This Almond Banana Bread is an absolutely delicious banana bread recipe made with no eggs, no dairy and with a almond topping that transform classic banana bread into an almond croissant bread.
I’m a huge fan of almond croissants (perhaps because I’m French) and frangipane, the almond paste you can find in French King’s Cakes. I’ve made several recipes with an almond croissant twist, like my Vegan Almond Croissant Pastry and Almond Croissant Cookies. But I’m also constantly making banana bread for my family. They are healthy, wholesome, and easy-to-make breakfast or snacks that last for days. So what more natural to combine these two essential treats into one?
This almond banana bread combines the moist crumb of a classic vegan banana bread with the delicate and subtle flavors of almond croissant. And believe me when I said that, it did not last more than 24 hours. Here’s a challenge for you. If you make it and it lasts more than a day before being completely munched out, you need to let me know!
While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!
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Almond Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Mashed Bananas - equivalent to 3 large bananas
- ½ cup Almond Flour - or almond meal
- 1 ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour - note 1
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup - or agave syrup
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ⅓ cup Melted Coconut Oil - or light olive oil, canola oil
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Almond Topping
- ½ cup Almond Flour
- ¼ cup Unrefined Sugar
- ¼ cup Dairy-Free Butter (Unsalted)
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- ½ cup Sliced Almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Slightly oil the paper with cooking spray.
- Mash the bananas, pack them in a measuring cup to measure exactly 1 cup + 1/2 cup, and place them in a mixing bowl.
- Stir in the oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
- Fold in flour, almond flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and use a rubber spatula to combine. It should form a thick, smooth banana bread batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
- In another bowl, stir melted vegan butter, sugar, almond extract, sliced almonds, and almond flour.
- Pour the almond mixture over the bread and swirl the batter a few times using the tip of a knife or a spoon.
- Sprinkle extra sliced almonds on top of the banana bread and bake in the center rack for 50 minutes. If the top of the bread darkens too fast, foil the pan after 30 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool down in the pan for 10 minutes, then release and cool completely on a wire rack for about 2 hours before slicing.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and Substitutions
Let me give you some tips on how to choose the key ingredients.
- Bananas: Choose bananas that are overripe with lots of brown spots. They should be very soft to the touch for easy mashing and optimal sweetness. Measure the bananas after mashing them.
- Almond Flour: Use finely ground almond flour for a smoother texture. Almond meal works but will result in a slightly denser bread.
- Maple Syrup: Go for pure maple syrup or agave syrup for natural sweetness. Avoid artificially flavored syrups for the best flavor. Coconut nectar is another natural, wholesome alternative.
- All-Purpose Flour: Choose a high-quality all-purpose flour for the best texture and structure in the bread. For a gluten-free version, use my gluten-free conversion guide.
- Coconut Oil: Use high-quality, organic coconut oil. If using olive oil or canola oil, ensure they are light to avoid overpowering the banana flavor.
- Sugar: You can either use classic sugar or more unrefined alternatives like coconut sugar.
- Almond Extract: This boosts the almondness of the recipe.
How to Make Almond Banana Bread
This recipe is made in three steps. While the while recipe card is further down, I’ve included below pictures of crucial steps.
- Make the banana bread batter.
- Combine the almond croissant topping.
- Bake the bread!
Combine the bread batter ingredients in a bowl.
Stir them together with a spatula until it’s fully combined.
In another bowl, pour all the almond croissant topping ingredients.
Combine the almond topping. You might need to crumble it with your fingers.
Pour the batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
Crumble the almond croissant topping on top of the bread before baking it.
Customizing The Recipe
- Flavor Variations: Add a handful of dark chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or dried fruit to the batter for added flavor and texture.
- Spices: Increase the amount of cinnamon or add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom for a spicier flavor profile.
- Sweetness Adjustments: Adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of maple syrup. For a less sweet bread, reduce the maple syrup slightly.
- Topping Alternatives: Instead of the almond topping, try a streusel topping made with oats, brown sugar, and vegan butter for a different texture and flavor.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the banana bread warm with a dollop of vegan butter or almond butter. It’s also delicious with a drizzle of maple syrup or a side of fresh fruit.
Carine’s Tips
- Banana Ripeness: Use overripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness. They’re easier to mash and provide a natural sweetness to the bread.
- Mixing Technique: Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them. This ensures even distribution of the baking powder and baking soda, preventing any lumps and ensuring a consistent rise.
- Oil Choice: Use melted coconut oil for a subtle coconut flavor and moisture. Ensure the oil is cooled before mixing to prevent it from solidifying when combined with other ingredients.
- Baking Time: Check the bread a few minutes before the recommended baking time. Insert a toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, it’s done. Overbaking can dry out the bread.
- Topping Application: Apply the almond topping evenly before baking. Press it lightly into the batter to help it adhere during baking and create a perfect crunchy layer.
I am in love with this recipe. I used maple syrup for the sweet part,and olive oil in the bread,and plant base butter in the crumbs. This bread stays moist. unbelievable. Thank you for all the recipes,and hardwork and time you devote to creating healthy foods and snacks.
Thank you for this lovely feedback!
This is excellent! 2 changes; I used dated syrup instead of maple syrup and didn’t add the almond topping. It’s soft, delicious and it will go in my recipe book. Thank you!
I love your changes, it sounds lovely! thanks for sharing with me.
I made this and only top with almonds and it turned up soft, binded even without an egg and so delicious! Wow, am really surprised on this recipe amd I’ll keep it forever! Thank you!^^
Thank you !!! It’s such a great feedback, all my recipes are egg-free and I do my best to make them taste and look like the real thing.
Hi! So, I made this Almond Banana Bread. So so delicious. I actually used ghee( homemade from good quality butter) Thanks for all your recipes. They are all delicious and easy to make. Have an amazing day x
PS I was hoping to send a photo but I don’t see an option to do so.
Thank you so much! if you have Instagram, you can tag me in your story with a picture of your creation. I would love to see your banana bread.
Bonjour, que représente votre tasse en grammes ? Merci.
Pour afficher mes recettes en grammes, cliquez sur le bouton ‘Metric’ situé juste au-dessus de la liste des ingrédients. Cela convertira automatiquement les mesures en grammes et en millilitres. Attention : une ‘cup’ n’est pas une simple tasse de cuisine, mais une unité de mesure américaine précise. Notez bien que 1 cup = 250 ml, ce qui ne correspond pas forcément à 250 grammes !
I have made this bread 3 times in less than 2 weeks! I actually just sprinkled some sliced almonds on top, because I didn’t have the dairy free butter and my daughter can’t eat butter. It came out so good! Moist and delicious! We actually fight over who is getting the last piece and I wind up making another one. The only problem is having enough over ripe bananas all the time! Absolutely love your recipes
That’s so nice to hear, thank you for sharing your lovely story with me.
This was so good. I can’t stop eating this. Great recipe!
That’s so nice to hear!
Σέ ευχαριστώ πολύ για τής όμορφες συνταγές σού είμαι φαν του υγιεινή διατροφή και μου αρέσει πολύ να φτιάχνω μόνη μου γλυκά για την οικογένειά μου, σου εύχομαι καλή επιτυχία στο έργο σου και πόλες χαρές ❤️
Thank you !
Hi, I don’t have 360g of Mashed Bananas (220-230g) n almond flour.
1) shall I replace the variance of 120g or banana with other ingredient?
2) may I swap almond flour for both batter n topping with ground almond? Or perhaps rolled oats? Thanks!
If you have less bananas, you definitely need something else to balance the loss of moisture. Applesauce should work. For almond flour, it’s the key ingredient in this recipe to provide an almond croissant taste, Oat flour, will make everything dry, and never provide the almond croissant taste. The only flour that could work are cashew flour, or sesame flour.
This bread is an absolute delight! Made it this morning with few tweaks. Balanced banana with yogurt, used Almond meal instead of almond flour in both batter & topping, mixed oat flour + All-Purpose Flour. It turns out super moist n soft; still hold its shape when cutting. Well the almond essence that gives strong almond croissant taste. Too pungent in my opinion… i blame it on the essence. The topping doesn’t give crumbly texture n more like a paste. But Overall bread is superb! This is 1 of your best recipe I’ve try so far
Thanks! it’s so nice to read your comment. I am so happy it worked out so great with your changes.
So delicious and easy to make. I love almond croissants and this is absolutely an excellent recipe. Thank you for sharing and I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
I am so happy you love this bread!