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.
Amazing recipe. Thank you! I have made this numerous times and every time guests have raved about it and taken extras home. For me baking at 350 works better than 325 but I guess it depends on your appliance. Really delicious, and who can resist that heavenly smell while it’s baking?
Wow! My daughter is working on getting into shape, and I always have overripe bananas, but the challenge is that she doesn’t really love bananas. However, this was a serious win! She loved it. I am also trying to lose a few pounds which apparently takes an act of Congress now that I’m in menopause. I substituted oat flour which I haven’t used before, and it is a very nice texture. The bread is a bit fragile, but I love the density. I also did half and half coconut oil/applesauce, and I added chocolate chips (not that the chocolate chips helped my diet, but it enticed my daughter). I think this is overall a reasonably healthy snack that tastes like a dessert. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
I am using this recipe now but had already mashed 4 bananas! Let’s see ;)
I have made this at least a dozen times now, and it is perfect every time. I use regular whole wheat flour and pure maple syrup. I add mini chocolate chips to entice the kids – they don’t have any idea it’s 100% whole wheat. Thanks for this super easy and super yummy recipe!
You’re welcome, Joani! Thank you for your review.
Have made this recipe 29474 times!!!!
I love it, so healthy and easy to make.
That’s wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Renia.
Hi
I love it. Also loved the pumpkin bread. But both didn’t raise for me like how it is in your pictures. They were more like half the height. What would be the reason? Thanks.
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. How did you measure your flour? Did you use the correct baking soda amount and not over stir your mixture?
I love this recipe. I was told I needed to be on a special diet for health reasons. And when this recipe showed up on a site I’ve been following for this diet, I was so excited. Thank you so much for sharing it. Now I can add it to my new menu. So grateful for the healthier ingredients.
Another winner…thank you so much for these tasty and healthy recipes!
Hello from London UK, just made this recipe and must say it’s AMAZING ! Honestly the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever tried!
Thank you for sharing ☺️
That’s great, Blanca! Thank you for your review.
I’ve tried so many banana bread recipes and this one is my absolute favourite. I used rice bran oil (because it was in the pantry) and substituted a combination of blackstrap molasses and golden syrup instead of honey/maple syrup. My add ins were currants and shredded coconut. This is my go to recipe now.
I’ve made this so many times. People rave. Thank you
You’re welcome, Jen! Thank you for your review.
Best banana bread recipe I have ever found. No soggy middle, delicious.
Delicioso!
Thank you, Papa!
I love this bread. Have made it so many times. I was wondering if I can also add some cocoa powder in it to make a chocolate banana bread. If yes what will be the proportions? Thank you.
I’m not sure as I haven’t tried it. Sorry! I believe others have and would suggest searching the comments to see what worked well for others.
I made this and added 2 tbsp or Chia seeds and 1/2 cup des coconut.
Amazing! My kids loved it .
Chia seeds, my thought exactly.. also thinking a lemon twist. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
So happy to have stumbled across this recipe. I’ve been recently baking muffins without sugar and using oats and so on. For this one I used regular flour just because I had to use it up from the pantry.
Anyway, so delicious! So moist! And just enough of sweetness. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
I’m happy you did too! Thank you for sharing, Annette.
I added some sour cream and applesauce to the mashed banana (to bulk it up because I only had 1/2 cup of mashed banana), and it was amazing. I also added some chia seed. Hearty and moist, but not too moist.
Everyone in my house devoured it quickly, so I would definitely try making it again.
Followed the recipe as written and added pecans.The banana bread loaf looked beautiful and tasted delicious! Family loved it! Will definitely make it again, as well as the pumpkin bread!
Really Good!! I will try more of your recipes!!
Hi, I followed the instructions exactly, I used coconut flour but the mixture wasn’t sloppy in the end..
I’m not sure what I’ve done wrong here, everyone seemed to have loved this recipe but for me the banana bread wasn’t ‘bananaee’ enough! If I were to add more bananas, would I just need to added more flour/no milk to make the right consistency?
Thank you!
Hi Jodie, I’m sorry to hear that. Be sure to use ripe bananas or even more ripe than you may have used for more of that flavor. I hope this helps!
Cooks Illustrated cookbook suggests to make it more “bananay” (my word, not theirs), to microwave the bananas for a minute, then place them in a sieve and let them drain while you get everything else prepared.
I used 3 bananas and no milk turned out perfect also used plain four because I didn’t have whole meal. Had a firmer texture great for toasting most of the banana bread recipes I have tried are too soft and cake like.
Hi, that should be ok. Let me know how they turn out for you, Andrianna!
I added chocolate chips and 1/3 cup oats (like in the maple sweetened banana muffins recipe). This seems much healthier without butter, sugar, and all purpose flour. I made 4 mini loaves and baked about 30-38 min. Highly recommend. So yummy!
Dear Katie,Thank U for this Delicious Healthy Banana Bread Recipe We ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT I changed the 1 3/4 Cups of Wheat Flour for 3/4-1 Cup of Coconut Flour(adding an extra egg & a slash more milk to compensate for the thirsty Coconut Flour) The Result was Fluffy,Delicate & ” Moreish” LOL The Flavours married together well & gave a light sponge ( even though the “batter” going into the tin resembled more of a smooth dough…I have personally found for anyone reading that my loaf tin needs to be in a ” Bain Marie” in the oven to save my bread from burning & cooking evenly .Blessings & Many Thanx from Australia as we patiently wait for the Self Isolation to lift we have had a REALLY LOVELY Treat ,Grace of U,Thank U Katie for sharing Ur Expertise ,Kind Regards Sara- Anna ️
What a wonderfully versatile and delicious recipe for banana bread! I used three overripe bananas and bread flour. My add-ins were chopped walnuts. The loaf has a lovely loft and texture so I will be making this bread again and again.
Thank you, Kim!
Love your recipe! I’ve run out of honey and want to make this again.
Are there other sugar alternatives if we can’t get honey or maple syrup readily? Like sugar cane crystals or brown sugar? Would you recommend adding same amount?
Hi, for this recipe it requires the two sweeteners listed for best results.
I always make this recipe with 2 or 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. No problem at all.
Oh my goodness. I made it yesterday morning and it was already finished by today. My family loved it. I loved it. It was amazing. I like the fact that it’s healthier than normal banana bread too. I will definitely be making it again in the future. Thank you.
Hi Kate, great recipe but I always get consumed about flour measurement. It says 1 3/4 cup. Does it mean 1 cup and 10 tablespoon of flour? Thanks – sana
Hi, I recommend using a 3/4 cup measurement (or 1/4 cup x3) so you can properly spoon and level for this to turn out correctly.
I forgot to add the eggs!! And honestly I don’t think it needs it. So yummy! I will make it again. Thank You!
Can I sub out the milk and part of the baking soda for buttermilk?
Hi, this is best written as is. I can’t confirm those results as I haven’t tried that.
First time trying this recipe. Simply delicious and super moist. I used white whole wheat flour and avocado oil. And of course, mini chocolate chips. This is not going to last very long in my house.
Amazing! This is the best banana bread ever, was gone before it was completely cooled. Big thumbs up from both my 21 year old boys and my teenaged daughter!
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Georgette.
This is my go-to banana bread! It is so easy and tastes amazing every time! I’ve tried many other banana bread recipes to mix it up, but this one is the best every time. Thanks so much Kate!
I’m happy to hear that, Bonnie! Thank you for your erview.
Yum!!! This recipe came out so great! We doubled it and added chocolate chips to one loaf and pecans to the other. The maple syrup made the house smell amazing as it baked!! Also loved that it’s a one-bowl recipe; I made this with my daughter and it helped to minimize cleanup. Thanks so much for sharing another great recipe!
Sounds delicious, Meera! Thank you for your review.
This is the best banana bread I have ever made! I usually bake it in a silicone loaf pan and it comes out perfect..But I run into a problem when I want to bake a couple at a time. I double the recipe and bake it in an aluminum disposable loaf pan—it cooks thoroughly on the top but not all the way cooked on the bottom half. Any idea why? Can I not double this recipe? I tried it twice. I don’t know if it’s because of the doubling or if it’s because of the aluminum loaf pan? Any ideas? Thank you!
Isn’t this banana bread delicious, Yes it is!!! isn’t it healthy, indeed it its.. We loved it.. thank you so much for this recipe… I will make it again.. and again…. and again…. my go to recipe.
Delicious! I didn’t have any honey or maple syrup on hand, so made a date paste (chopped dates soaked in hot water and then blitzed to a puree) and it worked out well
This is my tried and true banana bread recipe. I’ve made it way too many times to count, and it’s perfect every time. Perfect texture, perfect banana flavor. So good with almond butter!
So, made this bad boy today with whole wheat, coconut oil, coconut milk, and maple syrup. And… chopped banana!
Best banana bread ever!
Thank you!
Made both the pumpkin and zucchini breads and decided it was finally time to try the banana bread!
Easy to make and delicious as always! We loved it! Thanks!
Easy, delicious, get in my belly yum!
It’s 10:30pm and I just tasted it for the first time because I just couldn’t wait until the morning (I’m gonna pay for that! Smh) The best banana bread I’ve ever made, hands down!! I followed recipe completely and added pecans, raisins and cranberries. YYUUMMMMM!! I’m saving this recipe, hope to not loose it. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Wilmarie! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.
Iv been using another recipe for years now ,but I decided to change it this time
I was amazed by the results
I was planning on freezing the slices, that’s what I usually do ,but I couldn’t it was amazing ,so moist and delicious I think we have a new winner going into my recipe book
Btw I swapped the flour for oat flour and it was really good and fluffy
I’m glad you tried this one, Judy! I appreciate your review.
Hi Kate. This was my first time making banana bread at it turned out so good! I loved that the ingredients are simple and healthy. I will try more of your recipes. Thank you for sharing
Looks like another great recipe from this site. Thanks very much. Love that it’s one bowl. Will post a pic if I can figure out how?
Such delicious banana bread! My husband loved it and you were absolutely correct, he did not know it was a healthy new recipe! This will be my recipe going forward. I have already shared it with a couple of friends.
Love your recipes!! I make your healthy granola every week to add to my Greek yogurt or just snacking. Yum!
Wonderful! Thank you for trying another recipe, Christine.
This is hands down my favorite banana bread recipe! I’ve made it dozens of times now and it’s always perfect and easy to make. I prefer the maple syrup over the honey and use 3 bananas, sometimes mixing in some unsweetened coconut flakes.
I love the flavor of this bread but I can’t seem to make it work for me. My first loaf came out about half baked, almost like a paste. The second loaf baked for almost 2 hours and it’s still wet in the center. I can’t figure out why it’s not baking! It’s not an oven issue because I haven’t had this problem before. I’m using poor quality vegetable oil and that’s the only thing that I’m doing different from the recommendations. Any ideas?
Hi Kaylin, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you measure the ingredients correctly? How are you measuring your flour? The vegetable oil can cause issues since baking is so precise.
I made this for my family and they are already asking me to make it again. Next time I’m adding chocolate chips!
I made two loaves this week (one with maple syrup, the other honey, both with walnuts), and both turned out absolutely lovely. Just the right amount of moistness and I love that it doesn’t have a metric ton of sugar in it. A little butter on top (though it’s wonderful without, hot or cold) and it’s heavenly. This is definitely going to be a staple in my home for a while.
Love this recipe! And my son is allergic to milk, so this is a fabulous alternative. I added chocolate chips and baked them in muffin tins/cupcake paper for 19 minutes – easy clean up! My kids LOVE them! Thank you!
I’m glad this works for him, Alex! Thank you for your review.
Would avocado oil be considered a healthy alternative oil? Looking forward to trying it!
Christine
I haven’t tried it here, but it may work. Let me know how it turns out for you!
I made it and it’s delicious. I added nutmeg and cloves I used coconut oil and maple syrup and followed everything else. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Jessica! I appreciate your review.
Delicious!!!! Appreciate the healthy ingredients without no blood sugar triggers so I can enjoy it & my Son & Husband are hooked on it now too ❣️
Loved this recipe! Made one and a half times the ingredients, used honey, 4 medium sized bananas and added a cupful of sultanas! This made 2 full size loaves and one small one for neighbour. It is moist and very moreish! Healthy too as I used oat milk. Naturally sweet with the honey. Will definitely use this recipe in the future and will recommend to friends! Thank you Kate!
You’re welcome!