Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
This Easy Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe is the ultimate healthy dessert or snack! This gluten free banana bread is moist with just the right amount of sweetness and loaded with chocolate chips. This banana bread recipe is dairy-free, gluten free, and grain free so you can feel good about what you’re eating.
Healthy versions of baked goods can sometimes be dense, dry, and boring, but this delicious Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is an exception! Almond butter and mashed bananas keep the batter moist and tender, and chunks of dark chocolate make it feel as if you are biting into a decadent dessert. I like to make these bars to have on hand throughout the week (they freeze really well!) especially if I know it’s going to be a busy one. They are the perfect grab and go breakfast bar, mid-afternoon snack, or healthy dessert.
This banana bread is great for a variety of diets and lifestyles including paleo, gluten free, grain free, and vegan (just replace the eggs with flax eggs.) No matter what diet you are following, you are sure to enjoy this easy banana bread!
For more healthy banana recipes, be sure to check out these Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, Banana Coconut Cashew Granola, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Bars, and the best ever Healthy Banana Bread.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make – ready in less than 1 hour.
- Super moist – not dry like a lot of paleo recipes can be!
- Made with healthy ingredients so you can feel good about eating it.
- Fits a variety of diets and lifestyles since it’s paleo, gluten free, and grain free, and it includes a vegan option.
PRO TIP: Make sure you use bananas that are several days old. Overripe bananas with brown spots are the best for banana bread because they are sweeter. We don’t need to add too much extra sweetener in this recipe, because the bananas are sweet enough on their own.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Almond flour: Superfine blanched almond flour works best here.
- Tapioca flour: Tapioca flour, sometimes labelled as “tapioca starch”, is a key ingredient to keep the banana bread from crumbling apart. If you do not have tapioca flour, replace with an equal amount of arrowroot flour.
- Coconut flour: Coconut flour helps absorb moisture and adds a great texture to the banana bread bars. I don’t recommend replacing it with anything else!
- Bananas: Extra ripe bananas are best for this paleo banana bread recipe.
- Almond butter: Use your favorite brand of creamy natural almond butter or cashew butter.
- Chocolate: I like to use dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for this banana bread. My favorite Paleo chocolate for baking is this one from HuKitchen.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, eggs, vanilla extract, mashed bananas, and almond butter.
- Combine the ingredients: Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined and there are no dry spots. It’s ok if it’s lumpy!
- Add chocolate: Fold the chocolate into the batter, reserving a little bit to sprinkle on top.
- Bake: Spread batter evenly into a parchment lined baking pan and top with the reserved chocolate. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and cut into bars: Once baked, remove from the oven and place the baking on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing and cutting into bars!
EXPERT TIPS
- These banana bread bars can easily be made vegan by replacing the eggs with flax eggs! To make 1 flax egg, mix together 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 3 tablespoons water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before using. For this recipe you will have to use 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons water).
- To prevent the bars from falling apart, allow them to cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.
- Use a kitchen scale to correctly measure ingredients and provide the best results.
- Add ins like walnuts and pecans can be used in this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store Banana Bread Bars in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the slices or bars so that you always have a healthy sweet treat on hand!
This Paleo Banana Bread can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes! I love freezing this grain free banana bread so that I always have a healthy sweet treat on hand! To freeze, cover the cooled banana bread bars tightly with plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Thaw bars overnight in the refrigerator or wrap the bars in aluminum foil and warm in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.
More Paleo Recipes You’ll Love!
Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- 8×8-inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 2 eggs* see notes for vegan option
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large ripe bananas mashed
- 1/2 cup creamy almond butter or cashew butter
- 6 oz paleo chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, eggs (or flax eggs for vegan), vanilla extract, almond butter, and mashed bananas until well combined.
- Stir in dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate, reserving some to sprinkle on top.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and top with reserved chocolate. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.
- Let cool for at least 30 minutes in pan before cutting into squares.
This came out great and was so easy to make. However, it’s a dessert for me! So chocolately and rich. I usually eat a piece of banana bread for breakfast because I don’t have much of an appetite in the morning, and it’s one of the few things I can get down. But this is like having dessert for breakfast and downright sinful! And they are great 3 days after I baked them and do not taste gluten free. Thank you so much, I think. Lol!
This is the best Paleo baked good I have ever made! The texture is perfect and it was super easy to make. Thank you!
Thank you, Adie!! 🙂
I ate these straight out of the pan with a fork. They smelled and tasted so good I could NOT wait for them to cool down! Thanks.
hahaha yessssss! I have to admit, I do the same sometimes too!
This was the first time that I have ever made a paleo desert, and it turned out great! I will definitely make this again.Thank you!
Yay for paleo desserts!!
Probably one of my favorite recipes of yours… hands down!! So incredibly moist!
So happy to hear that!!
These were delicious. Highly recommend these to ease sweet tooth cravings!
So happy to hear that Jason! They’re the perfect healthy treat.
Made these bars so many times. Sooo delicious!!
Oh my these look so good! I will definitely have to try these.
Thank you!! Enjoy!!
oh my goodness! These banana bars are amazing! They came out so moist and delicious, no-one was able to tell they were gluten free. This is definitely a keeper!
Thank you!!
I’m OBSESSED with these banana bread bars!
Thank you so much, Kelsey!!