Best Paleo Banana Bread with Coconut Flour

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 - this is the best paleo banana bread with coconut flour and crunchy walnuts. 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! Try it with a smear of almond butter. And if you're not following a paleo diet, try a smear of peanut butter or ghee for variety.

Easy - just a few simple steps to warm fluffy banana bread. And nothing beats the amazing aroma of fresh baked banana bread in the oven.

Healthy - bananas are high in potassium and a healthy boost of fiber. They also add delicious sweetness and moisture to the dish. Coconut flour contains protein, good fats, and it's grain-free.

If you have overripe bananas and want to do some gluten-free baking, you'll love my 3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies, Easy 4-Ingredient Chocolate Bread Banana Chip Loaf, Gluten Free Blueberry Banana Muffins and Salted Caramel Nice Cream with Banana. A great way to use up bananas and they'll quickly become your favorite recipes.

• Ripe bananas - add moisture and all the sweetness to this banana bread recipe. Make sure they're overripe with brown spots which brings out their natural sweetness and makes them more digestible. 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.
• 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 (omit the walnuts as well). If your nut butter is salted (I suggest you use unsalted) don't add any extra salt to the batter.
• Coconut oil - helps to add creaminess to baked goods and is a dairy-free alternative to melted butter. Substitute with olive oil.
• Coconut flour - is all you need, and 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! No need for tapioca flour, almond meal, oat flour or buckwheat flour in this gluten-free banana bread recipe.
• 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 on the paleo bread. Substitute with other nuts or seeds.

See recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.

Expert tips and variations

• 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.
• Once the batter has been poured and the bowl scraped clean with a spatula, use the same large bowl to mix your walnut streusel ingredients.
• Check the banana bread around the 40 minute mark. Oven temperature can vary and you want to finish with a golden tender crumb.
• Next time add a ½ cup of chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, coconut flakes or chopped nuts for a little crunch to the batter to change it up.
• Store the loaf, tightly sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days. If longer then store in the fridge.
• Freeze in an airtight container whole or sliced. Wrap the slices individually in parchment paper or plastic wrap before placing in an airtight container. When you're craving a piece, pop one out of the freezer and allow to thaw in the fridge or on the counter.

How to make banana bread with coconut flour

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper using a 5-inch wide strip and a 9-inch wide strip, criss-crossed in the pan to cover bottom and sides.
2. 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.

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.

3. Add the coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Combine dry ingredients without over mixing. 
4. Pour into prepared pan scraping all batter with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon and smooth evenly.
5. For the streusel topping, in the same bowl or small bowl, combine chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle the walnut topping onto the loaf.

6. Bake in 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. 

7. Allow loaf to cool for 20 minutes in pan before carefully removing to finish cooling on wire rack. 

Frequently asked questions