Want to make someone’s day? Bake them some banana bread! Just yesterday, I said, “I’m going to bake some banana bread,” and watched a full-grown man’s eyes light up like a kid’s on Christmas morning.
Banana bread is one of those classic, all-American comfort food recipes that fills the whole house with warmth and makes everything better. Banana bread is magic.
I perfected this banana bread recipe for my cookbook and wanted to share with you here. This recipe has all the hallmarks of classic banana bread—it’s fluffy, moist, infused with sweet banana flavor, and beloved by toddlers and adults alike.
Bonus? This recipe requires just one bowl, a few measuring cups and some basic ingredients.
What makes this banana bread healthy?
- This banana bread recipe is made with 100 percent whole wheat flour, unlike traditional banana bread recipes that call for refined flour and lots of processed sugar.
- This banana bread is naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup, which offer some trace nutrients that white sugar does not.
- Lastly, this recipe calls for a reasonable amount of unrefined oil rather than whole sticks of butter (choose from virgin coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil).
As you can see, my homemade banana bread has plenty of redeeming qualities, chief being that it won’t send your blood sugar levels for a loop. You can keep them all to yourself, though. No one will be able to tell that this is healthy banana bread!
Banana Bread Flour Options
This recipe is flexible! Any of the following flours will work well. I love to use white whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour—they offer all the whole wheat nutrients, without the characteristically nutty flavor.
- All-purpose flour
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- Oat flour*
- Spelt flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Whole wheat pastry flour
- White whole wheat flour
*To substitute oat flour, you’ll need to use 2 1/2 cups, for reasons elaborated in my guide to oat flour.
Want to make your banana bread with almond flour? You sure can, but it’s not a simple substitute, so follow my almond flour-based banana bread recipe instead.
Tip: How to Measure Flour
For best results, it’s important to measure your flour properly. Here’s how to measure flour in cups using the “spoon and swoop” method:
- Gently stir your flour with a large spoon to loosen it up.
- Spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t scoop it in!).
- Level off the excess with a butter knife.
Banana Bread Variations
Now that I’ve finally perfected this basic banana bread, feel free to change up this recipe and make it your own. Toss some chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter! Same goes for chocolate chips. You could also add raisins, chopped dried fruit or slices of bananas.
Craving muffins instead? Follow my recipe for healthy banana muffins.
Following a special diet? With a couple of minor tweaks, you can make this bread vegan (so dairy free and egg free, too) or gluten free. Check the recipe notes for details.
Watch How to Make Healthy Banana Bread
Healthy Banana Bread
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
With this healthy banana bread recipe, you’re only a few simple ingredients away from the best banana bread ever! It’s made with whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup. You can easily make this banana bread vegan or gluten free—check the recipe notes for details. Recipe yields 1 loaf (about 10 slices).
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (75 grams) melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil or high quality vegetable oil*
- ½ cup honey (168 grams) or maple syrup (155 grams)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (225 grams) mashed ripe bananas (about 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas)
- ¼ cup (56 grams) milk of choice or water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT baking powder; they aren’t the same!)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
- 1 ¾ cups (220 grams) white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour**
- Totally optional: ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit, fresh banana slices…
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9Ă—5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
- Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
- Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (typically, if I haven’t added any mix-ins, my bread is done at 55 minutes; if I have added mix-ins, it needs closer to 60 minutes). Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for at least 10 minutes. You may need to run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the bread from the pan. Carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool before slicing.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my honey whole wheat banana bread, originally based on All Recipes.
Storage suggestions: This bread is moist, so it will keep for just two or three days at room temperature. Store it in the refrigerator for five to seven days, or in the freezer for up to three months or so. I like to slice the bread before freezing and defrost individual slices, either by letting them rest at room temperature or lightly toasting them.
*Oil options: I love coconut oil here. I used unrefined coconut oil and can hardly taste it in the final product. Olive oil might lend an herbal note to the muffins, if you’re into that (I tested with California Olive Ranch’s “Everyday” variety and couldn’t even taste it). Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor, but the average vegetable/canola oil is highly processed, so I recommend using cold-pressed sunflower oil or grapeseed oil if possible.
**Flour alternatives: In place of the whole wheat flour, you can use an equal amount of all purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Or, substitute 2 ½ cups oat flour.
Make muffins: Here’s my banana muffin recipe.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey, replace the eggs with flax eggs and choose non-dairy milk (I used almond milk) or water.
Make it dairy free: Choose non-dairy milk (I used almond milk) or water.
Make it egg free: Replace the eggs with flax eggs.
Make it gluten free: Use an equal amount of Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free blend or 2 ½ cups certified gluten-free oat flour. Do NOT substitute coconut flour.
Make it lower in fat: I would argue that this bread contains a healthy amount of fat, but you can replace the oil with applesauce if you’re following a low-fat diet.
If you love this recipe: You will also love my banana muffins, banana cake with cream cheese frosting, healthy pumpkin bread and pumpkin muffins. Here are all of my baked goods and banana recipes.
Recommended equipment: I am totally in love with my Fiesta Loaf Pan in Turquoise (affiliate link).
Millia Begum
Thank you very much for the recipe. Made it with white flour as i didn’t have wholemeal nevertheless turned out very tasty. Will use wholemeal next time to make it even more healthier.
Addy
Hi Kate!
Is it possible to make this recipe but instead of a loaf use muffin tins?
Kate
Hi Addy, you sure can. Follow my recipe for healthy banana muffins for full details. :)
bigboomertime
ur a boomer
Karolina
This recipe is amazing – super easy and absolutely delicious, so happy I found it!!! I used regular all purpose flour, added some chopped dark chocolate pieces and sunflower seeds, turned out amazing! Have you tried substituting w coconut flour? I usually have that one,just didn’t try this first time.
Kate
Hi Karolina! I’m happy to hear that. Unfortunately, coconut flour isn’t a great 1:1 substitute.
Dominique
If I halve this recipe (I only had 1 banana), should I halve the cooking time or still bake it for 55 mins? Thanks!
Kate
Hi Dominique, you’ll want to roughly halve the cooking time assuming you’re baking it in a loaf pan. Actually, it might need a little less than half the amount of baking time, so keep an eye on it. Bake it “until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.”
Carolina
which one do you think is better to use oat flour or almond flour? which one would it make the bread more tasty
Kate
Hi Carolina, I haven’t tired it with either so I can’t say for sure. I don’t usually have luck with those working as a 1:1 substitute sorry!
Jeannie
Hi Carolina,
I always use oat flour and the texture is more spongey/cakey rather than bready. I think because oats tend to absorb moisture well that it tastes more chewy!
Kate
I’m not sure if it will turn out due to the volume, but you could try cutting the time in half.
Crystal
Hi! I really want to use this recipe but i don’t have honey or maple syrup. Can I use coconut sugar or even regular sugar? If so, how much should I add? Thank you!
Kate
Hi Crystal, I’m sorry, this recipe relies on the natural sweetener for moisture. I’m afraid your bread might not turn out well if you substitute a dry sweetener.
Tania
The texture, the ingredients and the taste: everything is just perfect! Thank you for that great recipe.
Kate
Unfortunately this was designed to be used with a liquid sweetener. It helps with the moisture of the bread as it is a liquid ingredient.
RSLB
I tried this recipe & realised what I thought was maple syrup in my cupboard was actually golden syrup but it worked beautifully, I also added some choc chips. My whole family loved it!
Aerialla Astrupgaard
Hello, have you tried this with almond flour? I’ve got a bunch in my pantry I’d like to use. If no, that’s okay, I’ll try it out.
Kate
Almond flour typically doesn’t substitute well for wheat flours, since it’s gluten free and made of nuts instead of grains. I did just hear from another reader that replacing half of the flour with almond flour worked for her, if you’d like to give that a try.
Nivedita Raman
I make this banana bread with pecans and banana pieces it’s always a hit
Kate
I love that! Thank you for your review.
Sue
Yes. I did 3/4 almond flour and 1/4 white flour….its turn out very moist….one small loaf had butterscotch chips and for some reason didnt fully cook like the other 2 small loafs. It was just alittle wet on the top middle. Ot
herwise very good over all.
Manuela
Hi Kate!
I have a question… Do I have to add lemon juice to the baking soda?
Kate
Hi Manuela, this recipe doesn’t call for lemon juice. Are you referring to a different recipe?
Cara Hamstra
Dear Kate,
I was so excited about this recipe… it made the house smell amazing while it baked, it came out of the pan perfectly and cutting into it, it was so moist and steamy (especially for using whole-wheat flour!). I didn’t add any extras (no nuts, chaco-chips) as I wanted to taste it strictly as is. But I was so disappointed to hardly get ANY banana flavour. I mainly just taste the coconut oil. I’m going to try this recipe again, as I think it has amazing potential. I’ll most likely try adding an extra banana and maybe a little more honey. Chocolate-chips could do it too. I do love a sweet banana bread so maybe it’s just me ;)
Kate
Hi Cara, I’m sorry to hear that! Did you use a true cup of banana? I have made this often and haven’t experienced that. I appreciate your feedback!
Cara Hamstra
I used two large bananas in trying to save on making an extra dirty dish ;) That could be the problem! I’ll try again and let you know how it goes the second time :)
Danielle
I made this recipe twice and tomorrow will be a third time! So delicious- moist and not too sweet. This last time I added coconut flakes! Was a great addition.
Thanks for the recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Danielle!
Amanda
Used rice flour for gluten free and it turned out great!
Melissa Hasart
This was my first time trying a gluten-free banana bread recipe. (Obviously I used your gluten-free option). It turned out very good! So nice and moist! And I like the cinnamon touch as well. I have tasted one other gluten free banana bread and this one was way better. I plan on printing this one out and saving it in a recipe binder for the future.
Erika
Yum
I added 1/4 cup of oats and sprinkled some on top delicious!
Lucy
LOVED this recipe. I used half plain flour and half whole meal and it’s truly delicious. Thank you!
Krystal Hamilton
This is my staple recipe. I have literally made it over 20 times. As well as the muffin version. My children, family and friends love it it’s perfectly sweet and moist. I’ve added raisins (my personal fav), pecans, walnuts, chocolate chips. I have made it with both regular unbleached all purpose flour and whole wheat; taste wonderful each time. I have also made it with coconut oil and coconut butter. Thank you for this recipe. I will be passing this recipe down for years to come.
Jennifer Sharesky
I never leave comments on recipes. This one was SO good. I didn’t have vanilla extract so I skipped it. Used maple syrup and 3 bananas instead of 2. Delicious!!!!
Nandy M Thompson
Made muffins with this
Recipe, subbed the flour with white flour and used golden sugar (stocked in pantry), was absolutely delicious!!!! However I went out and bought honey because that’s what drew me in to begin with!!! Will make ASAP down to 3 muffins!!!!
Raghav
Hi Kate.
I want to try this recipe, but I have a microwave oven with convection and grill. Can you please suggest how to adjust the cooking time and at what settings. I have never really baked before… but I love banana bread and given the current situation I cannot go out and buy any. And I would like to start being more self reliant in terms of banana bread!
Kate
Hi Raghav! I’m sorry, I’ve never made this bread in a convection oven so I’m not sure of the settings to recommend. The trick is to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Hope that helps!
Barbara Gayle Dangaard
Is this self raising or plain flour
Mildred M Turley
The BEST banana bread EVER! I took this to a Thanksgiving dinner last year and everybody raved about it! What I, and everybody, love about this bread is it isn’t really sweet. Some banana breads are just too sweet. I used honey instead of syrup – not sure if that made any difference. I make it with Craisins and walnuts. SOOOO yummy! Thank you!
Vanessa
I made this and used cacao nibs for my mix-in. It was amazing! I used 3 bananas and it came out perfect and moist. I can not stop eating it.
Vanessa
I made this and used cacao nibs for my mix-in. I used coconut milk instead of dairy milk. It was amazing! I used 3 bananas and it came out perfect and moist. I can not stop eating it.
Laura
Hi, I tried this recipe today but the bottom half of the loaf was stodgy after over an hour in the cooker. I used plain gluten free flour, all other ingredients were same as the recipe. Thank you
Christina J McGarey
A note of help. I noticed several times that Katie said do not use gluten free flour. It will NOT turn out. :)
Laura Simpson
Aahh ok, thank you! :)
Christina J McGarey
I am sorry Laura, I should have said that Katie warns about certain gluten free flours not turning out. Which ones to use and which ones not too. I said that wrong. Sorry
Katie
I don’t have any maple syrup, would it be possible to substitute it with applesauce?:)
Kate
I haven’t tried it, but you can see if other readers have in the comments.
Ausra
Hi Kate. I love this recipe and have made it twice. Both times I’ve baked it per temp. And baking time but the center is still gooey. I admit I am not a baker, I can cook until the cows come home but Not so good with baking. I live at 1700 feet. Use a convection oven. Any ideas ?
Kate
Hi Ausra, I’m sorry this one has been tricky for you! It could be your altitude. Here is a helpful resource.
Amanda Jane Galley
Can you freeze a loaf of this?
Kate
Yes! I believe this does freeze well for some readers.
vittoria
Hi There.
I am European over here and we don’t have measuring cups and stuff. Do you have the recipe in grams? as banana bread recepies in Italian don’t look as good and simple as this one
Kate
Hi Vittoria! I don’t, but this is a great conversion resource.
Mia
It would be really useful to have also the metric measurements, I m really struggling..
Kate
Hi Mia, I don’t offer those at the moment, but here is a great resource.
DMac
Looking forward to trying this with the kids today. If I wanted to add unsweetened coco powder (approx 1/2cup) and tahini (approx 1/4cup), would I have to adjust any ingredient amounts?
Kate
Without trying it, I wouldn’t know for sure. They both can impact the overall texture and consistency.
DMac
I added 1/4cup cacao and 1/4cup tahini and it’s turned out wonderfully!
Lisa
Just pulled it out of the oven, it’s the most gorgeous banana bread I’ve ever made! Can’t wait to try it! I did follow your recipe exactly, added 1/2 c walnuts.
Robin Nielsen
I doubled the recipe to bake 2 loaves. I used spelt flour including 1/2 cup almond meal. I also used Icelandic plain yogurt instead of milk. My oil of choice was avocado.
The loaves came out great and delicious.Very moist!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Robin!
Lisa
Looked great but was dry. I followed the recipe and adjusted my oven. I will need to add more milk or something next time.
Kate
I’m sorry it was a little dry. I hope you have better luck next time! Maybe try a little less time in the oven?
Julia
This is probably one of my favourite recipes ever. I’ve been using it for years and I actually know it by heart. I just thought I’d let you know how much I love it! It’s so versatile. I just use whatever I have on hand that fits the parameters. Loaves or muffins, vegan or not – they come out perfect every time.
Thank you!
Kate
I love that you know this one by heart! Thanks for sharing, Julia.
Lori Brillante
Should I double the measurements since I only have an 8×8 square pan?
Kate
Hi Lori! It’s hard since pans can vary so much by depth, but I don’t think you will need to. Here is a good resource to reference: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/cake-pan-size-conversions/
Isa
Hi :) do you think you can use oat flour?
Kate
Hi Isa, I haven’t tried it. Typically oat flour soaks up more of the liquid than other flour. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking works really well to make it gluten free!
Leigh
I made this recipe and substituted the milk with plain Greek yoghurt (extra density preference). I also added sultanas and walnuts to the bread and sprinkled The top with plain oats. What a hit!! My son didn’t even notice it was a healthy variety with no sugar!
John
Thank you for the best banana bread I’ve ever eaten and baked myself ! Your website is enjoyed also ! I plan on using more of your recipes in the near future!
KML
Absolutely Perfect :-)
Kate
Great to hear!
Ella Holt
Turned out nicely! My bread was finished after 50 minutes, but I didn’t tweak the recipe. It could just be my oven.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Ella!
emily
This was a great recipe, usually i find healthier options to be spongy and not that great. I exchanged 1/2 cup of flour for oats as i find it takes away some of that sponge though. I added 70% cocoa chunks and walnuts to it as well. Great recipe!!
Joyce
Hi,
I don’t have baking soda at home. Can I use baking powder instead?
Thanks,
Joyce
Kate
Hi Joyce, unfortunately they don’t act the same in this recipe and you won’t get the same result.
Baileigh
Hi!! I just wanted to try this recipe out because it has no butter required in it. I don’t really care if it is 100% healthy, but can I change the white whole wheat flour to all-purpose flour?
Kate
Hi, I believe others may have used all purpose with this one and it worked ok. I know gluten free blends work, so it should.
Katie
Absolutely delicious, this will be my ‘go to’ from now on
lisa
i’ve made this many times with coconut oil, maple syrup, and spelt flour (and walnuts) and it always comes out perfect. today i made it with grapeseed oil and honey (still with spelt and walnut) and it might have been even better! so moist and delicious. highly recommend this recipe. great for breakfast, dessert, or snack. thank you for sharing it!
Jackie
I just found this recipe on your page and I want to tell you how helpful it all is! All the different variations, techniques (with helpful explanations), nutrition facts, reasoning behind your decisions – it’s all so amazingly helpful. I’m trying new recipes during this time and I really appreciate your help. I feel like you’re making me a better cook! Thank you! Will let you know how this all turns out!
Kathy stroud
Awesome!!Now, my go to recipe!! Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Kathy!
Kathy stroud
When I need a recipe,I will check your site first.Thank you
Maria Tsounis
Dear Kate,
I am writing to you from Athens, Greece. The recipe looks great but I want to ask you concerning the baking, is 165 degrees celsius for conventional ovens or air ovens. Thank you. Maria
Kate
Hi Maria! All of my recipes are designed for conventional, so that’s 165 degrees celsius in a conventional (not air) oven. Hope you love it.
Alexandra
Just made this using EVOO, Spelt flour and coconut milk. My 10 year old daughter LOVED it. I made double and mixed dark chocolate & Walnuts. Tha k you for the great recipe!
Abby
Love this recipe and make it all the time substituting unsweetened applesauce for oil. It’s a big hit around our house!!
Vilgaile
Thank you for a brilliant recipe! I’m always opting for healthier ones and this was not only much less guilty but also absolutely delicious! Melted in our mouths!
nat
can this be made with self-rising whole wheat flour? how do i substitute if stuck :) thanks.
Kate
Hi Nat, I’m sorry, I wouldn’t recommend it! For baked goods, it’s important to use precise amounts of baking soda or baking powder, and I don’t know how much is present in your flour.
Emily
I made this with plain flour (all I had at the time), liquified coconut oil, honey, plus dark choc chips and chopped walnuts as mix-ins! It was super easy to make, took a little over an hour to bake and tastes AMAZING, so so moist and not too sweet which I loved!!
Cara Hamstra
This recipe is AMAZING!
Now, I have to say, I made a mistake the first time making it. I didn’t use a true cup of banana, rather just two (what I thought was) large bananas – which left the bread tasting only of coconut oil. But despite the lack of banana, it had come out so moist (especially for whole-wheat flour!) and not crumbly, that I had to give it another try.
This time, I made it with a true 1 cup of banana, in fact, a tad more banana (because I didn’t want to make the same mistake). 3 medium bananas in total. I also added a little less than 1/2 cup of chocolate-chips to make sure I get my sweet fix. I had made it three days ago and although it smelled divine coming out of the oven, I couldn’t dive into it that day – so I refrigerated it for three days. I thought it would lose some of the dryness when I finally got to it – NOPE. It was AMAZING! I couldn’t believe it! I gobbled it up. It didn’t need butter (and I love butter), it was so delicious just as is! This healthy recipe is officially one for my books.
Thanks Kate and Cookie. DE-LICIOUS.
Danielle
Love this recipe! I may be the only one but my baking soda never dissolves and leaves a bit of the salty taste from it behind or clumps up in the bread. Can I eliminate it or any suggestions?
Kate
Hi Danielle! That’s interesting. Can you break up the baking soda with your fingers, in a bowl, before sprinkling it in? Then be sure to whisk very well? Until you add the flour, it’s safe to stir as much as you’d like. (Once you add the flour, over-stirring will activate the gluten too much, which could lead to tough bread.) Hope that helps!
Hannah
My go to banana bread recipe. Love that it is delicious and healthy!
Erica
Hello! Is it possible to substitute the honey with agave syrup? Thanks!
Kate
Hi Erica, I haven’t tried it. You could see what others have tried by checking the comments. I believe others have, but I can’t guarantee the results.
Anoushka Shetty
My go to. Absolutely love this!
Vanessa
I just made this banana bread but instead of using regular honey I used African Wild Honey. Let me tell you.. The honey has a strong smokey flavour. It doesn’t taste like the honey you can find in western supermarkets at all. And it’s super tasty and changes the banana bread. Just wow!!
Kate
That sounds like something! Thank you for sharing, Vanessa.
Sam
Well this recipe is great and it came out perfect every time but honey is quite expensive here, so I substitute the honey with a cup and a half granulated sugar and it came out great but thanks for the recipe.
Vivienne Stratton
Going to make this tomorrow. The question I have is what weight it is in grams/ ounces for the ingredients. Not sure what cup size to use. Many thanks xxx.
Kate
Hi Vivienne! Here is a great resource. I hope this helps!
Rebecca Thomas
Hi, My partner and I love this! Making our 3rd in a fortnight.
Kala Rao
Hi Kate,
The Banana Bread turned out super. I used Veg Oil, Raw Agave Syrup and Almond Milk.
Is there any subsitute for diabetices??
REgards, Kala
Kate
Hi Kala! I’m happy you loved it. I’m not a registered nutritionist, so I can’t provide specifics to dietary needs. Sorry!
Anna-Maria Mavrochanna
Hey. Made the recipe with coconut flour and added dark chocolate chips and peanut butter chips and it was delish! Do u think I can use my version for cookies too?
Kate
Hi Anna, I’m happy to hear it turned out for you! I don’t tend to have luck with coconut flour. As for cookies, I’m not confident this will work well for you as cookies.
Zeinab
Hi there, really excited to try this recipe. Can I substitute the flour for rolled oats instead?
Kate
Hello, you will need flour in this recipe to work. Rolled oats doesn’t offer the same result. Sorry!
Eileen R.
I found this recipe yesterday (search words “healthy banana bread”). It was the first recipe in search results and sounded like what I wanted. I made it today exactly as you wrote it (using grapeseed oil, honey, milk, white whole wheat flour where you gave options, and 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts). I needed 3 bananas to get 1 cup mashed. It is delicious! I think overripe bananas give a richer, deeper, more banana flavor, and mine were right there. I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for a more healthy recipe!
Stephanie
This banana bread recipe is the BEST. I really dislike cakey, sweet banana bread recipes, but this one is delicious, moist, and healthy! Thanks so much for sharing it with us, Kate! :)
Manuela
I love this banana bread, so soft but at the same time delicious flavour
Aaron
So good! Loved it. I used canola oil and spelt flour, which gave the bread a wonderful nuttiness and hearty texture. Thanks!
Erin
I’ve made this 3 times now! The first time, I followed the recipe exactly, and mine turned out a little dry. When I made it again, I used extra mashed bananas in place of the water/milk, and I used half molasses, half maple syrup as the sweetener (so 1/4 cup of each). I also used avocado oil instead of coconut oil. That time it came out much more moist for whatever reason. Another loaf is in the oven now! I love that this recipe is healthier than other banana breads without using special ingredients.
Rita Braun
I’ve made this many times, and will make many more! Thank you for sharing this no-sugar recipe. Love love it.
SILVIA
Hi Kate,
Can you please indicate the ingredient’s weights in grams instead of cups? Thx!!
Kate
Hi Silvia! Here is a great resource.
Micaela
Hi ! Can I replace with oat flour instead of whole wheat ?
Kate
I haven’t tried it, sorry! I would check the comments to see what others have tried.
Emily Clementson
My whole family loved this recipe!! I only added 1/3 cup of honey and it was the perfect amount of sweetness for us. Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe!
Melanie
Made this today and it is delicious!! Will definitely be making this again! My 18 month old loves it as well :-) thank you for the recipe!
Nicole
Thank you so much for this lovely recipe! It’s delicious yet healthy and perfectly walks that line between the two. I only had all-purpose flour kicking around and used that, and did half honey half maple syrup. I also did chopped dark chocolate for add ins. It had 55 minutes in the oven and it was just slightly too long for bake time but still turned out really well. Also, I went on autopilot and did the traditional wet-dry-well mix method rather than as per the instructions and it worked fine.
Kate
You’re welcome, Nicole! I’m glad this one was a hit for you. Ovens do vary and the type of bread pan you use, so you may want to try a little less time next time. I appreciate your feedback!
Kristin Eby
I’ve made this banana bread two times so far (getting ready to make it again). The first time I used honey and the second time I used maple syrup. We prefer the maple syrup as it lends a caramel flavor to the bread. This bread is a great addition to my attempts to make everything with real, whole foods. I hadn’t been making banana bread lately because most recipes have so much processed sugar. Thank you so much! It’s really delicious.
Julia
Love this recipe so much!!! My friends and family keep begging me to make it. The honey as the sweetener is SUCH a game changer. Adding chocolate chips makes it even better too.
Sindhu
really good recipe! some modifications I used were two overripe bananas, vegetable oil, pumpkin pie spice, chopped walnuts, & all purpose flour. it came out delicious. next time I’m going to try to make my own even healthier recipe as I want to see if I can get this to be oil and sugar-free without sacrificing taste. hopefully with some experimentation w/ oat flour, applesauce, Greek yogurt, and an extra banana, I’ll be able to mimic just how wonderful this recipe was! thanks for sharing it :)
Jennifer
How did it come out… using applesauce to replace the sugar.. would like to try it.
Sindhu
I didn’t get to try it out yet but I’ve used unsweetened applesauce in other baked goods & it’s always worked very well! I like my desserts not too sweet so applesauce satisfies me but if you like it sweeter, you could just use 1/2 sugar and 1/2 applesauce & I’m sure it would turn out great!
J
Thank you for getting back to me… will try with Applesauce next time.
emma
Hi! This is my all time fav recipe and i make it all the time. i’ve recently had to go gluten free and saw you had mentioned the bobs red milk flour is a good substitute. I currently only have oat flour on hand, do you think that could work? Thanks!!
Kate
Hi Emma! I haven’t used it, but some other readers may have. I don’t always have luck as oat flour as a 1:1 substitute. You could check the comments to see what other readers may have tried.
Alique
Hi! Mine did not turn out that great. I followed all the instructions and baked for 55 minutes, yet the inside was still soggy and the loaf fell apart. What do you suspect I could have done wrong? Thanks!
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that! You may have needed to leave your loaf in a little longer. Sometimes 60 minutes can be the magic number.
Olga
wow this is the best banana bread i’ve tried and cooked myself. so easy to make, my nearly 4 year old daughter loved helping me.
Joy
This recipe is amazing! My mom and I had it for breakfast and it just made her day. I used wholemeal spelt instead of whole wheat but it turn out great anyway. Thank you for the great recipe
Kate
You’re welcome, Joy!
Katie Blair
Hi, would really like to make this gluten free but struggling to get any flour! Can get coconut flour why do you say not to use? Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks
Katie
Kate
Hi,Katie- coconut flour soaks up the moisture, unfortunately. You could try to order online?
Katie Blair
Hi Thanks for the reply! Yeah am looking to try the bananas are right there and I want to use them! No other recommendations?!
Kate
Hi Katie, do you have old-fashioned oats at home? You could grind them into a fine flour. I have heard from a commenter who successfully used oat flour in place of whole wheat (same amounts), but I haven’t tried it myself yet.
Katie Blair
Thank you so much for the recommendation it worked perfect with oat flour.
Jackie Grace
Such an easy recipe !I added choc chips and chai seeds. Very nice thank you !
Nasrin
I’ve been making your banana bread recipe for a while now and would like to say it’s delicious and very easy to make I use different mix ins each time depending what I have in store cupboard.
Thank you.
Tess
Hi Kate,
I absolutely love this recipe.
If I try to use spelt flour would you recommend substituting 1:1 ratio ?
Thank you, Tess.
Kate
Hi Tess! I haven’t tried it with spelt, sorry. I would suggest checking the comments to see if others have tried it.
Megan
Hi Kate Hi Cookie
I made your Healthy Banana Bread today and OH my! Yum!
The taste was great but I wonder if because I used Rye Wholemeal flour( only flour I had in the cupboard) was why it only rose and inch and a half?
Kate
That could be as the grain is larger typically so would require more leavener I assume and/or more liquid. Sorry it didn’t turn out!
Rosa
Omg! Thank you for the best banana bread recipe!
Amy Kate
I make this often with maple syrup but wandered if anyone tried with agave nectar instead? I’ve got a full bottle in the pantry and wandered if it could work as sometimes I don’t have maples syrup on hand.
Kate
I haven’t tried it, Amy! Sorry to not be of more help.
Lisa H
Very good banana bread! Nice to eat a big slice and know that it’s actually pretty healthy. A great morning treat❤️ Made it with maple syrup, 2% milk, and pecans.
Nkechi Ajaeroh
Thank God I do have some bananas so I will be making this tomorrow! Thanks so much for sharing.
Carla
Keen to try this recipe tomorrow with some old bananas but would like to add that there is no such thing as a high quality vegetable oil! It’s all toxic!
Janice Elliott
Can I add blueberries to your recipe? And could I also use self rising flour instead of plain? If I want to make several pan’s of banana bread can I double or triple this recipe?
Kate
I’m not sure blueberries would work well in this recipe without trying it. Also, I’m not sure on self rising either. Sorry!
Monika
Delicious recipe! Thank you Kate!
Holly Stapleton
This is my go to all time favorite recipe. I have made this countless times. My friends ask for it all the time. I love that it eats like dessert and is healthy. So, I have been wanting to make this as a double chocolate banana bread. Would you be able to guide me in how I could use cocoa powder with this recipe? Is it possible?
Thanks for your help and your amazing recipes!
Kate
Hi Holly! I wouldn’t be able to give you a for sure answer without trying it. You could see what others have tried in the recipe. Baking can be tricky, by changing one or adding one thing can really impact the recipe.
Julia
I used chickpea flour and honey/maple syrup to make this banana bread. I also added chocolate chips. The bread was perfectly cooked and looked beautiful. I wish it was a little sweeter, but a fun activity!
Miriam Sabien
I want to try it with butter. Could u plz tell me how much butter do I need to add. Thanks a lot
Jennifer Castro
Excellent banana bread recipe! Delicious right out of the oven and it toasts up well for next-day reheat as well. Thank you for all the work you do to share healthy and satisfying recipes!!
Susan
Really interested in trying this recipe out but struggle with the fact that I am a calorie counter… Any idea of the Calorie count per slice for the base recipe??
Kate
Hi Susan, The nutrition information is below the notes section of recipe. You just need to click to expand. Let me know if you can’t find it! Here is my nutrition disclaimer for reference: https://cookieandkate.com/nutrition-disclaimer/
Noreen P
I use Teff flour both white and dark. How will this turn out ?? Do you have any recipes for Teff flour ?
Kate
Hi Noreen, I don’t sorry!
Jen Michels
Made this diary free, using soy milk and Enjoy Life chocolate chips. Turned out delicious.