Almond Banana Bread

This Almond Joy Banana Bread is loaded with chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and diced almonds in every slice. All the delicious flavors of your favorite candy bar are baked into this easy sweet bread recipe. It makes two loaves, so there is plenty to share.

The post for Almond Joy Banana Bread was first published in July 2012. The pictures were updated in March 2019, and the recipe notes were revised in June 2026.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love Almond Joy Banana Bread
• Ingredients Needed
• Recipe Variations
• How To Make Almond Banana Bread
• BruCrew Tips
• Storing and Freezing
• More Quick Bread Recipes
• Recipe

I cannot stop buying bananas, and I am fine with it. Whenever I see discounted bananas at the store, I come home with a few extra bunches. Most of them get frozen for a cherry smoothie or peanut butter banana ice cream, but I always set one bunch aside to ripen.

You just need to be patient and wait about a week for the fruit to turn dark and spotty. The darker the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your baked goods will be. A few ways I like to use them are this sour cream banana bread or banana zucchini cake.

The idea of combining banana bread with an Almond Joy candy bar had been on my mind for a while. Once I finally made it, I wished I had done it sooner. Coconut finds its way into so many of my recipes because I love it, and this bread was the perfect place for it.

The original version of this bread used blue Almond Joy candy pieces in the batter. However, I simplified the recipe to include coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips. The result is a cleaner, more delicious loaf that highlights the almond flavors without any distractions. Trust me, it's so good!

Ingredients Needed

My almond banana bread recipe uses simple pantry staples and fun mix-ins that make it extra special. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the exact amounts and full recipe instructions.

• Unsalted Butter: Room-temperature butter gives this bread a rich, tender crumb. Make sure it is fully softened before beating, so it creams better with the other ingredients.
• Cream Cheese: Makes this loaf so soft and rich. Full-fat cream cheese gives you the best texture and flavor. Make sure it is softened before using.
• Granulated Sugar and Brown Sugar: Using both sugars adds sweetness and flavor.
• Eggs: Help bind everything together and add richness to the batter.
• Overripe Bananas: The riper the better! You will need 2 cups of mashed banana, which is roughly 4-5 large bananas.
• Almond Extract: Adds a subtle almond flavor that gives a nutty flavor and really amps up the almond joy taste. Use pure vanilla extract if you don't have almond or don't want to buy it.
• All Purpose Flour: Provides the structure to the loaf. Make sure to measure it correctly by spooning and leveling or using a scale.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Together, they give this bread a nice rise.
• Sweetened Shredded Coconut: Adds a sweet coconut flavor and a little chew to every bite. I like to add some to the top before baking for a golden finish.
• Sliced Almonds: Some nuts will be finely chopped and mixed into the batter. The rest will be sprinkled on top for a crunchy finish.
• Mini Chocolate Chips: Using the little chips means more little pockets of melty chocolate in every bite. If you only have regular chips, give them a rough chop before stirring them into the batter.

How To Make Almond Banana Bread

This delicious banana nut bread with almonds is easy to make in just a few steps. Here's how to prepare it when you have extra ripe bananas.

1. Mix the wet ingredients. Beat the butter, cream cheese, and both sugars in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, and almond extract, and mix again until smooth.
2. Add the dry ingredients. Slowly mix in the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt, mixing just until combined.
3. Fold in the mix-ins. Dice half of the sliced almonds into smaller pieces. Gently stir the mini chips, diced almonds, and 1 cup of coconut into the batter by hand.
4. Fill and top the pans. Spoon the batter evenly into 2 greased loaf pans. Sprinkle the remaining coconut and sliced almonds evenly over the tops of both loaves.
5. Bake. Place the pan in a preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Loosely tent the pans with aluminum foil, then continue baking for another 10-15 minutes. This keeps the tops from overbrowning.
6. Cool and slice. Let the bread rest in the pans on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then gently flip it out onto a plate. Turn them over and let them cool for an hour before slicing.

Storing and Freezing

On the Counter: Store the cooled loaves in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for 4-5 days.

In the Freezer: Wrap each loaf in plastic wrap, and then in foil. Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. You can also freeze individual slices wrapped the same way for easy grab-and-go snacks.

More Quick Bread Recipes

• Birthday Cake Banana Bread
• Pumpkin Pecan Bread
• Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• Apple Cider Bread
• Carrot Cake Bread

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