I have been hunting for the perfect whole wheat banana bread recipe lately. The first was too sweet to stick with me from breakfast to lunch; the second was dry and lacking in flavor.
This banana bread recipe is just right: 100% whole wheat, naturally sweetened with honey, with a light, decadent crumb. Plus it is a cinch to mix together and only requires one bowl. My search is over!
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mashed bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup hot water
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs and beat well.
- Stir in bananas and vanilla, then stir in the salt and cinnamon. Lastly, stir in the flour, just until combined.
- Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then mix briefly into batter until it is evenly distributed. Spread batter into the greased loaf pan.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and swirl with a toothpick or the tip of a butter knife for a pretty marbled effect.
- Bake for 60 to 65 minutes. Be sure to check that the bread is done baking by inserting a toothpick in the top. It should come out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Adapted from Pedgi at Allrecipes.
- I love baking bread in my Le Creuset stoneware loaf pan
so much that it deserves a mention. The loaf pan is non-toxic, heats evenly and cleans easily. Highly recommended!
Since I live by myself, I like to bake a big loaf of banana bread and freeze it for later. Once the bread has cooled, I slice it and store the slices in a freezer bag. When I’m ready to eat it, I just throw a frozen slice in the toaster. My homemade breakfast or snack is ready in minutes!
How do you like your banana bread? For some extra protein, I like to top it with pecan butter or peanut butter. If I’m feeling indulgent, I’ll add honey, butter, Nutella or maple cream cheese. Huzzah!
156 Comments
That looks sooo delicious! I would never stop eating that. Banana bread is one of my favourite things in the world.
Belly B
http://www.bforbel.com
I already have a banana bread recipe that I adore but this looks and sounds so good I may have to cheat a little on my standby ;p
Ok, I really need to buy a loaf pan. :-)
my go to banana bread recipe has been from nigellas but im sure this healthier version will make me just as happy! waiting for the bananas to brown now….
i made it this banana bread this morning and it’s just as good as the AP flour version! i know for sure that i will be making this over and over and over again :) thanks for a great and healthy recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad you like the recipe, Vivienne! I’m addicted to banana bread now.
Just wondering: so why do you add the baking soda to the hot water? Made the banana bread the other day, but it didn’t really rise that much. I blame it on the hot water….(a lot of sizzling went on) … funnily enough nobody else seems to have that problem?
I’ll definitely give it another try though, as my mini-banana-bread still tasted really good.
Hey Aimee! I honestly don’t know why the original recipe recommended adding the baking soda to hot water. I’ve made the bread twice and neither of the loaves ended up flat, though. I wonder if maybe your water was too hot, or if your baking soda has possibly expired? Please let us know how the next loaf goes; I want to solve this mystery!
You add baking soda to the water so it dissolves and spreads easily, otherwise you might end up with one big clump of baking soda.
I use a recipe for Tomato Soup Cake that also has you put the soda in boiling water and my understanding is that it adds loft to the recipe, helping it to rise better. I’m not sure why.
Aha! That’s the first potential answer I’ve gotten. I bet that’s why the recipe calls for hot water. Thank you thank you!
I just made a loaf with this recipe and it was DELICIOUS! The best whole wheat banana bread recipe, and would be my go to recipe from now on :)
Could you put a recipe for whole wheat scones? I’m still searching for a good and healthy one.
Thank you so much!
I’m so happy you love the banana bread recipe, Alena! It’s my favorite. I actually do have a recipe for whole wheat scones: http://cookieandkate.com/2011/healthy-lemon-blueberry-scones/. They are SO good!
love that you sweeten with honey :)
This looks delicious! I’ll definitely be trying this recipe tonight. thanks!
I made this bread yesterday, it was so good! Perfect, perfect, perfect.
This is my go-to banana recipe now :]
yep, this is a winner. made loaf number 1 an hour ago. with the half cup honey…….then made loaf number two with just a quarter cup honey, both are spectacular, but for me the quarter cup of honey is plenty, i found a half cup a tad to sweet!!
ENJOY!!!
i am so passionate about what i am about to write that i must do it in cap lock letters….
THIS IS HANDS DOWN THEE BESTT EVERRRR BANANA BREAD I HAVE EVER MADE, YES BANANA BREAD IS TASTY BUT IT IS USUALLY HEAVY AND DENSE, THIS BREAD IS LIGHT AIRY AND FLUFFY….I ASSUME IT IS FROM PUTTING THE BAKING SODA IN WATER……..DELICIOUS, JUST AMAZING!!!
I never post anywhere, I normally just read, but this banana bread is so delicious I had to comment. My entire family loves this recipe – my 3yr old and 6 year old can’t get enough of it! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made it and am about to make it again today! We add some chocolate bits (for the kids, of course!) and it’s delicious. Thank you for providing a healthy recipe that my husband does not refer to as sticks and twigs!
I made this banana bread tonight, and as you said, it was delicious! I used applesauce instead of the oil, and I added 3/4 Cup of raisins. This will definitely be my go to recipe for banana bread from now on. Thanks so much for posting it! :O)
Thank you for commenting, Ada! I’m glad to know that apple sauce can be substituted for the oil. I’m tempted to try my next batch with cranberries, but raisins sound great, too!
I had fun making this bread last weekend :D I gave that little honey bear quite a squeeze!! I liked the flavor of the honey sweetened bread, but now I’m curious about other sweeteners. I’m guessing if you substituted agave, you’d need to use a bit less (because agave is supposedly sweeter) and make up for the rest of the volume with something like unsweetened applesauce? I am even more curious about maple syrup. I have two different kinds now: one is grade B which is darker, richer, and more flavorful, the other is grade A, a lighter and milder version. I would imagine you could swap the 1/2 cup of honey for a 1/2 cup of maple syrup…might have to do some google searches and taste testing :) I will give you a report if I try the maple syrup :)
Also, if you have any other frozen banana recipes or ideas please share! I am a banana freezing freak! :D
Hello friend! You got me thinking about substituting maple syrup for honey in this recipe (genius!), and I got bored last night so I gave it a try! I was going to use all grade A maple syrup in place of the honey, but I ran out. I think I ended up using about 2/3 maple syrup and 1/3 honey, for a total of 1/2 cup. The bread is super delicious and moist, but the maple flavor is very subtle. I think grade B would be just right, as the maple-sweetened bread is not as sweet as the all honey-sweetened bread. I’m kicking myself for passing up a big bottle of grade B maple syrup when I was at the new Whole Foods in OKC this week. I’ve never actually tried grade B, but I suspect it would be a better substitute for honey in baking purposes because it’s more concentrated in flavor and thicker, right?
As far as agave syrup goes, I’ve found that it’s actually less sweet than honey. I learned that the hard way when I made my honey-sweetened zucchini brownies with agave syrup instead. They turned out so bittersweet that they didn’t appeal to everyone. I haven’t done much baking with agave, but I like it for sweetening smoothies and cocktails. The health benefits are debatable but I use it sparingly so whatev.
Are you into smoothies? This is one of my very favorites, and it calls for frozen banana: http://cookieandkate.com/2011/banana-almond-smoothie/. I also have a spicy chocolate and banana smoothie that I need to post soon!
Anyway, it makes me so happy that you’re trying my recipes. Thanks for getting me thinking about natural sweeteners again!
Okay, going to try and keep this concise, but you’ve got me thinking about so many things! :)
Glad you tried the maple syrup! Yes, Alex and I got some grade B syrup at the farmers market this summer. I didn’t really know much about the different grades because for the longest time I didn’t like the taste of real maple syrup. :/ (silly!) We discovered the grade B when we were asking the maple syrup vendor which kind was the thickest, they recommended the grade B. Now, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in the viscosity, but I do enjoy the really dark rich flavor! The lady we bought it from at the farmers market said she likes putting it in coffee because it stands up to the strong flavor.
I know I used agave in banana bread last summer when I experimenting and baked 3 loves in one weekend! Haha, but I need to search for my notes. I don’t remember how it turned out or what the ratio was…that might have been the loaf I burned too… hehe
So, besides banana bread I have two other uses for my super ripe frozen bananas. Smoothies are one—actually it’s funny because I generally don’t like smoothies that much. But when I traveled to South America a couple years ago I discovered a smoothie variation that I love. A liquado is basically a smoothie, but much simpler. In a liquado there is usually one kind of fruit and a bit of milk and/or ice. At one of the hostels we stayed at in Uruguay every morning we got to choose from either a peach liquado or a banana liquado for breakfast. I became obsessed with the banana liquado and I still make them today! I just blend bananas, a bit of vanilla, and enough milk (I like to use rice milk or coconut milk because they don’t get as frothy and unruly as regular milk when blending), sometimes I throw in a tiny bit of another fruit (like one or two frozen strawberries). I like to make it really thick and I pretend it’s ice cream! :) All this being said your banana almond smoothie looks so good and right up my smoothie alley! I love that it is so simple while still incorporating a lot of unique ingredients!
My final use for bananas is in oatmeal. I just mix in some frozen pieces of bananas into my oatmeal every morning, they just melt right in the oats. :) And because frozen bananas are soooo sweet I never put sweetener in my oatmeal anymore!
Okay, that is all. For now…;)
Hello again! I made banana bread again because I wanted to redo the photo of it on this post. I also ran out of honey about halfway through, and since I’m still out of maple syrup, used agave nectar for the rest. I can’t tell any difference in texture, but it is slightly less sweet. Based on my two experiences baking with agave, I think it’s safe to say that agave is less sweet than honey.
Liquados sound amazing. This summer I had fun blending melons with some ice. The melons pulverize (pulverrrize!) in the blender, so it’s like a fruit slush. I’ve also been making banana and almond milk smoothies, which sound just like your liquados, lately when I get a craving for frozen yogurt. It usually does the trick, and it’s cheaper and easier than driving to Campus Corner. I’m really lazy. Oh and I love bananas in oatmeal, too!
These are absolutely delicious! I love the healthy twists on baked goods!
This is baking in my oven right now! Can’t wait to try it. :-)
I’ve got a store-bought gluten-free flour mix, do you think I could substitute it in this recipe for the whole-wheat flour, to make it GF? Has anyone already tried it?
Thanks!
I am not sure if anyone has tried it with gluten-free flour, but I know that whole wheat pastry flour has less gluten than most other whole wheat flours so I think GF flour is worth a shot! Please let us know how it turns out!
Hi Kate! I just did the ultimate banana bread last night. My husband and I just super love it! Later today before we hit the gym I will make your avocado smoothie with pineapple, orange… Can’t wait to taste it! More power!
PS
I was not a good cook (and now am becoming! Yiipee!) and just did baking for the first time when I was 12 (it wasn’t bad then!) and never did baking again until I got married. And now I found your recipes and precious ideas, I am more inspired to bake more, cook more, and have more healthier foods on our table every meal. I am so so so happy!
Thank you, Ela! Your comment made my day. I’m delighted that my recipes are inspiring you to cook more and bake again!
I found your receipt on Sous Style and just put it in the oven. Can’t wait for it to come out. If the batter I just licked off the batter is any indication, it’s going to be pretty darn good.
WOW! I just accidentally came across your site while I was looking for a “green smoothie”. I LOVE THIS SITE! And this bread recipe- this is going to sound crazy- but I wanted to healthify my banana bread recipe and I did this exact thing! I used coconut oil, ww flour and it was a huge hit with my family- who is not that crazy about my healthifying our family! haha. ANyway- Im so excited to surf through your blog and recipes!
Hi Kate! I stumbled upon this blog accidently and I am definitely hooked!! My hubby and I are always looking for delicious whole wheat “stuff” – I’m so excited to explore this website further!!
And as for adding the hot water to the baking soda first: I am honestly thinking it might not be the best idea to do this. Baking soda is a chemical leavener that releases a burst of carbon dioxide when mixed with a liquid. (It requires the presence of an acid as well, which it why it is typically used in recipes calling for cocoa powder, buttermilk, lemon juice etc.). It differs from baking POWDER in that baking powder releases a small burst of CO2 when put in contact with a liquid, and a second larger burst of CO2 when put in the presence of heat. Thus, baked goods containing baking soda MUST be baked immediately to get the best rise, whereas items using baking powder can be held and baked the next day/frozen and baked if need be.
All that being said, I am hesitant to dissolve the soda in water first before adding it to the recipe only because I feel that (depending on how long it took to get into the oven) you may lose some of your leavening power. Have you ever tried it without dissolving it?? I am considering making this bread tomorrow and I most likely won’t dissolve it…I’ll let you know how it comes out!
Thanks again for the amazing recipes – I’m excited to explore!!
Hey Sarah, thank you so much for your insightful comment! I have always wondered about the differences between baking soda and baking powder, and now I get it. I have made many batches of this banana bread recipe with hot water and every batch has risen as high as I could expect is to rise. I haven’t ever rushed to get the bread into the oven, nor have I let it sit for long before placing it in the oven, but you could very well be correct. I’m eager to learn how your bread turns out!
Hi Kate & Sarah! I know I’m a bit late to the party, but this idea of adding baking soda to hot water was very intriguing, and I thought I’d contribute another theory…
If I understand Sarah’s post (and wikipedia) correctly, baking soda reacts only to acid, and baking powder reacts to both heat and acid. So the baking soda should not react to hot water at all. This was my experience — there was no bubbling when I added it to the water. My guess is that this step of the recipe doesn’t have anything to do with chemistry, and instead it is just a simple way to ensure that the baking soda gets evenly distributed throughout the batter. Just like when you add cornstarch to a sauce and you dissolve it in hot water first. I’m guessing if you used separate bowls for wet and dry ingredients and combined them at the end, you wouldn’t need this step.
Lastly, and most importantly, this recipe is amazing. I tried 4 other whole wheat banana bread recipes before I made this one, and I have officially declared my search to be over. Thanks, Kate!
Thanks for your speculation, Beth! I bet you are right. I don’t see why the step would be necessary if two bowls were called for, since it would be easy to mix the baking soda into the dry ingredients. I like the one bowl method, though, and I’m happy to hear you love the banana bread! It is my all-time favorite.
I have my banana bread baking in the oven right now. All I had was all purpose whole wheat flour so I added 2 tsp. of gluten to the mixture. Can’t wait to see how this comes out. The test will be my husband who is not a fan of whole wheat. It was very easy to make.
About to pull a loaf out of the oven, it smells divine. :) Here’s hoping I managed to get it right! :p I have to say, I love your focus on baking with healthy ingredients and natural sweeteners. It’s really awesome, and your baking is a real source of inspiration. So glad I found this blog!
Thank you, Bec! I’m so glad you found my blog. It’s starting to get too warm to turn on the oven, but I hope you’ll continue to find inspiration in my existing recipes!
Note when using frozen banana the melted coconut oil solidifies again. DOH!
Oops yeah, that will happen! I defrost my frozen chunks of banana first. Sometimes even adding a cold egg will cause the coconut oil to solidify again, but that’s easily remedied by short little bursts in microwave.
Hi Kate, I just found your blog and I love it! I thought I already had the perfect banana bread until I found your version. I have to try it by looking at the ingredients it sounds amazing! I can’t wait.
I made this bread tonight with the kids that I babysit. SOOO easy and so delicious! This is most definitely my favorite banana bread recipe now! I didn’t change a thing.
Has anyone tried this in a muffin tin? Curious how long to bake it for.
Hi Kate, I just made this banana bread, I LOVE it! I used applesauce instead of oil and its great. I was wondering if you had any idea what the calorie count for this is? I’m just curious… cause I could eat the whole thing. :)
Liz, so glad you love the banana bread! It is one of my very favorite recipes. Unfortunately I do not know the calorie count, but I’m sure it’s lower than the average banana bread (especially since you subbed applesauce instead of oil). The whole wheat also means it’s higher in fiber, which slows the digestion of the honey, so that is a good thing. If you figure out the nutrition values, please let me know!
My bread is in the oven. Can’t wait to try it. We love banana bread and make it frequently. This recipe is intriguing – much more like a cake batter than any that I have made in the past. I entered the ingredients into my recipe program and got the following nutritional information based on the loaf serving 10.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 153.71
Calories From Fat (49%) 74.85% Daily Value
Total Fat 8.43g 13%
Saturated Fat 0.90g 4%
Cholesterol 49.07mg 16%
Sodium 259.58mg 11%
Potassium 106.13mg 3%
Carbohydrates 19.34g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0.68g 3%
Sugar 16.82g
Sugar Alcohols 0.00g
Net Carbohydrates 18.66g
Protein 1.76g 4%
Thanks for posting this wonderful recipe.
Thank you for sharing the nutrition facts, Lynda! Hope you’re loving the banana bread. It does have a rather cake-like texture, which I love.
This recipe was so much better than I expected! My husband and one year old devoured it! Only change I made was to swap a half cup of the flour for organic quick cooking oats. Turned out moist, fluffy and delicious. Thanks for sharing:-)
I came across this recipe, and I thought I would give it a try. My husband has high cholesteroI, so I will share my modifications – replaced the 2 eggs with 1/3 c water + 2 TBSP sprouted chia. I also replace the 1/3 cup oil with 1/3 cup apple sauce. (That was more for me than for my husband.) Then, when the bread came out of the oven, I sprinkled a bit of Turbinado sugar on top. It was great! This will be my new banana bread recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad to hear that you and your husband enjoyed the bread! I’m glad to know the recipe works with chia and apple sauce. Thank you for sharing your adaptations, I am sure they will be useful to others who are watching their diets!
I’m making these tomorrow morning as a surprise for my family. I’m glad I read the comments first! Great stuff, variations on the recipe, discussions of baking technique, ingredients… And a site hostess who interacts and is passionate about food.
Thank you, Eric. I really appreciate your comment. Hope your banana bread turned out wonderfully!
It did! This banana bread wins a spot in the regular rotation ;-)
This is so good!!! Best and healthiest banana bread recipe I’ve found. I add chopped dark chocolate to mine and make mini-muffins. :) Addicted!
Thanks for commenting, Rhiannon! Sounds like I need to add dark chocolate to mine next time.
Kitchen tested this afternoon. Verdict: WOW! My neighbor was over with her dog for a puppy playdate and tried some. She said it’s the best banana bread she’s ever had, and I agree. The pups begged and begged but no banana bread for them. :-D
Yes! Love it! I like to call it the best banana bread ever, I’m glad you two agree.
Oh my goodness! Found this recipe at work today, and I am so glad I did. Best Banana Nut Bread ever. The boyfriend also approves. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Thanks, Mette! I am happy you enjoyed it!
I LOVE banana bread, and so does my husband. I tried this recipe using coconut oil (we use it for various other things) and used orange blossom raw honey from a local farmer and a few chocolate chips (more than a few.. ok.) It was delicious! I will be sharing with my family who also love banana bread :)
Orange blossom raw honey sounds amazing! I’m happy to hear that you and your husband enjoy my banana bread recipe, it’s my favorite!
This was great! So moist and delicious. And I appreciate the healthier recipe with whole wheat and honey instead of sugar! Thanks :)
I used this recipe for my first ever attempt at making banana bread and was not disappointed! Just had a slice still soft and warm from the oven… So good! Thank you :)
Hooray! Glad to hear it, Kyra.
I have a great banana bread recipe that I use all the time, but it’s not as healthy as this one, so I was excited to give this a try. It was very delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Best banana bread ever! :) thank you so much, I made and it came out beautiful!! My 2 year old daughter loved it!!!
So glad you and your little one are enjoying the banana bread, Sunena! Thank you for the comment to let me know. :)
A great recipe. I used warm milk instead of water, apple sauce + 1 tbls. oil, and put in 1/2 cup mix of hemp hearts and chia. Fourth time making it and a loaf doesn’t make it past two mornings. The other day when given the choice of a muffin or banana bread, one of my twenty-somethings took the banana loaf saying she wanted something healthier :D
Happy to hear that you and your family enjoy the banana bread, Cathy! I’m also glad to know that those substitutions and additions work well. Thank you for commenting!
Kate!! This is simply the best. I was looking for something to bake (it had been one of those days…) that 1) didn’t have a huge list of elaborate ingredients and 2) was healthy. Oh my goodness. I can’t get over this bread. I have a tiny grocery store near my apartment that doesn’t have a ton of options, so I had to use regular whole wheat flour instead of the pastry kind. Everything turned out just fine. I cut a big slab when it was still warm and but some butter on top. Could barely wait for the butter to melt before I stuffed my face.
:) thanks for the great comment, Jennifer! So glad you loved the bread.
I made this cake today, as it sounded absolutely delicious! Unfortunately, my cake kind of turned out very sort of sticky and undercooked inside despite being in the oven for 2hours! I.e double the stated time at the suggested 165C :( I followed the recipe exactly, so have no idea why it turned out that way. I ate it anyway, and it was still kind if tasty, just not really like bread or cake, more like… fudge?
Anyway, will try it again another day and see if it turns out differently!
That is strange, Emma! Are you sure your oven is functioning properly? I have had to bake this bread for ten minutes longer than 55 before, but definitely never another hour.
I saw this recipe and decided I wanted to make the banana bread on a whim, but the recipe calls for whole wheat pastry flour which I don’t have immediately stored at my house.
I only had regular whole wheat flour or Indian Atta flour for chapatis (Indian flat bread), so I opted to use the lighter Atta flour as a substitute for the pastry flour and my bread came out wonderful!
This recipe is great and so delicious – I’m so glad you posted it! I added about a cup of dark chocolate chips (60% chocolate) and about 1 cup of raisins for fun, and now have my lunch snack for 1 week – thanks!
I’ve never heard of Atta flour, but I’ll have to hunt some down. Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Renee! Chocolate chips and raisins sound like delicious additions.
By the way, might I add, that the texture and consistency of my bread came out perfectly – very light, moist and deeeelicious! I even used this recipe using a muffin pan, and the muffins came out even better than the loaf. Very happy with this recipe.
do you think these would work as muffins? i am a HUGE crust-lover so I prefer the muffin shape :)
I have made this banana bread into muffins, they turned out great! I like to sprinkle a little bit of turbinado sugar on top for extra crunch.
Hi Katie
LOVE LOVE this recipe..everyone in my house is a big fan of banana bread. Today tried your recipe and I am in love with it… I am sure everyone else in my house will be too.. The cake turned out so moist and well!!! I altered the recipe a big and added extra 2 bananas, because I like it that way… Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Thanks, Amoolya! I’m so glad you are enjoying the banana bread.
have you ever doubled the recipe? i want to make a huge batch of these. do you thing they will come out the same? thanks! i am in LOVE with these as muffins!
Sorry Marisa, I haven’t doubled the recipe but I think it would work fine! If you’re baking multiple muffin pans at once, you might want to rotate them halfway… that’s my only suggestion.
I love this bread, it’s so yummy and has a great texture. I gave this recipe to my mother-in-law and as I was reading over the ingredients I realized that I forgot to add the eggs! After I told her what I did she made it without the eggs and loved it! In fact, my husband just asked me to make it again and leave the eggs out so I guess I’ll try it with the eggs another time. :)
That’s so good to know, Danielle. Now I’m curious to see how the bread turns out without eggs! Maybe a little more dense?
Hi, Kate. I found your site when I was searching for a healthy pumpkin recipe and I found your delicious pumpkin bread recipe. It came out great but a little dense.
Today I made the banana bread recipe and made modifications – added 1 tbs vinegar to the water. It came out amazing! I can’t believe there is no sugar in it. I also added some sweetened shredded coconut on the top.
Interesting idea to add vinegar! I’ll try to remember to try that soon.
Hi, Kate.
Thanks for this recipe! Will be trying it out tonight. Does the whole wheat flour have to be pastry flour or can I just use all-purpose whole wheat flour?
Thanks, again!
Whole wheat flour should be just fine! I recommend whole wheat pastry flour because it’s a little bit lighter but I think you’ll love the bread made with regular whole wheat flour, too.
OMG! Made your whole wheat pumpkin bread and it is soooo yummy! I added walnuts in the batter and brown sugar and sliced almonds on top. Eating it with some peanut butter right now (this is a nut-loving household!) and it is so good! I love how it’s healthy also! Can’t wait to try your other recipes! Thanks so much! New to your blog and love it!
Hooray, glad you enjoyed the pumpkin bread. Your additions sound great. If you like bananas, you’ll also love my banana bread! Thanks for commenting, Nirali.
Will the banana bread recipe work in a microwave oven? Usually whenever I try to bake one in the microwave, it doesn’t bake completely in the middle.
I’m sorry, I’ve never tried! I have never done any baking in a microwave oven.
I just made this banana bread recipe! So delicious! I am always looking for lower sugar, whole wheat versions of baked goods and appreciate your recipe. I have also made your pumpkin bread recipe and it was also lovely. Thanks! :)
I just made these this morning, side-by-side with the Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin bread to compare. Two bowls, two muffin tins. I was at the end of my bag of whole wheat pastry flour so used King Arthur’s regular whole wheat flour instead, but they both turned out amazing. This is now my go-to banana bread recipe. Thanks, Kate!
I just stumbled across your blog and I’m glad I did! I’ve been searching for a whole wheat banana bread recipe as mine have been turning out dry. This one sounds great, I’ve printed the recipe to make tomorrow morning! Thanks Kate!
I chose this recipe as I thought it seemed different from many others and therefore interesting……don’t make the same mistake as me…..find another recipe, this one isn’t nice, I had to feed it to the birds. What a waste. I had followed the recipe properly.
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t turn out well, Cathy. I have made it myself at least ten times and have always been pleased with the results. I hope you find another one that works better for you.
don’t listen to the negative reviews,,,i have made this over 20 times, and everytime it has been gobbled up by my family within 48 hours. It is a great low sugar alternative on my son’s lunch too.
Thank you, Michelle! :)
I made this bread today (first banana bread ever made by me) and it was amazzzzzzzzzzing!
By far the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted (sweet and moist) and I can’t believe it’s made of 100% whole wheat flour! It was so easy to make too! I also sprinkled some broken pecans and chocolate chips on top and just ate two large slices with becel on top.
Thank you for sharing this recipe Kate! I’m gonna try your pumpkin bread recipe as well!
Hi Nelly, thanks for taking the time to comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed the bread. It’s one of my favorite things to bake.
I made this today and It is wonderful! The kids love it too! I can’t believe how light it is – and such good flavor. WOW! Thank you for sharing.
Love! Love! Love! This Banana Bread is spectacular! I eat it for breakfast and snacks! I added walnuts to the recipe and replaced the honey with Agave nectar. I also used 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup of coconut flour. When I put all my ingredients into “My Fitness Pal” app per serving came out about 227 calories (I cut 10 slices from my banana bread baked in a loaf pan as stated in recipe). Even better with peanut butter or sunbutter spread on top of slice. Thank you so much for this recipe–it’s one of my weekly staples!
Thanks for the great comment, Dawn! Your substitutions sound terrific. Thank you for sharing the nutrition information as well.
Delish! This was my first time using whole wheat flour (ever)–I had bought it a little while ago because I really wanted to start making healthier baked goods. And I just so happened to have some extra ripe bananas lying around, so I decided to make banana bread and stumbled across your recipe. I ended up making muffins instead, since I don’t have a loaf pan and I’m snowed in at the moment. I also mixed together some rolled oats, brown sugar, softened butter and cinnamon to top them with. I kept an eye on them, and after about 35-40 mins, they were done! Since its my first time trying a whole wheat muffin, they tasted slightly dry to me–but I added some I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, and they were perfect! Can’t wait for my husband to try them when he gets home; he’s pretty picky, but has been open to trying more whole wheat products :) Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I’ve already bookmarked it!
Thanks, Jacki. I’m so glad you enjoyed the whole wheat banana bread recipe. I love baking with fruit purées (like banana or pumpkin) and whole wheat flour—the fruit helps keep the bread moist. Hope your husband liked the muffins!
Great recipe! Added 1/4 cup of walnuts, 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of oats to flour. Added 2 tbsp of pure Canadian maple syrup to wet mixture. Also, for a little decadence added 2 tbsp of melted butter to the oil:) Enjoy.
Thanks, Ian. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe; those additions sound like great ideas.
Hey Kathryne! I happened upon your blog googling a new recipe for whole wheat banana bread! What are the odds? haha. It’s in the oven now and if it tastes half as delicious as the batter did, it’s gonna be awesome! Thanks!
Hey Jess! Well, that’s crazy. I hope the banana bread turned out well. Tell Dan hi for me!
This is my go-to banana bread recipe! Never fails! Have substitued applesauce for the honey if in a bind and still is amazing-there is some in the oven right now! Great job
Thanks, Jessica! I hadn’t thought to sub applesauce for the honey. I know some others have replaced the oil with applesauce with good results. Interesting!
Just make your banana bread. Was so yummy my kids (3 and 4) even gobbled it up :-) Instead of bread I made mini muffins to appeal more to them. I did substitute the whole wheat flour with Spelt flour, then for fun added chopped walnuts and raw coconut sap crystals as a topping. Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Thanks for commenting, Kristina! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the bread. I’m also glad to know that the bread turns out well with spelt flour.
Just made this bread, it’s amazing!!! So tasty and so much better for you than orindary banana bread! The only thing I did different was used 1/3 cup of cinnamon applesauce in place of the oil. I plugged everything together into my fitness pal and it’s 155 calories for 1/10! :) thanks for sharing!
Thanks for commenting, Ashley! I’m so glad you enjoyed the banana bread. Thank you for sharing your substitution and nutrition information as well.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I was looking for a recipe for banana bread that used coconut oil rather than butter and googled “banana bread coconut oil,” and was so delighted to find your blog! I have never really made a great banana bread (it’s usually too dry) but this was fabulous! I added about a tbsp. of maple syrup and also 1/2 cup each of golden raisins and chopped walnuts. It was so yummy … everyone loved it! I’m sure to check back for more recipes; thanks so much!
Thanks, Peggy! I’m really glad you enjoyed the banana bread. I love to use coconut oil in baked goods. You might also like my pumpkin bread recipe and banana oat pancakes.
I love this recipe!! I had searched for a healthy banana bread recipe for years, and now I’m doing looking. I linked to this recipe on my blog today.
http://www.themeasuredmom.com/honey-whole-wheat-banana-bread/
Wow!! This is so fabulous!!! I tried to be clever like some of your other posters, but I’m not that great of an experimenter! I used some Greek yogurt along with the oil and then put some wheat germ in with the pastry flour. I think the first was a great idea- the second not so great. The wheat germ (even though I only used a little bit) stands out instead of blending in. As I always have browning bananas, I will certainly make this again but without the wheat germ. It’s got an amazing light taste. Thanks for sharing – and thanks to your posters for giving me some great innovative ideas.
Thank you, Glenna! You’re right, my commenters are full of great ideas. Thank you for your feedback!
Incredible recipe! I added flaxseed, coconut flakes and walnuts for a more filling treat during a busy morning at work. Just the right amount of sweetness! Thank you and keep up the awesome work!
Thanks, Christine! I’m glad you enjoyed the bread. Your additions sound great.
This recipe (with walnuts, a banana bread must, in my opinion) turned out great! One thing, though, the recipe says to bake for 60-65 minutes. I checked at about 58 mins and it was done, a bit overcooked. I then noticed that the summary at the top of the recipe says “Cook time: 55 minutes.” Is there a typo in the recipe itself? Next time I’ll try it for 50-55 mins.
Hi Nicole, thank you for your feedback. If I recall correctly, my recipe originally specified 55 minutes but none of my 10+ loaves were ever done at 55 minutes, so I bumped it up to 60. I don’t think it’s my oven (I’ve baked the bread in two and both required 60 minutes). Do you think it’s due to a difference in our loaf pans? My pan is made of thick stoneware (Le Creuset). What is yours?
I just made this recipe. Only my second attempt at banana bread. I only used 1/3 cup of honey (all I had), and I added some pecan pieces and semi-sweet chocolate chips. All I can say is wow! It is sooooo good, and its made with whole wheat. Love it!
I will be making this again!
Thanks for commenting, Durwin! Pecans and chocolate are two of my favorite things and I can only imagine that they were great in the banana bread.
LOVED this both times I have made it as well as my picky teenager ate it up as well … He doesn’t even put butter on it! I really like that you kept it just straight whole wheat as so many others as flour. Yummy!
Thanks, Amy! Glad your son loves the bread, too. I’m a big fan of this bread with peanut butter.
This is awesome!! I followed the recipe almost exactly–mixed in some white whole wheat flour, and used 3 bananas not sure if that = 1 cup mashed…. Soooooo good!!!! I never thought i would find a whole wheat recipe that I actually ENJOYED, versus just tolerating! Maybe it is the pastry flour, bc the texture was so nice and not “wheaty”, & didn’t burn on the outside like other recipes I’ve tried. It tasted almost like regular banana bread! Also it was sweet enough I might even try to use just a tad less honey next time, what a nice surprise thanks for the recipe oh & my house smelled amaaazing!
Thanks, Becca! I’m glad you enjoyed the banana bread. I guess I’m used to the flavor of whole wheat, but I do love how whole wheat pastry flour’s mild taste.
OK, I’ve made 2 double batches of this bread so far–and I love it! Also shared it with a few friends who’ve enjoyed their banana bread, too. :) This recipe is a real jem. Thank you for sharing it.
My substitutions:
- Spelt flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour (which is tough to find in my country)
- Buttermilk instead of water
- Instead of dissolving the baking soda in water, I sift it in with the flour
- Fold pecans into the batter
- Sprinkle a wee bit of brown sugar on top alongside the cinnamon before baking
It’s one of the first recipes I’ve used coconut oil for, and now I’ve got a big tub of it. Love the stuff. I really like the idea of experimenting with some maple syrup in combo with the honey. I’ve just used regular honey up until now, but I have a batch in the oven now with a more rich chestnut honey. We shall see if/how it affects the flavor!
Kate, thanks so much for sharing your substitutions! I’m eager to try the banana bread with spelt flour. Glad you’re enjoying coconut oil as well, it’s the best!
Great recipe. Was able to leave out the baking soda and cinnamon to make it suit me and was still gorgeous! Thank you
I’m glad the recipe worked for you even without the baking soda! Thanks for letting me know, Laura.
Hi! Sounds delish…I am planning to make this for my daughter’s class snack. How long would the cook time be if I made them muffins instead of a loaf? 30 minutes?
Thank you!
Hi Maria, I’m not sure on the exact baking time but I would check them for doneness around 20-25 minutes into baking.
Thanks, Kate. Yes…they were perfect at 28 minutes @325. I’m making them again tonight for my MOPs group tomorrow morning. Looking forward to following your blog for more great whole food recipes!
Glad to hear it! Thanks for reporting back with the baking time, that’s so helpful.
A little story for you: A few days ago I was casually reading through your Orange Poppy Seed Pound Cake post. When I read the words “honey whole wheat banana bread” I quickly forgot about the pound cake and make this bread once, then twice. The second time I included 1 cup dark chocolate chips. HEAVEN, I tell you. Perfectly moist, just sweet enough heaven. With all whole wheat flour and honey as a sweetener, this is my new go-to banana bread recipe.
I read through some of the comments and am eager to try it with Grade B maple syrup, as well as with some orange or lemon zest. Oh, I also used almond extract instead of vanilla in both my versions, and while the taste wasn’t distinct I think it brightened the flavors a bit.
That’s awesome, Amanda! Glad you’re loving the banana bread. You might also like the pumpkin bread version next fall!
I would love to make your bread although I only have whole wheat flour. Could I sift it to make a “pastry” flour? I realize it’s the type of flour and not the texture, but I can’t find the ww pastry flour. Would regular ww flour work in this recipe? Thanks so much, Diane
Hi Diane, I’m sorry you’re having trouble finding whole wheat pastry flour. I have heard from several other commenters that whole wheat flour works great as well. No need to sift, just use the same amount. Good luck!
This is a really nice and healthy banana bread recipe! I made it to bring to an Easter celebration and was very happy with how it turned out. I also used whole wheat flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour and thought the bread did just fine with the substitution. Also, the key to any banana bread is using super ripe bananas. Mine could have been a tad riper which would have made the bread a little more flavorful. But overall very happy and the bread tastes great with a little jam on it, too!
Looks delish! Do you think I can use 100% whole spelt?
Hi Marian, though I haven’t tried it, I’ve heard from commenters that spelt flour works well. Hope you’ll give it a shot.
What if I were to use sea salt, olive oil and whole wheat flour in substitute of iodized salt, vegetable oil and whole wheat pastry flour? Would I have to make any adjustments to the recipe?
Hi Tatiana, I’m sorry for my delayed response. I think those substations will work great.
I just made this, but I forgot to use the water. I just added the soda to the mix, but I also added dark chocolate, oats and chia seeds! It was really thick, so I think it may come out really dense? Anyway this is my first time baking with honey! Thanks for a easy to follow recipe!
Hey Amanda, I bet your banana bread is a little more dense than usual, but I hope it’s delicious regardless!
Thank for the recipe! I used some substituted some nutella for the oil and 1/2 cup of flaxseed for the flour. The batter tasted great and it smells so good! Can’t wait to taste it!
Thanks, Casey! I hope you love the final result.
Just made this recipe yesterday and it turned out SO GOOD! Best banana bread I think I’ve ever made! I was really drawn to the recipe because it included coconut oil instead of butter and honey instead of sugar. DELICIOUS!
Thank you, Christina! I’m so glad you enjoyed the banana bread. It’s my favorite, too.
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