This Almond Butter Banana Bread recipe is the perfect blend of nutty almond butter and sweet bananas. It's a wholesome twist on a classic that's incredibly moist and full of flavor. With easy-to-find ingredients and simple steps, you'll have a delicious, nutritious treat in no time.
Listen, I've never been a fan of traditional banana bread, I know, crazy right? I've always found the banana flavor to be overpowering. My husband on the other hand loves it, so of course I had to take a stab at making my own.
The addition of my homemade almond butter and a little bit of pumpkin puree is what turned me into a fan. Also, the pumpkin puree adds a nice little spice making it perfect for fall.
If you enjoy baking, you will also love my Cottage Cheese Banana Bread, Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies, Sourdough Brownies, or my Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler. I also recommend washing this down with my Iced Maple Latte.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy To Make: You will be amazed at how easy this recipe is! All you have to do is throw the ingredients into a bowl, mix, and bake.
- Healthy Ingredients: You can feel good about feeding this to your family. It's made with all real food ingredients and no refined sugar. It's also gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Moist And Delicious: The addition of pumpkin, almond butter, and coconut oil makes it moist and flavorful.
Ingredients
- Banana: You will need overripe bananas for this recipe. Ripe bananas will mash up better and will provide additional sweetness to this almond butter bread.
- Almond Butter: The fat in the creamy almond butter helps keep his bread really moist. You can use natural almond butter from the grocery store, but be sure to read the label. Make sure the only ingredients are almonds and sea salt. For this recipe, I used my homemade almond butter, which comes together quickly. Added bonus is that you get to control the ingredients and quality!
- Pumpkin Puree: I like adding a bit of pumpkin puree to this recipe. You can't really taste the pumpkin, but it adds additional moisture and nutrition, as the pumpkin is a good source of potassium and Vitamin A. Be sure you are using pure organic pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil provides some additional healthy fats and moisture to this banana bread. If you don't have coconut oil, you can use Avacado Oil or Olive Oil.
- Eggs: Try to get organic cage-free eggs if possible. These eggs will have the highest nutritional content.
- Maple Syrup: Pure organic maple syrup adds an additional layer of natural subtle sweetness to this banana bread.
- Vanilla Extract
- Gluten-Free Flour: You can certainly use regular all purpose flour if you are not gluten-free, however for this recipe, I use 1:1 baking flour. Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour works really well, however, you can use any gluten-free flour blend.
- Almond Flour: I prefer Bob's Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour, but any fine Almond Flour will do. I love adding a little bit of almond flour as it gives this banana bread a little heart to it, that you don't get when using only regular flour or gluten-free flour.
- Sea Salt: Any sea salt will work, however, something like Redmond Real Salt is a great option. You can also use Kosher salt if needed.
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon:
- Pumpkin Spice: I love adding a little extra pumpkin spice seasoning to the batter, especially during the fall. If you are not a fan or don't have any on hand, you can totally omit it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions And Variations
- Nut Butter Substitutions: I really like using almond butter in this recipe, however peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter, or any variation of nut butter or seed butter will be perfect!
- Add-ins: You can also add some of your favorite mix-ins to this almond butter banana bread. Try mixing in dark chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, or dried fruit. If you do add any of the optional add-ins, you will want to fold them in gently after your batter is fully mixed.
- Sweetener: I personally enjoy using pure maple syrup for a touch of added sweetness, however, if you don't have maple syrup you can use organic raw honey, organic date syrup, organic coconut sugar, or brown sugar (if you use brown sugar this healthy dessert will no longer be refined sugar-free).
- Pumpkin Free: If pumpkin is not your thing, or you don't have any on hand, you can replace it with full-fat Greek yogurt. The yogurt has a similar texture and will help make this a moist banana bread.
- Muffins: You can also use this batter to make banana muffins! Just line your muffin tins, pour the banana mixture in, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
How To Make Banana Bread With Almond Butter
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2. In a medium bowl add the gluten-free flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. Whisk the flour mixture to combine.
Step 3. In a large bowl mash the bananas with a fork.
Step 4. Add the almond butter, pumpkin puree, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas and mix until combined.
Step 5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Step 6. Pour the banana bread batter into a parchment-lined, or prepared loaf pan.
Step 7. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The total time might vary, so make sure you check your bread so you don't overbake it. Allow it to cool for 30 minutes then slice and enjoy.
Expert Tips And Notes
- Don't Over Mix: While you want your batter to be fully combined with no chunks of dry flour, you also want to be cautious to not overmix the batter. Overmixing can affect the texture of the bread, leading to it being tough or dense
- Use Spotty Bananas: The bananas provide the majority of sweetness in this recipe, so you want to be sure to use very ripe and spotty bananas, as they provide a sweeter flavor. Also, they will be much softer, and easier to break down with a fork.
- Line Your Loaf Pan With Parchment Paper: You don't want to make this delicious banana bread only to have it get stuck in the loaf pan! To ensure easy removal, line your loaf pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Let It Cool: Let the banana loaf cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing it and placing it on a wire rack. Once the loaf has cooled completely, you can transfer it to a cutting board and slice it.
Serving Suggestions For Almond Butter Banana Bread
- Quick Breakfast: Top with almond butter, or melted butter, banana slices, and cinnamon. You can also serve it alongside a cottage cheese and fruit breakfast bowl.
- Snack: Pair with a handful of berries, whipped cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt.
- Dessert: Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a sweet treat.
- Beverage: Enjoy alongside an iced maple latte, pumpkin spice latte, or mint matcha latte.
Storage And Reheating
- Storage: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. It can also be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: Leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. I'd recommend wrapping the bread tightly in plastic wrap and then storing it in a ziplock freezer bag.
- Reheating: My favorite method for reheating is the oven. Place a slice in an oven-safe dish and reheat in the oven at 250 degrees for 3-5 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Yep! You can use any nut or seed butter you like. Get creative and experiment to find your favorites.
The top of the bread should be golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed. Also, when you insert a toothpick in the center, it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs.
The ratio of flour to banana is key in getting the perfect banana bread consistency. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with really dry banana bread, and If you don't use enough flour, your banana bread will be way too wet and crumbly.
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Almond Butter Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Bananas ripe
- ⅓ cup Almond Butter
- ¼ cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tablespoon Maple Syrup
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla
- 1 cup Gluten-Free Flour
- ½ cup Almond Flour
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkie Pie Spice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small bowl add the gluten-free flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice. Whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl mash bananas with a fork.
- Add the almond butter, pumpkin puree, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla to the mashed bananas and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Pour the banana bread batter into a parchment-lined loaf pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the almond butter banana bread to cool, then slice and enjoy.
Notes
- Don't Over Mix: While you want your batter to be fully combined with no chunks of dry flour, you also want to be cautious to not overmix the batter. Overmixing can affect the texture of the bread, leading to it being tough or dense
- Use Spotty Bananas: The bananas provide the majority of sweetness in this recipe, so you want to be sure to use very ripe and spotty bananas, as they provide a sweeter flavor. Also, they will be much softer, and easier to break down with a fork.
- Line Your Loaf Pan With Parchment Paper: You don't want to make this delicious banana bread only to have it get stuck in the loaf pan! To ensure easy removal, line your loaf pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Let It Cool: Let the banana loaf cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing it and placing it on a wire rack. Once the loaf has cooled completely, you can transfer it to a cutting board and slice it.
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