Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (Gluten-Free)

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The best paleo banana bread recipe with chocolate chips! So moist, incredibly delicious, sweet, chocolaty, yet healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free!

Banana bread is a superstar! Let’s face it; it is undeniably delicious in each and every variation. All those ripe bananas make this loaf not only super moist but also give it a natural sweetness and superb banana flavor. 😉

You can enjoy it toasted for breakfast or, especially this version with chocolate chips, serve it as a healthy-ish paleo dessert!

The main ingredients are ripe bananas, almond flour, coconut oil, and eggs. Hip hip hooray to chocolate! 🥳 I love to add in a chunk of chocolate chips. Yes, chocolate does make everything better, especially when combined with banana – an unbeatable combination, wouldn’t you agree?

Speaking of bananas, it’s best to use very ripe (almost overripe) bananas to make banana bread. Why? Cause overripe bananas contain much more fruit sugar than unripe ones, resulting in sweeter and more flavorful bread. Plus, it’s a noble way to give your overripe bananas another life! 🙋‍♀️

If you aren’t that lucky and have no overripe bananas lying around waiting to be mashed for this incredible loaf, buy them 1-2 days in advance. I count towards those people who can develop a spontaneous craving for chocolate chip banana bread. In this case, I forgo a crime and use very firm bananas, which works too! 😉

Paleo & Gluten-Free

It’s very easy to bake gluten-free chocolate chip banana bread. And you do NOT have to resort to a gluten-free flour blend to do it. Almond flour is the solution!

Almond flour can be relatively expensive and hard to find in smaller grocery stores (depending on in which country you live). Therefore, I highly recommend making your own homemade almond flour.

As this recipe is paleo-friendly, it’s not only gluten-free but also refined sugar-free and dairy-free. Maple syrup is used as a sweetener and coconut oil (preferably virgin) as fat.

Paleo Banana Bread Recipe – Step-by-Step

This step-by-step guide will help you along the way – definitely recommended if you’re a baking beginner! The exact quantities and everything else you need to know for the recipe can be found in the recipe card below.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 8×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Mash 3 bananas in a large mixing bowl using the back of a fork.
• Add eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas and whisk until combined.
• Stir in almond flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

• Fold in chocolate chips (optional: keep a few aside for decoration – next step). Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

• Optional: Slice one banana lengthwise in half and place it on top of the batter. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.

• Bake for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven. → The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
• Let it cool on a rack for 10 minutes, remove from the pan, and wait until completely cool before slicing.

Recipe FAQ & Tips

How long does this bread stay fresh? Store leftovers in an airtight container or packed with aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

Can I freeze leftovers? Absolutely! Once cool, transfer the bread into a freezer bag and freeze for a maximum of 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight, or rebake frozen bread for a few minutes in the oven. Defrosting is even faster if you freeze the bread already sliced so that you can defrost single slices at room temperature.

Coconut Oil Substitution: Use ¼ cup olive oil. (Paleo). I always recommend using virgin coconut oil, which is taste-neutral and doesn’t add any coconut flavor to baked goods. Feel free to substitute it with dairy-free or regular butter, although this doesn’t count towards paleo.

Chocolate: If you are following a strict paleo diet, make sure to go for sugar-free chocolate chips. Most chocolate chips, even bittersweet ones, contain a small amount of sugar. There are a few sugar-free brands or those which are made with unrefined sugar – choose them! If you don’t care too much about paleo but are looking for a healthier banana bread version, use semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (the amount of sugar is still relatively small).

More Healthy Dessert Recipes You’ll Love:

• Paleo Brownies
• Pear Chocolate Olive Oil Cake (Paleo, Gluten-Free)
• Paleo Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
• Vegan Chocolate Pie (Gluten-Free)
• Healthy Avocado Chocolate Mousse

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