There’s something hard to beat about warm banana bread straight from the oven.
This version keeps everything you want, the soft texture, naturally sweet banana flavor, and cozy cinnamon-spice aroma, while adding a little more protein.
The result is an easy, satisfying loaf that works for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or something sweet after dinner.
Recipe by @hephanie_wellness.
Key Takeaways
- This gluten free banana bread is made with almond flour instead of wheat flour.
- Four eggs and Heart & Soil Animal-Based Protein Powder add extra protein to the recipe.
- Ripe bananas and maple syrup provide sweetness without refined sugar.
- Add chocolate, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, date sugar, or your favorite toppings before baking.
Table of Contents
Why Add Protein Powder to Banana Bread?
Banana bread is typically thought of as a carb-heavy baked good, but adding protein powder gives you an easy way to increase its protein content without completely changing the recipe.
This loaf combines protein from:
- Four large eggs
- Almond flour
- Heart & Soil Animal-Based Protein Powder
Heart & Soil Animal-Based Protein Powder is an easy addition to smoothies, yogurt, and recipes like this one when you want to add more high-quality animal protein to your day.
The key with baking is not replacing all of the flour with protein powder. Using 1/2 cup of protein powder alongside 2 cups of almond flour helps add protein while maintaining the moist, tender texture you want from banana bread.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 2 well-ripened bananas
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened*
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup Heart & Soil Animal-Based Protein Powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins and Toppings
Try customizing your gluten free banana bread with:
- Chocolate
- Blueberries
- Date sugar
You could also keep it completely plain. The bananas, maple syrup, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice give the loaf plenty of flavor on their own.
*For the coconut oil, you want it soft enough to mix easily but not completely melted or hard and solid.
How to Make Gluten Free Banana Bread
1. Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil or line it with parchment paper to make the finished bread easier to remove.
2. Mix the Wet Ingredients
- Add the eggs, softened coconut oil, bananas, maple syrup, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk until everything is well combined.
A few small pieces of banana are completely fine. Just make sure there aren’t any very large chunks remaining.
3. Combine the Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.
Mixing the dry ingredients separately helps distribute the leavening agents and spices more evenly throughout the loaf.
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4. Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
- Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Stir until everything is just combined.
Avoid aggressively mixing the batter once the ingredients come together. You only need to mix until you no longer see pockets of dry flour.
5. Transfer to a Loaf Pan
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread the top evenly.
- Add any toppings you want before baking. (A little chocolate or a few berries are especially good if you want to make the loaf feel more like dessert.)
6. Bake
- Bake your gluten free banana bread at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. (Because ovens and loaf pans vary, start checking the bread around the 50-minute mark.)
- Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. When it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached, the bread is ready.
7. Let It Cool
- Let the banana bread cool before removing it from the pan and slicing.
This part is tempting to skip, but gluten-free baked goods tend to become sturdier as they cool. Giving the loaf a little time to set makes it much easier to slice cleanly.
Watch it Made
Tips for the Best Gluten Free Banana Bread
Use Very Ripe Bananas
This is the time to use the bananas sitting on your counter covered in brown spots.
As bananas ripen, they become softer and sweeter, which makes them especially useful for baking. Very ripe bananas also mash more easily into the batter.
Don’t Melt the Coconut Oil Completely
Softened coconut oil blends easily with the other wet ingredients without introducing a large amount of hot liquid into the batter.
If your coconut oil is solid, allow it to soften at room temperature before mixing.
Let It Cool Before Slicing
The smell of fresh gluten free banana bread makes this difficult, but cooling matters.
Cutting into the loaf immediately can make the center appear overly soft or gummy even when it’s fully baked.
Easy Ways to Serve It
This bread is flavorful enough to eat completely on its own, but there are plenty of ways to turn a slice into a more substantial meal or snack.
Try it with:
- Fresh berries
- Eggs on the side
- A glass of milk
- A drizzle of maple syrup
- Butter
You can also warm up a slice before eating it.
How to Store Gluten Free Banana Bread
Once the loaf has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container.
For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator and warm individual slices when you’re ready to eat them.
You can also slice the bread before freezing it. Keeping individual pieces separated makes it easy to pull out one serving at a time rather than defrosting the entire loaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is banana bread naturally gluten-free?
Usually, no. Traditional banana bread is typically made with wheat flour, which contains gluten. This gluten free banana bread recipe uses almond flour instead, so no wheat flour is needed.
Is this gluten free banana bread refined sugar-free?
Yes. The sweetness comes primarily from ripe bananas and maple syrup rather than refined white or brown sugar. Some optional toppings, particularly chocolate, may contain refined sugar depending on the brand you choose.
Why add protein powder to banana bread?
Protein powder provides an easy way to increase the protein content of baked recipes.
This recipe uses 1/2 cup Heart & Soil Animal-Based Protein Powder alongside almond flour.
How do I know when gluten free banana bread is done?
Start checking it after about 50 minutes at 350°F. Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
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- Easy Animal-Based Tacos with Protein Tortillas
- 7 Steps to Irresistible Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake
- The 16 Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers Recipe You’ll Love
The Bottom Line
You don’t need regular flour or refined sugar to make a really good loaf of banana bread.
This gluten free banana bread combines ripe bananas, almond flour, maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil, warming spices, and Heart & Soil Animal-Based Protein Powder for a soft, naturally sweet loaf with extra protein.
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