This healthy Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread is the perfect combination of moist, rich, and sweet on the inside with a crusty outside, plus plenty of chocolate chunks throughout! It’s gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and Paleo and great for a healthy breakfast or snack.
Truth be told – I hoard and hide bananas that I plan to use for baking in random spots – luckily I haven’t forgotten about any of these secret bananas YET, but, I know that day will come and when it does, I’ll sure as heck regret ever thinking that hiding bananas was a good idea.
Whatever gets the banana bread made though, right? Anyway, before I jump into gooey chocolate chunks and rich almond buttery cake-like bread, I want to say Happy Birthday to my daughter Emily! She’s 7 today, and I can tell you that it’s at least 40 degrees colder now than it was the day she was born. (So much for a mild winter, right?) Since she’s sweets obsessed, it’s only right that I post a proper Emily-approved recipe on her birthday.
Since we took her home from the hospital on the morning of Valentines Day, it only makes sense that she’d be wild for desserts and chocolate in all forms. There is nothing chocolate that she’ll pass up – even the super dark 90% has her attention even if she kind of thinks it tastes terrible – the idea of chocolate in general makes her happy.
I totally wish I could still fit that cute little Valentines Day hat on her head! We still usually wind up celebrating her birthday on Valentines Day, as we’ll do this year. She specifically requested going out for both pasta and pizza and eating a regular (AKA not Paleo) cupcake for dessert. Plus, she brought 2 dozen donuts to school to celebrate her birthday, on top of the Valentines Day school party and candy cards that all the kids exchange. Sharing your birthday with Valentines Day turns out to be the best holiday you could ask for, I think! If you like chocolate, that is.
And now to shift back to this recipe for a second – because if you’re still here that might just be the reason why. This recipe surprised me in a great way – maybe it’s the newness of it, but, I think I like it better than my chocolate chip banana bread squares – which are delicious too, so it’s a lot to compete with. I’m thinking it was the almond butter that took this bread to the next level. In my experience, a good dose of almond butter in a baking recipe does amazing things – my favorite chocolate chip cookies are another example of that! The texture is simply unbeatable!
The bananas don’t hurt either, which is why I’ll likely continue to run the risk of losing a banana somewhere in my house in order to bake with them. Too bad there’s no “find my banana” app like the find my phone one.
Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread {Paleo}
Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread {Paleo}
Ingredients
- 2 medium-large overripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup smooth almond butter
- 1/4 cuporganic coconut sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch fine grain sea salt
- 2/3 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chunks plus a few more to sprinkle on top
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, mash the bananas and beat well (by hand or with a mixer) with the almond butter, eggs, coconut sugar, and vanilla.
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In a smaller bowl, combine the almond and tapioca flour, baking soda, and salt.
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Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined, then stir in the chocolate chunks.
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Transfer the entire mixture to the parchment lined loaf pan, using a silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl.
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Spread the batter out evenly, then sprinkle a few more chocolate chunks on top.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean*
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Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing it (still in the parchment paper) and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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After it cools, slice and enjoy! Store any leftovers covered at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
*Since oven times/temps vary, check first around 45 minutes.
What holiday would you choose to share your birthday with?
What ingredient seems to make everything you bake better?
Any fun Valentines Day plans this weekend?
Happy Birthday Emily. I hope she has a great day, although with pasta, pizza and a (non-Paleo) cupcake, how could she not? In fact, I now officially want to celebrate my birthday the same way. I would also take a slice of this banana chocolate chunk bread because it looks amazing and you know anything with bananas speaks to my heart. Speaking of which, I had to buy three bunches this week because two is no longer enough for just the Hubby and I. Obsessed is putting it mildly.
Three bunches! Now you are speaking my language 🙂 And that doesn’t even include the baking ones, I think I buy 4-5 bunches per week. And thanks! She’s having a fabulous birthday celebration!
She sounds so much like my daughter, chocolate lovers! Would coconut flour replace tapioca flour, or is it too dry? That’s too funny that you hide your ripe bananas! I wouldn’t trust myself to find them.
I would just go without the tapioca and add another tbsp or two of almond and it should be fine! There are definitely times I’ve waited too long on the bananas, but no disasters yet 🙂
oh yay! happy belated emily! i bet she can still fit in that hat. haha. well maybe not. But at least she can replace the cute hate with scrumptious paleo chocolate chunk bread. Love it! mama of the year. stay warm! xxoo
Thanks Lindsay! She’d happily trade the hat for sweets! And she actually did wind up going with my Paleo cupcake and loving it lol 🙂
can i use date paste instead of coconut sugar? if so, how much?
I haven’t tested that so I’m not sure how much you’d add, but banana bread is usually very forgiving so I’d say you should give it a shot 🙂
Do you think it work just as well with a 4.5 x 8.5 loaf pan?
I made this bread today along with a pan of your Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars, which just came out of the oven! The Almond Butter Bread is yummy, but mine sunk in the middle. Do you have any suggestions for adjustments I can make to get a nice rounded top on my bread like yours?!
This bread urned our delicious! I used 3 small to medium bananas, since that’s what I had on hand. Turned out firm and moist. Printing this out as a Keeper. Approved by children and hubby alike!