Banana Bread with Hemp Flour: Wheat-Free Banana Bread
Recipe for moist banana bread with hemp flour, wheat-free and gluten-free. Measured composition of hemp flour and proportions that do not yield dense batter.
Banana bread is one of the few bakes where substituting wheat flour for hemp flour works without any tricks. A ripe banana is mostly water and brings its own sweetness, while hemp flour adds a nutty aroma and a lot of protein. The problem arises with proportions, as hemp flour binds water quite differently than wheat, and with too high a proportion, it turns the loaf into a dense brick. Below you will find a recipe with tested proportions, measured composition of hemp flour and seeds, the difference between these two raw materials, and an explanation of why cooling, not baking, determines whether the loaf can be sliced at all.
KEY INFORMATION
• Fedora variety hemp flour contains 30.7% protein and 13.6% fat (Siano et al., Molecules, 2018).
• Whole hemp seeds contain 33.8 g of dietary fiber per 100 g of dry mass, including 30.9 g of insoluble fraction (Mattila et al., 2018).
• In this recipe, hemp flour makes up just over half of the flour mixture.
• The loaf can only be sliced after completely cooling, otherwise it crumbles.
Why does banana pair so well with hemp flour?
Banana acts here as a water carrier and also as a binder, replacing the missing gluten network. Hemp flour has a high content of fibrous fractions, so it takes water from the batter, and without a moist addition, it results in a dry bake. Mashed ripe banana brings that water back, while also adding pectins and sugars.
The composition of the flour itself explains its absorbency. In the analysis of the Fedora variety, hemp flour contained 30.7% protein, 13.6% fat, and 41.6% total carbohydrates (Siano et al., Molecules, 2018). The authors calculated carbohydrates from the difference and included cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin along with fiber, so the last value is not the content of fiber alone, although it is sometimes presented that way.
Flavor-wise, the combination stands on its own. The nutty, slightly earthy profile of hemp flour aligns with peanut butter, which has long been a classic addition to banana bread. Cinnamon and vanilla in the recipe complete the whole and suppress earthy notes if the flour is freshly ground and more pronounced in flavor.
How much fiber does hemp flour and hemp seeds have?
The dietary fiber was measured for whole hemp seeds: 33.8 g per 100 g of dry mass, of which as much as 30.9 g is attributed to the insoluble fraction, and only 2.9 g to the soluble (Mattila et al., Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2018). The seeds contained 25.6 g of protein and 34.6 g of fat per 100 g of dry mass.
The predominance of the insoluble fraction has a direct impact on the bake. It is this fraction that mechanically binds water and does not form a gel, so the batter comes out dense rather than sticky. Therefore, bread with hemp flour will always be denser than wheat bread, and this is not a flaw in the recipe.
It is worth distinguishing the two raw materials, as they can be confused. Seeds and flour are not the same: flour is made from the press cake after oil extraction, so it loses most of its fat but gains in protein content. In the Fedora variety, the seeds had 24.8% protein with 24.5% fat, while the flour had 30.7% protein with 13.6% fat. Ground hemp seeds used instead of flour one-to-one will add almost twice as much fat, and the loaf will not bind.
What do you need for banana bread with hemp flour?
The bananas must be overripe, with skins covered in dark spots. Firm, yellow fruits will yield a less sweet batter that requires sweetening, which disturbs the liquid proportions. Hemp flour makes up just over half of this mixture; with a higher proportion, the loaf becomes dense and distinctly bitter.
Store hemp flour in a sealed container and in a cool place. After oil extraction, it retains 13.6% fat, which can go rancid in warmth and impart a bitter taste to the bake. Fresh flour smells nutty, while stale flour has a distinctly old oil scent. Buy it in small packages, as you only use 100 g at a time in this recipe.
- 3 very ripe bananas, totaling about 300 g of peeled mass
- 100 g hemp flour
- 80 g rice or buckwheat flour
- 2 eggs size M
- 60 ml melted coconut oil or rapeseed oil
- 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- half a teaspoon of baking soda
- half a teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- optionally 50 g chopped walnuts for the inside or 2 tablespoons shelled hemp seeds for the top
How to bake banana bread with hemp flour step by step?
Count about 70 minutes in total: fifteen minutes for preparation and 55 to 65 minutes of baking at 175 degrees, top and bottom heat, without convection. Line a loaf pan measuring approximately 23 by 12 cm with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the sides, as the moist batter can stick to the fat itself.
- Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork in a large bowl until relatively smooth. Leave small lumps, they add texture to the finished loaf.
- To the banana mixture, crack in the eggs, pour in the oil, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix with a whisk until a uniform, light brown consistency is achieved.
- In a second bowl, combine the hemp flour, rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Distribute the baking soda evenly, as its lumps can create bitter spots in the crumb.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula just until the dry flour spots disappear. Ten to fifteen strokes are enough; longer mixing will deflate the structure.
- Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and smooth the surface. Optionally, sprinkle the top with hemp seeds or arrange banana slices on it.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. From the 55th minute, check with a toothpick inserted in the center: it should come out dry or with dry crumbs. Wet batter on the toothpick means another 5 to 10 minutes of baking.
- Cool the loaf for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer it to a rack and leave to cool completely for at least 30 minutes. A warm loaf crumbles under the knife.
How to modify this recipe?
The base allows for substitutions without recalculating the entire recipe, as long as you keep the proportion of both flours unchanged. You can modify the flavor layer, source of fat, or binder, but it is better to leave the amount of hemp flour alone.
| Variant | Change in the recipe | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | 2 tablespoons of cocoa to the dry ingredients, 50 g of chopped chocolate to the batter | reduce honey to 2 tablespoons, banana with cocoa sweetens |
| With peanut butter | 3 tablespoons of peanut butter to the wet ingredients | stronger nutty profile, reduce oil by a tablespoon |
| Egg-free | replace each egg with a tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 3 tablespoons of water | loaf denser, rises slower |
| With nuts | 50 g of walnuts mixed in at the end | crunchy texture, longer cooling |
This same duo of banana and hemp flour works in a shorter format in the recipe for banana pancakes with hemp flour, and without baking at all in banana oatmeal with hemp oil. If you prefer the version with whole seeds instead of flour, we described it in the text about banana cake with hemp seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much hemp flour to use in banana bread?
In this recipe, hemp flour makes up just over half of the mixture: 100 g of hemp flour to 80 g of rice flour. With a higher proportion, the batter becomes dense and distinctly bitter, as the fibrous fractions bind more water, and the banana cannot keep up with replenishing it.
Why is banana bread with hemp flour dense?
Hemp does not contain gluten, so the batter does not form the network responsible for fluffiness. Additionally, the fiber from hemp seeds is over ninety percent insoluble (Mattila et al., 2018), and such a fraction mechanically binds water. A dense crumb is a characteristic of this bake, not a flaw.
Does hemp flour contain THC?
Hemp flour is made from seeds, which may carry trace amounts of THC from surface contamination. Regulation (EU) 2023/915 sets the maximum allowable level for ground hemp seeds and products derived from them at 3.0 mg/kg. Bread baked with such flour does not have intoxicating effects.
How to store banana bread with hemp flour?
Wrapped in foil or in an airtight container, it lasts up to 3 days at room temperature and up to 7 days in the refrigerator. Slices can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed directly in a toaster, which refreshes the crumb structure.
What can replace rice flour in this recipe?
Buckwheat flour gives a more pronounced, nutty flavor and suits the cocoa version. Tapioca flour is neutral and adds lightness. Almond flour brings more fat and absorbs less water, so reduce the oil by a tablespoon when using it.
Is banana bread with hemp flour gluten-free?
Yes, because neither hemp nor rice belong to gluten-containing grains. However, if you have celiac disease, check the baking powder’s ingredients, as some products contain wheat starch as a carrier. Also, pay attention to possible cross-contamination information on the flour packaging.
This article is for informational and educational purposes and does not replace consultation with a doctor. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medications, or have chronic conditions, consult the use of supplements or herbs with a specialist.
Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-06-22 · Updated: 2026-08-15
