What can I say? I’m the type of girl who buys bananas on a weekly basis, just so I can watch them ripen up enough on the counter to be baked into something or thrown in a delicious peanut butter coffee smoothie.
Anyone else buy bananas just to bake with them?!
I’m here to re-introduce this naturally sweetened, grain free almond flour banana bread recipe to fall in love with. If you’re not familiar with Ambitious Kitchen’s love for all things banana, you will be soon! You can find all of my fabulous banana bread recipes right here and some pretty delicious banana infused muffins here.

What makes this banana bread extra nourishing?
There’s a reason why I call this banana bread nourishing and it isn’t just because I love that word — rather it’s because this bread is a delicious nutrient-dense option to enjoy for breakfast, snacks and even a treat. Here’s what makes this banana bread healthy & wonderful:
- Almond flour: I love baking with almond flour because it’s high in protein, vitamin E, fiber, and healthy fats. It’s great for those who want to incorporate a more nutrient-dense flour into their diet. Feel free to check out more of my recipes using almond flour here.
- Flaxseed meal: this nutrient-dense ingredient is a staple in my diet. I love putting flaxseed meal in smoothies, using it as an egg replacement in vegan recipes, and additionally, it happens to be high in fiber, protein and omega 3 fatty acids. You can read more about flax seeds here.
- Naturally sweetened: this almond flour banana bread is naturally sweetened with only bananas, which helps to keep it fairly low sugar.
The first time I baked this up, Tony and I couldn’t stop going back for a second very thick slice. It’s especially good when topped with butter and a sprinkle of sea salt. I also do highly recommend using chocolate chips because it sweetens up the banana bread perfectly.

Ingredients in this almond flour banana bread
Not only is this almond flour banana bread super easy to make in one bowl, but it’s also gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and paleo-friendly — which means this banana bread is perfect for just about anyone — including kids! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Almond flour: you’ll want to use fine blanched almond flour for this recipe. Tip: be sure to pack the almond flour in your measuring cup just like you would with brown sugar!
- Flaxseed meal: not only does flaxseed meal add a nice nutty flavor and texture to this bread, but it’s also packed with fiber, high quality plant based protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Cinnamon: give the banana bread cozy flavor with cinnamon.
- Ripe bananas: I suggest using EXTRA ripe bananas in this recipe with lots of brown spots. These are sweeter and better for this recipe since there are no other added sweeteners.
- Eggs: you’ll need 3 eggs in this recipe.
- Milk: a splash of almond milk is all you’ll need but you can use any milk you’d like.
- Baking staples: don’t forget salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract! Learn how to make your own vanilla here, or feel free to use whiskey or bourbon.
- Dark chocolate chips: a little dark chocolate is good for the heart! If you need this bread to be dairy free, I suggest using these chocolate chips.
Can I use all purpose flour?
Unfortunately, no. I cannot recommend a flour substitute in this recipe as the banana bread was specifically formulated to use almond flour. Try my other banana bread recipes below using different flours!
- Best Ever Healthy Banana Bread Recipe using all purpose flour
- Chickpea Flour Banana Bread (gluten free!) using chickpea flour
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Coconut Flour Banana Bread using coconut flour
Easy almond flour banana bread in 4 steps
- Mix the wet ingredients. First mix all the wet ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add the dry. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake & cool. Add the batter to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with a few extra chocolate chips. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice & serve. Slice banana bread and serve with butter, almond butter, or peanut butter and a sprinkle of sea salt (so good!)

Want to make muffins instead?
It’s so easy! Here’s how to do it:
- Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or use muffin liners. To be safe, I always spray the inside of the liners too.
- Prepare the batter as directed, then divide evenly between liners.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a tester comes out clean.
Don’t forget these banana bread tips
Follow these super simple tips to ensure that your almond flour banana bread comes out perfect every time:
- Use extra ripe bananas that have lots of brown spots so that your bread has enough sweetness. The bananas are the only sweetener in this recipe, so this is very important!
- Measure your bananas after mashing to ensure that you get 1 1/4 cups mashed.
- Add an extra boost of healthy fats and crunch by mixing 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts into the batter if you’d like!

How to store & freeze almond flour banana bread
- To store: this banana bread should be kept well-covered in foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days, then I recommend transferring it to the fridge or freezer.
- To freeze: simply wrap in plastic, then tightly in foil and finally place in a reusable bag or for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature once you are ready to eat. You can also feel free to freeze individual slices for a quick on-the-go treat!
Recommended tools
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More delicious bread recipes
- Nourishing Almond Flour Pumpkin Bread
- Healthy Birthday Cake Bread
- Healthy Chocolate Brownie Banana Bread
- Spiced Apple Zucchini Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze
Get all of my bread recipes here!
If you make this almond flour banana bread, please take a moment to leave a comment and rate the recipe below so others know how you liked it! We appreciate you. xo.
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Nourishing Almond Flour Banana Bread

Ingredients
- 3 very ripe medium bananas, mashed (this should measure to be 1 ¼ cups mashed banana)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups (308g) packed blanched fine almond flour (I use Bob's Red MIll)
- ½ cup (60g) flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (90g) dark chocolate chips (dairy free if desired), plus 2 tablespoons extra chocolate chips for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Prep your pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, almond milk and vanilla extract until well combined. Add in the almond flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake: Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chocolate chips on top. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until tester comes out clean in the middle of the bread. Cool bread for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Once cool, cut into 12 slices. The bread is best the next day (as are all banana breads!) To serve: top with almond butter or butter and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on January 10th, 2020, republished on March 5th, 2022, and republished on October 13th, 2025.


I made this with thawed frozen bananas that were too ripe to use in a smoothie (light brown inside and on the brink of fermenting), and it was quite the hit at a picnic, paired with passionfruit curd for drizzling on the side! Glad to have an easy, crowd-pleasing gluten free recipe that reduces food waste. Didn’t have flax meal and it was totally fine.
Amazing! Passionfruit curd sounds SO good, too!
I typically make the double chocolate almond flour banana bread but I made this one last week and it was perfect in my lunch every day.
So glad you enjoyed this one, too!
Not sweet enough for banana bread and doesn’t have a strong banana flavour at all (yes my bananas were extremely ripe). Needs lots more flavour to win my kids over
Sorry to hear that you didn’t love this one! It isn’t meant to be as sweet as traditional banana bread, but with super ripe bananas and chocolate chips I always find it sweet enough. I have many other banana breads on my site that include extra sweeteners, too 🙂
Put chocolate chips in
Hi! I was wondering if I could make this without flaxseed?
Kind regards
Mona
Hi! The flaxseed helps the bread hold together, so I wouldn’t recommend omitting it. You could try swapping it for 3/4 cup oat flour, but note that I haven’t tested this.
This banana bread turned out just as pictured! It’s mildly sweet and perfect for an afternoon snack. Love that it uses almond flour for a little protein and is naturally sweetened. I will try the double chocolate version next!
Amazing! Glad you loved it!
This is my go to banana bread recipe. I’m gluten free and love that it’s healthy, delicious, and easy to make.
So happy to hear that!
Can you make this recipe into one that is chocolate based? Or would you recommending using the chocolate brownie banana bread recipe instead? I just like the addition of the flaxseed meal but also want to make it chocolate!
Thank you!!
Hi! I recommend making the chocolate brownie banana bread 🙂
Can I use fresh blueberries in this recipe? the bread won’t get soggy? How much quantity to use ?
Sure! I’d recommend thawing the blueberries and draining off the liquid so that they don’t make the bread soggy. Feel free to add 1 cup!
I added some poppy, sesame & pumpkin seeds & made muffins & it’s hands down the best I’ve made or had.. Thank you
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
This is delicious! It was nice to see a recipe for banana bread without any refined sugar or white/whole wheat flour. Very flavorful and enjoyable without feeling guilty.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
Hello, is there anything I can substitute for the flax meal? I don’t have any on hand. I do have chia seeds if that helps
Hi! 3/4 cup oat flour would be a good substitute!
Man.. so good! Another AK banana bread recipe for the arsenal. I made 12 muffins and they cooked for just over 40 minutes. I found the batter a bit dry so added a splash of milk. I don’t eat much sugar and found these to be the perfect amount of sweet, but others may want to add syrup or honey. Also, I only had unblanched almond flour and it turned out amazing.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
I have made so many banana breads, especially banana breads with almond flour, and this one is EXCEPTIONAL! The texture is moist and slightly chewy, and it’a perfectly sweet with the chocolate chips. Highly highly recommend this recipe!
So happy you love this one!!
I don’t have Flaxseed Meal can I substitute Ground Flaxseed instead?
I think that should work!
Excellent GF Banana Bread recipe! Great texture and not too sweet. This is now one of my go to recipes!
So glad you loved it!