Home » Keto Breakfast Recipes » Keto Banana Bread
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Fragrant, delicious and comforting, this keto banana bread is perfect as a tasty breakfast or a filling snack.
The paleo option is made with honey while the keto option is made with fewer bananas and with a sugar-free sweetener.
This bread is amazing. It's fragrant, not too sweet, the perfect breakfast or snack bread. As I was baking it, my house filled with the most amazing fragrance of sweet roasted nuts, banana, and cinnamon.
My starting point when creating this recipe was my pumpkin bread recipe. It's basically the same, with mashed bananas instead of pumpkin.
I also use less sweetener, because ripe bananas are so sweet. The keto option (see below) uses fewer bananas and a sugar-free sweetener.
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Expert tips
- Frequently asked questions
- The keto version
- Serving suggestions
- Storing leftovers
- Related recipes
- Foodie Newsletter
- Recipe Card
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this keto banana bread. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Bananas: Very ripe and well-mashed.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Ground cinnamon: Make sure it's fresh. I use a whole tablespoon - you can use just 1 teaspoon for lighter-colored bread. But the cinnamon does add wonderful flavor.
Honey: Or you could use a keto alternative such as stevia or any granulated sweetener.
Almond flour: An excellent flour substitute that bakes exceptionally well. I use blanched finely ground almond flour in this recipe. I haven't experimented with a coarse almond meal.
Kosher salt: If using fine salt, use just ⅛ teaspoon.
Baking soda: If you'd like to try using gluten-free baking powder (though I haven't tested it in this recipe), remember that ¼ teaspoon of baking soda is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Instructions
Making this keto banana bread is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Whisk all the ingredients together, one by one in the order listed, in one bowl.
Transfer the batter to a small loaf pan, parchment-lined and greased.
Bake the bread for 40-50 minutes at 350°F. How long you need to bake it would depend on your oven. When it's done, a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf should come out dry.
Cool the bread completely before enjoying it. This is the hardest part! You will want to dig in right away. But the bread will be too soft and gooey when it emerges from the oven. Its texture and flavor will improve as it cools.
Expert tips
Here are a few tips to help ensure this bread is a resounding success:
- Use ripe but not spoiled bananas. You should definitely use very ripe bananas in this recipe. You want bananas that are deep yellow with plenty of black spots on the outside, and very soft on the inside. Just make sure there are no white spots on the inside and that the inside is not runny - this means the banana is spoiled.
- Use a small loaf pan. If you use a standard-size loaf pan, 9 X 5 inches, the bread will come out very flat. So make sure you use a small loaf pan measuring 8.5 X 4.5 inches.
- Let it cool completely. The bread emerges from the oven with a gorgeous dark crust. It smells heavenly. You will want to dig in right away (or maybe let it cool for an obligatory 10 minutes). Please don't! This bread is too soft and gooey when it comes out of the oven. It really does need to cool completely. I cool it for two hours on a cooling rack, and only then do I slice it - and it's perfect. In the past, when I was impatient and sliced it after just 20 minutes, it was still delicious - but too gooey and crumbly. Both its texture and flavor greatly improve after it's cooled.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make bread with just almond flour?
Absolutely! This tasty bread is the proof, and I have several more that I make with just almond flour and they turn out well. Combining almond flour with eggs and a leavening agent creates beautiful breads.
Can I substitute baking powder for baking soda?
If you'd rather use baking powder, you should use 3-4 teaspoons of it instead of 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Make sure your baking powder is fresh - it doesn't last as long as baking soda.
Also, keep in mind that baking soda promotes browning. So the crust might come out paler if you use baking powder.
Can I use a sweetener other than honey?
Yes. In fact, the sweetener is optional. I recently made a version of this bread with no sweetener at all, relying on the fruit for sweetness. I thought it was perfect - just the right amount of sweetness.
So you're welcome to try that. You can always drizzle the baked bread with some honey if you find it's not sweet enough for your taste.
But you can certainly make the recipe as I wrote it here, with a small amount of honey, or with a sugar-free sweetener. Even though I use honey, I'm fairly certain that a granulated sweetener would work just as well. So feel free to experiment with coconut sugar, brown sugar, or a sugar-free granulated sweetener.
The keto version
To make a keto version of this banana bread:
- Use just two bananas.
- Replace the honey with 2 tablespoons of any sugar-free sweetener or the equivalent in stevia.
- Bake for a shorter time, as the batter will be drier with just two bananas. 30-40 minutes should do it.
The keto version has 150 calories, 10 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber per slice. If you need an even lower-carb bread, I highly recommend this keto zucchini bread.
Serving suggestions
I like this tasty bread just as it is. My kids like it lightly toasted, with sweet butter and a drizzle of honey. It's also wonderful with cream cheese, almond butter, or peanut butter if you don't mind peanuts.
I wanted a basic bread that would go with anything, so I didn't add any extras to the batter. I'm curious about chopped walnuts or pecans, or perhaps a handful of chocolate chips. I might try it next time I make this recipe!
Storing leftovers
Once the bread is completely cool, slice it. Then place the slices in an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper. You can keep them this way in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze the slices in freezer bags. Again, if layering, separate the layers with wax paper.
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Recipe Card
4.99 from 4384 votes
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Keto banana bread
Fragrant and comforting, this almond flour banana bread is just perfect as a tasty breakfast or a filling snack.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time50 minutes mins
Rest time2 hours hrs
Total Time3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 172kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
Ingredients
- Cooking spray for the pan (I use avocado oil spray)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 large very ripe bananas well mashed (1.5 cups)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons honey*
- 2 cups blanched finely ground almond flour (8 oz)*
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda**
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a small loaf pan (8.5 X 4.5 inches) with parchment paper strips, leaving an overhang on each side of the pan. Lightly spray the lined pan with oil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, mashed bananas, vanilla, and sweetener.
Gradually whisk in the almond flour, cinnamon, kosher salt, and finally the baking soda. Whisk until smooth.
Using a rubber spatula, transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the countertop to evenly distribute the batter.
Bake the banana bread until browned and set, and a toothpick inserted in its center comes out dry, 40-50 minutes.
Using the excess parchment paper as handles, carefully remove the banana bread from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Carefully remove the parchment, to allow air to circulate.
Cool the bread completely on the cooling rack for about 2 hours. Slice it into 12 slices and serve.
Video
Notes
*I use Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour. One cup of this flour weighs 4 oz, so 2 cups weigh 8 ounces. It's best to measure almond flour by weight rather than by volume.
**Occasionally, baking soda can cause a reaction in baked goods that results in an unpleasant ammonia smell. If you're concerned about it happening, you could use 4 teaspoons of gluten-free baking powder instead of baking soda. If you opt for baking powder, please make sure it's fresh and not expired.
For a keto version: Use just two bananas; replace the honey with 2 tablespoons of any sugar-free sweetener or the equivalent in stevia, and bake the bread for just 30-40 minutes (the batter will be drier with just two bananas). The keto version has 150 calories, 10 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber per slice.
Storage: Once the bread is completely cool, slice it. Then place the slices in an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper. You can keep them this way in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the slices in freezer bags. Again, if layering, separate the layers with wax paper.
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Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 147mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g
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Most of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.
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More Keto Breakfast Recipes
- Chaffles Recipe
- Breakfast Egg Muffins
- Mushroom Frittata
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About the Author
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Amparo
Made this last night. It is DELICIOUS. I read reviews, so I was sure to not over mix and I added a 3rd tbsp of Monk fruit. I'm ready to make another batch to share with my dad who needs to watch his sugar/carb intake. Also, I would suggest for the keto version to bake for at least 35 min, I then turned the oven off and let it sit for another 5-7 min or so before I took it off to cool it.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you enjoyed this bread, Amparo! Thanks for the tips.
Reply
Cathy
I made this banana bread recipe. it was delicious. almost as good as my grandmother's recipe. I added a 1/2 cup of chopped pecans to the mix and sprinkled a handful on top before baking. it added a bit of crunch to it.Reply
See AlsoSuper Moist Banana Bread RecipeVered DeLeeuw
I love the idea of pecans on top of the bread, Cathy!
Reply
Ruby
Can this recipe be made into muffins instead of a loaf?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Ruby,
While I haven't tested it, I believe it can. It's best to use foil or parchment liners (not regular paper liners) and grease them well. Fill them 3/4 full. They'll likely need to be baked for around 20 minutes, but start checking after 15 minutes.
Sharon
I have made the keto version twice now and it has turned out fabulous. I did notice, however, that after I remove the bread from the loaf pan and it was cooling on the cooling rack, the middle kind of fell in. Any idea why that would happen — it’s like it buckled in, but only in the middle? It was fully cooked.Thanks
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Sharon,
This usually happens when the batter is over-beaten or aggressively whisked, resulting in too much air being worked in. Try to mix it minimally next time, just until incorporated.Reply
Diana Lee
One of the best recipes. I did add a little more cinnamon because I wanted it to be more of a cinnamon bread than banana. The banana presented as a great sweetener. I added a teaspoon of salt instead of what’s listed to bring out the flavor. I topped it with rolled oats and more cinnamon. Perfect. I also waited 5 minutes before removing it from the pan to keep it from falling apart. It held together perfectly.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this banana bread, Diana! Thank you for the detailed feedback.
Sharon
This banana bread is amazing. I made the keto version using almond flour and golden monk fruit. The only addition was a handful of chopped walnuts. This is absolutely the best banana bread. It was delicious and very moist. I have not made any recipes using almond flour and this one has inspired me! Thank you for this amazing recipe, which is now going to be a staple whenever I have ripe bananas.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe so much, Sharon! Thank you for taking the time to leave a detailed comment.
Reply
Scott
It's nice to see an almond flour recipe that has conventional ingredients ingredients (no xanthan gum or substitute sweeteners etc). I mostly stuck to the recipe except for reducing the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon and mixing in about 1/4 cup of walnuts plus sprinkling some on top. Baked for 50 minutes (internal temperature was about 203° F).
It looked great and my non-keto spouse complemented the appearance. Although the house smelled fragrant, the taste was more mild than I expected and had only a very light sweetness. The bananas were quite ripe, but maybe based on their size I could have added a fourth one and/or more honey.
I've been warming up each slice and spreading with butter and some extra sweetener which I just noticed you also mentioned.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Thanks for the detailed feedback, Scott!
Reply
Nancy Fritsch
Loved this recipe!! Thank you for sharing it. The only changes I made were that I used monk fruit instead of honey, reduced the cinnamon, and added chopped hazelnuts and sugarless dark chocolate chips - strictly because of personal preference. I will make this again and again and will either keep it as written or increase the sweetener to 3 tablespoons of monk fruit.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed this bread, Nancy! Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
Reply
Mary
I tried this recipe this week and I was so pleasantly surprised at how moist and delicious this bread is. My family loved it. I'm diabetic so I used a keto honey and my glucose did not spike with this bread. Thank you for a delicious tasty treat!!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so happy this bread was a success, Mary! Thank you for leaving a comment.
Reply
Jennifer
I baked this bread today but added walnuts and used monk fruit sweetener instead of honey. I baked it for 42 minutes and checked with a toothpick which came clean, but when I went to take it out of the pan it started falling apart as it was uncooked inside.
I put it back for 30 minutes, as I needed to get it back up to temp and cook again. Do you know why this happened? it was brown on the edges and the toothpick did come out clean in two places. Do you need more time for walnuts? I can't figure it out.. thank you for all this help and healthier recipes. ❤️Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Jennifer,
I don't think it was the walnuts. Here are a few possible explanations:
1. Maybe your oven runs cooler than mine.
2. Did you check the bread for doneness in the middle of the loaf?
3. Did you let it cool and set for two hours before slicing it?
4. Did you measure the almond flour by weight? Perhaps it needed more flour.
I hope this helps!Reply
Kristin Shorb
This will be my go-to recipe for low-carb banana bread! My company and I liked it very much. I used two bananas and erythritol. Thank you!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you liked this recipe, Kristin!
Reply
MB
One of the best low carb (or any carb!) banana bread recipes that I've tried! Moist, tasty, and easy to make. This recipe is a keeper!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you liked it!
Reply
Stacey Chapman
Made the keto version of this and even added some sugar-free chocolate morsels. My non-keto husband gave it a big thumbs up!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
So glad this was a success, Stacey!
Reply
Camille McIntyre
Great recipe! Hubby approved. What’s the best way to store it? Fridge? For how long and what would you suggest: any special wrap?Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you liked it, Camille! As for storage: Once the bread is completely cool, slice it. Then place the slices in an airtight container, separating layers with wax paper. You can keep them this way in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the slices in freezer bags. Again, if layering, separate the layers with wax paper.
Reply
