This low carb and keto banana bread is truly incredible (at 2g net carbs a slice!)!! Totally flavorful and moist, you’ll surely be hard-pressed to notice the actual lack of bananas.
The Incredible Keto Banana Bread
Completely Sugar-Free & Banana-less!
Just like our ‘apple’ muffins (and pie!), this keto banana bread is bound to fool everyone! Super moist and bursting with an incredible banana flavor, its dense yet cakey texture is truly spot on.
So whip it up as a loaf or make as muffins (and of course, cupcakes!). Make solo or add pecans, walnuts or chocolate chunks(!!). I’m thinking a pat of butter and drizzle of our keto salted caramel will go nicely too ;)!
Honestly, truly incredible at just 2g net carbs a slice!
The Banana Extract
A high quality banana extract is an absolute must! Out of the handful I’ve tried, the Pure Banana extract from Olive Nation is the one I’ve liked best (not sponsored!).
It simply tastes like ripe bananas (ideal!) and is completely sugar-free and nil carbs (super ideal!). But if you’ve tried other good ones, be sure to drop them in the comments (always love your recs!)
The Sweetener
You’ve got good options here! Allulose is my favorite for best texture and no aftertaste now (you do need to add 30% more though), Lakanto Golden (baked goods with erythritol can have a slight hard texture, still not big deal here though), xylitol (non-corn though to avoid tummy troubles!).
Pyure (an erythritol and stevia blend) is also a good one for muffins and quick breads, particularly if you’re trying to limit your sugar alcohol consumption (it’s added stevia makes it twice as sweet as sugar… i.e. you add half!).
Oh, and if not restricted by sugars, simply sub 1-to-1 with coconut or regular sugar.
Also note that adding a teaspoon of blackstrap molasses adds that brown sugar kick (i.e. a tonne of umami and improves browning!). Keep in mind that blackstrap molasses is considered a low glycemic sugar. One teaspoon (7g) adds 5g net carbs, so just 0.4g net carbs a slice (i.e. half the sugar of a strawberry!). But carbs aside, it’s also known to be a nutritional powerhouse rich in vital vitamins and minerals; such as iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and selenium.
Fun fact: Molasses contain high amounts of chromium, which has been studied to increase glucose tolerance levels.
But if it’s still not your thing, just leave it out or do a brown sugar sub (such as Lakanto Golden!)!
And if using xylitol, make sure to be careful if you have a pup (or kitty!) around the house, as it’s highly toxic to the little guys! 
The Flours
I like a mixture of super fine almond flour, psyllium husk, coconut flour and golden flaxseed meal best. (Click through for the exact brands I use).
Just keep in mind that for best texture and rise, you’ll always want to regrind your flaxseed meal in a dry blender or bullet. And be sure you’re either using either very finely ground psyllium powder or to regrind your husks!
The Incredible Keto Banana Bread
Oh, and if baking with cups rather than grams is your thing, just click on US Cups for an instant conversion.
Ingredients
- 114 g grass-fed unsalted butter
- 128 g almond flour
- 46 g golden flaxseed meal finely ground*
- 18 g psyllium husk finely ground*
- 14 g coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 eggs
- 2/3-1 cup golden erythritol allulose, xylitol or coconut sugar, to taste (I use 3/4 cup)**
- 1 teaspoon blackstrap molasses totally optional!
- 2-3 teaspoons banana extract I use 3 tsp***
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 90 g full fat Greek-style yogurt or sour cream
- 2/3-1 cup roughy chopped pecans or walnuts optional
Instructions
- Heat up the butter in a small saucepan over medium/low heat. Continue to simmer the butter, stirring once in a while, until fully browned (about 4-6 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the rest. Note: browning the butter is totally optional, but it does add a tonne of flavor so it comes highly suggested!
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line (or grease and flour with coconut flour) a 8.5x4.5" or 5x9" loaf pan. I used the smaller size, but the larger one will work just as well (just expect a shorter bread!).
- Whisk together in a medium bowl almond flour, golden flaxseed meal, psyllium husk, coconut flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Set aside.
- Add eggs, sweetener and molasses (optional) to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes until airy and lighter in color. With the mixer on, add in the banana and vanilla extracts, apple cider vinegar and browned butter.
- Add in the dry flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the yogurt. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes until fully incorporated and elastic, the batter will thicken as you mix (think cookie dough!). Fold in the nuts (optional).
- Distribute batter evenly into pan, smoothing out the top with a wet spatula. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until deep golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Check in on the bread after minute 15, and cover with aluminum foil as soon as it begins to turn golden (about minute 20 for me). Alternatively, feel free to make 12 muffins out of a batch (bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean).
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan before removing, and cool completely in a rack before glazing or cutting. Keep in mind that your banana bread will continue to cook while it cools, so don't slice it before!
Xanthum gum is not grain free nor gluten free as it is not a nixtilimated product of maize. Corn by definition means cereal grain and due to GMOs and pharmaceutical involvement in a crop there is definitely gluten in maize. It’s not correct to add this as it is not truly gluten free unless you are buying a specific xanthum gum which is not the case for most on the shelf’s. This can lead to people having problems and it’s not correct to propagate misinformation that harms other people.
Corn is gluten free
Made this recipe today after watching High Faluti’n Low Carb’s review of the recipe. I made exactly as written with the lower range of sweetener (used Bocha Sweet) and extract/flavoring. Only change I will make is to use the high end of both next time I make this. Good enough to take to work and share with my non-keto friends.
Moist, delicate crumb and the nuts add the finishing touch.
I have all the ingredients except xanthan gum. Is there a substitute for it? Eg Chia seed?
I made this recipe using around 2/3 cup of Lakonta brown monk fruit sweetener ( used what I had left in a small package) and the muffins weren’t sweet enough. I will use allulose and monk fruit sweetener together or more monk fruit sweetener the next time. I would also use more banana extract next time. 3 Tsps was not nearly enough banana flavor for me. I also didn’t use full fat greek yogurt either. I just found out I have high ldl levels from months of partial keto diet and I have to cut back on fats to help lower my levels. This recipe will work and did work for me with non fat plain greek yogurt. Also, using a convection oven did not cause my muffins to overbrown as the author stated these muffins do. I only had overbrowing on two muffins that were on the top and bottom outer edges. I did have my muffins in OXO silicone muffin holders in an aluminum Wilton muffin to back. Idk if that potentially helped or what. They muffins weren’t brown enough to warrant them being too dark or me having to use aluminum foil to shield the muffins from excessive browning. I checked the muffins at 20 min. Also, using convection made the muffins have a slight crust and a good moist, kinda under baked -or maybe because I stopped mine from baking too long because the tooth pick came out clean and I assumed they were done- inner center that I really liked. When I reheated the muffins in the microwave later, they still retained a good moistness.Great recipe for a person on keto or low carb!