This is the best coconut flour banana bread! It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, sweetened only with bananas and can be mixed together in one bowl with 10 simple ingredients.
Holy moly, this bread is SO good. Maybe even better than my favorite healthy banana bread recipe?! For what it’s worth, all of my taste testers (even those that aren’t gluten-free) agreed that this coconut flour banana bread is straight up delicious.
It’s flavorful and moist with a semi-crisp exterior and it’s easy to cut without being overly crumbly and falling apart.
We’ve been eating this coconut flour banana bread for breakfast, as a snack or as an after-dinner dessert. Isaac loves it warm (I pop it in the toaster oven for a few minutes to reheat), but I think it’s delicious at room temperature. There’s no wrong way to enjoy this banana bread.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Naturally sweetened – The ripe bananas and a touch of chocolate make this bread perfectly sweet without the need for added sugar.
- Gluten-free and grain-free – Made with coconut flour, this bread is perfect for anyone avoiding grains or gluten.
- Packed with healthy fats – Almond butter and coconut oil add richness and make this bread super satisfying.
- Quick and easy – Whip up the batter in one bowl, pop it in the oven, and enjoy!
- Customizable – Add your favorite mix-ins like nuts or seeds for a fun twist.
Coconut Flour Banana Bread Ingredients
- mashed banana – the star of this recipe! You’ll need about 3 ripe bananas for natural sweetness and moist texture.
- eggs – helps bind the ingredients and gives the bread its fluffy texture.
- almond butter – adds creaminess and a nutty flavor. Any natural, drippy almond butter works well.
- coconut oil – for moisture and a subtle coconut flavor. Melted and slightly cooled.
- vanilla – a splash of vanilla for extra flavor.
- coconut flour – this naturally gluten-free flour is super absorbent, so stick to the measurement listed.
- baking powder and baking soda – both leaveners work together to give the bread its rise.
- sea salt – enhances all the flavors.
- chocolate chips – adds a bit of indulgence! I prefer to use Lily’s dark baking chips because they’re sugar-free and vegan.
Substitutions
- Flour: You can’t sub in another flour for coconut flour in most recipes so I don’t recommend using a different flour. This recipe was created specifically for coconut flour. You could try my almond flour banana bread, or oat flour banana bread, if you’re interested in using another gluten-free flour.
- Eggs: I haven’t tried using a vegan substitute for the eggs in this recipe, but someone did let me know they used flax eggs and the bread turned out, but it didn’t rise as nicely and had a denser texture. Let me know in the comments below if you try a vegan version!
- Almond Butter: You can use a different nut butter as a sub for the almond butter. You could also use tahini or sunflower seed butter if you need a nut-free option.
- Coconut Oil: The coconut oil and almond butter replace traditional butter in this recipe, but if you don’t have coconut oil you can use butter or another oil instead.
- Chocolate Chips: The great thing about this bread is that it’s sweetness comes from the banana and the chocolate chips, but you can totally skip the chocolate chips if you want this bread to be free from any added sugar. You could also sub in something else like blueberries for the chocolate chips!
How to Make
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prep a loaf pan. Mix mashed bananas, eggs, almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla in a large bowl.
Step 2: Stir in coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt
Step 3: Add chocolate chips and gently fold into the batter.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Tips for Baking With Coconut Flour
- In most baking recipes you can not use coconut flour as a a 1:1 sub for all-purpose! You’ll usually want to start with 1/4 or 1/3 cup coconut flour to replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour. You might also need to increase the liquid in your recipe and the amount of eggs. In most coconut flour recipes you’ll see a large amount of eggs used. Eggs provide extra moisture while also helping baked goods made with coconut flour bind together and rise.
- When measuring coconut flour, I recommend scooping it with a spoon into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife rather than dipping it into the bag of flour and packing it down. You can also use a food scale to get a more precise measurement.
- Unless you’re a recipe developer and have time and money to spend on ingredients for testing, I don’t recommend trying to convert recipes that use all-purpose or wheat flour on your own. It can take a lot of trial and error. I recommend finding well tested recipes and using those!
Storing Coconut Flour Banana Bread
Allow your banana bread to cool completely before storing. I recommend storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can also freeze banana bread for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat it, you can eat it cold or at room temp, but I prefer to heat it up in the toaster oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Coconut flour is a naturally gluten-free flour made from dried coconut meat that has been ground. It’s unsweetened, although the natural sugars in the coconut give coconut flour a mildly sweet flavor. Coconut flour contains more fiber than any other flour, making it especially filling. The high amount of fiber also makes coconut flour super absorbent so when using it for baking you typically can’t use it as a 1:1 sub for all-purpose flour or even almond flour.
The bread is ready when the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. If it’s still sticky, give it a few more minutes in the oven.
Yes! Chopped nuts, or shredded coconut make great additions. You can also sprinkle extra chocolate chips or a little sea salt on top before baking for a fancy touch.
Coconut flour is tricky to work with because it’s so absorbent. Make sure you’re using the exact measurements listed and not overpacking the flour. Also, be sure your eggs and almond butter are fully mixed into the batter to avoid uneven texture.
More Coconut Flour Recipes to Try
More Quick Bread Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Prep a loaf pan by greasing it with coconut oil or lining it with parchment paper.
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In a large mixing bowl stir together the mashed bananas, eggs, almond butter, coconut oil and vanilla.
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Once wet ingredients are combined add in dry ingredients (coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt). Stir until combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips.
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Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
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Bake for 45 minutes or until bread is golden in color and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Remove from oven and let cool for 20-30 minutes on a wire rack before removing from the pan to cool completely. It should come out really easily if you greased the pan properly or used parchment paper. Slice the loaf (a bread knife works best), serve and enjoy.
- For the mashed bananas, you’ll likely need 2-3 to make 1 cup, depending on the size of your bananas.
- Store any leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature for a couple days. To keep it longer, store in the fridge or freezer.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
