The BEST keto banana bread is the perfect breakfast with only 4g net carbs and 7.5g protein per serving. This banana bread will help keep you full all morning.
This moist bread has a crunchy walnut topping. It's sugar-free and gluten-free PLUS low-carb banana bread is made without bananas!
You can make this banana bread whenever you want because have to wait for your bananas to over ripen!
This keto banana bread recipe is inspired by my wheat-free lemon scones on this site and my flourless yeast-free bread. This banana bread tastes amazing with a dollop of sugar-free keto cream cheese frosting.
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You can bake this sugar-free banana bread in a small loaf pan or as keto banana bread muffins.
Are bananas keto?
Bananas are a high-carb fruit that is usually avoided when on the low-carb diet, keto diet, or high-protein low-carb diet.
To make a keto banana bread recipe, we use banana flavor (banana extract) instead of fresh overripe banans.
Nutrition of medium banana(136g): 31.1 g total carbs, 3.5 g fiber, 27.5 g net carbs, 1.5 g protein, 0.4 g fat, 121 calories.
Nutritional values from cronometer.com
Ingredients you need
Made with almond flour and coconut flour this keto banana bread perfectly mimics the denseness and texture of regular banana bread made with wheat flour.
Bananas are high in carbs and high in natural sugars. So to make this banana bread keto-friendly the bananas have been omitted and replaced with banana extract. The banana extract can be found in most major stores, but if you can't find it in the store you can also buy it online.
The rest of the ingredient list is very simple. To make this sugar free banana bread, you'll need:
- almond flour - this almond flour banana bread has so much flavor thanks to the nutty flavor profile. I recommend using finely ground almond flour rather than almond meal for a smoother batter.
- coconut flour - you cannot swap coconut flour for almond flour in this recipe. both low-carb flours are required.
- butter - softened. You can use salted butter or unsalted butter. Just add a pinch of salt if required.
- banana extract - this is the secret ingredient. Banana extract is how you get that banana flavor featured in traditional banana bread without using real bananas or ripe bananas.
- sour cream
- baking powder - do not confuse baking powder with baking soda.
- ground cinnamon
- granulated sweetener of choice - find some of the most popular granulated sweeteners. Sugar alcohols such as erythritol are a commonly used sugar-free sweetener in keto cakes.
- eggs
- psyllium husk
- chopped walnuts - optional, but totally recommended.
See the keto banana bread recipe card below for quantities.
How to make a keto banana cake
Preheat your oven to 325°F/165°C. Grease your bread pan (loaf pan) and line with baking parchment paper. In a small bowl mix together 3 tablespoons of softened butter and the walnut pieces. Set the butter and walnut mixture aside to use later.
If you are making your keto banana bread without chopped walnuts you will still need to set aside the 3 tablespoons of butter for use later in a separate bowl.
Next, mix all the dry ingredients for your keto banana bread together in a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes to allow some of the liquids to be absorbed by the coconut flour and psyllium husk.
Fill your lined pan with the batter and smooth out with a silicone spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake the bread uncovered in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes.
After 25 minutes remove the banana bread from the oven and follow the directions below for adding the walnut topping to your bread or for how to finish baking your bread without walnuts.
How to make a crunchy walnut topping
Remove the low-carb banana bread from the oven (the top won't be completely set yet.) Add the walnuts and melted butter mixture to the top of the banana bread by dropping small spoonfuls over the top.
Be sure to spread it around so all the nuts aren't in the center as too much weight will make the center of the bread collapse. The butter will melt and soak into the bread leaving your bread moist like regular banana bread.
Cover with foil and place back in the oven. Bake for an additional 30 minutes to allow the bread to set.
Remove from the oven and let the bread cool completely before slicing and serving your keto-friendly banana bread!
Baking keto banana bread (without walnut topping)
If you are leaving out the walnuts in your banana bread you will still want to remove the bread from the oven after baking for 20-25 minutes so that you can add the 3 tablespoons of butter you set aside to the top of the bread.
Gently spread the softened butter over the top of the bread (the center won't be set yet) then loosely cover with aluminum foil and place back in the oven to finish baking for an additional 30 minutes.
The butter will melt and soak into the bread leaving your bread moist like regular banana bread. When the bread is done baking let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Banana cake variations
There are so many ways to ensure keto banana bread! Below you will find a few of our favorite variations you can add to your keto banana bread.
- Walnut-free - skip the walnut and only add the butter to the top of your bread.
- Cinnamon and brown sugar topping - add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a brown sugar replacement to the butter and walnut topping.
- Muffins - make keto banana muffins by baking in a muffin pan instead of a loaf pan. Bake at the same temperature for 20-25 minutes until the top sets.
- Frosted - After your banana bread cools top it off with some keto cream cheese frosting.
- Chocolate chips - add one-third of a cup of sugar-free chocolate chips to your coconut flour and almond flour banana bread recipe.
Equipment you need
I used a loaf pan to bake my banana bread. To ensure I was able to easily remove the bread from the loaf pan I coated the inside of the bread pan with olive oil and then lined the pan with baking parchment paper.
When the bread was done baking I used the parchment paper to lift the bread out of the pan and set it on a wire cooling rack to cool completely. This ensures the bread doesn't overcook while cooling.
How to store banana bread
Banana bread can be stored in an airtight container or zipped bag for 3-5 days on the counter or up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Baked keto banana bread can all be frozen sliced or as a whole loaf. Tightly wrap the sliced bread in parchment paper to prevent freezer burn, and then wrap it in plastic wrap or in a zipped bag. Place it flat in the freezer for up to four months.
Banana bread can be defrosted by placing it in the refrigerator or on the counter until it thaws.
Expert recipe tips
This low-carb keto sweet bread recipe is the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack since it is so filling. It's one of my favorite recipes the whole family loves!
Make it over the weekend. Then slice it up and store it on the counter. Grab a slice in the morning to enjoy with a warm cup of coffee, tea, or a cool glass of almond milk.
Yes, it has a strong banana flavor that helps this keto banana bread recipe taste like real banana bread.
No, coconut flour has completely different properties from almond flour and psyllium husk. You need all three low-carb flours in this recipe.
The most popular sugar replacements in keto recipes are erythritol, monk fruit, allulose, or xylitol. Find a granulated sweetener that you like, and stick with it.
No, melted butter is needed in your almond flour banana bread to give it a rich buttery taste.
There are 4 grams of net carbs per slice. The carb count is low because the banana extract is used instead of ripe bananas.
Regular maple syrup has added sugar, but keto maple syrup has zero sugar, low carb, and is keto friendly.
No, sorry. This almond flour banana bread recipe calls for butter to give a creamy buttery taste.
Allow the bread to cool completely in the loaf pan. Once cool, cut and wrap each slice in baking parchment paper and store in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
There are 27 g of net carbs in one medium banana. The secret ingredient here is to use the banana extract to replace a real banana to make it low-carb. There are only 4g net carbs per slice.
Serve with keto sugar-free maple syrup, low-carb frosting, or toast a slice and spread with butter.
Baking 101 (tips & charts)
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Best Keto Banana Bread (Without Bananas)
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Ingredients
- 2 cups almond meal/flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sweetener of choice or more, to your taste
- 4 eggs - medium
- 1 tablespoon banana extract
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon psyllium husk
- ½ cup walnut halves/pieces optional
Instructions
Keto banana bread
- Preheat your oven to 325°F/165°C. Grease your bread pan and line with baking parchment paper.
- In a small bowl mix together 3 tablespoons of softened butter and the walnut pieces. Set aside to use later.
- Combine all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients and mix them together. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the batter to thicken some.
- Pour the batter into your bread pan and smooth out. Bake uncovered in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven (the top won't be completely set yet.)
Add walnut topping
- Add the walnuts and butter mixture to the top of the banana bread by dropping small spoonfuls over the top. Be sure to spread it around so all the nuts aren't in the center.
- Cover with foil and place back in the oven. Bake for an additional 30 minutes to allow the bread to set.
- Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing and serving.
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Approximate nutrition information is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. For the most accurate nutritional data, use the actual ingredients and brands you used in your preferred nutrition calculator.
Mia
Lobby firstly thank you for the time & energy you pit in to create these recipes. Made this today as muffins rather than loaf. Seemed though like too much butter in this recipe. Is there something else or a way we could cut back that ingredient? Mine were super moist almost to moist.
Rachel Groff
Hi Mia, glad you enjoyed it! Yes, you can cut back on the butter if desired. Since the butter also adds moisture to the batter you may need to add some moisture back into the recipe with cream or even coconut cream. They have a higher fat content, which gives you a moist loaf. This would NOT be a 1:1 substitution though, so be sure to add the cream in a little at a time until the batter reaches the desired consistency. Let us know how it turns out. Thanks!
Gladys
Hi Libby,
I have been using your receipes since I decided to follow low carb diet due to my diabetes.
I made the banana cake without bananas and it is so yummy.
Thank you so much for your hard and good work developing all these receipes.
Thank you.
Libby Jenkinson
Hi Gladys, I am thrilled that you love this keto banana bread AND that all my diabetic-friendly recipes are helping you gain control of your blood sugars. That's superb!
Denise
This makes a good sized, moist loaf that is very moreish. It was so nice to enjoy the banana flavour again, (after 13 years of low carb and no bananas!) I found it challenging to slice with the walnut topping, so I removed the walnuts and put cream cheese frosting on top instead. I will definitely be making this again.
Libby Jenkinson
So many readers have been asking me to create a banana loaf, I just had to comply. I'm so pleased you loved it. Have you seen my keto buttercream frosting? That would be amazing on top to decorate.
maureen
One cup of butter (16 Tbls) is in the ingredient list.....3 Tbls are used to mix with the walnuts or to use later. THAT 3 Tbls of butter is removed from the original one cup of butter. So the rest of the butter (13 Tbls) goes into the mix.
I hope that's correct...maureen
Libby Jenkinson
Great question, and yes, you are correct. You "need to set aside the 3 tablespoons of butter for use later in a separate bowl".
Kay Soon
But is the banana extract good for us? Are sweeteners good for us? I doubt it, on both counts.
Kay
(not a great fan of bananas but knows someone who eats them by the bucketload)
Karen
Incredibly moist, buttery and fragrant, Libby! My walnut topping did not stick because at 25” in my oven, the top was baked. As far as no-banana keto breads, this is Numero Uno, and I’ve tried many… and I consider the walnut topping mandatory (as is a good quality banana extract). But for my personal taste, keto recipes with one banana are better. Paleo banana breads (very high carb but oh-so-good) are still my favorite, especially for gifting.
Cali
there are pure banana extracts that you can purchase.
Depending on what sweetener you use, YES they are good for you. I grow my own stevia so it is pure. Organic monk fruit is just that, a fruit.
Would you prefer to use over processed white table sugar?