This low carb keto banana bread recipe is one of my favorite keto recipes to share with family and friends… and then you can tell them AFTER that it’s actually a sugar free banana bread! No one can ever tell the difference, thanks to a mix of low carb flours, a high-quality natural sugar substitute, and an easy swap for the bananas. Simply mix up the almond flour banana bread batter, bake it, and then let it cool (truly, the hardest part!). Enjoy with a bulletproof coffee for the ultimate morning meal. And if you like keto banana recipes but prefer a more portable version, try keto banana muffins instead.
Is Banana Bread Keto?
Traditional banana bread is not suitable for keto, as it’s made with white flour, sugar, and bananas. This low carb banana nut bread recipe is keto friendly. And, we’re using Besti sweetener for this bread, because not only does it taste just like sugar (without sugar alcohols!), it also helps to seal in moisture so your bread won’t be dry. Other sweeteners won’t do that!
Almond Flour Banana Bread Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for keto banana nut bread, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
The dry ingredients:
Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – The BEST almond flour that’s blanched and finely ground for the best texture in keto baked goods. Make sure you use a finely ground almond flour instead of almond meal, or it will change the texture of the bread. Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour – Made with premium organic coconuts with a super fine texture, this works best in baked goods. Spices & Leavening Agents – Including baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt for perfect flavor and bread-like feel.Xanthan gum – This gives low carb and gluten-free baked goods a more traditional texture.Chopped walnuts – Optional, but adds great texture and flavor. See below for other add-in options!
The wet ingredients:
Butter – Use grass-fed for best flavor and nutrition, but any unsalted butter at room temperature will work. See below for a dairy free variation.Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This is the best sweetener for keto quick breads like this one, not only because it sweetens like sugar but most important, it keeps them super moist. If you have to, you can substitute another keto sweetener, but the end result may be more dry. Eggs – Use large eggs and make sure they come to room temperature before using them in the recipe. If you forgot to do this, you can place them in warm water for a few minutes to come to room temperature faster.Almond milk – You can use store bought or make your own homemade almond milk, but either way, make sure it’s unsweetened. You can also use other keto milks, such as coconut milk beverage or watered-down heavy cream.
The secret ingredient:
So what’s the secret to this keto banana bread recipe? Have you figure it out yet? It’s banana extract! You guys, this is like the best stuff ever. You can make a truly low carb banana bread recipe and it still tastes like bananas! Extracts are the secret ingredient to make almost any high-sugar or high-carb food possible again on a keto diet. And just to clarify, I’m not talking about those artificial “imitation” extracts. You do not want those! This extract is derived from real bananas and it lasts a long time.
How To Make Keto Banana Bread
This section shows how to make easy keto banana bread with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together Wholesome Yum Almond Flour, Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour, baking powder, cinnamon, xanthan gum, and sea salt.Beat butter. In another large bowl, beat butter and Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend until fluffy.
Mix wet ingredients. Beat in the eggs one at a time, until smooth. Then, beat in the almond milk and banana extract.Combine. With the mixer on medium, gradually add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until thick and uniform.
Stir in nuts. If you’re adding walnuts, stir some in, reserving some more for the top.Transfer. Scoop the batter into a small loaf pan (this one is the perfect size) lined with parchment paper, including the sides. Smooth out the top. Sprinkle with more walnuts and press them lightly into the surface.
Bake sugar free banana bread. Bake until the top is golden, then tent the top with foil and continue baking until it passes the toothpick test (an inserted toothpick should come out clean).Cool. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.
Tips For The Best Low Carb Banana Bread
Follow these tips for perfect banana keto bread, each and every time.
Use fresh baking powder. Keto banana bread doesn’t rise very well, so fresh baking powder is especially important to help it rise as much as possible.Use xanthan gum. Add 1/2 teaspoon into the dry ingredients and your banana bread made with almond flour will have a better texture. Plus, it will be less crumbly.Use room temperature ingredients. This will ensure a smooth batter that doesn’t clump.Round the top. Since it doesn’t rise much, shaping the batter by rounding the top is going to help your low carb banana bread recipe look more traditional.Consider coverting it part way through baking. Keep an eye on your bread as it bakes. If the top of the bread starts to brown but the inside is still moist, you can tent the top with foil and then continue the cooking time.Let it cool completely. I know it’s hard, but it’s important to be patient and let the gluten free sugar free banana bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, or it will fall apart.
Keto Banana Bread Variations
Dairy free – You can make this low carb banana bread recipe dairy-free if you need to, by replacing the butter with coconut oil. If you’re sensitive to dairy but can handle ghee, that’s a better option if possible. Since the recipe calls for creaming the butter, the end result will be a little different, but it will still work!Coconut free – If you can’t have coconut, you can try replacing the 1/4 cup coconut flour with 3/4 to 1 cup almond flour, and check the consistency against the pictures to make sure it’s similar.Nut free – Unfortunately, I don’t have a good nut free suggestion here; sunflower seed flour might work to replace almond flour, but I haven’t tried it and the texture will likely be worse. It’s fine to replace almond milk with another keto milk, though.Chocolate chip – Fold some sugar free chocolate chips into the batter before baking.Blueberry – Fold some fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter.Chocolate – Replace 1/4 cup of the almond flour with 1/4 cup cocoa powder.Caramel topping – Drizzle your finished keto banana bread with sugar free caramel sauce.Maple glaze – Make the perfect fall inspired glaze by whisking together heavy cream, a little keto maple syrup, and powdered Besti to thicken, then drizzle on the cooled bread.
Storage Instructions
To store: It will be fine for 2-3 days on the counter, and you can keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week. Wrap in parchment paper instead of plastic, so that it doesn’t collect too much moisture and get soggy.To freeze: Let the banana keto bread cool, then slice it up and freeze the slices. You can do this in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Or, you can freeze in a bag right away if you place pieces of parchment paper between the slices. Both of these methods prevent the slices from sticking together, so that you can take them out one at a time as needed.To thaw: Thaw on the counter or in the fridge overnight.To reheat: If you like warm banana bread, reheat gently in the microwave or the oven.
More Keto Quick Bread Recipes
Almond Flour Zucchini BreadKeto Blueberry Bread Keto Blueberry Zucchini BreadLow Carb Pumpkin Bread
This reader favorite recipe is included in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook! Inside this beautiful hard cover keto recipe book, you’ll find 100 delectable, EASY keto recipes to replace all your favorite carbs: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, desserts, and more… each with 10 ingredients or less! Plus, a photo, macros, & tips for every recipe. ORDER NOW Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it! Recipe from The Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook.
