Delicious banana bread, but upgraded with a boost of protein and a swirl of cinnamon-sautéed apples. This High Protein Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread is soft, moist, naturally sweetened, and totally gluten-free. It’s perfect for breakfast, snacking, or whenever those fall cravings hit. Cozy, nourishing, and freezer-friendly — what more could you ask for?!
Friends, I’m officially declaring this my go-to loaf for fall. It’s got all the cozy apple cinnamon vibes we crave this time of year, but with a little nutritional upgrade that makes it perfect for breakfast, snacking, or even a pre-workout bite. We’re talking protein, fiber, and healthy fats, but it still tastes like dessert.
If you’re someone who loves classic banana bread but want something a little more satiating, this one’s for you. The cottage cheese adds creaminess and protein (don’t knock it til you try it!), the maple syrup gives just enough sweetness, and the sautéed cinnamon apples are basically fall in a bite. I love making a double batch; one to eat now and one to freeze for a busy week ahead!
What You Need to Make This High-Protein Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread
- Avocado Oil: Used to sauté the apples and enhance their natural sweetness. You can also substitute with olive oil or coconut oil if that’s what you have on hand.
- Apples: I like using Honeycrisp apples for their natural sweetness and crunch, but any variety will work. The apples get sautéed with cinnamon for the coziest flavor in every bite.
- Cinnamon: This cozy spice is used throughout the recipe, both in the apples and in the batter. Don’t skip it; it’s what makes this bread taste like fall.
- Bananas: After all, what’s banana bread without the bananas?! Make sure they’re super ripe and spotty for maximum sweetness and flavor.
- Eggs: I use eggs in this recipe to help bind everything together and add protein. You can try flax eggs if needed, but I haven’t tested it so proceed at your own risk.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds warmth and depth to the flavor. A must-have in any good banana bread.
- Cottage Cheese: The high-protein secret ingredient. It blends in smoothly and keeps the bread super moist.
- Maple Syrup: Just a little is enough to lightly sweeten the bread. You can sub with honey, but I love the maple flavor paired with the apples.
- Almond Flour: This recipe calls for almond flour only, which gives the bread a tender crumb and a boost of healthy fats, while keeping it gluten-free.
- Baking Soda: This helps the bread rise and gives it a fluffy texture.
How to Make This High-Protein Banana Bread
To make this Apple Banana Bread, start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper (or a silicone liner if you have one). You can lightly grease the pan with oil first to help the parchment stay in place.
Next, chop the apples into small pieces and set them aside. In a skillet over medium heat, add the avocado oil. Once hot, stir in the chopped apples along with 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon. Sauté the apples for about 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Remove the pan from heat and let the apples cool slightly.
Now, in a blender, add the bananas, eggs, vanilla extract, cottage cheese, and maple syrup. Blend until completely smooth. Set the mixture aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and the remaining cinnamon. Pour the blended wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well combined and no clumps remain.
Pour half the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer. Spoon half of the sautéed apple mixture over the top. Add the rest of the batter, then top with the remaining apples. Gently tap the pan on the counter to level everything out.
Transfer the loaf pan to the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts browning too much, you can loosely cover the pan with foil after about 30 minutes. Once baked, remove from the oven and let the bread cool completely in the pan before slicing. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure, you could try swapping the cottage cheese with a dairy-free yogurt. Just make sure it’s thick and unsweetened.
This recipe was developed for almond flour so other flours may not work as a 1:1 swap. If you try another option, let me know how it goes!
Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it’s ready! If there’s wet batter, it needs more time.
The riper and spottier the bananas, the better the bread will be! They are sweeter and will add more moisture.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Equipment
- Loaf Pan
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 Teaspoons Avocado Oil
- 2 Apples of Choice, chopped (I use honey crisp)
- 3 Teaspoons Cinnamon, divided
- 2 Bananas, very ripe
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup Cottage Cheese
- ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
- 2 ¼ Cups Almond Flour
- 1 ¼ Teaspoons Baking Soda
Instructions
- To make this Apple Banana Bread, start by preheating your oven to 350°F.
- Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper (or a silicone liner if you have one). You can lightly grease the pan with oil first to help the parchment stay in place.
- Next, chop the apples into small pieces and set them aside. In a skillet over medium heat, add the avocado oil. Once hot, stir in the chopped apples along with 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon.
- Sauté the apples for about 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Remove the pan from heat and let the apples cool slightly.
- Now, in a blender, add the bananas, eggs, vanilla extract, cottage cheese, and maple syrup. Blend until completely smooth. Set the mixture aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and the remaining cinnamon.
- Pour the blended wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well combined and no clumps remain.
- Pour half the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer. Spoon half of the sautéed apple mixture over the top. Add the rest of the batter, then top with the remaining apples. Gently tap the pan on the counter to level everything out.
- Transfer the loaf pan to the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts browning too much, you can loosely cover the pan with foil after about 30 minutes.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let the bread cool completely in the pan before slicing. Enjoy!
Rate & review
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What others are saying
Took the bread to a meeting and everyone enjoyed it. Personally, would have liked the apple flavor to be a bit stronger. Maybe it was my choice of apple. I used Cosmic Crisps as that was what I had. Would be good to have an idea of quantity of apple us d besides just saying 2 apples as I tried to guess a bit as apple sizes can vary. Recipe did fall in middle due to the apples, but did cook through. Just a note that I saw the recipe on Instagram, but went to share with my meeting group from website. There is an error on the website of the quantity of baking soda. It is not 1 1/2 Cups, but rather 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Thanks for the catch on teaspoons. It is corrected now!
I found the recipe to be very easy and very good. My husband and 3 friends all said it was really good and requested the recipe. To note, the top of my bread did get slightly more brown than some might like, it was not burnt and didn’t affect the taste at all. This was around the 50 min. mark, so just watch closer to end of baking time. Thanks for sharing this and so many more good recipes.
So glad everyone loved it Vicki!
There has to be an error in this recipe, it calls for a cup and 1/4 of baking soda. That is not a normal amount and my bread did not come out correctly.
Hi Tyler! So sorry for the confusion. There was a typo in the recipe that got caught and fixed yesterday. It should have been 1 ¼ teaspoons (not cups).