A quick and easy gluten free macadamia nut banana bread recipe naturally sweetened with coconut sugar. Flavored with a hint of cinnamon, tons of vanilla, and loaded with crunchy macadamia nuts, toasted coconut flakes and Coconut Dark Chocolate from Lily’s Chocolate. This recipe is the perfect healthy breakfast, brunch or after school snack.
I am so excited to be sharing this recipe with you! It’s no secret that I love to bake. It’s also no secret that I love to create recipes inspired by our trips to Hawaii! This banana bread combines my love for both!!!
This quick bread is exactly like the loaves of banana chocolate chip bread you find when you shop a Hawaiian farmer’s market. I like to buy these little loaves of bread and tuck them into my beach cooler – right up next to the ice so the chocolate doesn’t melt. This banana bread is the perfect snack enjoyed with salty hands, on the beach, after a morning of swimming after sea turtles in the Pacific.
This recipe is so quick and easy to make! After a little bit of prep work (toasting the coconut and chopping the Mac nuts), you’ll whip this batter up in your blender in less than 5 minutes. I like to bake this banana bread in mini (2 cup) loaf pans. They take less time to bake, they’re adorable, and you can easily eat one and freeze the other. I’ve included baking time for one large loaf in the recipe. Let’s do this thing!
What You’ll Love About This Recipe:
- gluten free (as long as you use gluten free oats)
- refined sugar free and low in sugar – lightly sweetened with coconut sugar
- made with Lily’s Coconut Dark Chocolate
- a tender, cake like loaf filled with Mac nuts, coconut and dark chocolate
- freezes well – you can bake and freeze for a later day
- quick and easy to make – put everything in your blender and mix for 30 seconds – pour into your prepared pans and bake
Prepping the Ingredients
First, you’ll toast 1/2 cup of coconut flakes at 290° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Next, you’ll chop the macadamia nuts and cut the chocolate into small squares. Reserve 6-8 rectangles for the top of the bread. Once the coconut is toasted and cooled, you are ready to begin making the banana bread.
How to Make the Banana Bread
This is literally one of the easiest recipes you will ever make! Preheat your oven to 350° and spray your mini loaf pans with cooking spray. Next, you’re going to add all of the ingredients to your blender pitcher. The order truly doesn’t matter. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds, making sure the ingredients are well combined. Next, you’ll mix in the chocolate, toasted coconut (reserve a handful for the top of the loaves) and the chopped macadamia nuts.
Pour batter into prepared pans, add a bit more chocolate to the top of each loaf and sprinkle with about half of the remaining toasted coconut. Bake loaves for 35-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Garnish the baked loaves with a bit more toasted coconut and move to a cooling rack. After 10-15 minutes of cooling, remove the loaves from the baking pans and enjoy a nice slice of warm banana bread with your morning coffee or tea.
Other delicious breakfast recipes
- Apple Butter Bread
- Best Gluten Free Pancakes
- Light and Fluffy Lemon Pancakes
- Vegan Peach and Almond Smoothie
- King Arthur Flour Bakealong – Cinnamon Star Bread
Macadamia Nut Banana Bread with Chocolate and Coconut (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- blender
- small loaf pans
- 1/4 sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes, toasted
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsley chopped
- 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into chunks save 6-8 rectangles for the top
- 3/4 cup oats gluten free
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
Prep the Nuts and Chocolate
- Preheat ove to 290°. Toast coconut flakes on a half sheet pan for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the coconut is toasting, you'll want to chop the macadamia nuts and cut the chocolate into small squares. Reserve 6-8 rectangles for the top of the bread. Once the coconut is toasted and cooled, it's time to move on to making the banana bread.
For the Banana Bread
- Preheat oven to 350° and spray mini loaf pans with cooking spray.
- Next, add the oats, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, almond butter, coconut milk, eggs and bananas to your blender pitcher. The order truly doesn't matter. Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds or until everything is well combined.
- Gently fold the macadamia nuts, toasted coconut (reserve a handful for the top) and chocolate squares into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two mini loaf pans.
- Place the reserved chocolate rectangles on the top of the loaves and sprinkle with a bit of the toasted coconiut (save a tiny bit for when they come out of the oven). Bake at 350° for 35-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove bread from the oven and garnish the baked loaves with a bit more toasted coconut and move to a cooling rack.
- After 10-15 minutes of cooling, remove the loaves from the baking pans and enjoy a nice slice of warm banana bread with your morning coffee or tea.
Notes
- Recipe can be baked in a standard bread pan. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes (50-55 minutes total).
Nutrition
I hope that you love the Macadamia Nut Banana Bread!
Looking for more delicious, gluten free recipes? Check out our recipes for No Bake Almond Cacao Energy Bites and our favorite Tropical Green Smoothie!
Leave a Reply