Look no further for the best keto banana bread recipe. Ground chia seed, that nutritional powerhouse, gives this bread the perfect banana bread texture without the sugars or carbs.
I’m excited to bring you this updated Keto Banana Bread recipe, as well as a how-to video! This recipe first debuted on my blog in May 2014, but now it’s easier to make and lower in carbs. I know you’re going to love it.
This recipe bread took me a little while to perfect but it was definitely worth all the work. After all, banana bread is very possibly the most comforting of baked goods. Who among us hasn’t had a grandmother or caring friend make us banana bread as a sign of their deepest affection?
And if you’re a mother, surely you’ve made numerous batches of banana bread for your own kids to let them know how much you love them.
Baking keto banana bread is an act of love – all the more so because it won’t raise the blood sugar of you or your loved ones. Along with keto oatmeal cookies, or keto cinnamon rolls, this low carb banana bread recipe is a sign of your love and devotion.
Banana-free banana bread?
I do have to tell you a funny story about this keto banana bread. Back when it first came out in 2014, I jokingly referred to it as banana-free banana bread, and that seemed to spark a fun little Twitter debate.
Somehow, Nigella Lawson caught wind of it, and made some snide remark, wondering why anyone would make even THINK to make banana bread without any bananas. I wasn’t really offended – if you’re not part of the keto world, you don’t really have a clue about sugars and carbs and how detrimental something like fruit can be.
Very sweetly, however, numerous readers and followers jumped to my defense and fired back at the famous chef, pointing out how diabetes works and how delicious and healthy this bread actually is.
My 15 minutes of fame, all because I made banana bread without any real bananas.
Updated keto banana bread recipe
While my original recipe was very good, it was also a bit high carb, coming in at 9g per serving. It also had a cream cheese frosting, which was quite tasty but many readers found that they liked the bread best without it.
I’ve learned a lot in the past 6 years of keto baking, so it was time to tackle this recipe again and make it truly keto-friendly. But it still has a special ingredient that gives it real banana bread texture, without using any bananas whatsoever.
The trick is ground chia seed mixed with water. If you’ve ever worked with chia seed, you know it swells up and gels when mixed with water, and the texture is remarkably similar to mashed banana. And when mixed into this keto banana bread, it adds similar moisture and texture as real bananas would.
The banana flavor comes from banana extract. I really like this one from Olive Nation. It’s all natural and it tastes the most like real banana, in my opinion.
Tips for making Keto Banana Bread
This is an easy and family friendly recipe, and you can have some fun adding nuts or chocolate chips, whatever you like best in your banana bread. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- The chia seed is best if it’s ground up first. I do this in a coffee grinder to catch all the little seeds. You might also have luck in a small food processor or a strong blender.
- Mix the ground chia and water first, and let it sit for a bit while you work on the other ingredients. When you’re ready to mix it in, it should be like a thick, gelatinous paste.
- How much additional liquid you will need depends quite a bit on your chia gel and how thick it was. If your batter is super thick, keep adding water, a little at a time, until it’s a scoopable consistency. It should not be pourable.
- How much banana extract you add depends on how strong it is. The Olive Nation extract I use has the best flavor and my kids love it so I use about 1 1/2 teaspoons. Some baking emulsions or artificial flavors may be stronger and you’d want to stick with about 1 teaspoon.
- You can bake this in any loaf pan. An 8×4 inch loaf pan will make the batter deeper, so it will take longer to bake than in a 5×9 inch pan. The bake times are only rough guides so keep your eye on your keto banana bread when it’s in the oven. If the top is browning too quickly but the center doesn’t seem cooked through, cover it with foil.
- This is a wonderfully adaptable recipe! You can add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, shredded coconut… whatever you like best in your banana bread.
- As always, let it cool completely before turning it out of the pan or cutting into it. I do recommend running a sharp knife around the edges to loosen it. If your pan is not non-stick, you may even want to make a parchment paper sling to life it out more easily.
Ready to make some delicious keto banana bread?
More keto sweet bread recipes
- Keto Gingerbread Loaf
- Keto Blueberry Bread
- Keto Peanut Butter Bread
- Keto Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Keto Pumpkin Streusel Bread
- Keto Lemon Bread
Keto Banana Bread
Ingredients
Banana Bread:
- 1/4 cup chia seed
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 3/4 cups almond flour
- 2/3 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1/3 cup unflavoured whey protein powder
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp banana extract (imitation would also be fine)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, sugar-free
Instructions
Banana Bread:
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan very well (you can also use 9x5 but your bread will bake faster). If your pan isn't very non-stick, you may want to line the pan with parchment, and grease the parchment.
- Grind the chia seed in a coffee grinder or food processor. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the water. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, coconut flour, baking powder and salt.
- Stir in the eggs, melted butter, chia seed mixture, banana extract, and vanilla extract, until thoroughly combined. Stir in the water to thin the mixture to a scoopable consistency. If it's still very thick, add more water, 1 tbsp at a time.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, if using, saving a few for the top of the bread. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake 60 to 75 minutes or until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 20 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen. Continue to let it sit in the pan until cool, about 20 minutes more.
Video
Notes
Total fat: 13.8g
Carbohydrate: 5.3g
Total dietary fiber: 3.2g
Protein: 6.3g
Margaret DeVol says
I made this recipe yesterday and I have to admit I was skeptical. Regular banana bread is a family favorite. This version was so GOOD. The texture was so very similar to the regular recipe I used to make. The flavor was spot on, just enough banana but not too overpowering. I added 1/2 cup chopped pecans as well. I baked it a little too long, so it was just a tad dry. I will make again scaling the cooking time. I am not sure someone could tell this was keto if you served them a slice! Thank you for your recipes; they have made my no sugar/keto journey so much more enjoyable.
Diane says
This is fabulous! I omitted the chocolate chips and found Watkins natural banana flavoring at Menards. The chia seeds whirled up just fine in my old Magic Bullet. In the summer, I bake in my toaster oven that I keep on my screened in porch. It took exactly 60 min. Thank you Carolyn for another great recipe!
Carolyn says
Glad you liked it!
Belinda says
I made the keto banana bread yesterday and substituted the chocolate chips with blueberries. It is super delicious and moist too! Thank you very much for the recipe.
Shakir Malik says
The first thing that left me puzzled was the inclusion of ‘banana’ in this keto diet but then I went down to read the whole recipe only to be left amazed! I’m a beginner in the keto diet and quite know it’s a bit of work to get the diet right 🙂
Deb Chrisman says
Who knew ground chia seeds and banana extract could substitute for the smashed bananas I used to use in bread. The resemblance is amazing once you add the water and it gels. I used my blender with grind attachment for that then added in the rest of the wet ingredients and made quick work of that to blend together. Poured it all into dry ingredients hand mixed it all including the addition of some mini chocolate chips and sunflower seeds. Tasted and added a little more sweetener since I wasn’t making a frosted bread, instead I scooped the batter into 12 muffins cups and baked about half the loaf time. It is fluffy, yummy and less carbs than most muffin recipes. Thank you for this amazing food I can now enjoy again right from my own kitchen. It is even better after a day in the fridge just like regular banana bread was. 😃
Carol says
Hi Carolyn — My husband is on a restricted Keto diet for cancer that does not permit whey protein powder. Is there something else I could use to get similar results? He LOVES banana bread and is looking forward to eating some.
Thanks!
Carolyn says
Egg white protein is the best alternative. This is a good one: https://amzn.to/3teOVgP
Grace Davila says
This bread is perfect! The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to cool. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Jennifer says
For anyone wondering how this would work with real banana (2 medium bananas, mashed) in place of the chia seeds and water mixture, it worked great. I replaced the remaining water with buttermilk and baked at 350 for about 45-50 minutes.
I am trying to get my daughter onboard with Keto for various health issues. I made the banana bread as is with the chia and banana extract and I loved it but I’ve also been keto for 4 years. My daughter took one bite and spit it out. It may have been too much too soon. 🙂 So I froze that one for me and made it again with real banana for her. Baby steps. Still no wheat flour or added sugar (except the sugar in the bananas, obvs) so still a win. I loved the recipe as is, such a great idea and tastes to me exactly like real banana bread!
Melissa says
Loved this recipe! So tender and tastes just like the real thing. Thanks for coming up with these amazing recipes.
Hayley says
Would I be able to trade the chia seeds put for 1 actual banana? Obviously of course it’ll be a bit high carb.