This easy no-fail Healthy Banana Bread recipe makes the most fluffy and moist banana bread you will find at only 238 calories per slice. It contains NO processed sugar or butter and comes together in just a few minutes!
It’s finally here! We are a huge fan of banana bread. Somehow, we always end up with 3 to 4 very ripe bananas just sitting on the counter. Bananas that are too ripe to eat, but are perfect for baking. You know what they say, when life gives you ripe bananas, make banana bread.
But seriously, ripe bananas are a dream in banana bread and make the best banana bread ever. This healthy banana bread is everything you want in banana bread. It’s moist, dense, and full of flavor. I made a batch and shared a few slices with my friends and they could not believe it was “healthy”. This recipe is a keeper, and I’m sure your family will love it as much as we do!
What Makes This Banana Bread Healthy?
To make this banana bread healthy:
The sugar is replaced with honey
For the butter, we opted for coconut oil. You can also use olive, avocado oil, or even apple sauce.
As for the flour, whole wheat flour works wonders!
Another very important ingredient is the ripe bananas. Ripe bananas are super sweet so the riper the better.
How to Make Healthy Banana Bread
Make this delicious banana bread by combining the dry ingredients and setting aside. Next, simply combine all the wet ingredients and add in the bananas.
Stir in the dry ingredients and add in your favorite banana bread add-ins. I like to add chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, or nuts.
Lastly, transfer the batter into a greased 9×5 pan, and bake for 50 minutes. You can also bake this banana bread in a small square 8×8 pan for just 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Is Banana Bread Healthy?
Banana bread can be made healthy with simple substitutes that also taste amazing! Replace the sugar with honey or an alternative sweetener, replace the oil with healthier sats, and use whole wheat or almond flour.
What is the difference between whole-wheat flour and white whole-wheat flour?
Whole-wheat flour is made with red wheat, which is darker in color. It has a slightly bitter taste and a coarser texture. White whole-wheat flour which lacks bran color. It also has a milder flavor and a softer texture.
What Mix-Ins can I add to Banana Bread?
There are a ton of things you can add to your banana bread each time to give it a new flavor. I like to add chopped dark chocolate, chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, dried fruit, Nutella, oats, or berries.
Recipe Tip
If your bananas are not yet brown or soft then you can place them in a 300F degree oven for 20 minutes or until dark brown. I swear this method will produce the ripest bananas that are perfect for banana bread.
How to Store Banana Bread
This banana bread will last at room temperature for 3-4 days. To store, place a paper towel in an airtight container or ziplock bag and top your bread with another paper towel. Be sure to seal the bag or airtight container.
To Freeze: You can leave the loaf whole, wrap it, and store it in a freezer-safe bag or container until you’re ready to eat it. You can also slice it and freeze it as well. To thaw, move it to the fridge for a short time or take it out of the freezer and set it out on the counter. It will unthaw quickly and easily.
More Delicious Healthy Banana Bread Recipes To Try
- Healthy Oatmeal Banana Bread
- Almond Flour Banana Bread
- Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread
- Healthy Coconut Flour Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Have some extra ripe bananas and want to try new banana bread recipes? here are a few of my favorite banana recipes:
Healthy Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, or olive oil
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup milk or Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas, about 2-3 medium bananas
- 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour, or plain all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, or chopped walnuts, raisins, optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 325F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, honey, milk and vanilla for 2 minutes. Stir in the bananas, flour mixture and chocolate chips (or any other add ins of choice.
- Pour batter into greased pan, sprinkle with some more cinnamon, raw sugar, or banana slices (optional) Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, slice and enjoy!
Notes
For dairy-free/vegan: use almond milk and flax eggs and maple syrup.
*Trader Joe’s has white whole wheat flour that is also great in this bread.
Recipe inspired by allrecipes and cookie and kate
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
GET THE MUFFIN VERSION HERE!!
Healthy Moist Banana Bread Muffins
This has been my go-to banana bread recipe for a couple of years now. I’ve shared it with others and they’re making it for their families now as well. I want to make small loaves of this bread to share with neighbors. Do you have any guidance on temperature setting or bake time for mini loaf pans?
So happy you like the recipe, Kelsey! Try baking them for 25 minutes and keep a close eye on them after that.
Best (no exaggeration) banana bread ever! I always despised banana cake because it was either too dense or too “bread” like. And somey the banana smell was over-powering (I know that’s like a duh when trying a banany bread)! But this banana bread hit all the right spots – moist, in between of cake and bread texture, subtle smell of banana and the right sweet. I put 1/4 cup of cocoa (reduced flour to 1.5 cup), I decreases the oil by 4 tbsps and added 4 tbsps extra Greek yogurt.
Can I substitute coconut flakes for the coconut oil, which I have but expired last year or so ago. Yikes!
Or unsweetened applesauce for the oil, which do with many of my baked goods!!
The coconut flakes can not be used as a replacement for coconut oil but the applesauce should work!
I used two bananas and chopped walnut and followed the recipe; it turned out to be great.
Great recipe. Love not using butter or sugar. It was my first time using coconut oil. It worked out well. People who are rating this bad expect the bread to be sweet. It’s more of a hearty bread. Spread natural peanut butter to make it even more delicious.
Anyone add chia seeds or flaxseed?
Instead of honey i used mustard, and instead of flour i used sand. ran out of chocolate chips so I put some bird seeds instead. It was AWFUL, bad recipe
If you used high-quality whole wheat bread and high-quality chocolate chips, your bread maybe would’ve tasted better.
tried again with tomatos instead of bananas and ketchup in place of the mustard, still no good!
Can I use canola oil instead of olive or coconut ?
Yes, it should work!
Yes, it will work!
Just made this and it’s delicious!!! Already half way gone and I just took it out of the oven 30 minutes ago 🙂 highly recommend!
Just made this- delicious! Just the right amount of sweetness and moisture. To be honest mine was not cooked all the way through after 55 minutes so I put foil over the top for an additional 10 min in the oven and kept it on for 20 min after and it was cooked perfectly. Really good recipe will be making again!!
Will this work with almond flour?
Great recipe! Will defos be keeping this one and making again!
I tried this recipe today and I use a mix of white flour, whole wheat flour and oat flour. I didn’t have honey or maple syrup so used cane sugar the bread is perfect. My husband needed a bit more sweetness but I liked it and I think it’s perfect for my toddler.
Thank you
Doing this recipe for our daisy baking badge during this pandemic shut down. We have to be dairy free since Momma is still feeding a baby with dairy intolerance. Substituted the milk with oat milk and used vegan chocolate chips! Amazing! We love it and the kids and I had so much fun making it!
Can I use almond flour instead of the options suggested?
We haven’t tried it with almond flour and because the texture of almond flour is heavier than ap flour I would imagine the ratios would be different.
I have started to make this every week. We love it so much. And I left out the maple syrup and honey one time, and it was still good. Moist. Yummy. Delicious.
Tried this recipe and copied it exactly and after 1hr 30mins was still not cooked and looked good at first but then sank half the size. Very poor waste of my time and money on the ingredients. Don’t try this recipe
Think you may be the problem. Made this heaps of time, including right now & it’s perfect.
Can I sub plain flour with self raising flour and leave out the baking soda?
We haven’t tried it but it should work! 🙂
if i used spelt flour, do i need to sift beforehand?
Hi can someone tell me what the flour measurements are I don’t u set stand whether it’s 13-14 or 13 and a quarter thanks
It’s 1 and 3/4 cup.
Can I use oats as a substitute for the flour?
Yes, try replacing 3/4 cup of the flour with oat flour.
I substitute gluten free oats for the flour, avacado oil for the oil and two chia “eggs” for the eggs and it’s delicious!
Hey Layla,
I was wondering how could I incorporate peanut butter in this recipe?
Thanks!
That’s interesting! I’ve never though about adding peanut butter but I will definitely add it to the list of recipe testing for a future recipe! Since the peanut butter is liquid, it will change the texture of the bread so I would need to do further recipe testing. For now, maybe making it as a peanut butter swirl bread would work.
Sadly, your body does not see any difference between sugar and sugar in honey. So this is no more “healthy” than any other banana bread. Might be great, but don’t think it’s more healthy
I used local honey, which has health benefits including helping combat allergies. So I’d much rather have that than white sugar. 😁
I found it takes way too long too cook as well but I used chia eggs. So I cooked it on convection bake @ 350 and that worked much better!
This is not true. Our body’s find it difficult to deal with refined sugars and our brains don’t even recognize some of the more unusual ones and sugar alcohols. Unrefined sugars are less inflammatory.
Finally found the perfect healthy banana bread! Used coconut milk as milk substitute and turned out great. Thanks for sharing.
Any suggestion onto why it went “flat” ? Turned oven off with bread in it and when o took the bread out it lost all its height…
Followed this recipe to a T. Smelled delicious as it baked but the problem is it was ridiculously moist and had to bake for 90 mins…
You may have added too much banana. Did you measure it out?
The best recipe! Do you have a modified version for muffins? Or does this work well in muffin form?
Yes! https://gimmedelicious.com/healthy-moist-banana-muffins/
THANK YOU FOR THE RECIPE, I MADE IT YESTERDAY AND MY FAMILY LOVED IT! QUICK QUESTION… CAN I SUBSTITUTE REGULAR MILK WITH ALMOND MILK?
Yes, you absolutely can! It works great either way 🙂
BeSt healthy bAnana bread recipe that ive tried so far! Soooo moist and tasty i would 100% recommend making this to anyone who is a huge banana bread lOver!!! Obsessed 🙂
Thanks for the 5 stars, Melissa! SO happy you love the recipe <3
Best (no exaggeration) banana bread ever! I always despised banana cake because it was either too dense or too “bread” like. And somey the banana smell was over-powering (I know that’s like a duh when trying a banany bread)! But this banana bread hit all the right spots – moist, in between of cake and bread texture, subtle smell of banana and the right sweet. I put 1/4 cup of cocoa (reduced flour to 1.5 cup), I decreases the oil by 4 tbsps and added 4 tbsps extra Greek yogurt.
I love this recipe and have been making it for a few years now. DO you have a muffin version?
Where is the measurements for the milk? I’m I missing something? I don’t see it anywhere. TIA.
It is listed under the honey in the recipe box.
THIS IS SUCH A WONDERFUL RECIPE! i’VE USED IT FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW AND IT IS GREAT EVERY TIME! iT IS IN THE OVEN RIGHT NOW AND WE CAN’T WAIT. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Thanks for the 5-star review, Nicole! Happy you are enjoying this recipe 🙂