Maple Almond Banana Bread (Gluten-Free, No Refined Sugar)

A cozy, festive, gingerbread-like banana bread made healthier for the holidays!

This Maple Almond Banana Bread is the perfect healthier treat for festive gatherings, or for a cozy afternoon at home with a cup of coffee or tea. It’s naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup, giving it a rich caramel-like sweetness without any refined sugar. The almond flour keeps it gluten-free and adds that soft, tender crumb everyone loves.

The warmth from cinnamon and holiday spices makes this banana bread taste like gingerbread, but with the comforting texture of a classic banana loaf. I didn’t add any mix-ins this time, but chocolate chips or walnuts are amazing if you want extra flavor and texture.

A secret tip: the combination of almond flour and butter gets even better after a night in the fridge, the slices become extra moist, slightly dense, and SO delicious.

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Moist banana bread loaf made with almond flour and maple syrup.

Why You’ll Love This Maple Almond Banana Bread

Gluten-free – made with almond flour
No refined sugar – sweetened only with pure maple syrup
Festive flavors – tastes like gingerbread meets banana bread
Ultra moist – improves even more after chilling overnight

Maple Almond Banana Bread Recipe

(1 loaf – 9×5 pan)

Wet Ingredients

3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ¼ cups)
3 large eggs, room temperature
⅓ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup melted butter (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

2 ½ cups almond flour, packed
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder (ensure gluten-free)
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ginger (optional – for stronger gingerbread flavor)
¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)

Optional Add-Ins

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
½ cup chocolate chips (use dairy-free if needed)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly grease.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk the almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Fold in nuts or chocolate chips if using.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs.

Let the bread cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Almond flour breads firm up as they cool, so slicing is easier once fully cooled.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas for the best sweetness and texture.
Avoid overmixing to keep the loaf fluffy.
Store in the fridge overnight — it becomes even moister and more flavorful the next day.