberry bread, etc.

🥖Want to make your bread even better? 1. Explore bread machines that I own & use 2. Essential tools that make baking easier

Reference Sources

1. Wikipedia, Almond
2. Wikipedia, Banana Bread
3. Wikipedia, Gluten Free Diet

Related Recipes

1. Easy Banana Nut Bread
2. Mini Banana Nut Bread – Small loaves
3. Peanut Butter Banana Bread
4. Pecan Banana Bread
5. Sourdough Banana Nut Bread
6. Bread Machine Banana Nut Bread

Please leave a comment & recipe rating in the comment box below. Thanks!