Moist and super simple to make: this keto banana bread is perfect for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. It is gluten free, grain free and only 4.4g net carbs per slice. A low carb banana bread that's a hit with the whole family, low carb or not!
"I make this recipe on a regular basis now, and I have to say: I love it! It is delicious, it is easy, and it is not super sweet. Recommended!" (JK)
This delicious almond flour banana bread tastes like the real deal. It has just the right amount of sweetness and contains only 4.4g net carbs per portion. With real banana!
I first published this recipe in June 2019. It is one of the most popular recipes on my website to this day and has tons of 5-star reviews.
I have just updated the post with more details and helpful tips. The recipe itself has not changed - in my opinion, it is perfect. I make this easy bread so often that I know all the ingredient amounts by heart!
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Real Banana in Keto Banana Bread?
Yes, it can be done! If the amount is small enough.
There are lots of people who will tell you that bananas are "not allowed" on a low-carb diet. Here's what I think: Yes, a banana is high in sugar and carbs. But with the right banana bread recipe, you can enjoy real banana without letting your blood sugar rocket sky-high.
Bananas have a very intense flavour. This keto banana bread recipe contains Ā½ cup of mashed banana in total. That is ā of a large banana (I'd say that is about one bite) per slice.
Why I Don't Use Banana Extract
Most keto-friendly banana bread recipes use banana extract instead of a real banana. This obviously keeps the carb count really low. But I think you'll never get close to authentic banana flavor with an extract, not to mention the wonderful moist texture of real banana bread.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredient you need to make a sugar free banana bread:
Quick note - I'm calling this recipe "sugar-free" because I'm using sweetener instead of added sugar, honey or maple syrup. It comes in at 2.7 grams of (natural) sugars per slice, which is equivalent to just over Ā½ teaspoon of table sugar.
Eggs - I use large eggs in all my recipes. They should be at room temperature. This helps the bread to rise better.
Banana - It is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to use an overripe banana. It should have lingered in your fruit basket forever and have brown specks on the skin.
Butter - I melt it in the microwave for around 30 seconds. Salted and unsalted butter both work.
Almond Flour - I used ground almonds. This is equivalent to regular blanched almond flour in the US. Almond meal (almonds ground up including skins) also works well and gives a more rustic texture. If you're using super fine almond flour, I recommend reducing the amount to 1 Ā¼ cups as it is more absorbent.
Granulated sweetener - I make this bread with a monk fruit sweetener blend or allulose. Allulose gives it an extra soft texture. You can use white or golden erythritol. A brown sugar alternative adds a lovely caramel flavor.
Cinnamon - Essential for that authentic banana bread taste.
Baking Powder - Test that it is fresh by putting a pinch in warm water. It should fizz.
Walnuts - Totally optional, but I love the crunch. I add them in the batter and on top of the bread.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
It is really simple to make keto banana bread. Here are the basic steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions.
Preparations
Preheat the oven and line a small, rectangular loaf pan with parchment paper. This prevents the bread from sticking.
I used a small 7.5 x 3-inch loaf tin (1 lb volume) for this recipe. It is a perfect size because this banana bread is nutrient-dense, filling and servings need to be smaller. If you use a loaf pan like this, your bread will be taller than wide.
Set out a large mixing bowl and your electric mixer. Gather all ingredients. Melt the butter and mash the banana with a fork on a plate.
Banana Bread Batter
Step 1
Put the eggs, mashed banana and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend until smooth and frothy with an electric mixer.
Step 2
Stir together the dry ingredients - almond flour, sweetener, cinnamon and baking powder - in a separate bowl. Then add them to the egg mixture...
Step 3
...and blend again until a smooth batter forms.
Step 4
Last, stir in the chopped walnuts, keeping some back for decorating.
Step 5
Fill the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Bake in the oven for around 40 minutes or until the top is golden. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted comes out without crumbs sticking.
After 10 minutes in the pan, let it cool fully on a wire rack to prevent the bottom from going soggy. Don't slice the bread until it is cold - it is fragile when hot and firms up as it cools.
Expert Tip
Check after 30 minutes to see if the banana bread is browned already. If so, cover it loosely with aluminium foil for the last 10 minutes to prevent burning. (I covered my bread at minute 35 and found that it was browned a little much for my liking.)
Variations
Don't have chopped walnuts? You can use any nuts in this recipe. I think pecans or hazelnuts would work particularly well.
Instead of nuts, you could also add sugar free chocolate chips. It's easy to make your own. Alternatively, use chopped dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 85 % or a brand like Lily's.
For even more flavor, consider adding a pinch of salt or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
To make this banana bread egg-free, sub with flax eggs: mix three tablespoons of ground flaxseed and nine tablespoons of water and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the flax can absorb the liquid. Then add to the batter.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. If you only have a full-size bread pan, simply double the recipe. In this case, increase the baking time to about 1 hour. Be sure to insert a knife to test if the inside is baked (if it comes out with dough sticking to it keep your bread in a bit longer). Again, cover the top loosely with aluminium foil once the top is browned to prevent burning.
To make a dairy-free keto banana bread, replace the butter with coconut oil.
I have not tried this myself, but it should be possible to replace the almond flour with Ā½ cup of coconut flour. In this case, you may also want to add Ā¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum. Or, just make my coconut flour banana bread which is written specifically for coconut flour.
Yes, I often use this recipe to make low-carb banana muffins. They are a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack!
Simply prepare a muffin pan with nonstick spray or line it with paper cups. Prepare the batter as per the recipe - remember, the most important thing is to use a ripe banana - and fill it into the prepared baking dish.
Preheat the oven to the same temperature and bake for 25 minutes.
For a heartier, rustic muffin recipe, try these keto banana muffins. They contain flax meal, which adds additional fiber.
Serving Suggestion
This low carb banana bread tastes wonderful all on its own and that's how I eat it most of the time.
Sometimes we spread it with butter. Almond butter or peanut butter would also work well. For a treat, you could even top it with sugar free nutella.
Storing And Reheating
I tend to keep the bread in an airtight container on the counter for a couple of days. Then I store it in the fridge. It stays fresh for about one week.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. I do this with all my almond flour cakes and muffin recipes. I slice the bread before freezing it and put wax paper in between the slices so that they do not stick together. That way, I can simply take out one slice when I feel like a treat.
To reheat, pop a slice in the toaster or warm it in the microwave.
More Keto Bread Recipes
- Low Carb Keto Zucchini Bread1 Hours
- Almond Flour Keto Bread Recipe50 Minutes
- Sugar Free Pumpkin Bread1 Hours 10 Minutes
- Keto Cinnamon Bread1 Hours
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Low Carb Keto Banana Bread
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 1 Ā½ cup almond flour or ground almonds, 150g
- Ā½ cup mashed banana 2 small or 1 large, very ripe, 120g
- 3 eggs large
- 2 tablespoon butter, melted 28g
- Ā¼ cup granulated sweetener 50g
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Ā¼ cup walnuts, crushed 30g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius / 356 Fahrenheit.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs together with the mashed banana and melted butter until smooth.
- In another bowl, stir together the dry ingredients - almond flour, erythritol or sweetener of choice, cinnamon and baking powder. Add to the bowl with the egg/banana/butter mix and blend until well-combined.
- Last, stir in the crushed walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle over the top of the bread.
- Line a small (7 x 3.5 inch / 1 lb) loaf tin with parchment paper and fill in the dough. Sprinkle the leftover walnuts on the top.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Check the cake at minute 30. If the top is already brown enough, loosely place aluminium foil over it so it does not burn.
- Let the banana bread cool completely before slicing.
Laura Gibbs
I'm glad everyone else loves this but it wasn't nearly sweet or banana-y enough for me. I don't think I'll bother with monkfruit again.
Katrin NĆ¼rnberger
Hi Laura, if you compare this banana bread recipe to regular ones, it definitely is not as sweet. How you alter the recipe depends on your needs. If carbs are not a concern, add more banana. Readers have done this with great results. If you don't want to add more carbs, there is the option to add banana extract.
As for the monk fruit sweetener, my experience is that different brands taste different, so don't give up on it just yet. If you dislike the cooling effect of the erythritol, try out Bocha Sweet or allulose, which both taste very similar to table sugar. Hope this helps!
William
Giving it 5 stars for being keto-ish. Used swerve brown sugar and 3 very ripe bananas in a silicon bread pan and it turned out thick and moist along with browning pretty nice.
Recommend the recipe if you're looking for a lower carb banana bread, don't see how it could be any better.