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All Day I Dream About Food

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September 9, 2020

Keto Banana Bread

This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

13.5Kshares

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.

Titled image of a slice of keto banana bread on a white plate, smeared with butter.

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.

Keto banana bread with chocolate chips, still in the pan.

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.

Keto banana bread on a cutting board, with a slice cut out in front.

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.

Close up shot of keto banana bread smeared with butter

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. This is a wonderfully adaptable recipe! You can add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, shredded coconut… whatever you like best in your banana bread.
  7. 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?

A stack of slices of keto banana bread in front of two sunflowers

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
4.91 from 10 votes
Keto banana bread on a cutting board, with a slice cut out in front.
Print
Keto Banana Bread
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 35 mins
 

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.

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Bread
Keyword: keto banana bread, low carb banana bread
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 185 kcal
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
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Banana Bread:
  1. 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.

  2. Grind the chia seed in a coffee grinder or food processor. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the water. Set aside.

  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, protein powder, coconut flour, baking powder and salt.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

The nutritional information includes the chocolate chips. Without the chips, each serving has:

Food energy: 168kcal
Total fat: 13.8g
Carbohydrate: 5.3g
Total dietary fiber: 3.2g
Protein: 6.3g

Nutrition Facts
Keto Banana Bread
Amount Per Serving (1 serving = 1/12th of the loaf)
Calories 185 Calories from Fat 136
% Daily Value*
Fat 15.1g23%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 4.5g18%
Protein 6.6g13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
13.5Kshares

Filed Under: Bread, Gluten Free, Low Carb Tagged With: almond flour, banana extract, chia seed

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Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

Reader Interactions

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Comments

  1. Regan @ Cabot Creamery says

    May 19, 2014 at 6:13 am

    I swear May is the new December. Deanna from Teaspoon of Spice Blog and I were just talking last week about how crazy busy May has all of a sudden become.

    This recipe is genius by the way. Can’t wait to try the chia concoction.

    Question — and we can discuss this in VT this weekend 🙂 but how does your family do with Swerve? I love it and think it’s genius. I’m just hesitant with my family to see if they can taste the difference.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 19, 2014 at 8:37 am

      My kids are great with it. My little one tends not to like it in frostings that don’t contain chocolate, for some reason, but the other two are fine with it in anything. And the little ones likes it in almost everything else.

      Reply
      • DEBRA GILBERT says

        May 5, 2020 at 11:59 am

        Can I use 1/2 heavy cream and 1/2 water as a sub for almond milk?

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          May 5, 2020 at 1:30 pm

          Yup, that’s perfect.

          Reply
          • Sasha says

            May 10, 2020 at 1:09 pm

            Can I use heavy whipping cream as a substitute for all of the water and almond milk?

          • Carolyn says

            May 10, 2020 at 5:10 pm

            It will make the batter much too thick. You can water it down, though.

          • Nancy says

            October 31, 2020 at 1:29 pm

            Where is almond milk in the ingredients list?

  2. Christine from Cook the Story says

    May 19, 2014 at 8:02 am

    I can almost smell the goodness through the computer!

    Reply
  3. Lin says

    May 19, 2014 at 8:35 am

    I’m making this today! My hubby is insane for banana bread. BTW, we are also crazy about your delicious chia seed brownies!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 19, 2014 at 8:36 am

      Thanks, Lin!

      Reply
  4. Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says

    May 19, 2014 at 9:36 am

    It doesn’t get much better than banana bread straight from the oven! Love this caramel frosting!

    Reply
  5. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says

    May 19, 2014 at 9:51 am

    This looks absolutely fantastic! That frosting is amazing!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 10, 2020 at 12:26 pm

      Can anything be substituted for the whey protein powder

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        September 11, 2020 at 9:43 am

        Please read the tips section, you will see I give alternatives.

        Reply
  6. Jasmine Lukuku says

    May 19, 2014 at 12:56 pm

    I would like to see your birth certificate, because I’m pretty sure you were built in some bio-technical lab where they make bionic superwomen.

    I love reading a recipe and realizing that I have every ingredient on hand. When that happens, I know it’s meant to be. It looks like I have some banana bread to bake!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 19, 2014 at 3:16 pm

      Okay, at first I thought this had to be spam, with the birth certificate comment. Thanks for the giggle, Jasmine!

      Reply
  7. Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says

    May 19, 2014 at 8:49 pm

    So great to finally meet you in person at BlogHer Food Carolyn!! Hope we get to see each other again soon – wish I could have stayed longer. Love this banana bread with chia seeds, almond flour and coconut flour.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 20, 2014 at 4:41 am

      You too, Jeanette!

      Reply
  8. Cecelia says

    May 20, 2014 at 7:52 am

    Why dos.t any recipe have the amount of sugar?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 20, 2014 at 8:40 am

      Because I don’t use sugar.

      Reply
  9. Cecelia says

    May 20, 2014 at 8:43 am

    Makes sense. Sorry about that.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 20, 2014 at 9:00 am

      No worries. If you are looking to sub in sugar, you can put in about the same amount I use Swerve.

      Reply
  10. Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says

    May 20, 2014 at 10:43 am

    So so killer! Love this one, my friend!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 20, 2014 at 1:50 pm

      Thanks, lovely lady!

      Reply
  11. Me says

    May 20, 2014 at 12:33 pm

    Is the amount of water in the recipe correct? It made a really thick paste for me, not really a jell. It’s baking now- can’t wait to taste it! Thanks for sharing your creations 🙂

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 20, 2014 at 1:50 pm

      I believe it is, although it’s possible I wrote it down wrong. It should have been the consistency of mashed bananas. Let me know if it doesn’t turn out properly…I will test it again. My kids won’t complain!

      Reply
    • Laurel Otto says

      March 13, 2020 at 8:08 pm

      Why are there no bananas in the banana bread?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 13, 2020 at 9:24 pm

        Because it’s keto and bananas aren’t a good choice.

        Reply
  12. Anne-Marie Cain says

    May 20, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    This looks sooooooo yummy! What size loaf pan did you use? Can’t wait to give it a try! 🙂

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 20, 2014 at 2:21 pm

      The standard size 9 x 5 inches.

      Reply
  13. Charlotte says

    May 21, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    I lot of your baking recipes call for whey protein. Is there a good substitute for it?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 22, 2014 at 6:23 am

      Hemp protein or powdered egg white. It’s not about a dietary supplement, it’s about getting a dry protein to replace the gluten (which is a protein). It helps it rise and hold its shape.

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        October 18, 2020 at 9:51 pm

        Would vital wheat gluten work as a substitute for the whey protein?

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          October 20, 2020 at 12:36 pm

          Sorry I really cannot guide you as I haven’t tried it.

          Reply
  14. dina says

    May 23, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    it looks great!

    Reply
  15. Gerri says

    May 23, 2014 at 4:56 pm

    Fantastic! Yes, the best banana bread recipe ever. Texture, flavor were perfect. I added 1 cup chopped walnuts & will use 1 cup water for the chia seeds next time. Mine was also like a paste with 1/2 cup water, but it still turned out utterly delicious. Thank you for returning the yummy aroma of banana bread baking to my kitchen.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 24, 2014 at 5:28 am

      So glad to hear it!

      Reply
  16. Cindy Maddux says

    May 24, 2014 at 10:09 am

    Made this basic cake yesterday (minus the frosting) and had to make a few changes to it because I didn’t have banana extract, unsweetened almond milk or unflavored whey protein. I had coconut extract, unsweetened coconut milk and vanilla flavored whey protein powder (Body By Vi) and so I used them, also omitted the vanilla extract.

    The cake is super moist and dense thanks to the ground chia seeds, which I did have to use close to the full cup of water to get the mashed banana consistency. I had some fresh strawberries that I had been marinating in a sugar substitute and it made a little syrup with the strawberries and I made some whipped cream all to put on top of a slice of cake. It was so delicious, very tropical.

    I just love your recipes and appreciate, very much, all of the work you put into perfecting them. And the stories you include with them are so entertaining.

    Thanks for mentioning that you used your coffee grinder to grind the chia seeds. I had one in the very back of a cabinet that I had completely forgotten about so I dug it out and it worked perfectly. It’ll go back into the cabinet but up front rather way in the back. I’ll have to try it to make the powdered sweetener (from the granular form) for the frostings.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 24, 2014 at 1:13 pm

      Your changes sound good too!

      Reply
  17. Barb Sacco says

    May 25, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    Carolyn, if I wanted to make this into muffins instead of a loaf, how much time and at what temp should I bake them? I’ll assume the standard fill of 3/4 on the muffin liners would do? Cupcakes are easier to do for fund raisers than sliced breads are. Thanks for all your wonderful, healthy recipes!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 25, 2014 at 3:05 pm

      Bake them at the same temp and I think they will take at least 25 minutes. But I would start checking them after 20 minutes and keep checking every few minutes after that.

      Reply
      • Barb Sacco says

        May 25, 2014 at 3:24 pm

        That sounds right to me, too. Thanks so much!

        Reply
        • Lori says

          June 3, 2017 at 6:19 am

          Did anyone try muffins?

          Reply
          • Deb says

            June 3, 2017 at 9:25 am

            Lori, I’ve never actually made the bread just muffins and the are delicious and freeze wonderfully!

  18. Anne O says

    May 27, 2014 at 11:20 pm

    Carolyn, I followed all of your directions to a “T” EXCEPT for cooling it off before cutting- not a chance. Within 1 minute, I cut a fat slice, smeared on some of the icing, and almost suffered a heart attack. It was so delicious. Beyond anything anyone has described. Excellent and thank you for taking the time to perfect the recipe….it shows. I’m 3 months into low carb cooking & baking and you are a daily resource of mine. I’ve made 7 of your recipes, all are keepers. Many, many thanks for your work! Please don’t leave us or retire 🙂

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 28, 2014 at 4:41 am

      Glad you liked it that much!

      Reply
  19. Cecelia says

    May 28, 2014 at 2:12 pm

    I could not find ground chia seeds so I got chia seeds with flex in it. Can I use that and does it still need to be ground? Can I use the little grinder I have? Will the chia seeds with flex in it or should I just get the chia seeds?

    Reply
    • Cecelia says

      May 28, 2014 at 2:14 pm

      Just me again. Will the chia seeds with flex change the taste?

      Reply
      • Cindy says

        May 28, 2014 at 4:59 pm

        Hi Cecelia,
        I think it is important to the texture of the cake to have the chia seeds ground up otherwise the little seeds have a tendency to pop when bitten on in a cake/muffin when they are not ground. And the ground chia seeds is what is supposed to mimic the mashed banana. And the flax will most likely change the flavor a bit. It has kind of an earth taste to it. But then again the Banana extract may mask the taste of the flax but the flax will make the cake a bit more grainy, like the texture of a bran muffin.

        Reply
        • Cecelia says

          May 29, 2014 at 7:53 am

          Thanks again.
          I think you need your own T.V show.
          Thanks again

          Reply
      • Carolyn says

        May 28, 2014 at 5:56 pm

        You can grind them yourself…that’s what I do, in a coffee grinder. I think it will be okay.

        Reply
  20. Deb says

    May 28, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    Carolyn, I’ve been craving bananas lately and was thrilled to see a recipe that would allow me to indulge! I wanted to make muffins, but will these (minus the frosting of course) be able to be kept in the freezer? Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes : )

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 28, 2014 at 5:56 pm

      Yes, these would freeze well. I didn’t do it myself, but I am almost positive that they would.

      Reply
  21. Vivian says

    June 1, 2014 at 9:03 pm

    Wonderful recipe and I am so thankful for your work to create it! Thank you!! I have it in the oven and it smells great. (tasted great before I baked it so I am sure we will love it!) 🙂

    Reply
  22. Stacy says

    June 4, 2014 at 10:12 am

    I made this yesterday and added 1 cup chopped walnuts. The texture of the bread is spot on! And the icing is just divine!! I am enjoying a piece right now for breakfast. I never thought eating banana bread would be a part of my low carb diet. Thank You Thank You Thank You!! You are a genius.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 4, 2014 at 3:37 pm

      So glad you like it!

      Reply
  23. Anna says

    June 4, 2014 at 4:30 pm

    This is baking right now! Can’t wait! Would you recommend storing in the fridge or on the counter?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 5, 2014 at 5:58 am

      I wouldn’t store it on the counter for more than about 2 days.

      Reply
  24. Cecelia says

    June 6, 2014 at 2:28 pm

    Can I use gluten free flour instead of almond flour. I have tried all the stores around here and no on carries it. I bought slivered almonds and someone said I have to be very careful because I could be making almond butter if I mix it too long.
    I have everything except the almond flour.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 6, 2014 at 4:48 pm

      I think the amounts of other things will change some, because gluten-free flour is drier than almond flour. Start by not putting in any almond milk and then see how your batter is. If it’s REALLY thick, add 1/4 cup, then maybe a tbsp or two more. It should be spreadable but not pourable, if that makes sense.

      Reply
  25. Jackie says

    June 8, 2014 at 7:31 pm

    I made this today and it was perfect…even my non low carb husband has eaten 2 pieces! I used 3/4 cup water for chia seeds and egg white protein instead of whey protein baked for 1 hour 15 minutes. I think it may even taste better cold…Thanks for such a great recipe!

    Reply
  26. Cecelia says

    June 10, 2014 at 8:24 am

    I was ready to make this the other day and my husband looked at the recipe and said he did not like banana bread so can I use something else like maybe lemon.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 10, 2014 at 12:36 pm

      Sure, use whatever extract you like best.

      Reply
  27. Cecelia says

    June 27, 2014 at 4:46 pm

    What can I use instead of stevia extract. I don’t have snt of that and I don’t know where to buy it.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 29, 2014 at 1:41 pm

      Use a little more swerve or other erythritol, I guess.

      Reply
  28. Dee says

    July 31, 2014 at 9:41 am

    Hello,

    Sorry if this is a silly question but is banana essence the same as banana extract and will it work for this recipe?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      July 31, 2014 at 3:08 pm

      I think so, yes.

      Reply
  29. Laura F. says

    September 6, 2014 at 10:23 am

    HELP! I just made this and I don’t know what I did wrong! It came out very moist but extremely bland with no banana flavor at all. Should I try doubling the banana extract?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 6, 2014 at 3:02 pm

      Sounds to me like the banana extract isn’t strong enough. I don’t know what brand it is but yes, definitely up the amount!

      Reply
  30. Emily says

    December 26, 2014 at 3:24 pm

    Okay, I was skeptical about this recipe, but can I just say “wow!!!” Delicious, and it even looks like banana bread because of the chia seeds.

    I love your website. We don’t have diabetes, but my daughter was born with neurofibromatosis which causes a host of problems. We were trying to eliminate her focus issues by going gluten free, and while it didn’t solve that problem, her acid reflux is nearly gone. I love that she can enjoy treats made with almond and coconut flours and not miss the gluten-filled ones. Thank you for all of your hard work!

    Reply
  31. Anne-Marie Keightley says

    January 17, 2015 at 5:56 am

    Is your almond flour real flour OR ground almonds. Very different things.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 17, 2015 at 8:17 am

      Yes, I know that. It’s real almond flour. You should check out my baking tutorial. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2013/02/low-carb-basics-baking-with-almond-flour.html

      Reply
  32. Holli says

    April 23, 2015 at 10:55 am

    Carolyn, this recipe sounds great. After years I have found that liquid splenda works the best for my taste and diet needs. Do you think it would work to use unsweetened coconut to substitute for the swerve in your recipes? For example, using the coconut in place of the swerve in this recipe and using drops of the liquid splenda? I just don’t know what else I could use to replace the swerve besides the granular splenda and I’d rather not. Thanks for your advice. Your recipes are so awesome!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      April 23, 2015 at 2:08 pm

      I wouldn’t replace it cup for cup, I’d maybe just do a few more tbsp of either almond flour or coconut and then sweeten to your liking with the liquid sucralose. For the frosting, the cream cheese gives it structure so you should be fine there.

      Reply
  33. Diane says

    May 18, 2015 at 6:29 am

    Made this yesterday, and it was a total winner!! Taste, texture, everything. Instead of Swerve in the frosting I used some Torani sugar free salted caramel syrup and a few drops of liquid sucralose. Can’t thank you enough – I really missed banana bread!!!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 18, 2015 at 8:00 am

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  34. Debra says

    September 3, 2015 at 2:22 pm

    Just made this today. Love it. So good, I feel guilty for eating it…NOT! Would love to add some walnuts or pecans next time!

    Reply
    • Deborah says

      October 11, 2015 at 7:17 pm

      Just made this to have take along breakfast to eat at work. But could not wait, had to have a slice.

      Absolutely wonderful. The ground chia seeds are genius. They really do mimic the texture of mashed banana in the bread.

      I did add two handfuls of roughly chopped walnuts as that is they way I used to make my banana bread pre low carb. Just great.

      I also browned my butter before adding to give it another layer of toasty flavor. I think it worked well.

      Thanks Carolyn. Can’t imagine doing low carb without the wonderful baked goods you have give us all.

      Reply
  35. maggie says

    December 23, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Have you tried making this with the THM Baking Blend? And, if so, how much would I sub (assuming i would sub for the almond & coconut flours & the whey)?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 23, 2015 at 6:50 pm

      Sorry, I haven’t tried it with that yet and can’t really give you any guidance.

      Reply
  36. Tiffany says

    January 18, 2016 at 5:19 pm

    I make this bread all the time and it’s awesome and I can’t thank you enough for it.
    I just tried it with corn extract instead of banana and it’s good! Doesn’t taste like cornbread plain, but with butter on it it is just like corn bread!!

    Reply
  37. Sandra says

    March 24, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    hello Carolyn
    I am from Australia and have had a few problems finding some of the ingredients for this recipe. Firstly, Swerve doesn’t seem to be available in this country, so i tried using Stevia instead, but this tends to leave a bit of an after-taste which i don’t particularly like. Could i rather substitute with Coconut sugar – this has a much more natural sweet flavour i think.
    Also I could only find Almond meal/ground almonds which the lady assured me was the same as Almond flour but i see one of your comments says it is definitely different. I have read your explanation on Almond Flour and see that the difference is in how much finer ‘flour’ is than ‘meal’. Is there any way of grinding Almond meal finer to make it into flour as there doesn’t seem to be anywhere here to actually buy the flour??
    I also couldn’t find any Stevia extract or Banana extract. I will have to keep looking but wondered if i could just add a bit more coconut sugar instead of the Stevia?
    I am quite new at this game as you can probably see! 🙂

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 25, 2016 at 6:58 am

      Well, coconut sugar has carbs so if you’re low carb, I would choose something else, like regular erythritol or xylitol. I have plenty of Australian readers who use these things. You could try grinding the almond meal further in a coffee grinder. You can add more of another sweetener in place of the stevia extract.

      Reply
  38. Courtney says

    March 30, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    Hello,
    I would love to try this recipe but I don’t have any chai seed or flour. Is there a substtittue you can recommend? I do have golden flax flour if you think that would work or just more almond flour.
    Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 31, 2016 at 8:15 am

      I’d do the flax, probably.

      Reply
  39. Roze says

    April 20, 2016 at 8:06 am

    This was the most INCREDIBLE banana bread ever!! I have to make another tonite, we devoured it in my house.

    Reply
  40. Amanda says

    July 1, 2016 at 2:07 am

    Where and what protein powder do you use please ?
    I’ve seen it used in a few recipes, but have no idea where to buy and what it exaclty is ?

    Reply
  41. Judy says

    July 8, 2016 at 10:11 am

    Have you tried freezing a unfrosted loaf? I love this recipe and have company coming and was wondering about cooking a few loaves up ahead Iof time for the freezer. What do you think?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      July 8, 2016 at 1:05 pm

      I am sure it would freeze well. I’ve frozen similar cakes and muffins.

      Reply
  42. Megan says

    September 13, 2016 at 9:10 am

    Was wondering if you thought Quest banana cream protein powder would work in this recipe instead of the plain whey powder?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 13, 2016 at 11:30 am

      Sounds like a good idea to me!

      Reply
  43. Melissa says

    September 13, 2016 at 5:38 pm

    Hi there! I’m getting currently getting my weekend baking goals in order, and as part of that, I plan on giving this recipe a try since my T1D hubby and I have absolutely loved all of the recipes that we’ve tried from your site so far. However, I haven’t made anything with that has called for unflavored whey so far for fear of dry baked goods. May I ask if you still prefer Tera’s unflavored whey? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 13, 2016 at 8:21 pm

      Tera’s whey works well in my recipes. It’s a good one and I like to get the grassfed version.

      Reply
  44. Christy says

    September 18, 2016 at 11:56 pm

    I know that it would change the texture a little, but what can I replace the chia seed flour with? I have almond flour, coconut flour, and physillium husk? I prefer to use all almond flour if I can. This cake looks awesome. Thanks for your dedication and hard work in helping people with yummy recipes. -Christy

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 19, 2016 at 8:44 am

      If you just want almond flour bread with some banana flavouring, use this recipe and don’t do almond extract or the almond on the outside. Add the banana extract instead. https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2012/01/almond-crusted-butter-cake-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html

      Reply
  45. Sherri says

    September 20, 2016 at 2:10 am

    I saw this recipe and knew I had to make it. I couldn’t find Caramel Flavour anywhere so just used vanilla in place of it. I will probably order it online. My husband who won’t eat any of my healthy recipes (he can eat whatever he wants and never gain..hate him), told me I won’t have to worry about sharing because he knows by reading the ingredients he isn’t going to like it and he stated neither will the kids. Well so I made it and it came out exactly like the picture with one exception. My frosting didn’t smear as beautifully as yours did in the picture. Well as it sat there I took a piece and gobbled it up and I nearly fell on the floor. It was sooo good I felt like shoving the whole loaf in my mouth! My kids heard me moan how good it was and came running and wanted to try it and so I gave them a piece and they too were making the same sounds. So here comes my husband wanting to know what all the fuss was about. So he decided to try it. And to his surprise he loved it! He nearly took a bigger piece but I had to take some away because after all this was my cake!!!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 20, 2016 at 2:47 am

      Oh my gosh, I love this. Love this! Thanks for sharing, I am so pleased we won everybody over!

      Reply
  46. renee says

    January 17, 2017 at 11:44 am

    I notice you use Unflavored Whey Protein Powder in a few of your recipes.

    Whey is known to spike insulin which makes it unfriendly for low-carb lifestyles.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 17, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      1. I use only 1/4 or 1/3 cup per recipe, simply to replace the protein from gluten and help the baked good rise. Spread over 12 to 16 servings, this amounts to very little in each serving so it is NOTHING to concern people.

      2. You should read this article: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/69.full

      3. You are free to use any protein powder you like, including egg white protein.

      Reply
  47. Christina says

    March 22, 2017 at 7:04 pm

    I made this today. Minus the icing because it’s so good on it’s own! Who knew you could friggin have banana bread without bananas! Thank you for a great recipe. Turned out fantastic and I now have to try not to eat it all. In one day lol.

    Reply
  48. Sheila says

    May 28, 2017 at 1:05 am

    Hi Carolyn, are the macros correct? The net carb count remains the same with or without the icing? I assumed the addition of cream cheese and shipping cream would add carbs.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 28, 2017 at 8:02 am

      Yes, they’re correct. The icing isn’t enough to change it that much and these calculations were done on software that doesn’t do decimal points, so…

      Reply
  49. Anne says

    June 21, 2017 at 10:27 pm

    I love this recipe. I made it twice in about ten days. I want to make it again. I am out of chia seeds. Wgat do you think about psyllium husk powder to repkace it?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 21, 2017 at 10:31 pm

      I honestly don’t think it would be very good, they get very gummy.

      Reply
      • Anne says

        June 23, 2017 at 11:22 pm

        Haha youre right…i went out to get chia…i am addicted to this one.

        Reply
  50. Penny Reveile says

    January 23, 2018 at 2:10 pm

    5 stars
    So I made this recipe today. Looks like banana bread, but didn’t smell like it. BUT THE TASTE! Banana bread…I love you again! Now to try it with the frosting. Lol I admit, I couldn’t wait. Had to cut it while it was hot & slather with butter!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 23, 2018 at 5:57 pm

      Glad it satisfied!

      Reply
  51. Patricia Clayborn says

    March 5, 2018 at 4:50 pm

    I want to make this recipe, but am not sure if either of the banana flavorings that are available to me would make a good loaf. I can either use McCormick that I can get at Winco or Watkins which is avaiable at WalMart.

    Reply
    • Kris says

      April 25, 2018 at 7:24 am

      I used Watkins and it turned out find. I am going to use a little more than the 1 tsp called for next time.

      Reply
  52. Felicia says

    March 9, 2018 at 4:55 pm

    5 stars
    The recipe is fantastic, the bread is delicious! Thank you so much for sharing.

    Reply
  53. Patricia Clayborn says

    March 14, 2018 at 7:05 pm

    Can I use gelatin instead of chia seeds???

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 14, 2018 at 8:11 pm

      Noooo! It makes it really gummy and it’s gross. I tried.

      Reply
  54. Annirefaire says

    March 27, 2018 at 12:35 am

    4 years after this post and I still love this recipe and so many more. Thank you Carolyn!

    Reply
  55. Kris says

    April 25, 2018 at 7:22 am

    This was excellent! After cooling slightly, I wrapped my loaf while still a little warm. That pulled the moisture in and the next day I was really impressed with the texture and taste! It was good on day 1, but excellent on day 2. Next time I think I will add an extra tsp of banana extract. For the frosting, I actually put all the ingredients in a blender and then saved it to use as a “spread” for the banana bread the next day, (instead of only putting it on the top). Very good!

    Reply
  56. Michele Wunderlich says

    May 13, 2018 at 9:06 am

    Can chia seeds be ground in a Nutribullet or food processor? I don’t have a coffee grinder.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 13, 2018 at 10:06 am

      Yes, but they don’t always get ground that finely.

      Reply
  57. Nancy says

    October 27, 2018 at 8:21 am

    Hello…

    What would be a good substitute for the whey protein powder?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 27, 2018 at 3:40 pm

      Any protein powder would be fine (hemp or egg white protein). But it helps the bread rise and hold its shape so don’t leave it out altogether.

      Reply
  58. Sara-Jayne says

    January 30, 2019 at 11:49 pm

    5 stars
    I absolutely LOVE this recipe!! My hubby has a sensitivity to almonds so I subbed out the almond flour for an additional 1/2 cup of coconut flour and added an extra egg. I also used maple extract in the frosting because I was out of caramel. It was amazing!! Hubby loved it, I loved it and my hardcore keto bestie loved it. A keeper for sure!

    Reply
  59. Mirjana Milosavljevic Balevski says

    February 20, 2019 at 3:54 pm

    Loved this recipe!! Kept tasting it until it had the right banana flavor. The kid said he liked the texture but not the flavor. Any suggestions on how to adapt this recipe if I wanted to use actual bananas instead? Most banana bread recipes use 3 bananas, maybe half or all 3. He’s not low carb. Everything else I love, the chia seeds definitely made the bread!!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      February 21, 2019 at 8:30 am

      I am sure you can use 1 or 2 bananas and then cut back the liquids.

      Reply
  60. Amy Trosper says

    March 17, 2020 at 6:41 pm

    So good. I didn’t have Carmel extract so I used a bit of almond and banana flavoring in the frosting. Served with keto chili. Big thumbs up from family. My son asked if it was one of my keto desserts and when I said yes he said it’s the best one yet. I don’t know. I’ve used so many of your recipes in the last 1.5 years and there’s so many good ones! I always come here for recipes. I know they will be good.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      March 17, 2020 at 9:36 pm

      Thanks, Amy!

      Reply
  61. BettyAnne says

    September 10, 2020 at 8:04 am

    Carolyn, is it 1/4 cup chia seeds ground or 1/4 cup ground chia seeds? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 10, 2020 at 8:07 am

      You will see in the video… it’s whole chia, and then you grind it.

      Reply
      • Amy says

        September 21, 2020 at 12:52 pm

        Hi Carolyn, I want to try this recipe today! I have already ground chia seeds. How much of that do you suggest I use? I feel like if I were to grind a 1/.4 c of seeds, the amount of ground would be less.

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          September 21, 2020 at 1:19 pm

          You can use the full 1/4 cup. It works out about the same and you can always add a bit more water if your paste is too thick.

          Reply
  62. Pam Bradley says

    September 10, 2020 at 8:55 am

    Thank you for including the nutritional info without the chocolate chips. I was going to ask for the info. Then I saw that it was included.
    I recently purchased Banana extract, so this came at the perfect time.

    Reply
  63. Joanne Tarabicos says

    September 10, 2020 at 9:22 am

    A question. What do you use to grease the pans in your recipes.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 10, 2020 at 10:24 am

      Usually butter and coconut oil spray. Butter first, worked into the pan, then spray after.

      Reply
  64. Jacque says

    September 10, 2020 at 12:58 pm

    I’m eager to make this, but a bit confused—is it 12 or 16 servings?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 11, 2020 at 9:20 am

      It’s 12… fixing the recipe now…

      Reply
  65. Trudie says

    September 11, 2020 at 8:11 am

    In the description of the recipe at the top it says 16 servings but in the nutritional facts it says 12. Which is it? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 11, 2020 at 8:57 am

      Oh sorry, it’s 12. When I re-worked the recipe, the carb counts were significantly lower.

      Reply
  66. Leslie says

    September 12, 2020 at 10:40 am

    I am a sucker for a good banana bread! This looks like it would make the taste buds happy.

    Reply
  67. Mariea S says

    September 16, 2020 at 11:45 pm

    I’m sorry but I was reading comments and someone asked about using heavy cream plus water instead of almond milk but I don’t see almond milk in the recipe?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 17, 2020 at 6:58 am

      If you read the blog post, you see that it’s an updated recipe so that comment is no longer applicable.

      Reply
      • Mariea S says

        September 18, 2020 at 6:38 pm

        Excuse me. I did read the post. I was still confused so I asked for clarification.

        Reply
  68. Lisa says

    September 20, 2020 at 6:52 pm

    I made this today and the texture and flavor were very good! Thank you for another great recipe, Carolyn!

    Reply
  69. Lynn says

    September 27, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    5 stars
    I haven’t had banana bread in years so I decided to give this recipe a try. If for nothing else than to see how chia seed mush could pretend to be a banana. It. Is. Amazing. It tastes exactly like wheat flour banana bread. I accidentally put in a whole tablespoon of banana extract, but it’s the crappy McCormick brand, so I figured no harm, no foul. I can’t wait to make this for my kids when we go to visit them at Thanksgiving. Slather on some butter along with a cuppa…breakfast Nirvana.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      September 27, 2020 at 8:09 pm

      Hooray! I am so happy to hear it met with expectations.

      Reply
  70. Sandra says

    October 16, 2020 at 8:58 pm

    Wow! I really didn’t have faith this would be a success but just WOW! I was disappointed with the banana muffin recipe due to the McCormick extract I used. I ordered the Olive Nation banana extract but a quick sniff and this one too smelled like that fake banana taffy candy. I made the bread anyway and what a wonderful surprise…the taste/smell/texture are all spot on! (I assume it’s the chia seed paste that gives it that traditional banana bread look once sliced??) It’s unbelievable how close this is to the real thing…I had to freeze half the loaf to keep myself from nibbling at it all day.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 16, 2020 at 9:05 pm

      So great to hear. I love the Olive Nation banana extract but I agree that it has an artificial smell when it’s not in anything.

      Reply
  71. Matt Taylor says

    October 26, 2020 at 10:29 am

    5 stars
    Awesome! I love banana bread, the perfect way to make it more healthy. 🙂

    Reply
  72. Betsy says

    October 26, 2020 at 11:47 am

    5 stars
    Good stuff! I love the way you take non-keto friendly food and make it keto friendly! I can indulge without all that keto guilt! 🙂

    Reply
  73. Shelley says

    October 26, 2020 at 12:35 pm

    5 stars
    Banana bread without bananas? It does sound crazy, but I totally get it, and I love all the testing and tweaking and retesting you went through to create this recipe that allows people on a keto diet to enjoy one of the most comforting of all comfort food recipes! Such a brilliant technique with the chia!

    Reply
  74. Shy says

    December 7, 2020 at 10:58 am

    Hello. I am just wondering if you really need to use whey protein? If so, what’s the brand that you’re using. I am not familiar with this. Please advise. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 7, 2020 at 6:01 pm

      Yes, you do… if you want it to rise and properly hold its shape. It’s linked in the recipe.

      Reply
  75. Melanie Rodgers says

    December 9, 2020 at 5:16 am

    5 stars
    5 stars!! This banana bread is delicious! Will definitely make it again. Thanks Carolyn!

    Reply
  76. Emily says

    December 15, 2020 at 3:36 pm

    5 stars
    I would love to make the banana bread . Could I use rip banana and if yes how many bananas . Unyil my banana extract comes in .
    Thank you
    Emily Morales

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 15, 2020 at 8:22 pm

      Honestly I don’t bake with them anymore so I really can’t guide you.

      Reply
  77. Stephanie Ahmed says

    December 20, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    I’m allergic to bananas so can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      December 20, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      Does banana extract set it off too, though?

      Reply
  78. Elaina says

    January 18, 2021 at 3:28 pm

    These are great!
    Question: should you refrigerate or leave out when finished?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 18, 2021 at 5:52 pm

      You can leave on the counter, covered or wrapped up, for 3 days. Refrigerate if you think it will be around longer.

      Reply
  79. Sylvie Bouchard Groulx says

    January 19, 2021 at 6:41 am

    Hi Carolyn,
    Would like to try this recipe but wondering if there is something to replace the whey protein since my granddaughters are lactose intolerant. I found a non dairy protein from Botanica but not sure if this would be a good replacement for whey. Thank you!
    https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61YRcX-iw2L._AC_SX679_.jpg

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      January 19, 2021 at 9:50 am

      I am not really sure what that is, from the photo. It’s protein powder? I guess it might work but egg white protein powder is your best bet as a substitute.

      Reply
  80. Rachel says

    January 26, 2021 at 11:04 am

    4 stars
    I was kind of leary since it didn’t have real bananas but decided to make it anyways. Followed the recipe as written and it turned out surprisingly good with the texture just like normal banana bread. It was a little salty though. I used salted butter so next time I would use unsalted or leave out the extra salt. Overall it was great with a little cream cheese on top.

    Reply

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