Healthy Banana Bread!
With this healthy banana bread recipe, you're only a few basic ingredients away from the best banana bread ever! It's made with whole wheat flour and honey.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
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
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 9×5-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).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This is the best banana bread I have ever had. The coconut oil is key. My substitutions included bread flour instead of whole wheat flour, maple syrup instead of honey, and egg alternative instead of eggs. The egg alternative I used was 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and one teaspoon of baking powder per egg.
I found this recipe when I was looking for a banana bread that used coconut oil. I don’t use vegetable oil. I love this recipe. It turned out perfect. I doubled it and will be serving it to family tomorrow at brunch. I love how it’s not over powerful on sweetness. It’s perfect! I didn’t have enough honey so I used 1/2 honey and 1/2 maple syrup. I may try it with apple sauce next time. Maybe 1/2 oil 1/2 apple sauce. But really this is so good as it! Thank you so much
I made this for the first time today, and am pleased I doubled the recipe, because it turned out so beautifully! I used a gluten-free, all-purpose flour mix from the UK, and walnuts and Maltese honey. It’s a sizzling day for baking here in the Mediterranean, but the scrumptious result made it all worthwhile. Thank you for this new favorite recipe. Enjoyed hearing Cookie’s story too!
Love this recipe! Thank you Kate. I tried this out and the bread tasted so good. The best thing I love about this recipe is its all healthy and I can prepare it as a snack for the kids. They loved it!
This recipe worked perfectly my very first try. I added a little apple sauce to make up for not enough banana and 1/2c. ground flaxseed. Thanks for figuring out this recipe. My family and neighbors love it!
Hey! Is it necessary to transfer the cake to wire rack?
I always come back to this recipe when I feel like making banana bread. It’s so delicious and moist and naturally sweetened that it doesn’t need any extra sugar. ^_^
Looking forward to making this banana bread. Can you please tell me where you got that dynamite ceramic loaf pan? It’s beautiful and I must have one.
Thank you!
This is absolutely delicious, I currently have my second batch in the oven after the first loaf was devoured by my hubby and toddlers in a day! As a mix in I added chopped up dark chocolate squares, which I highly recommend! By far the best banana bread I’ve ever made; the only banana bread my toddlers ever actually enjoy; and it’s the healthiest! Thankyou so much Kate!
Hello, I made this for my work colleagues and they all loved it so I was told (and there wasn’t any left with some people having 2nds), I myself never got to try it but will next time I make it. I replaced the whole wheat flour with SR flour (as thats all I had in my cupboard) and I added sunflower kernels, walnuts as well as pepetias. Although will try with the whole wheat flour next time.
I’ve found the banana bread to be a bit dry
I made this bread n its was yumm.thankyou n keep posting
I’ve made this recipe twice with chocolate chips and it was a HUGE hit!!! Local blueberries are available now, do you think I could add some fresh or frozen ones? Thank you!!!
Haven’t you heard butter is healthy and must be eaten?
I made this with very few modification (added 1 tbsp of home made vanilla rhum for extra flavor, 2 tsp of baking soda instead of 1) and it was perfect! I used T110 flour and coconut oil? And coked it for 50 min in a fan oven. Thank you for the recipe, this is the most delicious banana bread I have ever tasted! Btw, do you have any good recipe with sweet potatoes?
Thank you
Love this recipe!I made it with pumpkin also best ever!
Hi Kate
I am from the UK and was wondering if you could give me the measurements in UK form we do not use cup size here and I have tried to convert but if came out all wrong. Look forward to your reply.
Many thanks
Rabia
I made this yesterday using gluten free flour from Costco called namaste. I think it’s a great blend to use bc the banana bread flavor is delicious. I’m wondering though if the GF flour somehow caused the funny marbling color which I believe is the cinnamon somehow not fully mixed in. Also the lumps in the dough did not dissolve so as you cut pieces you can see little lumps of dry flour. It tastes delicious, I am new to using GF flour and think I just need to get accustomed to how it works! I also doubled the recipe and followed your suggestion to slice and freeze – thank you!
Hi,
Has anyone tried making it with water instead of milk or alternative?
I just did! It turned out nicely.
I also used maple syrup instead of sugar – it wasn’t sweet enough (perhaps my maple syrup was too watery).
correction: I meant maple syrup instead of honey
Wow! I just made this last night and it is so good! This is going to be my go to recipe for banana bread. Thanks!!!
RKW
I love this recipe! I made this for my family this weekend and my husband, 3 year old and 1.5 year old devoured it (and so did I :p)! Thank you for providing a great healthy recipe that tastes amazing and I feel good about feeding to my little ones! I’ll be making another loaf this week!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have been trying to find a sugar-free recipe that actually tastes good for my daughter. I made 3 loaves so I could freeze 2 for later and my husband, who has not liked any banana bread I’ve made, ate 2 1/2 loaves in less than a week! My new “job” is to make this for my family on a regular basis. Thank you again for this healthy version that I don’t fee guilty making for my kiddos or husband.
Nutrition Facts:
Serving size = 9
270 Calories
10.6 g of Fat
8.2 g saturated fat
Cholesterol 44.4 mg
Sodium 24 mg
Potassium 186.5 mg
Carbs 41 g
Fiber 2.7 g
Sugar 25.7 g
Protein 4.2 g
Ingredients that I used personally for this recipe, and to track the macros:
Unrefined Coconut oil
2 bananas
Almond milk, instead of water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup organic oat flour
Hope this helps some people out!
I just tried your recipe and it is by far THE best banana bread recipe ever! So simple too!
My whole house smells amazing and the taste of the banana bread is incredible! I just wanted to say a huhuuge thank-you for this recipe :)
This is an amazing recipe! I forgot to measure mashed bananas, used normal vegetable oil and used normal white flour (but will definitely try whole wheat and coconut oil next time)this is the fluffiest, softest banana bread i have ever tasted! HIGHLY recommend!!
I want to make this banana bread today, it looks delicious! I want to replace the oil with applesauce. The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of oil, so should I also use 1/3 cup of applesauce? Or do I use more or less? Thank you! :-)
I’ve been trying out various cleaned up banana bread recipes lately and this one is by FAR the winner! I love everything about the results. My batch came out super moist, sweet but overly sweet, good coloring and appearance, and filling. I made most of the batch without any add-ins in mini muffins for my toddler and reserved the rest to add chocolate chips/coca for my husband. They were a total hit! Love! Thank you for the great recipe.
Hey
Im just cooking it now and wondering is the oven fan-forced or normal?
Thank you :)
Hello that you got your wonderful recipe. Am I able to use regular flour?
Your banana bread is amazing. Thank you for sharing it.
This was my first time making banana bread and I used your recipe, but only had 1 banana so i added mango. Also left out the vanilla extract. I opted to use coconut oil, vanilla soy milk, and honey… MmmMmmGoooood!! My mom’s banana bread used to make me drool, but i don’t have her recipes yet…she’s probably proudly looking down on me because i tried out a healthier version now i just have to stop my husband and i from eating it all before we go to sleep hahaha…
I didn’t have any bananas, so I ate 7 fun sized Snickers. They were delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
i just tried this. It’s a nice recipe, thank you!! The bread is so moist inside!!
This is my favorite banana bread recipe!! Thank you so much!! Kids devour it!
Hi I made this with spelt flour and it was soggy what can I be doing wrong thanks
I am gluten free and trying to be sugar free. I just made this recipe using oat flour and 2 1/2 teaspoon baking soda instead of 1 teaspoon. It came out delicious. Thank you!
Hello! Do you have the macros for this? Like calories, fat, stuff like that? Thanks!!
I just made this according to the directions with coconut oil and absolutely loved it. Thanks for the recipe, it will be incorporated in to my Christmas baking.
This bread is so good. You really cannot tell that it is made with whole wheat flour and olive oil. Thank you for the great recipe!
I love this recipe! The bread comes out so moist and delicious! We love oats, and I was wondering if oats can be added to this recipe in place of some of the flour? If so how much?
Great recipe, my banana read turned out to be delicious! I’ll probably not use the salt next time as the bread was quite salty.
Hi there, this was my first time making banana bread, and this recipe was so easy to follow. The only thing was it didn’t turn out fluffy on the inside I don’t know why :(
Will try again soon.
Thanks!
Omg… Can’t say enough on how awesome this recipe is.. My kids loved it. Made a GF version for my hubby with Pamela’s bread mix and it was phenomenal:). Thank you so much for sharing this treasure of a recipe. Now if you could make zucchini bread awesome.. You would be my hero ;)
This was very easy to follow. Prep time was about 30 mins, and bake time exactly 60 mins.
It’s delicious!! I got so many compliments on the finished product. Not a single complaint from my father–and let me just say that’ll show rare lol–and he loooooved it. Has me make it 3 more times, and is now requesting zucchini bread, in which I found on here as well.
Too bad one loaf pan only serves about 6-7 people/slices. I might make it in my bundt pan next time.
But, nonetheless, thank you so much! I fell unto this site randomly and am so I did. No more allrecipes.com for me, as long as the recipe is here. haha
I tried this two weekends ago and it was a big hit. So easy to try out and delicious!
Can I use all purpose flour instead?
A great recipe! Straightforward and used whole foods.
First successful baked good in my new home(of five years!). New oven that has been baffling me for years… Cannot get used to it!
Overdone, undercooked, burnt, raw in the middle…. I think I’ve got it now!
A go to banana bread for our house going forward. So glad I stumbled across it online..
I’ve tried few different recipes and this one is best so far and also healthy. I loved it.
Thank you Cookie and Kate for this AMAZING recipe. I have made it twice and my whole family devour it in a day! Even my 1 yr old niece munches on it happily! It tastes like super unhealthy banana bread but it’s full of goodness! Yum… this will be a staple recipe in my collection!
I found your recipe on Pinterest and tried it today and that’s a success. I love it! Perfect balance between the ingredients, it tastes so great. Definitely keeping this one. Thanks!
Fantastic banana bread! My mom and I are trying to cut back on processed sugars and this is a healthy recipe to start with. I used honey, 3 bananas, and half of the cinnamon and it came out just right! Thanks! Will be trying more of your recipes soon.