Almond Banana Bread

Name: Almond Banana Bread
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 - 8 ounce cream cheese, softened; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 2 cups mashed bananas (4-5); 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon table salt; 3 cups all purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut, divided; 3/4 cups sliced almonds, divided; 3/4 cups miniature chocolate chips

Modified: Jun 3, 2026 · Published: Mar 11, 2019 by Jocelyn · This post may contain affiliate links · 43 Comments

Add us as a trusted Google Source

Jump to Recipe

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.

Two slices of almond joy banana bread on a blue plate with the loaf behind it.

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!

Why You'll Love Almond Joy Banana Bread

Almond Joy flavors in every slice. Chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and sliced almonds make every bite taste like the candy bar in quick bread form.
So rich and tender. Adding cream cheese to the batter is the secret to a soft, moist loaf that tastes even better than classic banana bread.
Makes two loaves. Keep one on the counter for the week and place the other one in the freezer for later. Or share one with a neighbor and make their day!
Great any time of day! Breakfast, brunch, afternoon snack, or dessert. There is never a wrong time to enjoy a slice of nutty bread.

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.

An overhead shot of a loaf of almond joy banana bread on a cutting board.

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.

Recipe Variations

Add candy bar pieces. Chop up Almond Joy bars and stir them into the batter for an extra fun candy bar twist.
Use dark chocolate chips. Swap the mini chips for dark chips for a more intense chocolate flavor. Give the bigger chips a rough chop so they distribute more evenly into the batter.
Add a chocolate drizzle. Once the loaves are completely cooled, drizzle melted dark or white chocolate over the tops for a fancy finish.
Make muffins. Divide the batter into 24 liners and reduce the baking time to around 28 minutes.

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.

A loaf of almond banana bread on a cutting board with a few slices laying down.

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.
Add the dry ingredients. Slowly mix in the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt, mixing just until combined.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Two slices of almond banana bread on a blue plate.

BruCrew Tips

Use very ripe bananas. Dark, spotty bananas are sweeter and give the bread a more intense and delicious banana flavor.
Soften the butter and cream cheese. Both need to be at room temperature before beating. If they are cold, they will leave lumps in the batter. Set both out at least 30 minutes before you start.
Do not overmix the batter. Stir just until all the ingredients are combined. Overmixing allows the gluten to develop, resulting in a tough loaf.
Tent the tops with foil. Placing a foil sheet over the loaves during the baking prevents them from getting too dark while the centers finish baking.
Let the bread cool before slicing. Yes, warm banana bread is amazing, but cutting it too soon will cause the entire loaf to crumble. Let it rest for at least an hour before slicing so it can firm up.

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

Do you love a recipe you tried from Inside BruCrew Life?

Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and a review in the comments section below.

Recipe