Easy healthy coconut flour banana bread with walnut crumble is super moist, grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and made with no sugar. It's easy to make in just one bowl, loaded with spiced banana flavor and topped with crunchy toasted walnuts.
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Want a banana bread that's moist, naturally sweet, and actually easy to slice? This paleo gluten-free banana bread is made with coconut flour, ripe bananas, and pantry staples, all in one bowl. It's dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and bakes up tender with a kiss of warm spice and toasty walnut top. From mixing bowl to oven in minutes, it's the kind of recipe that makes your kitchen smell like a hug.
I've been baking this banana bread in one form or another since my kids were little. Bananas and coconut were the weekly request, so this loaf showed up on repeat, cooling on the counter while small hands waited (not so patiently) for that first slice. Over the years I've fine-tuned the ratios so coconut flour gives softness, not crumbles, and the crumb stays plush without any dairy or gums.
You'll love this versions because the texture delvers that classic banana-bread comfort without the heaviness that gluten-free loaves sometimes have, and you get a moist, sliceable loaf every time.
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Why You'll Love This Paleo Banana Bread
- Flourless banana bread: vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and sweetened with ripe bananas. The perfect guiltless treat with the right amount of sweetness and no refined sugars!
- Breakfast: a great recipe for a hearty breakfast or a quick afternoon snack. It will replace your traditional banana bread and quick breads in no time!
- Easy: just a few simple steps and one-bowl to warm fluffy banana bread. And nothing beats the amazing aroma of fresh baked banana bread in the oven.
- Tasty: bananas add delicious sweetness and moisture to the dish like in my chocolate chunk buckwheat banana bread.
If you have overripe bananas and want to do some gluten-free baking, you'll love my Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies and these super moist Blueberry Banana Muffins. For other coconut flour recipes you need to try my Easy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Banana Bread it's so easy to make!
Gluten-Free Banana Bread Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make easy moist banana bread with coconut flour:
- Ripe bananas add moisture and all the sweetness. Make sure they're overripe with brown spots which brings out their natural sweetness. No need for maple syrup, coconut sugar or brown sugar.
- Eggs add moisture and richness, and helps the loaf rise. They also provide stability and structure and tender texture to this flourless quick-bread. This recipe cannot be substituted with flax eggs.
- Nut butter adds moisture, fat, and is high-protein which helps to add structure and great texture to the banana loaf. Substitute any natural nut butter, or seed butter as a nut-free option without the walnut topping.
- Coconut oil adds creaminess to baked goods and is a dairy-free alternative to melted butter. You could also substitute with olive oil or ghee.
- Coconut flour replaces regular flour or all purpose flour with the help of eggs, nut butter and coconut oil. It is also grain-free and gluten-free.
- Baking soda and baking powder help with the rise.
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg provide a warm depth of flavor and spice.
- Walnuts make up a streusel topping with a satisfying crunch. Substitute with other nuts or seeds.
See recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.
Clean eating tip: it's best to use a creamy natural nut or seed butter made up of only nuts or seeds (and sometime a pinch of sea salt), without all the additives.
Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe Tips
- Use very ripe bananas for this loaf recipe. They should have brown spots and the banana will be naturally sweet inside.
- Mash bananas really well before mixing in the other ingredients. A few little banana pieces is okay, but the key is to get that banana flavor well distributed throughout the loaf.
- Start to check the banana bread around the 45 minute mark. Oven temperature can vary and you want to finish with a golden tender crumb.
- Next time try adding a ½ cup of dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks to make the loaf more decadent.
Note: do the toothpick test by inserting a wooden toothpick in the center of the loaf and checking for doneness. When the banana bread is finished baking, the toothpick will come out clean. A few little crumbs is okay but not a smear of uncooked batter.
How to Make Gluten Free Banana Bread
Step 1: Prepare ingredients for walnut crumble.
Step 2: Mix walnuts, shredded coconut, melted coconut oil, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, add the mashed bananas (you can mash them right in the bowl), eggs, nut butter, melted coconut oil and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients until fully combined.
Step 4: Add the coconut flour, shredded coconut, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Combine dry ingredients without over mixing.
Step 5: Pour into prepared pan, smooth evenly, and sprinkle with walnut topping.
Step 6: Bake in 350°F preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
Step 7: Allow loaf to cool for 10-20 minutes in pan before carefully removing to finish cooling on wire rack.
Note: The secret to this moist, easy to make, healthy quick-bread recipe is that it's sweetened with only bananas!
How to Store Gluten Free Banana Bread
- Room temperature: store the loaf, tightly sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days.
- Refrigerator: for longer storage, refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: for best results, freeze individually wrapped and placed in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Paleo Banana Bread FAQs
A perfect ripe banana will have many brown spots speckled all over the peel. The peel may also turn completely brown/black. This allows the sugars to form in the banana and adds perfect sweetness to banana bread. If you're in a hurry and only have unripe or yellow bananas, pop them into a 300°F oven (with the peel on) on a lined rimmed tray (they may ooze a little) and bake until they turn black, about 15-20 minutes depending on how unripe the bananas. Let cool before peeling.
A good substitute for butter in banana bread are coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, unsweetened applesauce, ripe avocado, and pumpkin purée.
Gluten-free loaves get dense for a few common reasons: too much coconut flour (it's ultra-absorbent), not enough eggs to provide lift, old baking soda or baking power, overmixing (which knocks out air), or too much moisture from very large bananas.
For a lighter crumb, weigh your coconut flour with a digital scale, use room-temperature eggs, check that your levelers are fresh, mix just until combined, and bake until a tester comes out with only a few moist crumbs. If your bananas are extra large, reduce the amount slightly. Or better yet, weigh your bananas too.
More Delicious Recipes Using Ripe Bananas
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📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Dairy Free Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9x5-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
Banana bread batter:
- 4 (450 grams) large ripe bananas, mashed about 2 ½ cups mashed
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup (140 grams) almond butter or peanut butter
- ¼ cup (54 grams) unrefined coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (75 grams) coconut flour
- ¼ cup (20 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Walnut topping:
- ½ cup (58 grams) chopped walnuts
- 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil melted
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the mashed bananas (you can mash them right in the bowl), eggs, nut butter, melted coconut oil, and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients until fully combined.4 large ripe bananas, mashed, 4 large eggs, ½ cup almond butter, ¼ cup unrefined coconut oil, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the coconut flour, shredded coconut, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Combine dry ingredients without over mixing.½ cup coconut flour, ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pour into prepared pan, scraping all batter with a silicone spatula, and smooth evenly.
- For the walnut topping, in the same bowl or small bowl combine chopped walnuts, shredded coconut, melted coconut oil, and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the walnut crumble on top of the loaf.½ cup chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean or with few crumbs.
- Allow loaf to cool in pan for 20 minutes before carefully removing to finish cooling on wire rack.
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Notes
- It's best to use a creamy natural nut or seed butter made up of only nuts or seeds (and sometime a pinch of sea salt), without all the additives.
- Store loaf, tightly sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days or in the fridge for 4-5 days. Freeze, individually wrapped, for up to 3 months.
This recipe was slightly adapted from Civilized Caveman Cooking
Farrah says
This is the best banana bread I've made in a long time. It's so moist and flavorful. And the walnut crumble gives it a nice crunch. So yummy! Highly recommended that you'll give this recipe a try!
Jacqui Wilson says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe!