This super healthy banana bread recipe is so moist and sweet, everyone is always shocked to find out it’s actually good for you!
Healthy banana bread for breakfast or snack
The recipe can be oil free, egg free, and dairy free, with NO refined sugar.
To lower the oil without sacrificing moisture or taste, it packs a full one and a half cups of mashed banana into the loaf, which also sweetens the banana bread recipe without all that extra sugar and empty calories.
And though I’m normally not a fan of oil-free baking, this banana bread is definitely an exception. You can easily omit the vegetable or coconut oil entirely if you prefer, and it will still turn out amazingly soft and delicious!
While many traditional banana bread recipes call for at least a cup of refined sugar and half a cup of butter or more, this lightened up healthy banana bread recipe cuts way back on the things you don’t want.
Instead, it replaces them with whole grains and good-for-you ingredients, adding extra potassium rich banana for natural sweetness.
You may also like these Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Simple whole grain banana bread
If you have overripe bananas sitting on the counter and no idea how to use them up, this low calorie healthy banana bread is the perfect solution.
The addition of yogurt to the recipe adds even more softness without weighing the bread down. And it’s sweetened with pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar.
Thanks to the extra banana, the bread needs just half a cup of sweetener for the entire recipe. This is around half of what is called for in popular banana bread recipes from Martha Stewart, Food Network, Rachael Ray, Betty Crocker, and others.
If you have leftover bananas, make a Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Above, watch the step-by-step banana bread recipe video
Banana loaf ingredients
The healthy banana bread calls for basic ingredients: flour, baking soda and baking powder, salt, cinnamon, plain or nondairy yogurt, pure vanilla extract, sweetener of choice, and of course the banana.
For the flour: You can use all purpose flour, white or whole grain spelt flour, or whole wheat pastry flour. Whole wheat flour yields a denser loaf than I personally like, but some readers still enjoy it that way. So it’s completely your choice.
To make wheat free or gluten free banana bread, the recipe works with oat flour or certified gluten free oat flour for an oatmeal banana bread.
Multiple readers have reported success with substituting gluten free all purpose flour as well. I haven’t personally tried it yet.
If you want a grain free version or low carb recipe that is also naturally gluten free, make the almond flour banana bread recipe included in the recipe box.
Finally, you can replace up to half a cup of the flour with protein powder to turn it into a high protein snack recipe if desired.
The sweetener: Choose any all purpose liquid sweetener, such as pure maple syrup, agave, or honey. You only need half a cup for the whole loaf!
Or for a version made with granulated sugar, try this Vegan Banana Bread.
Optional ingredients: The classic banana bread is easy to customize. Throw in half a cup of mini chocolate chips, raisins or another chopped dried fruit, shredded coconut, or crushed walnuts or pecans. I also love adding half a teaspoon of cinnamon.
It’s good with or without the chocolate chips added to the top, although my preference is probably easy to guess!
And my personal favorite way to eat this banana bread is topped with Coconut Butter or with this Homemade Nutella Recipe.
It’s also still perfectly good plain if you want to skip the frosting altogether.
Can the healthy banana bread recipe be vegan?
As long as you use nondairy yogurt, the recipe is naturally vegan.
I often use my own vegan homemade Greek yogurt when I make this recipe, but it works fine with non-Greek plain yogurt as well.
Readers have successfully used plant based coconut milk yogurt, cashew yogurt, soy yogurt, and almondmilk yogurt. So feel free to use whatever type you wish.
You can even change up the flavor if you want. Try strawberry, peach, or even blueberry yogurt for a fun and subtle flavor twist.
Or if you don’t have yogurt or prefer not to use it, just increase the banana to two cups and omit the yogurt completely.
How to make banana bread
The banana bread is super simple to make, and leftovers can be sliced and frozen for an instant breakfast or snack any time you are craving banana bread.
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir well to evenly mix and break up any clumps of baking soda or salt.
Whisk the liquid ingredients together, pour them into the mixing bowl, and stir to form a banana bread batter.
Smooth into the prepared baking pan. Press a few chocolate chips on top if your heart desires, and place the pan on the oven’s center rack.
Bake for 40 minutes. After time has elapsed, keep the oven door closed and turn off the heat. Let the banana loaf sit in the closed oven for an additional ten minutes to continue cooking. Then remove from the oven.
The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out mostly clean. If yours is still undercooked, simply turn the oven back on and continue baking (checking every five minutes) until fluffy and golden.
Let it cool. The taste and texture are better the next day, so I like to loosely cover the banana bread and refrigerate overnight.
Refrigerate leftovers for three to four days, or slice and freeze leftover banana bread for a month or two.
Healthy Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (or try this Almond Flour Banana Bread)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- optional 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- optional 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (360g)
- 1/2 cup yogurt or additional banana
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
- 1/3 cup oil or milk of choice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- *Also be sure to try this recipe for Banana Muffins!Flour options I have tried successfully include white, spelt, or oat flour.To make healthy banana bread, first preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, or line the pan with parchment paper. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk liquid ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour wet into dry, and stir to form a batter. Smooth into the prepared pan. If desired, press some chocolate chips into the top. Bake on the center rack 40 minutes, then do not open the oven door but turn off the heat and let sit in the closed oven 10 additional minutes. If your bread is still undercooked at this time, cover the top with foil. Turn the oven back on and continue baking, checking every 5 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Taste and texture are much better the second day if you can wait! Leftovers can be sliced and frozen for up to a month. If you try the recipe, be sure to rate it below.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Healthy Breakfast and Snack Recipes
Banana Bread Recipes
This looks delicious, I NEED to try this recipe!
Rachael xx.
theteacozykitchen.blogspot.co.uk
Very healthy recipes ??
The recipe itself is quite good but the nutritional values are calculated without the ingredients that are listed as optional so be mindful of that. I added a considerable amount of chocolate chunks and the calorie count turned out to be quite different…
this recipe turned out great as written 🙂 :), Flavor and moistness is on point. I used oat flour. For sweetener option I added several drops of stevia liquid. Sad to see the freeze time a max. of 1 month? why is that? typically banana bread can be safely frozen(with flavor uncompromised) 3-4 mos.
We have just never tried freezing it longer so didn’t want to recommend something we haven’t tried. We would guess letting it freeze longer should be fine 🙂
This looks wonderful! Hope to try it soon (gotta get me some more bananas)!
Is this recipe in the weekly newsletter email? I didn’t get it.
Hi, her Monday recipes usually go out through email on Tuesday mornings 🙂
Oh, great! Thank you! I was concerned my email was being putsy, and I don’t want to miss any of those wonderful free recipes! 😀
Katie, I try to bake healthier desserts–less sugar and fat, whole grains, etc. It’s brilliant that so many baked goods can be made healthier with Greek yogurt. However, I also try to keep my desserts dairy-free. What is non-dairy yogurt made from, soy? If it is so processed, is it still healthy? I don’t think it is available yet where I live, but products that are popular in America tend to make it over to Israel after a few years. Do you have another suggestion of what to use in place of the vegan yogurt?
You could try applesauce, or some kind of oil. You may even be able to make buttermilk with a plant or nut-based milk with a little vinegar in it and let it sit a few minutes (I’m not sure if this process works well with plant or nut milks).
I make excellent yogurt at home with Soy milk either Eden soy or West Soy(original and unsweetened). I use the dairy free starter.(I purchase on amazon ‘Bella and Bella) It’s Very simple to makeand a no brainer.
Boil 1litre non dairy milk. Let it cool. Slowly add the the dairy free starter. Stir well. If you want it a little sour , add 2tsblespoons of lemon juice. Let it set in the oven for at least 8 to 10 hours. It’s should set well.
That looks excellent!
This is exactlyhow you make plant based butter milk. My fav is a can of coconut cram and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar!
Do you have an adaptation for this recipe to make muffins? Do you think 20 m would be good?
Hi, have you tried her “banana nutella muffins” on the blog? You can easily skip the nutella filling too!
Yes, it does! it’s just more watery than the yogurt so just reduce a bit the oil- or plant based milk
I would recommend making one of her other banana bread recipes, none of which have yogurt. The gingerbread or pumpkin banana bread are especially delicious: https://lett-trim.today/?s=banana+bread
Hi Tamara, I’m not sure where in Israel you live, but there is a great vegan yogurt place called Tamara Yogurt on Ben Yehuda street in Tel Aviv. Plus, I believe in the stores you can get Yofix yogurts which are a blend of oats, lentils, sunflower seeds, coconut and sesame seeds as a base for their yogurts and supposedly they are great!
Forgive me for being silly but what is 2tbps sweetener of choice? Can I use agave syrup or maple syrup or honey or am I getting that wrong? Can I omit this step?
You can – those are fine 🙂
I just skipped it. The half cup maple syrup made it plenty sweet.. to
I was wondering the same thing! Esp if I already used agave or maple syrup as the sweetener… do I put more???
Yes. The initial 1/2 cup must be a liquid sweeetener. The additional sweetener can be stevia, sugar, or an additional 2 tbsp of the liquid sweetener.
I’ve always considered banana bread to be somewhat mundane, and yet every time I see your recipes I can’t help wanting to try it. I see this being breakfast someday soon….
I love this idea!
This sounds so wonderful. I’m going to make it tomorrow. Excited.
Hi,
Can I use coconut flour for this?
Sorry, haven’t tried it!
I made the recipe with coconut flour and avoided the additional 2 tbsp of sweetener, because I felt the agave and chocolate chips would add enough sweetness. The result is delicious, but the coconut flour definitely made the loaf a bit crumbly. Didn’t make for solid slices, but would still recommend for the flavour and way it made my kitchen smell when cooking alone!
Hey Katie! I read your bio quite a while ago, and I remember that you said that you quit running, but I’m not sure if you’ve never turn into it? Also I was wondering if you were previously vegan or vegetarian and if so if you still are?
I do ? https://lett-trim.today/2014/09/05/running-story-part-two/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I learned to love it again when it stopped being something I “had” to do. I go out around every 2-3 days but it’s not something I plan in advance and sometimes I will go a week or even two without going out. Especially when it’s cold…
Also yes, still vegan.
Is there a substitute for the maple syrup? Stevia, or erythiol?
Is the sugar in the yogurt counted in the nutrition information? Or is it figured with unsweetened yogurt?
I love yogurt based breads. So so moist!! And banana bread is one of my faves! I want to make it w/out the chocolate chips because as much as I love chocolate AND bananas, I just don’t like them together. I’m a weirdo. But, I love all of the greek yogurt based things I have made from your site, so I am excited to make this one too:)
Katie, you KILLED IT again with this one! I actually didn’t have enough maple syrup (whoops) and only ended up using 1/3 cup – it was still sweet enough. ALSO adapted this to fit in 48 (!!) mini muffin tins (it was 1 tbsp batter/tin), and only needed 1/4 cup chocolate chips to top them with. I do WeightWatchers and for anyone interested that amounts to ONE POINT PER MINI MUFFIN. I’m pumped! Thanks again Katie for another winner!!
Hi Deena! Do you adapt the oven temp/cook time when you make this as mini muffins? Thanks!
Hi Katie!
I made this with almond flour, and on a much much tiny teeny oven. I am not sure if it was the oven or the almond flour, but my batch turned out to be more like a soft crumble with a firm top, rather than something you can slice through. I wonder if you’ve experienced similar behaviour with others and if you may recognise the issue here.
By the way, yes it wasn’t super cake-y but so damn delicious!!
xx
Almond flour is not recommended here. That would be the issue.
Wow, this looks super delicious. I had no idea you can make banana bread this way. And thanks for linking your homemade nutella recipe. Didn’t know there was such a thing. I will have to try making these stuff. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this last night (minus the “1/16 tsp uncut stevia or 2 tbsp any sweetener of choice”) and oh my goodness! It was so good. I am going to make it again right now because my husband and I ate it all. Who am I kidding? I was the one who ate 99% of it. Whoops. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Courtney
http://www.thedaringdarling.com
Lucky me. This just came out of the oven and now I can enjoy it.