Grain-Free Banana Bread with Cinnamon, Dates, and Walnuts
Super moist, gooey, decadent-tasting, yet deceptively healthy, this grain-free banana bread gets a baklava vibe from toasted walnuts, cinnamon, and dates.
Prep Time: 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 50 minutesminutes
Total: 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
Servings: 8slices
Ingredients
½cup+ 2 tablespoons (65 g) walnuts(divided use)
3tablespoons(35 g) melted coconut oil, plus a little for the pan(or ghee for non-vegan)
½cup(130 g) room temperature cashew butter (or other nut butter – try tahini for nut-free)
3tablespoons(55 g) maple syrup
1tablespoon(8 g) coconut sugar (or another tablespoon of maple syrup)
½cup(135 g) mashed very ripe banana (from 1 very large or 2 smaller bananas)
cinnamon sugar for the top (1 teaspoon maple or coconut sugar + 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon)
Instructions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Lightly rub an 8x4 or 9x5-inch loaf pan with coconut oil and line with a sling of parchment paper.
Spread the walnuts on a small baking sheet and toast until golden and fragrant, 5-10 minutes. Let cool, then chop coarsely.
In a large bowl, whisk together the nut butter, maple syrup, coconut sugar, coconut oil or ghee, plant milk, and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in the banana.
Sift in the cassava flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, adding back anything left in the strainer (the almond flour is fairly coarse so just do your best here!) Stir the batter until smooth and well-combined.
Stir in 1/2 cup of the walnuts and all of the dates.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining walnuts and the cinnamon sugar.
Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs, 40-50 minutes, rotating the loaf halfway through for even baking. Let cool to warm or room temperature, remove from the pan, and peel away the parchment.
Slice and top with plant butter, flaky salt, and honey if you like (honey will make this not technically vegan). Devour with a cold glass of plant milk or a warm cup of tea or coffee.
Notes
Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage. Nutrition facts are for 1 of 8 servings.