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.
Hi, cannot wait to try this! Do you know the calories for this?
Hi Lauren, The nutritional information is in the notes section of the recipe.
Mine was one in 22 minutes. Haven’t tasted it yet, but bewarned.
I normally love recipes from this site but this one does not work. I followed it perfectly and after an hour the loaf is cooked on the sides and still liquid in the middle. I have covered it with foil and am cooking it longer. Big disappointment.
Hi Lucy, I’m sorry to hear that. What type of bread pan did you use? Did you measure your bananas?
This is by far the best recipe ever for banana bread! It was easy to make with only a few ingredients – and it turned out so yummy – so moist! I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free All Purpose Baking Flour; I used olive oil; half a teaspoon of cinnamon and a half a teaspoon of nutmeg; half a cup of maple syrup and half a cup of organic brown coconut sugar. Not a fan of nuts in cakes so I opted out of the nuts and the extra cinnamon for swirling on top. Can’t wait to make this again! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Linda! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.
Loved the recipe!
How long does the bread stay out until it needs to be refrigerated?
Thank you in advance for your response.
See storage suggestion in notes: 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.
Yes, I’ve just seen it.
Thank you very much!
This was an easy and great recipe. It had a wonderful structure to it, a bread you could toast and warm up if you wanted. But it is great cold as well.
I was out of honey, so I used maple syrup (which was infused with whisky. Nice flavor.
Glad I found it – thank you!
You’re welcome, Maggie!
I made this loaf today. I used gluten-free flour, 2 flax eggs and a ginger/turmeric honey. Absolutely delicious and a really good texture.
Great to hear, Julia! I appreciate your review.
Perfect recipe! I’ve done this multiple times and its always as delicious
Great to hear, Miisa!
What a beautiful banana bread! It baked perfectly and it’s got a wonderful texture. A keeper! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Hettie! I appreciate your review.
Has anyone tried buttermilk in this recipe?
I’ve made this recipe more than 20 times and it always turns out greet! I’ve tried with walnuts and it gives makes it ‘crunchy’. But I was wondering can I bake this in a bundt pan? Do I need to adjust the recipe or the baking degrees?
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure. I do have my Favorite Banana Cake that is made in an 8×8 dish.
Hello!
I’d love to try this recipe. Do you think Agave syrup would also work instead of honey or maple syrup?
Thanks
I recommend this best as written. If you would like to try it, let me know how it turns out!
I made your healthy banana bread and it is the most delicious banana bread I have ever tasted! I love that it doesn’t have any refined sugar in it but still has a sweet taste to it, but not too sweet. and it is so moist! It is now my go to recipe for banana bread!
I love this banana bread. It’s my go-to recipe any day of the week! Love it with pecans, walnuts and saltanas.
That’s great to hear, Michelle!
I literally NEVER leave comments on anything but after trying this recipe, I needed to say a big thank you!
Finally- a healthy, tasty, easy to follow recipe that was a hit with the whole family! I used the flax seed egg method in this recipe and was shocked at how well it worked- I’ve never tried it before but this will definitely be a trick I use moving forward! I also made the cake with honey, olive oil and subbed water for milk. The flavour was not compromised at all with these modifications. Thanks again!!
I substituted with almond flour. We all loved it.
Wow! This was so good! Used whole wheat flour and honey as the sweetener.We were looking for a healthier version of banana bread and kinda questioned the whole wheat, honey and coconut oil. But we actually like the denser texture. And it’s a keeper for the recipe file.
Super easy to make and delicious. I especially liked that you could add maple syrup in as a sweetener!
My son and I made it last night and it turned out great! We substituted applesauce for the oil and used maple syrup rather than the honey. This will be my go to recipe for banana bread! I love that there is no white sugar :) and we added 1/2 of chocolate chips. Came out perfect after 55 minutes.
I made this and it was the best banana bread I’ve ever tried. Definitely making it again especially as so healthy and doesn’t take long to make!
I’m glad you loved it, Ella! Thank you for your review.
This was the most easiest and delicious banana bread recipe!
Everybody loved it!
10/10 recipe
That’s great to hear, Caitlin!
Hi
can we use self raising flour?
It won’t turn out the same, sorry! This is best as written.
I will try the recipe today! I just got diagnosed with gestational diabetes but have a sweet tooth ! Can I add a spoon of protein powder into the mix?
Thanks xx
Sure, I believe others have tried it and didn’t mind the results.
My mother in law made it and my toddler was obsessed with it! So I had to make it and hope that he will like it just as much at home. :) Your sweet potato chili is a family staple, so I am not surprised everyone was obsessed with this loaf!
I just tried this banana bread recipe, and it is delicious! I made just a few changes, I omitted the cinnamon and used 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup real maple syrup plus 1 Tbs. chia seeds. This is my new favorite banana bread by far! Love that it doesn’t call for butter or white sugar. This will be my new go-to recipe, thank you for sharing this.
That’s great to hear, Kathleen! I appreciate your review.
Love this recipe. Do you think I could use Can you use einkorn flour?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say fro sure. Sorry!
Tried it and it was good! Thank you
Thanks for giving this feedback! I was wondering about einkorn flour!
I used einkorn and it came out amazing!
I’m curious. Did you follow the recipe or did you make any changes to it?
I followed the recipe ingredient amounts. I used coconut oil once and another one avocado oil. I also used 1/2 maple syrup and 1/2 honey. Everything else like the recipe. It comes out great every time.
I’m glad it turned out, Deedee!
Can the oil be substituted with applesauce?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
This is what I do and it turns out great! Although I’ve never made it with the oil so I can’t tell the difference. Kept every other detail the same. Such a great banana bread recipe! Thank you!
My new favorite healthy banana bread recipe! So easy and yummy! I swapped the coconut oil for Greek yogurt (and accidentally 1/2 cup), cut down the maple syrup to 1/4 cup (but wish I didn’t), and added a cup of fresh chopped strawberries. It turned out perfect and moist after 55 min at high elevation.
That’s great to hear, Amber!
Hey Kate, you didn’t put how many eggs in the list of ingredients x
Hi Telisa! It’s the 3rd ingredient on the list. I hope you enjoy this banana bread!
So delicious!!!
Great to hear, Addie!
Tried first time and worked out well, my addition was dark chocolate pieces. Thank You
You’re welcome, Monika!
This is the only banana bread recipe I will make, so delicious and not sweet like some others. I have made this multiple times with great success. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Jennifer!
Oh my goodness! I loveee this recipe!!! Came out soooo good, I made them into muffins. And no added sugar!?! It’s amazinggggg!
Thank you!
This was delicious! I subbed Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1 gluten free flour and kept everything else exactly the same and it was amazing! Light, fluffy and just the right amount of sweetness.
What kind of life pan have you used. Is it silicone?
This isn’t silicone. It can work in ceramic or I have made it in a tin.
Are the cups used for dry the same as the liquid ones?(honey,milk,oil)? Sorry i live in europe and we have deciliter over here, im just making sure
Hi! Yes, the US cups are the same.
This is my new favorite banana bread recipe. Added tons of walnuts for brain health. BTW, your cookbook is my all time favorite! And I own tons of great cookbooks.
This recipe is the absolute best! The instructions are so clear and I’ve failed severally with banana bread recipes. It was yummy. My husband loved it and my 2 year old kept asking for more. Thanks so much for sharing. Ps I used whole wheat pastry flour and it came out great. I kept going around asking for white whole wheat flour and most people didn’t seem to know what I was talking about. The fact that I know everything that went into it was healthy just gives me joy. Thanks again Kate!
I used whole wheat flour and think I should have added some more sweetness because of that.
The texture is beautiful but it’s lacking the banana flavour and its not sweet enough. I used maple syrup, the real kind. Honey would have probably been a better choice.
I will definitely try again
This recipe is the absolute best! The instructions are so clear and I’ve failed severally with banana bread recipes. It was yummy. My husband loved it and my 2 year old kept asking for more. Thanks so much for sharing. Ps I used whole wheat pastry flour and it came out great. I kept going around asking for white whole wheat flour and most people didn’t seem to know what I was talking about. The fact that I know everything that went into it was healthy just gives me joy. Thanks Kate!
This is the best healthy banana bread!!
So easy to prepare .. I always add sultanas and , everybody loves it!!
That’s great to hear, Laura! I appreciate your review.
Our family’s go to recipe , easy and delicious every time!
Omg you’re amazing!!
How can I make this with less sodium?
Hi Ceci, you can omit the salt. More on my Nutrition Disclaimer
This is such a good recipe! I wanted to use what I already had, so had to do half coconut oil and half butter for the oil part, and did end up using oat flour. (Thank you for noting the oat flour in there) So yummy. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Cam!
So I have a banana bread recipe that I swear by and have been making for years, but decided to mix things up and give this one a try – safe to say this is my new favorite! It’s super moist and soft, perfectly sweet and easy to make. I added walnuts for crunch and chocolate chips for that wonderful chocolate/banana combo. Will definitely use this as my go-to banana bread recipe from now on!
When I am feeling blue, I baked cakes and mostly turned out well, exactly like it was on the photo. The above recipes is my first ever I made. It is indeed delicious, fresh and healthy. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas with us.
You’re welcome, Papilaya!
Made it with einkorn flour, half and half honey and maple syrup, unrefined coconut oil and everything else as recommended….came out tasting wonderful my kids loved it.
I’ve made this recipe (always a double batch!) 10-15 times. I make it differently all the time. Swap honey and maple syrup, sometimes varying the sweetness by 20g or so, different mix-ins, walnuts, pecans, oats, pumpkin seeds, whole wheat flour and white, or a mix of both, adding in an extra banana, apple sauce instead of oil for friends who are vegan, different fats, adding carrots, all sorts of things. One thing I do always so, is add a full teaspoon of salt, I just find it brings the flavours out a bit more. I love this recipe. I’ve modified it so many times, or just make it as is, and it’s always a hit. Thanks so much for sharing this!
I’ve made this recipe (always a double batch!) 10-15 times. I make it differently all the time. Swap honey and maple syrup, sometimes varying the sweetness by 20g or so, different mix-ins, walnuts, pecans, oats, pumpkin seeds, whole wheat flour and white, or a mix of both, adding in an extra banana, apple sauce instead of eggs* for friends who are vegan, different fats, adding carrots, all sorts of things. One thing I do always so, is add a full teaspoon of salt, I just find it brings the flavours out a bit more. I love this recipe. I’ve modified it so many times, or just make it as is, and it’s always a hit. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Honey and maple syrup is expensive. Is it possible to reduce to 1/2 honey and 1/2 sugar?
Hi Deb, I recommend this best as written. If you try it a different way, let me know how it turns out for you!
I have made it with 1/2 cup of brown sugar (no honey or maple syrup) and it turns out great.
That’s great to hear, Betsy!
Is this recipe freezer friendly? If so, for how long
This should freeze well. Typically food is good 3-6 months before it starts to deteriorate.