If you love banana bread and want to be healthy at the same time, this high protein banana bread recipe gives you an unbelievable ten grams of protein per slice!
And the best part is that it tastes EXACTLY like regular banana bread.
Seriously, you cannot taste any difference at all.
This sweet, soft, fluffy, and delicious protein banana bread has quickly turned into one of my favorite breakfast or healthy snack recipes.
If you try it, I hope you love the banana bread as much as we do.
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Easy protein banana bread ingredients
You will need ripe bananas, protein powder, baking powder, flour, baking soda, salt, liquid sweetener of choice, pure vanilla extract, and optional regular or Greek yogurt, chocolate chips or walnuts, and ground cinnamon.
The recipe is naturally egg free. To make it vegan, simply use a dairy free yogurt or the yogurt free option. Instead of whey or casein, choose a plant based protein powder, such as pea, soy, or brown rice protein.
Go with a brand and flavor of protein powder that you already know you like. I usually use unflavored and unsweetened pea protein powder (like this protein powder), because I find many flavored protein powders to have an artificial aftertaste.
Flour options that work include white all purpose, whole grain spelt, oat flour, and some gluten free mixes. Whole wheat pastry flour yields a denser result than I prefer, but it technically does also work. I do not recommend coconut flour or almond flour.
If you wish, throw in a handful of chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, raisins, hemp hearts, chia seeds, etc.
Here are over 25 more High Protein Desserts
Above – watch the protein banana bread recipe video
How to make protein banana bread
Start by greasing a 9×5 inch loaf pan. I also like to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper so the loaf will be easy to pop out after baking.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and get out a large mixing bowl to combine all of the ingredients. This can easily be a one bowl recipe.
Mash the bananas in the bowl with a fork, then whisk in the remaining wet ingredients. You can either add the dry ingredients straight to this bowl or combine them in a separate bowl ahead of time if you prefer. Do not overmix.
Spread the protein bread batter into the prepared baking pan. Place it on the center rack of the oven, and bake for forty minutes.
Turn the oven off, but do not open the oven door. Leave the banana bread in the turned off oven for an additional five minutes.
After this time, if the top of the bread is golden but a toothpick inserted into the center does not come out mostly clean, you can place a layer of tin foil on top and bake for an additional five to ten minutes, or as needed.
Let the baked good cool completely before going around the sides with a knife and inverting it onto a large serving plate.
Loosely cover with cloth or paper towels, and store on the counter or in the refrigerator overnight. The taste and texture will be ten times better the next day after excess moisture has a chance to escape.
Serving and storing the recipe
The protein banana bread is great on its own. Or serve it topped with almond butter, peanut butter, Vegan Cream Cheese, pumpkin butter, or Homemade Nutella.
One slice banana bread with just a tablespoon of peanut butter will have close to fifteen grams of protein. Talk about a healthy snack!
Due to the perishable ingredients, I recommend refrigerating any leftovers after a day in a covered container. They should last for up to four days.
Or slice leftover banana bread and freeze it in an airtight container for up to three months or so. Add a layer of parchment paper in between each slice so they do not stick together. Thaw before serving.
Using gram measurements
If you wish to make the protein quick bread with a food scale instead of the cup measurements below, here are the amounts to measure out:
180 grams of flour, 60 grams of protein powder, 120 grams each of yogurt and pure maple syrup, honey, or agave, 60 grams of oil or water, 10 grams of pure vanilla extract, and 360 grams of mashed banana, which should be about three bananas.
Also remember to add in the ingredients not measured in grams (baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon).
The recipe was adapted from my Healthy Banana Bread and Chocolate Banana Bread.
Protein Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup white, spelt, or oat flour (or try this Almond Flour Banana Bread)
- 1/2 cup protein powder (60g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cup mashed overripe banana
- 1/2 cup yogurt or additional banana
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
- 1/3 cup oil or water
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- optional chocolate chips, walnuts, coconut, etc.
Instructions
- Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Stir all ingredients together, smooth the batter into the pan, and bake 40 minutes. Turn the oven off, but do not open the door even a crack. Leave the protein banana bread in the closed oven for an additional five minutes. Mine is always done after this time. If yours is still soft in the center for some reason (climate, uncalibrated oven, etc.), cover the top with tin foil and continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool, then go around the sides with a knife and invert onto a plate. If you can wait, the taste and texture are even better the next day!View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More High Protein Snacks
10/10! Amazing recipe. I took it to the office and shared it. Everyone enjoyed. It’s super moist and not sweet so amazing breakfast/afternoon snack. I have an egg sensitivity so this was the best recipe for banana bread for me. Thanks again!
I’ve made this twice and it’s a hit! I wanted to share that I used oat fiber (I use THM brand) instead of flour, added a touch more yogurt and water, and both loaves were amazing! I also froze mine, sliced, and it defrosts perfectly. Love this bread!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times and it always turns out great . Soft texture super tasty . Each time I use the protein powder I have meaning sometimes it’s vanilla flavoured sometimes dark chocolate or peanut butter but always turns out great . Also sometimes I use apple purée instead of mushed banana and works perfectly.
I LOVE this recipe, never did I think it would taste this good. The second time, I even doubled the protein powder and it is still BOMB. I make it on Saturdays and have it for breakfast a few times a week after the gym
I’ve made this recipe several times. Often with AP flour, once with chocolate and I have just tried it with oat flour. Phenomenal!!!!!!
Just made this and it turned out SO delicious. I had 4 small bananas, which came out to be less than 1.5 cups mashed, so I used pumpkin spice applesauce for the rest. I added extra nutmeg as well, which I think really made the flavor pop.
I know a few other comments mentioned baking time. For me, in the Midwest on a rainy day, it took 65 minutes of baking and 5 minutes of sitting in the oven with it off to be fully cooked. I probably could have cooked it even longer because it’s still quite moist, but the crust was getting too dark. I cooked it for the first 40+5 minutes as instructed, and then covered it with tin foil to cook for the remaining 25 minutes so it wouldn’t get too dark. I have an oven thermometer to make sure it’s cooking at an even temperature. The next time I make this (and I will definitely be making it again!), I’ll probably start with it covered to prevent the browning so early on, and then remove the tin foil around 50 minutes.
Is there a way to make these as mini muffins? We’re already having late June weather in March, so I would like to run the oven as little as possible
You absolutely can, we just don’t know the baking time because we haven’t tried it. But banana protein muffins are one of the recipes on Katie’s list to make soon! If you try them before we do, be sure to let us know how it goes.