Coconut Flour Banana Bread

by Addison LaBonte August 31, 2022

This coconut flour banana bread is soft, fluffy and moist! It is perfectly flavored and light. This grain free banana bread is easy to make and contains no added sweeteners. Great as a grab and go breakfast, afternoon snack or healthy dessert!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This coconut flour banana bread is easy to make.
It requires coconut flour and only pantry staple ingredients.
This bread has no added sugars or sweeteners. Use sugar free chocolate chips if needed.
Each slice has 7 grams of protein.
It is made without gluten and without dairy.
Great for any time of the day.
This can be baked into Coconut Flour Banana Muffins.
This recipe is Paleo, grain free, gluten free, dairy free, and added sugar free.
Check out this Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread or this Healthy Banana Bread for another great recipe!

Ingredients & Substitutions

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for coconut flour banana bread. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredients list and instructions.

Use ripe bananas for the best results. About 2 large bananas will yield the 1 ¼ cups mashed bananas. Since this recipe contains no other added sugar, ripe bananas are important.

Any creamy nut butter works. Use nut butter made from only nuts and salt. Almond butter and cashew butter are great options. For nut free, use sunflower butter. Peanut butter can be used if needed.

Melted coconut oil adds moisture to offset the coconut flour. If desired, use avocado oil or even melted butter.

Three eggs are needed to add moisture and substance. Coconut flour is so absorbent, therefore more eggs are necessary.

Vanilla extract adds a warmth of flavor.

In addition, cinnamon adds a great flavor.

Both baking soda and baking powder help leaven this bread. Overall, this bread does not rise much while baking.

See section below for more about coconut flour. I do not recommend another flour for this specific recipe. Check out this Oat Flour Banana Bread for another idea!

Any type of chocolate chips can be used. For Paleo and dairy free, use an unsweetened dark chocolate variety. In addition, chopped chocolate or mini chocolate chips can be used.

Baking with Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is such a unique and delicious flour! It is made from ground up dried coconut meat. This Paleo, grain free flour is unique and tricky to work with. It has a naturally somewhat sweet flavor.

Due to its high fiber content, coconut flour requires more liquid than other flours. It is very absorbent and can easily dry out baked goods if used incorrectly.

Since coconut flour is so unique, there are no perfect direct substitutes. Almond flour, oat flour, and gluten free flour cannot be directly substituted.

Moreover, coconut flour has a tendency to burn easily. It is extremely important to cover this bread with tin foil while baking. In addition, coconut flour sometimes sticks to pans. Line pan with parchment paper.

For this coconut flour banana bread recipe, more eggs are needed to offset the coconut flour. Additionally, melted coconut oil and nut butter add some moisture.

Taste & Texture

This coconut flour banana bread is slightly sweet and tastes like bananas and chocolate chips. The nut butter flavor and cinnamon is also detectable. I recommend using a nut butter you enjoy eating plain. The flavor is definitely recognizable.

The texture is surprisingly very moist and fluffy! Coconut flour tends to dry out baked goods, but this recipe is made to be moist. It hardly rises while baking, but this bread is not dense.

How to Make

Step 1

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a bread pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a mixing bowl, add mashed bananas, creamy nut butter, melted coconut oil, eggs and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Step 3

Then, add in cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and coconut flour. Stir to combine.

Step 4

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 5

Add batter to the lined pan. Place a piece of tin foil over the top of the bread. This is very important and prevents burning.

Step 6

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Step 7

Finally, remove coconut flour banana bread from oven. Cool fully before slicing into.

Expert Tips & Tricks

Measure all ingredients carefully, especially the coconut flour.

Use an 8 inch by 4 inch loaf pan. Anything larger will yield a flatter bread.

Use ripe bananas for added natural sweetness. They also mash easily.

Use a natural creamy nut butter. Do not use nut butter with added sugars or oils.

If needed, replace melted coconut oil with melted butter or avocado oil.

If desired, replace chocolate chips with walnuts, chopped pecans or coconut shreds.

Bake coconut flour banana bread with tin foil on top. This step is not optional and very important. If bake uncovered, the top will become very golden.

Line loaf pan with parchment paper. Coconut flour will stick to the pan otherwise.

Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not over bake!

How to Serve & Store

Serve coconut flour banana bread once cooled.

This bread pairs well with a glass of milk or cup of coffee.

Spread some peanut butter or almond butter on top!

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does coconut flour taste like?

Coconut flour is a naturally somewhat sweet flour. It has a very subtle coconut flavor.

Can you use coconut flour instead of all purpose flour?

No. Coconut flour and all purpose flour are very different in terms of texture and taste.

Is coconut flour good for baking?

Coconut flour can be tough to bake with. When used correctly, coconut flour is great for baking.

Does coconut flour rise well?

Coconut flour does not rise well.

Is it gluten free?

Yes, coconut flour is gluten free, grain free and Paleo. This coconut flour banana bread is gluten free.