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.
I never knew it was so easy to make substitutions!
Would love to see u do a peice cooking and making substitutions w stevia—they don’t always work for me
Pretty accurate recipe
It is really good! I add chocolate chips and mix nuts to it!
Kate – can you use almond flour in this recipe?
Hi Deb! Unfortunately, you have to change too many components to get it to work. But, I am testing an almond flour version of sorts -but it will need to be a new recipe to get it to rise correctly.
I have 4 bananas I need to use up – can I just add them?
Hi Susan, this recipe works best with the recommended amount.
I’ve made a lot of banana bread…your recipe is 5 star, easy and delicious. I made mine with the maple syrup. I put my bananas in a ninja blender with the milk and added a big handful of super greens and gave it a quick swirl. Then I mixed some walnuts in and baked for about 60 minutes. My husband said it was top notch!
Hi Kate! I decided to make this recipe today, it’s a rainy day in Minnesota, a good day for new recipes! I used coconut oil, honey, 3 bananas and used white whole wheat flour and added 1/2 c chocolate chips and it was amazing!! It was most and delicious! Would definitely recommend and make again, thank you!!
Super yummy with lots of choices for alternatives to make it to my family’s taste and dietary needs.
I just made this bread and it did not turn out. It was super goey and would not cook
This is a go-to recipe from your cookbook, and lately I’ve been grating in a little orange zest
Amazing! Really great recipe…easy to make too!
Hi!
Can I replace the whole eggs with egg whites or will that alter the consistency of the bread too much? Thank you!!!
Hi Blair! You could try. Your bread might not be as moist and rich without the yolks. For best results, I’d use the whole eggs as indicated.
Hi Kate!
I just made this recipe and it came out quite gooey. I did taste an end piece where it was more firm and the taste is fantastic! I wonder if I did not have enough banana in my batter? I used two large bananas. I also used AP flour, olive oil, honey, oat milk and added walnuts. I baked it for 1 hr 10 min because when I checked it at 1 hr it was still not done. I hope that as it cools completely it will firm up.
Hi Danielle, I’m sorry to hear that! Did you measure the banana out to equal one cup? You may have had too much banana.
Hi Kate! I just saw that you updated the healthy banana bread recipe to include weights of the ingredients. Thank you so much for doing this. I’m about to make some more banana bread. The first batch was a huge hit!
Stay safe and be well.
Gina Mauney
Have made this bread 4 or 5 times and it is just the BEST! I’ve tried some out her recipes and this one is king lol. I use coconut oil and a mix of honey & maple syrup and everything else as written. Absolutely wonderful!! Always add either chocolate chip or walnuts or PB swirl on top. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Cassie! Thank you for your review.
Hi Kate, loved the healthy banana recipe… cake tasted yum! I used wholegrain plain flour and it turned out so tasty. Love that its healthy also. Thank you.
Followed instructions to a T but it turned out really bland and almost salty.
Hi Rachel, I’m really sorry to hear that. Thank you for your feedback.
I’ve searched for a healthy, less carbs but delicious banana bread for a long time. As I improved my family’s diet over the last 40 years, old recipes no longer worked. No more experimenting for me. Your recipe resulted in a delicious cake like banana bread. I used all organic ingredients. I opted for maple syrup, 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour and 3/4 cups of sorghum flour. Thank you!
I’ve made 6 different banana breads during self isolation and this recipe is now my number 1. It’s even better than the recipe I’ve been baking fir 30+ years. And healthier too. WIN WIN
I’m glad it’s been your favorite out all that you have tried! Thanks for letting me know, Eadie.
I made this vegan with flax eggs, maple syrup and almond milk. Turned out absolutely perfect.
Wonderful to hear, Rachel! Thanks for your review.
Love this recipe! It always turns out moist and with the right amount of sweetness. Always add in dark chocolate and walnuts!!
Great, Andy!
HI Kate,
I still love my butter, would this recipe work if i replace the oil with butter at the same quantity?
Thanks!
Hi Claire! I love butter, too. :) I think you could replace the oil with about 5.3 tablespoons (same amount) butter, gently melted.
Hi Kate,
This is a great recipe and it turns out delicious every time I bake Just a question, for some reason my bread breaks or develops cracks. So even though it tastes yum but I can’t seem to get even slices as it’s not a perfect looking loaf..Hence, I can’t toast them in the pop out toaster ♀️Anything you can suggest to help with this? Would appreciate your feedback
Hi Gurleen! Is your bread “gooey” at all in the interior? I find that sometimes if I’ve under-baked the bread by even a few minutes, it develops a crack along the top and sinks down a bit after baking. This bread is a little delicate for pop-up toasters—I have about a 50/50 success rate with that.
Thanks for your prompt reply, Kate. Yes it is sometimes a bit like that too! What’s the fix for it? Something to do with the consistency of the batter I reckon?
Hi Gurleen, sounds like you just need to bake your bread a few minutes longer! Easy fix. Hope that works for you. :)
Hi
I tried your pumpkin bread and decorated it like a cake . It was wonderful. I want to make this next. I want to add rhubarb’s into the dough. Do I need to change the recipe in any way if I do? Do you think it will make it even better?
Hi there! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pumpkin bread. I haven’t tried rhubarb here, but I believe you could add up to 1/2 cup chopped rhubarb here. Your bread might need a few more minutes in the oven. If you want to save the rhubarb for a recipe that will definitely work well, I love my strawberry rhubarb crisp!
Hi Kate! Thank you so much for your recipe. I was hoping if you could tell me whether this can be done without the vanilla extract (or if there could be any substitute to it), since I don’t have any at the moment!
Hi Char, the vanilla ads nice flavor but you can omit. Although the taste will be different. :)
I’ve made the Healthy Banana Bread probably 20 times. It’s a family favorite & I use half whole wheat & half all purpose or bread flour. I also add walnuts or pecans, whichever I have on hand. Freezes great. Thank you for creating this great Recipe!
Amazing and delicious – was looking for a healthier recipe for Banana bread and this ticks all of the boxes. Naturally sweet and doesn’t contain actual sugar – it was a thumbs up from our family!
Hi Kate, I just made this banana bread in my Sydney, Australia kitchen. I used light olive oil and local ironbark honey, didn’t have wholewheat flour so I just used plain flour.
It is (was) delicious and moist. Thank you so much :)
It turned out beautifully! My daughter has a slight egg intolerance so I used one egg. For personal preference I reduced the maple syrup, added extra bananas, and used half wholemeal spelt and half plain flour. It was moist and delicious, thank you for the recipe Kate!
My first banana bread that was actually successful and taste… SO. GOOD!!!
Thank you for the recipe, gotta make it so often!!
Hey
How many calories are in 1 slice ??
Thank you
Hi Rianna! The nutritional information can be found below the recipe notes. I hope this helps!
Hi Kate, just wanted to thank you for filling our home with delicious smells and our tummy’s with yummy food.
We make your recipes almost everyday and enjoy them so much.
Just made this banana bread with my 1 and a half year old daughter who loved baking with me. We all
Loved it.
Thank you again!
I want to make this chocolatey but don’t have chocolate chips, I do have cocoa powder though! Do you think I would need more moisture if I were to add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to make a chocolate version of this bread?
Hi Lyndsey! I haven’t tried it. I would suggest checking the comments to see what others may have tried. I believe some have and don’t mind the result. I do know adding chocolate chips works well. Sometimes adding another dry ingredient while baking can change your results.
The banana bread recipe was wonderful. It was really good and moist. I added some chocolate chips to it for the kids. They devoured it! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. I also made your granola recipe while the bread was baking. We enjoy that as well. I make a full batch every Monday! Thanks again! Sandra
You’re welcome, Sandra! Thank you for your review.
Hi Kate,
This will now become my go-to recipe for delicious banana cake – thank you!
I followed your recipe to the letter with these substitutions/additions:
Oat milk, crushed almonds and walnuts, rapeseed oil and 100% AP flour.
Exactly 60 minutes in the oven and it came out moist, fluffy but structured, good flavour and not too sweet. Perfect.
OMG!! i just made this recipe, and it was amazing, I love it soooo very much, i added a few chocolate chip, thank you so very much!!
Hello from Australia! We really like this recipe but find that half a cup of honey makes it too sweet for our taste so we switch around the amounts of coconut oil and honey and find that works better. A little more coco-nutty and a little less sweet.
I made this today and omg its so good! I used sugar free maple syrup and some dark chocolate chunks and it turned out amazing. You’d never guess its healthy.
Hi Kate, thank you for the recipe. I made it today with wholemeal spelt flour (I was skeptical about it), but it was amazing. My first time making banana bread and I love it!!!
The recipe is just perfect! I made it with Regular whole-wheat flour, honey and added some chocolate chips! It’s just delicious:) thank you for the recipe
Hi Kate – I’m so glad I stumbled across your recipe. Had a few ripe bananas sitting on my counter and now they’ve been baked into some delicious (healthier) banana bread :).
I substituted 1/2 a cup of the whole wheat flour with all-purpose, and will probably try with all whole wheat next time.
Loved how moist the bread turned out. Was the perfect amount of sweet!
Today was my third time making this recipe and it came out the best yet! I subbed 1/4 cup flax meal into the flour (used organic stone ground whole wheat flour) and for the milk I used coconut creamer. I folded in 1/2 cup raw walnuts at the end. Next time I think I’m going to try spelt flour. Thanks so much for this healthy recipe!
Hi! I also used all purpose flour and ran into the “bread completely fell and turned to pudding” issue. It was maybe an inch tall and extremely gummy. Not tasty at all:/
I know it’s a good recipe by the reviews, but I’m seeing a trend in the ap flour users and this weird conundrum! Maybe you could update it to show how much all purpose flour you really need? Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try this again.
Hi Allie! I’m really so sorry to hear that. I’ve bought a bunch of bananas to retry this recipe with all-purpose. Just waiting on them to turn brown. :)
Could you replace the honey with golden syrup or molasses? Would you still use 1/2 cup.?
I would suggest syrup. Molasses is too thick.
What the heck!!! Stumbled upon this recipe after years of trying to find a recipe with less unrefined sugar and more fiber filled flour. This. Is. IT. Thank you so much.
Great Recipe Thanks For Sharing.
I’ve been making your healthy banana bread recipe for years now and it’s a family favorite and staple in our household (the kids always ask for it!). I’ve tried all your different suggested variations (all delicious!) and I have to say that using flax eggs, in place of real eggs, always yields the best texture for me. Wonderful recipe, thanks for sharing.
I’m happy to hear that, RK! Thanks so much for sharing.
I tried this and it was delicious. Thank you!
Ok, this is hands down the best banana bread recipe I’ve tried. I added chocolate chips (because why not), and it is perfectly moist and delicious.
I love it!, but I rated it 1 star because why not.