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).
Melissa
Always DELICIOUS! I’ve made many loaves using several variations of this recipe. I’ve substituted with applesauce for oil, tried honey AND maple, I’ve added dark chocolate chunks, walnuts and unsweetened coconut chips, and I’ve substituted flax eggs for regular eggs… every loaf turns out great!
Chefgirl
I made this – actually the muffin version you posted – with 1:1 gluten flour and it was TERRIBLE!! No big deal but disappointing considering you recommend switching up the flour no problem. They were extremely dense and not airy at all. Almost gluey. Not using this one again – I have enjoyed many other recipes on this site previously though.
Kate
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. I have made this with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking gluten free flour several times and had a great result. What did you use? You could try Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Made with Almond Flour)
Chef girl
I used bulk barn 1:1 flour and followed the recipe.
Dee
Easy recipe, made almost exactly as directed except used part honey/part maple syrup and used 3 small/med mushy bananas without measuring. This was delicious. Moist and flavorful but not overly sweet. Next time I may add nuts or chips, but even without it was very good.
Molly Kerr
This was delicious! When trying to warm my batter that had hardened pieces of coconut oil in it, the chocolate chips melted a bit and this I got chocolate swirls in my bread which was delicious!
Sally
Loved the recipe so much the first time that I multiplied the ingredients by 1.5. The cooking time well exceeded 60 minutes. Do you recommend lower temperature for longer or maintain as noted in recipe above?
Kate
Hi, Did you bake in two pans?
Rae
Very tasty! We make it almost every week.
Dee
I made this yesterday with my two boys and it was a huge success! We used 1/4c each of maple syrup and honey so each kid got their choice. We used coconut oil and it was awesome! We encountered a lot of congealing during the mixing process and though I tried 10 seconds in the microwave as you suggested, it took us much longer to successfully melt the oil again bc I was worried I’d cook the eggs. Do you have any suggestions for how to prevent coconut oil from getting clumpy in the first place? Also, any advice on how to prevent our chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom? Thank you for a great recipe – we’ll be making it again this weekend!
Kate
Great to hear you loved it! If everything is at room temperature or not straight out of the refrigerator you should have better luck with it not solidifying. Try to evenly sprinkle in your add-ins and gently fold. That should help. Let me know how it works again!
Rk
Hi this is the only banana bread recipe I follow. Its delicious every time. For the problem with the coconut oil add it last just before adding the flour.
Eda
Love this recipe, i use yoghurt instead of milk and it turned out to be very moist and delish ! Hopefully it’s still healthy :)
Sani Mawundula
An easy to follow recipe. The result was an amazingly tasty cake will make it again. As I do not like butter so coconut oil is my best option and health as well.
Tara
This was my first time making a banana bread and I am in LOVE! Best recipe, 10/10! I am going to recommend this recipe to absolutely everyone
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Tara!
daniela
hello! yesterday I tried to make your banana bread with oat flour. As you suggested I have used 2&1/2 cups of flour and for the rest following your recipe. Something went wrong. Should I have added more eggs for example or more maple syrup?
thanks, Daniela
Kate
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that! Did you spoon and level your flour?
Jackie
This bread is so delicious! It develops this lovely crust while baking and is great for any time of day. I bake a lot of loaves and muffins, and I have to say that this recipe is now one of my all time favourites. It’s healthy, moist and full of flavour. Highly recommend adding walnuts.Fabulous!
Katy
Oh my word, the smell of this baking is just divine! And so delicious!! I made it with raisins and it is heavenly. Moist and banana-ey and sweet and hearty and gorgeous. And smells amazing!!!!
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Katy! Thank you for sharing.
Rose Joseph
Hi Kate
I executed your recipe yesterday it was a success and my son gave me an A+ since I made his without nuts with just some whole grain Oats and mixed nuts on mine. It’s delicious
Thank you for sharing your recipes with us.
Ps/the organic melted coconut oil and honey with well ripped bananas are a must.
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad he gave it such a high grade. :) Thank you for your review, Rose!
Diane
This recipe is a firm favourite in our house, I make it every week and it’s so easy!
The past couple of times it’s been undercooked and I can’t get my head around why that is? I’ve not changed anything!! Can you offer any advice please??
HELP!!!!!
Kate
I’m sorry to hear that! Have you been having issues with any other recipes? Does your oven seem to be inconsistent? Maybe you have been putting in more banana than usual?
Diane
This recipe is a firm favourite in our house, I make it every week and it’s so easy!
The past couple of times it’s been too wet and I can’t get my head around why that is? I’ve not changed anything!! Can you offer any advice please??
HELP!!!!!
Kate
Hi Diane, I believe I responded to this. Are you sure you aren’t adding more banana than it calls for? Or is your oven being consistent?
Valerie
First time making a Banana Bread, the most interesting recipe that i found and absolutely not regrets.
thank you
Taylor
Love this recipe!! I have been using this recipe for a couple years now and we make it often! It’s the only banana bread recipe we use!! Loved by my kids and husband! I have ripe bananas I need to use up, so we are going to make it today, but realizing I just ran out of coconut oil. Going to try avocado oil this time and see how it goes. Avocado oil is usually pretty mild in flavor and I’ve used it on baking before, so hoping it works out! :) thanks for this wonderful recipe!
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Taylor! Thanks for sharing.
Laura Monaghan
Hi, just wondering if I can sub the syrup for sugar??
Kate
Hi Laura, this is best as written. I hope you try it!
Adam N
This bread has a great texture, even after I had to sub out the flour and milk for my own alternatives. My only complaint is that it’s very bland. I doubled the cinnamon and still can’t taste it. Will definitely make again, just with way more seasoning.
Lauren
This seriously was SO good! I used normal flour because I did not have wheat. Best banana bread I have ever made.
John Hines
Just made this again now, OMG I love it! I add pecans and toast a slice in the mornings with a coffee, delicious.I make at least three a month, this was my first time baking anything so super simple for me!
Kate
That’s great, John!
Bethany
I make this all the time with my four year old. We always sub the oil for applesauce, I usually use a little less honey, and I make them into muffins. To make them into muffins cook at about 375 for 15-20 minutes. Sometimes when I want to be really nice I add a few chocolate chips (doesn’t take a lot!).
Janice
How do I substitute sour dough into your recipe? Thank you!
Kate
This isn’t designed for sourdough, so I’m not sure how it would turn out.
Kristi
I followed the recipe and I didn’t like this banana bread. It wasn’t sweet enough using maple syrup and it wasn’t moist. I had made a more traditional recipe the week before with unbleached organic flour and buttermilk with only one egg and it turned out really good.I could already see in the pan that it was dryer and smaller than what I have made with other recipes. (And I have a convection oven) I like healthy but will look for something with brown sugar and buttermilk in it which I feel makes it taste better.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this one. Thank you for your feedback, Kristi.
Jaq
Hi there! Is that oven temperature for a fan-forced oven?
Kate
Hi! It’s a standard conventional oven, not convection. I hope you try it!
Laura
Excellent! This has been my go to recipe for some time now! Thank you !
Kate
I’m excited you loved it, Laura!
Kj
I found this recipe and loved it, used marscapone instead of milk. It was so soft and fluffy, bbg hit at work. Making tonight and adding chocolate chips.
Kate
I’m glad that it still worked, Kj!
Marion
How do you make flax eggs?
Kate
How to Make Flax “Eggs”
Shira
Second time I make this and it came out perfect each time! Love it
Kate
That’s great, Shira!
Casey
My family loves this recipe! I use 4 bananas though.
Kate
Wonderful, Casey! Thank you for your review.
Omar
Love this recipe. I have made this bread several times now and I am switching the flour to spelt today!
Helen
How did the spelt flour go? Did you use 1:1?
Ivster
I don’t have a loaf pan, so could I use an 8x8x2 square baking pan instead? What are the recommended adjustments to the recipe?
Kate
Hi Ivster, You could try it although I’m not sure about baking time. I recommend this recipe as written for best results.
Janelle
Another delightful C+K recipe! I made this banana bread over the weekend for a special brunch with my sweetheart and it was a winner! We decided to go all out and also made your recipe for crispy hash brown breakfast burritos — O.M.G. Yum Yum Yum. Your recipes are so easy to follow and its a slam dunk every time. Thank you!
Morgan
yummiest loaf ever, love the fact that’s it a healthier choice (tastes better than regular ones!)
Diane
Delicious! This was my first time baking with oat flour. I also used olive oil and maple syrup. This will be my go to recipe!!
Kate
Great to hear, Diane!
Manda
Vegan review: I sub an extra mashed banana and an egg worth of egg replacer for each multiple of the recipe. These keep great in the freezer and respond well to any add-ons—walnuts, blueberries, raspberries, chocolate chunks, a few tablespoons of bran fiber, tempeh sausage crumbles (sprinkle on top, trust me)… gotta say, I’ve made this (veganized) recipe dozens of times and, as long as I weigh my flour, I can get away with using any I choose. Add a teaspoon of ACV to mashed banana for max fluffiness.
Kate
I’m glad it turned out! Thank you for your review, Manda.
Suji
Thank you so much for the lovely and healthy homemade banana bread….tried banana bread for the first time..we all love it..
Evy Thais Holdsworth
Making another loaf! Cannot get enough of such a wonderful& easy bread. Whenever we have leftover bananas, I’m making a loaf or two. Both my other half & I love this, and I’ve reccommended this page& recipe to many people. Now, question… Kate! Do you happen to have a healthy recipe for oatmeal cookies? The nice soft ones??????
Kate
Hi Evy! Try my Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
karina
Could you make this with bread flour?
Kate
I recommend it as written.
Alexa
Want to try this recipe? Can you bake in a muffin tin? I saw the banana muffins but want the banana bread taste. Thanks!
Sharon
Is avocado oil an acceptable substitute?
Kate
That should work, Sharon. Let me know what you think!
Sharon
It turned out great! Thanks for providing a great recipe!
Roxanne
Thank you for sharing your recipes. Is it possible to replace honey with agave syrup?
Kate
Hi Roxanne, I haven’t tried it. I would suggest searching the comments to see if others have had any luck!
Roxanne Regalado
I just tried usig agave, it came out so good!
Mary
I made 2 loaves of this banana bread to use up some very ripe bananas and they turned out perfect and scrumptious. Due to dietary intolerance, I used light spelt flour and egg yolks, also halved the sweetner(I used brown sugar because that’s what I had) and the recipe still worked wonderfully. I added banana slices to the batter and I’m so glad I tried that. They added extra goodness. Thanks so much for such an adaptable and lovely recipe.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Mary!
Krisztina
This is amazing! It’s my first banana bread ever and I’m in love, it’s so much better than I ever expected it to be. I ate a whole loaf in the last 24 hours. I can’t stop!!! :) About to gift the other loaf to visiting in laws.
I made it with half plain flour and half wholemeal bread flour and the texture is just the right amount of firm and squishy at the same time. Love it.
I have one question though: is there a reason you say to be gentle and stir in the flour? Whisking it in with the electric mixer worked fine for me. Would it have been better to be gentle with it?
Kate
Hi! You don’t want to over work the batter or it won’t rise as well. Thank you for your review! I’m happy to hear it turned out.
Danielle
I may have previously posted on this but just in case I haven’t, this recipe is a diamond in the rough. I have made it countless times in the past 3 or so months. I love sharing it with people. It’s nice to bake banana bread that is guilt-free but tastes incredible! I also stumbled upon Kate’s Lucille’s Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving last year and there shall be no other! I also highly recommend Kate’s healthy blueberry muffin recipe. These are the only 3 recipes I’ve tried so far but Cookie + Kate is becoming my favorite site for recipes! Thanks for sharing your culinary talent!
browntoast
How many grams is your slice? I can’t work out the nutritional information as I don’t know how much a “slice” is. Please can you advise? Otherwise great recipe, made it twice.
Kate
Hi, I don’t have the grams but there are 10 slices in a loaf. Sorry to not be of more help!
Deedee
1st time I’ve made this banana bread and so far it’s the best one, made with wholemeal flour , honey and walnuts , ate 2 slices as soon as it was cooked , can’t wait to eat the rest, I don’t think I’ll be looking for any other recipe now, this one’s just perfect
marie
This is the best healthy banana bread I EVER made. Thank you Kate.
Marie from Olympia, WA
Kate
You’re welcome, Marie! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.
Tiffany
SO delicious! I make this almost every weekend whenever we have overripe bananas, and it tastes great every time. I like to add 1/4 cup of greek yogurt to make it more moist! Thank you for the recipe.
Kate
I’m glad that it still turns out, Tiffany!
Ruby
this is my absolute favourite go-to recipe ! So easy and delcious.
Kate
That’s great to hear, Ruby! Thank you for your review.
Barry
Have to jump in. I’ve been making this recipe for a couple of years now and it is excellent! I’ll always use 1/2 maple syrup and half honey. I’ll usually add walnuts and raisins and sometimes add dried tart cherries when I have them. Lately I have been adding blueberries, fresh when I have them or thawed frozen berries.
Thanks Kate (and Cookie)!
Kate
I’m glad you have been making this for so long! I’m glad you left a comment and review.
Emily
I made this banana bread to ditch the granulated sugar for once. WOW, it was amazing! I loved the honey flavor. I used oat flour and it came out great! I’ve made many banana breads and this is the best recipe and healthiest I’ve come by so far. Going to try it with maple syrup next time.
Sybil
This is my go to recipe for banana bread, but this time I changed it up! I used spelt flour, 3 tablespoons of chia seeds and walnuts as mix ins and a drizzle of agave in the batter. My only problem with this bread is that I want to eat the whole thing in one sitting! Love your stuff Kate!
Sam
THE best banana bread recipe. Highly recommend adding 1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut to complement the coconut oil and for great texture.
Kate
Thank you, Sam!
Patricia Farano
This is delicious banana bread. I used half honey and half maple syrup, EVOO and white wheat flour. In addition, I used toasted walnuts and a handful of chocolate chips. It’s so moist and came out of the pan beautifully.
I was able to slice into 12 nice slices that are laid out freezing as I type this.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Sarahn
I absolutely loved this recipe. I used coconut oil, oat milk, honey, Bob’s Mill Artisan Bread flour 1 3/4 c and it turned out perfect ! I chose dark chocolate chips and walnut pieces as add-ins. I also carmelized a few slices of banana to put over Cocojune coconut yogurt served alongside and that was a great touch. 10/10 great!
Asimina
This recipe is my favourite. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve baked this one!! Every time I lose the recipe I have to search on the web “healthy banana bread” and there it is hahaha. This time I saved it though
Liz
One of my favs! I always make a double batch. Freezes so well. I add walnuts to the entire batch and chocolate chips to some.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Liz! I appreciate your review.
K.
Seriously THE BEST banana bread recipe out there. So grateful for this recipe, definitely a family favorite. Question, can the batter be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for future baking? Thank you!
Summer Lestage
Hello, can I use Apple butter instead of oil ?
Kate
Hi Summer, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. I believe some have tried applesauce.
simran
do u have a recipe that uses almond flour with regular all-purpose flour. looking for recipe where i don’t need to compromise all of the ap flour.
Kate
Hi, try my Gluten-Free Banana Bread (Made with Almond Flour)
Karen
Tried your banana bread recipe…it was great! I added dried cranberries that had been steeping in blackberry wine for over a year…of course the alcohol is all evaporated but that didn’t change the flavor! Delicious! Thanks a million for sharing your creation!!!
Angela
This recipe is perfect!! Family Favorite
Kate
Thank you for your review, Angela!
Becky
Love love love this banana bread! I am trying to work my way through a backlog of frozen ripe bananas – do you think I can use defrosted bananas in this recipe? Thank you!
Kate
Great to hear, Becky! Thank you for your review.
Nicoli
This was SO GOOD!!!! I’d been craving banana bread for a long time but the good ones come with at least 1/2 cup of white sugar. This was amazing, even my picky eater husband went for seconds! I added sugar free mini chocolate chips to the mixture and also on top. Super moist, soft and the perfect amount of sweetness. I made this for Easter and it really hit the spot. I made mine with maple syrup and whole wheat flour.
Next time I will try with oat flour and monk fruit sweetener for a sugar-free and gluten-free version!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Krisztina
Amazing recipe! I just made it for the second time, and this time in an effort to make it even healthier, I swapped 25% of the flour for ground almonds. It was amazing! For thr mix-ins I used raisins, chopped nuts mix and some candied ginger i had lying around. I just wanna make it again and again, it’s so good!
Kate
That’s great, Krisztina!
Amber Lublinkhof
This is one of the best recipes ever! I’m totally incompetent when it comes to baking but I’ve made this several times and it’s never failed! It’s so moist and delicious. I always add chocolate chips and walnuts on top and it’s such a delicious treat.
100% recommend this recipe for a healthier alternative to “traditional” banana bread.
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Amber! Thank you for your review.
Maria de la Peña
Hello!
Is it possible to substitute honey/syrup for monk fruit?
I am looking to make it diabetic-approved.
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Maria, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure.
Becky
Love love love this banana bread! I’m trying to work through a big stash of frozen bananas and wondering if you think this would work with these bananas, defrosted? Thank you!!
Kate
Hi Becky! It should work. Let me know what you think when you try it!
Jenna James
Lovely recipe! I love banana bread and this having natural sugar to sweeten and coconut oil instead of butter makes it even better. No guilt in having cake for breakfast thanks so much for sharing
Megan
Pretty good banana bread and helpful instructions but it needs more banana, the final product tastes more like the wheat flour and less like banana bread.
If I make again I’ll probably add another whole banana, maybe try half white wheat and half regular flour.
Carmel
I use olive oil,& put a few wall nuts in,the banana bread was so moist & a lovely flavour,thank u Kate
Kate
You’re welcome, Carmel!
Scott Calvin
Hello, I’ve been making this banana bread for over a year now almost every other week for my family. Everyone loves it, and it’s so flexible as well which is nice. I’ve adapted it to make pumpkin bread and zucchini bread, and they turn out great too. We always add mini dark chocolate chocolate chips too of course
I wanted to chime in and just say that I made this with 100% rye flour this week and it turned out really well. The only difference was that I increased the milk by 50% since rye flour is a little thirstier than whole wheat flour. Flavor-wise it is very similar to the whole wheat, maybe a little bit more complex but my family cannot tell the difference.
Susan
What do I change to make the pumpkin? Thanks
Scott Calvin
I just replace the banana with pumpkin puree (canned) same weight as in the recipe.
Grace
This recipe turned out perfect. I added some chopped dates and chopped walnuts and halved the maple syrup as dates are pretty sweet.
Kate
Great to hear, Grace! I appreciate your review.
Justine
Hi there, could you explain why baking soda is required instead of baking powder? Thanks
Kate
Hi Justine! It helps it rise and give that fluffy texture. I hope you love it!
Lou
Accidentally used baking powder in a rush and turned out quite well. Probably more dense and less fluffy than intended, but far from the end of the world as I thought! Brownies and choc sponge cakes are equally delicious.
Hajrah
Love this recipe, I’m making it a second time and turns out I have less bananas, will it still be good to go?
Kate
Hi, for the best results be sure to use as much as listed in the ingredients.
Clementine
Amazing! I swapped the flour for gluten free dove’s farm, and the coconut oil for butter. Simply delicious!
Lucy
I made this recipe using frozen bananas I needed to get rid of and it was AMAZING! I put a small selection of choc chips, walnuts and cut up dates (half a cup in total). I also used more banana than the recipe said (3 large frozen bananas).
Can’t stop eating it!! Thank you :-)
Kate
That’s great! I’m glad the frozen bananas worked for you. I appreciate your review!
AT
Yum! I made it with half of the honey called for and was just right for us.
Kate
I’m glad it turned out, AT!
Marie Overgaauw
Hi Kate I love this cake. 2nd time making and I’m thinking no butter no sugar super easy and turns out perfectly. I’m wondering what temperature do you recommend for a fan forced oven. Would I be right in guessing Cookie is your dog? Sweet dog with a sweet name. We have 2 border collies
Jay
My favourite banana bread recipe! I look forward to having overripe bananas so I can make this. I love that it relies on the bananas and honey for sweetness rather than refined sugar and it is perfectly sweet but not too sweet every time. What a winner!
Kate
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Jay!
Rachel
Would agave nectar be ok to use instead of honey or maple syrup?
Kate
Hi! I haven’t tried it so I can’ say for sure. I would see if others have used it by searching the comments and seeing if anyone has insights.
Surapsari
I just baked my first banana bread using this recipe with some tweaking. It came out GREAT! I used organic whole wheat flour (not white whole wheat), sunflower oil, and maple syrup. 1/2 cup of sweetener felt too much for my husband and me, so I cut it down to somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 cup and increased almond milk to 1/3 cup. I added walnuts, and 55 minutes of baking time was good enough. I will check at 50 minutes the next time, as the top of the bread got a little burned. I will not sprinkle cinnamon powder on the top the next time as it didn’t look so good. I was looking for a banana bread recipe that doesn’t include any ingredients that I don’t have in my kitchen. Kate’s recipe was perfect. Thank you so much, Kate!
Erika
Hey Kate, this recipe seems delicious! If I substitute with oat flour that would be 225 grams? I looked at your oat flour guide but just wanted to make sure.
Kate
Hi Erika, 1 cup (spooned into cups and leveled) oat flour weighs 88 grams, this recipe calls for 1.75 cups. You will want 2.5 cups of oat flour, which is roughly 220 I believe. How did it turn out?
Amy R Bernstein
I’ve made this flour and gluten free 1:1 flour and both were great. I use honey and maple and have used maple/agave also – they’re always great!!!
Kate
Wonderful to hear, Amy!
Victoria
This bread is like getting a hug. I make it exactly as written using the weight on the flour. Its more consistent. I use olive oil and maple syrup. Its so interesting how the taste changes based on the ripeness of the bananas. I add a touch of cardamom with the cinnamon to give it a bit of herbal citrus like flavor. I bring this as a gift all the time and everyone loves it. …. This is only healthy when you dont eat half a loaf in one sitting. There are only two of us and it usually does not make it to the next day.
Kate
I love that description, Victoria! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it.
Afia
Thanks for this nice recipe , I made it today.
Absolutely delicious
I added self-raising flour and walnuts
Pam
I made this today with Bob’s Gluten Free Flour 1:1 and it is absolutely delicious! I just printed several other recipes I plan to make soon. Thanks so much for the awesome recipe!!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Pam!
Eliza
Turned out great! Thank you !
Kate
You’re welcome, Eliza! Thank you for your review.
Alexandra
Hi Kate, love this recipe (as so many of your recipes!) I’d like to make this for my 8-month old and skip any sweetener (honey / sugar / agave syrup). Do you think it would work (bake well) with 3 overripe bananas and no sweetener? Thanks so much!
Kate
Hi Alexandra, I recommend this recipe as written. Changing the ingredients and quantities will impact your results.
Kd
Best banana bread ever, and I’ve tried so many different recipes. Great job and thanks!!
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Kd!
Anna
Hi Kate,
I had some ageing bananas at home and decided to make banana bread. Of course I went straight to your site first and found exactly what I wanted. Made it exactly per the recipe plus walnuts. Delicious and stored so well in the fridge. Loved it slightly toasted with coffee for a mid-AM snack. Thanks for always being my go-to no matter what ingredients or cravings are on hand!
Elizabeth
I had 4 MASSIVE bananas that ended up hitting the 690 gram mark so I tripled this recipe using freshly milled whole wheat flour. Weighed all the ingredients and poured it all into one big 13×9 casserole dish (it barely fit). Probably shouldn’t have, but I like to live dangerously (or at least bake dangerously).
Just pulled it out of the oven after an hour and the results are in: absolutely lovely! I’m surprised by the lightness of the bread even though it is whole wheat. I will switch it up with mix-ins next round because there will be a next.
Thank you for the fantastic recipe!!!!
Marta
Delicious! I made it with gluten free flour (Woolworths brand) and agave syrup instead of honey/maple syrup. My bananas were very ripe so I didn’t use the full 1/2 cup of syrup – the result is perfectly sweet.
Kate
I’m happy it turned out so well, Marta!
Elin
I’ve made this recipe sooo many times in the past 7 years or so. I love it! I’ve made it as a snack for my older sister, my younger siblings, my boyfriend…the list goes on.
I usually omit the honey/syrup as the banana makes the bread sweet enough for me. I eat it as a snack or breakfast, as it is or as a sandwich with some butter and cheese on top (this probably sounds weird to many but it is de-lish).
I’ve tried a number of flour combinations, with whole wheat, spelt wheat and almond. However, my all-time favorite must be 50/50 wheat flour and oat flour (rolled oats mixed into flour).
Hopefully I’ll keep making it again and again in the coming 7 years as well :)
Thank you Kate for such a great recipe!
Kate
I love to hear that, Elin! Thank you for taking the time to review and for following along for 7 years. I couldn’t do it without you!
Ro
Thank you for this recipe. I did not have whole wheat flour, so I used unbleached all purpose flour, I also omitted the sweetener, and added an additional banana + an extra dash of milk. Lastly I followed someone’s recommendation in adding 1/4 cup of greek yogurt. I was a little worried at first because batter seemed quite dry, but it came out moist and perfect!!
Crys
Hi, just wondering if I can substitute butter back in instead of the oil?
Kate
Hi Crys! I recommend this as is. Let me know if you try it. Sometimes is can work, but not always.
Mya
Ok I tried this twice and both times it wouldn’t good all the way through and it would fall a little in the middle and stay extremely oily and gross. Very weird idk what I did wrong at all. Happy it turned out for everyone else just sharing my experience! :,) sad
Kate
Hi Mya, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out. Are you baking at an elevation?
Chainey North
My family and friends love this bread and I don’t feel guilty for serving it to my toddler or like I’m cheating on my diet! I use yellow squash, zucchini, and carrots shredded or puréed instead of adding the extra liquid and it comes out perfect! I sometimes also substitute with an artificial sweetener for my diabetic family and you can’t even tell! Such a good easy recipe!
Linda ONeill
Fab-u-lous! Rave reviews from everyone who eats this–even me, and I usually don’t like banana anything. My husband took a loaf to work to share, and it disappeared before he could get a piece. I followed the recipe with the only addition of toasted, sprouted walnuts. Exceptional recipe. What a wonderful gift this will make at gift-giving time
Kristen
I had three very ripe bananas that needed to be used so I searched internet and found this healthy recipe. SO GLAD I did!! Entire family LOVES it! I am about to begin another loaf and had to re-do my search to find it again!! First time I used the melted coconut oil, room temperature eggs to avoid the coconut oil from hardening, honey, 3/4 cup buckwheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour (didn’t have whole wheat flour…still don’t but will try in the future), 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkled more on top for swirling, 3/4 cup largely chopped walnuts and lined bottom of my bread pan with parchment (in addition to oiling the pan). Baked at 325 for 55 minutes. Bread was very dark because of the buckwheat flour, but absolutely fantastic taste and texture! This will be my go-to recipe for sure now!!
Luneta
Hello, can it be done with oats flour?
Kate
Yes! Just be sure to follow my How to Make Oat Flour.
Luneta
Hello, can it be made with oats flour?
Kate
Hi Luneta, Yes! Use my How to Make Oat Flour guide to help with measurements.
Allie
Thought it was time to leave a glowing review since I’ve been making this regularly for several years! My family LOVES this recipe. It’s very flexible and forgiving. We’ve adjusted it for vegans, GFers and other picky or allergic guests that come by. For those having trouble adapting to GF, buy better flour! GF flour can be gross, so if you’re doing that you should at least upgrade before criticizing a recipe that wasn’t designed for that. For my family, we’ve experimented with subbing chia seeds, flaxseed meal, hemp seeds, greek yogurt, powdered protein, extra bananas instead of sweeteners, add-ins like chocolate or peanut butter, and many others. Never disappointed! Regardless, a review should reflect the original recipe, not the reviewer’s alterations, and this is a 5-star recipe as is! This recipe introduced me to this blog, and we have since found so many other family favorites here. I especially love the user-friendly interface and ease of finding recipes/tips, compared to other sites where the author has to tell you their life story before sharing the actual recipe 10,000 words later buried amongst endless ads. Thank you so much Cookie & Kate for all the yummy inspiration!