Banana bread recipes are extremely popular. And I’m by no means complaining. As, I too love a tasty, healthy slice of Grain Free Ginger Banana Bread or a batch of moist Protein Banana Muffins. My favorite way to use up extra ripe bananas is in baked goods, like in this Almond Banana Bread. Plus, making a loaf in the evening and then serving it for breakfast makes my mornings easy. And I’m all about simplifying breakfast when I can.

This Almond Banana Bread is made with a combination of grain free flours: almond flour, tapioca flour and coconut flour. It’s flavored with bananas, almond extract and vanilla. Also, it is only sweetened with bananas! Yep, no added sugar. In addition to being a healthy breakfast option, this bread is great for snacking or packed for lunch.

Banana Bread only Sweetened with Bananas

One of my favorite aspects of banana bread is that it can be naturally sweetened just by the fruit itself. Yes, many recipes will add sugar or sweetener. But, I like my banana bread purely sweetened with bananas. This makes it a healthy bread option, so long as the other ingredients make the grade.

In my opinion, cutting added sugar wherever possible is best for overall health. Ripe bananas are sweet and will add enough sugar to baked goods to taste great. Adding excess sugar, even the “healthier” options like maple syrup, would make this Almond Banana Bread into more of a dessert than a snack or meal addition.

Do You have to use Ripe bananas for Banana Bread?

The short answer is “no”. No, you don’t have to use ripe bananas to make banana bread.

Green bananas are lower in sugar. They contain more resistant starch, which, as the bananas ripen turn into simple sugar. Using unripe bananas will result in a bread that isn’t very sweet. But, this can easily be changed by adding sugar or sweetener to the batter. Furthermore, the bananas won’t be as easy to mash. But if you’re using a food processor to mix the batter, then this isn’t an issue.

Ideally, you’ll want to use bananas that are yellow with many brown spots. Or, at least that’s my preference. Bananas that are yellow with many brown speckles are what I used in this recipe. I think they produce the optimal flavor and texture.

Lastly, using bananas that are nearly black will work as well. Many websites declare that over-ripe bananas are the best for baking. Personally, I don’t like their flavor very much, as I find them too sweet.

How Long is Homemade Banana Bread Good For?

Banana bread is best stored in the fridge. Since this bread is naturally moist, it spoils quickly. But in general, here are my storage guidelines:

Room Temperature: 2-3 days in sealed container
Fridge: 1 week in sealed container
Freezer: up to 1 month in plastic storage bag

How do You Keep Banana Bread Moist?

Paleo banana bread tends to be moist, so long as you store it in a sealed container. Any baked good will dry out left in the open air.

I recommend storing banana bread in an air-tight container, if storing in the pantry or fridge.

For freezer storage, it is best to wrap banana bread in parchment or wax paper and then place in a sealed plastic bag. Defrost or heat in the microwave prior to eating.

Additional Banana Bread Add-Ins

Banana bread is one of those recipes with millions of various flavoring and add-in options. Some of my favorites include:

Chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans)
Seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
Grain Free Granola (my favorite brand)
Freeze Dried Fruit (apples, raspberries, strawberries)
Dried Fruit (raisins, chopped dates)
Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ground clove, ginger)