This easy apple banana bread recipe makes a high-protein loaf with almond and quinoa flours. It's naturally gluten-free and loaded with sweet shredded apples, crunchy pecans, and cinnamon for a cozy fall treat.
I love banana bread and have shared a few different variations on the blog before, from blueberry banana bread to protein banana bread and even muffins. I figured, what better way to use up my fall apples than with an apple banana bread recipe! This apple banana bread is light on oil and sugar, since bananas and shredded apples add plenty of moisture and natural sweetness. I use coconut sugar and maple syrup, and just one teensy tablespoon of oil in the whole loaf. It's flavorful, moist, and spiced with cozy cinnamon, too, so the house smells wonderful while it bakes!
What Makes This the Best Apple Banana Bread Recipe
- This banana apple bread is lightly sweetened without refined sugar.
- Just five simple steps, needs only 10 minutes of hands-on time, and uses just one bowl.
- It's naturally gluten-free and high in protein thanks to flaxseed, quinoa flour, coconut flour, and almond flour.
- It has the perfect texture that's cake-like and tender with a tight crumb.
- Shredding the apples ensures there's plenty of juicy bites of apple in each slice.
What You'll Need
Here's what you'll need to make this easy banana bread recipe (see the recipe card for exact measurements):
- Almond flour, quinoa flour, and coconut flour – This trio of flours is my favorite in gluten-free banana bread recipes. See below.
- Flaxseed meal – Adds another layer of richness and plant-based protein.
- Coconut sugar – You could use regular granulated sugar here, if needed.
- Cinnamon – Feel free to add nutmeg, or use a blend, like pie spice.
- Baking soda – Check the expiration date. If your baking soda is old or expired, the quick bread won't rise properly.
- Eggs – You can make this recipe using a flax egg substitute if needed.
- Bananas – Choose overripe, spotty bananas as they'll have the sweetest flavor, and they'll be easiest to mash.
- Olive oil – Or another mild-flavored oil.
- Maple syrup – You can swap maple syrup for honey, agave, or your liquid sweetener of choice.
- Apple cider vinegar – Reacts with the baking soda to lift the bread while enhancing the flavor.
- Vanilla – Please use pure vanilla and not imitation.
- Apple – Shredded or chopped into small bits.
- Pecans – Optional, but I love adding chopped pecans to my banana bread. For deeper flavor and extra crunch, lightly toast the pecans in a dry skillet beforehand.
Which Gluten-free Flour Is Best?
In all my gluten-free baking, the best base I've found is a combination of almond flour, quinoa flour, and coconut flour. It's my go-to for all of my banana bread recipes that yields a high-protein bread with a moist, tender texture. I'll say it now, and I'll probably say it again: Do yourself a favor and stock your pantry with those three flours.
How to Make Apple Banana Bread
This one-bowl banana bread is SO easy to make. Here's what you'll do.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Start by combining all the dry ingredients into a bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients. Then add the eggs, mashed banana, maple syrup, oil, and apple cider vinegar. Stir everything together to make a thickish batter. Then, fold in the pecans and shredded apple.
- Bake. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350ºF for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for an hour, then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Store
- Store this banana bread at room temperature. I find this apple banana bread is best enjoyed in the first two days. If you won't finish it within that time, I'd suggest slicing the whole loaf, leaving a few slices out, and freezing the rest (see below).
- Freeze for up to 2 months. Store the bread slices in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. To thaw, pull slices out of the freezer and pop them in the toaster oven. Slather them with peanut butter, maybe top with some sliced apple and pecans, and enjoy.
More Quick Bread Recipes
Apple Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup quinoa flour
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup mashed banana about 1 medium
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or oil of choice
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded apple
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar to garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, mashed banana, oil, syrup, vinegar and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together. Once combined, fold in the apple and pecans.
- Transfer batter to the prepared loaf tin, sprinkle with additional chopped pecans and turbinado sugar (if using). Bake on the center rack for 45 – 50 minutes until the top has turned golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 1 hour then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
Could you replace flax seed meal with ground chia seeds?
I haven’t tested, but I bet it would work!
Made this bread today & it was absolutely delicious! Not too sweet which I love! I was only able to get 12 slices out of it though bc if I cut them too thin the slices would fall apart. How did you cut the bread thin without it falling apart?
Where can I get quinoa flour?
I’d recommend Thrive Market! It’s also linked in the shop section of this post 🙂
I’m allergic to all tree nuts, so I can’t use the almond flour. What can I use to substitute for that?
Unfortunately, I haven’t tested this without. It’s a big part of this recipe, so I’m not entirely sure what to substitute. Maybe oat flour will work!
Can we substitute the eggs for flax eggs or applesauce to make it vegan? Thanks!!
I used Bob Red Mill’s egg replacer. Worked perfectly, didn’t even have to adjust the cooking time.
It DID!!?!?!? OMG that makes me so happy! It wasn’t gummy in the center?
Not really sure what is meant by “gummy”. It turned out to be very moist which is how I like my banana bread. Not sure it would hold up to chef’s standard though 🙂
That’s awesome!! I’m so glad to hear it 🙂 Thank you!
This banana bread looks so delicious! Thanks for sharing, Alyssa! ????