This recipe for the best paleo banana bread is made with ripe bananas, almond flour, tapioca flour, and sweetened with maple syrup! Perfect texture, tender crumb, moist, and oh-so-delicious. Plus the batter is mixed in the blender for minimal dishes and easy clean up (instructions for mixing in a bowl are also included in the recipe below).
Friends! Finally the recipe for the best paleo banana bread is ready to be shared with the world. If you follow along regularly with Nyssa’s Kitchen you might know that I am not the most skilled baker. It’s something that I ENJOY doing, but I’ve never really had the knack for creating my own baking recipes.
So when I decide to share a recipe for a baked good with you all, I test it at least (what feels like) a million times. Because getting it right is important. Especially when it’s something as yummy and esteemed (read: treasured) as banana bread.
So I’ve been working on this recipe for at least a month, probably literally made 12 loaves (friends and co-workers are all loving us and our banana bread gifts), to get it just right. And we’ve made it.
The recipe is ready and I cannot wait for you to bake up a batch for yourself. It’s tender, moist, the perfect texture, just the right amount of sweet, and SO GOOD.
Or as the name proclaims, the best.
So what the banana bread it made out of?
Ingredients
- Ripe bananas
- Eggs
- Avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or melted ghee (any of these will work just fine)
- Maple syrup
- Almond flour
- A little bit of tapioca flour
- Cinnamon (<– always belongs in banana bread, amirite?)
- Vanilla extract
- Sea salt
- Baking soda
- Some nuts, seeds, and flaky sea salt for the top if you like – I usually put some pumpkin seeds and walnuts for the right amount of crunch. And sea salt is not at all necessary but does add something special. You could also make with some chocolate chunks, or just leave it a blank slate.
how to make paleo banana bread
You have two options for mixing the batter for this paleo banana bread. You can use either:
- A blender / food processor
- A big mixing bowl
I usually opt for the blender / food processor option because the batter comes together in a SNAP and that just makes the recipe all the more easy to put together, but if you don’t have one or prefer to mix by hand that will also work.
I’ve included instructions for both options in the recipe below.
Once the batter is ready, I recommend both greasing the pan AND lining it with parchment paper that is long enough to hang over the sides of the pan. If you do this you can easily lift the banana bread right out of the pan once it’s done baking.
Honestly the hardest part of making the banana bread is waiting for it to bake!
To make sure that it bakes evenly and all the way through you should plan to give it 1 hour to an hour and 20 minutes in the oven – depending on the pan you’re using and your oven.
After 1 hour you can check it by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out totally clean and dry, and the middle of the loaf is firm to the touch, then it’s done. If not, pop it bake in the oven for anywhere from another 5 to 20 minutes.
Allow it to cool every so slightly before lifting out of the pan and slicing, and enjoyyyy!
The Best Paleo Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Yield: about 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This recipe for the best paleo banana bread is made with ripe bananas, almond flour, tapioca flour, and sweetened with maple syrup! Perfect texture, tender crumb, moist, and oh-so-delicious. Plus the batter is mixed in the blender for minimal dishes and easy clean up (instructions for mixing in a bowl are also included in the recipe below).
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas or four small – about 1 1/2 cups – mash to measure more easily
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup of avocado oil or melted and cooled coconut oil / ghee (you don’t want the melted fat to be super hot when you add it to the batter, or it could start cooking the eggs)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
1 1/2 cups almond flour
-
3/4 cup tapioca flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus more for the top
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- about 1/2 cup chopped nuts and seeds for the top of the loaf – I used walnuts and pumpkin seeds (optional)
- flaky sea salt for the top of the loaf (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper so it hangs over the long sides – optional but will make the loaf easier to remove from the pan once baked.
To make in the blender:
- Add bananas, eggs, avocado oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon sea salt to the blender and blend on low, until smooth – use a tamper to stir it around so it mixes evenly, or stop occasionally to scrape down the sides.
to make in a mixing bowl:
- Mash bananas well in a large bowl and add eggs, avocado oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and mix well.
To bake the banana bread:
- Pour into greased loaf pan and sprinkle with a little extra cinnamon, and swirl around with the tip of a knife.
- Top with nuts, seeds, and flaky sea salt if using.
- Bake for about one hour to an hour and 20 minutes – until center is firm and a toothpick comes out dry when poked in the center.
- Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan and slicing.
Notes
how to store the best paleo banana bread
- Stores well at room temperature or in the refrigerator in a ziploc bag or an airtight tupperware for up to 5 days. If it’s really warm outside / in your kitchen I would opt to store it in the refrigerator.
- Can also be stored in the freezer as a whole loaf wrapped in plastic wrap, or sliced and wrapped as individual slices. Thaw in a slightly warm oven, toaster, or in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Category: bread
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: american
Rachel says
Easy and delicious! Very moist. Could not tell it was dairy free. Look forward to trying more of your recipes soon!
Nyssa Tanner says
So glad that you loved this banana bread! “Moist” (however controversial of a word!) is the ultimate compliment 😉 Thanks for leaving your thoughtful review, and happy cooking! – Nyssa
Alice says
A friend brought this to a casual girls lunch, absolutely amazing!! Incredibly moist. She added fresh blueberries, just perfect. She also added either raisins or cranberries, I’m not certain because we were too busy devouring! We would like to know if you have nutritional info?
Nyssa Tanner says
Hi Alice! So happy that you loved this one! Such a good recipe to share with a group. I just added the nutritional information for the recipe so should be all set there ! Thank you for the comment and happy baking! 🙂
kristin says
Ok everyone says they have “the best” banana bread – I have made them all: vegan, gluten-free, sour cream, you name it. This is THE BEST. That extra tapioca flour is real key. Thank you so much!
Nyssa Tanner says
Oh I think that’s the BEST compliment I’ve ever gotten! I’m so happy you loved this one!!!
Hailey says
I’m not sure where I went wrong, but mine burned on top and edges while remaining gooey and uncooked in the middle…?
Hailey says
Does this recipe work using flax eggs instead of eggs? Thanks!
Nyssa Tanner says
Hi Hailey! I haven’t tested it with flax eggs, but typically they do work fairly well in most breads. Let me know if you try it!
Alexandra Knicley says
This banana bread is to die for. I did not use a blender to mix, and it still turned out great. Came out looking just like Nyssa’s blog pics. I made it alongside chocolate chip banana muffins and even though something with chocolate should, by definition, taste better…. I couldn’t get over this recipe. This, warmed up in the toaster oven, then topped with a bit of butter, is perfection. It may have to be a staple in my house for life, Lol!
Nyssa Tanner says
YES! This message makes me so happy! I’m so glad that you’re loving this recipe as much as we do 🙂
lalit says
nice recipe