Honey Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Your search for the perfect healthy banana bread recipe is over! Made with whole wheat flour and sweetened with honey, it's decadently fluffy and sweet.

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honey whole wheat banana bread recipe

I have been hunting for the perfect whole wheat banana bread recipe lately. The first was too sweet to stick with me from breakfast to lunch; the second was dry and lacking in flavor.

This banana bread recipe is just right: 100% whole wheat, naturally sweetened with honey, with a light, decadent crumb. Plus it is a cinch to mix together and only requires one bowl. My search is over!

Since I live by myself, I like to bake a big loaf of banana bread and freeze it for later. Once the bread has cooled, I slice it and store the slices in a freezer bag. When Iโ€™m ready to eat it, I just throw a frozen slice in the toaster. My homemade breakfast or snack is ready in minutes!

How do you like your banana bread? For some extra protein, I like to top it with pecan butter or peanut butter. If Iโ€™m feeling indulgent, Iโ€™ll add honey, butter, Nutella or maple cream cheese. Huzzah!

honey whole wheat banana bread

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Honey Whole Wheat Banana Bread Recipe

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 55 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf 1x

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 176 reviews

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Your search for the perfect healthy banana bread recipe is over! Made with whole wheat flour and sweetened with honey, this banana bread is decadently fluffy and sweet. You donโ€™t even have to tell anyone itโ€™s healthy! ;) Recipe yields one loaf.

Ingredients

Scale
  • โ…“ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
  • ยฝ cup honey or maple syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup mashed bananas
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt
  • ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
  • 1 ยพ cups whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda*
  • ยผ cup hot water*

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9ร—5 inch loaf pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs and beat well.
  3. Stir in bananas and vanilla, then stir in the salt and cinnamon. Lastly, stir in the flour, just until combined.
  4. Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then mix briefly into batter until it is evenly distributed. Spread batter into the greased loaf pan.
  5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and swirl with a toothpick or the tip of a butter knife for a pretty marbled effect.
  6. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Be sure to check that the bread is done baking by inserting a toothpick in the top. It should come out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Pedgi at Allrecipes.
Loaf pan recommendations: I love baking bread in my Le Creuset stoneware loaf pan so much that it deserves a mention. I also adore my new turquoise Fiesta stoneware loaf pan. Both are non-toxic, heat evenly and clean easily. Highly recommended!
*Baking soda/water update 10/13/14: After several years of being baffled by the hot water/baking soda trick, I can now definitively report that itโ€™s an unnecessary step. If you prefer, you can just stir in ยผ cup water or milk (any kind) into the oil/honey/eggs and whisk the baking soda in with the spices. Iโ€™m leaving the recipe as is because I know so many of you love it as written!
Need to omit the eggs? Iโ€™ve heard from other commenters that flax eggs/chia eggs work well as replacements for the eggs. One commenter even said the bread turned out well when she forgot the eggs!
Want to make muffins? Check out my healthy banana muffins, which are a riff on this banana bread!

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโ€™s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Kate and Cookie

HELLO, MY NAME IS

Kathryne Taylor

I'm a vegetable enthusiast, dog lover, mother and bestselling cookbook author. I've been sharing recipes here since 2010, and I'm always cooking something new in my Kansas City kitchen. Cook with me!

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Comments

  1. Danielle

    I love this bread, itโ€™s so yummy and has a great texture. I gave this recipe to my mother-in-law and as I was reading over the ingredients I realized that I forgot to add the eggs! After I told her what I did she made it without the eggs and loved it! In fact, my husband just asked me to make it again and leave the eggs out so I guess Iโ€™ll try it with the eggs another time. :)

    1. Kate

      Thatโ€™s so good to know, Danielle. Now Iโ€™m curious to see how the bread turns out without eggs! Maybe a little more dense?

  2. Dani Raykova

    Hi, Kate. I found your site when I was searching for a healthy pumpkin recipe and I found your delicious pumpkin bread recipe. It came out great but a little dense.

    Today I made the banana bread recipe and made modifications โ€“ added 1 tbs vinegar to the water. It came out amazing! I canโ€™t believe there is no sugar in it. I also added some sweetened shredded coconut on the top.

    1. Kate

      Interesting idea to add vinegar! Iโ€™ll try to remember to try that soon.

  3. Nirali

    Hi, Kate.

    Thanks for this recipe! Will be trying it out tonight. Does the whole wheat flour have to be pastry flour or can I just use all-purpose whole wheat flour?

    Thanks, again!

    1. Kate

      Whole wheat flour should be just fine! I recommend whole wheat pastry flour because itโ€™s a little bit lighter but I think youโ€™ll love the bread made with regular whole wheat flour, too.

      1. Nirali

        OMG! Made your whole wheat pumpkin bread and it is soooo yummy! I added walnuts in the batter and brown sugar and sliced almonds on top. Eating it with some peanut butter right now (this is a nut-loving household!) and it is so good! I love how itโ€™s healthy also! Canโ€™t wait to try your other recipes! Thanks so much! New to your blog and love it!

        1. Kate

          Hooray, glad you enjoyed the pumpkin bread. Your additions sound great. If you like bananas, youโ€™ll also love my banana bread! Thanks for commenting, Nirali.

  4. Aishwarya

    Will the banana bread recipe work in a microwave oven? Usually whenever I try to bake one in the microwave, it doesnโ€™t bake completely in the middle.

    1. Kate

      Iโ€™m sorry, Iโ€™ve never tried! I have never done any baking in a microwave oven.

  5. Allison

    I just made this banana bread recipe! So delicious! I am always looking for lower sugar, whole wheat versions of baked goods and appreciate your recipe. I have also made your pumpkin bread recipe and it was also lovely. Thanks! :)

  6. Celia

    I just made these this morning, side-by-side with the Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin bread to compare. Two bowls, two muffin tins. I was at the end of my bag of whole wheat pastry flour so used King Arthurโ€™s regular whole wheat flour instead, but they both turned out amazing. This is now my go-to banana bread recipe. Thanks, Kate!

  7. Natasha @ Smorish

    I just stumbled across your blog and Iโ€™m glad I did! Iโ€™ve been searching for a whole wheat banana bread recipe as mine have been turning out dry. This one sounds great, Iโ€™ve printed the recipe to make tomorrow morning! Thanks Kate!

  8. Cathy

    I chose this recipe as I thought it seemed different from many others and therefore interestingโ€ฆโ€ฆdonโ€™t make the same mistake as meโ€ฆ..find another recipe, this one isnโ€™t nice, I had to feed it to the birds. What a waste. I had followed the recipe properly.

    1. Kate

      Iโ€™m sorry the recipe didnโ€™t turn out well, Cathy. I have made it myself at least ten times and have always been pleased with the results. I hope you find another one that works better for you.

    2. michelle

      donโ€™t listen to the negative reviews,,,i have made this over 20 times, and everytime it has been gobbled up by my family within 48 hours. It is a great low sugar alternative on my sonโ€™s lunch too.

      1. Kate

        Thank you, Michelle! :)

  9. Nelly

    I made this bread today (first banana bread ever made by me) and it was amazzzzzzzzzzing!
    By far the best banana bread Iโ€™ve ever tasted (sweet and moist) and I canโ€™t believe itโ€™s made of 100% whole wheat flour! It was so easy to make too! I also sprinkled some broken pecans and chocolate chips on top and just ate two large slices with becel on top.

    Thank you for sharing this recipe Kate! Iโ€™m gonna try your pumpkin bread recipe as well!

    1. Kate

      Hi Nelly, thanks for taking the time to comment! Iโ€™m so glad you enjoyed the bread. Itโ€™s one of my favorite things to bake.

  10. Lori

    I made this today and It is wonderful! The kids love it too! I canโ€™t believe how light it is โ€“ and such good flavor. WOW! Thank you for sharing.

  11. Dawn

    Love! Love! Love! This Banana Bread is spectacular! I eat it for breakfast and snacks! I added walnuts to the recipe and replaced the honey with Agave nectar. I also used 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup of coconut flour. When I put all my ingredients into โ€œMy Fitness Palโ€ app per serving came out about 227 calories (I cut 10 slices from my banana bread baked in a loaf pan as stated in recipe). Even better with peanut butter or sunbutter spread on top of slice. Thank you so much for this recipeโ€“itโ€™s one of my weekly staples!

    1. Kate

      Thanks for the great comment, Dawn! Your substitutions sound terrific. Thank you for sharing the nutrition information as well.

  12. Jacki

    Delish! This was my first time using whole wheat flour (ever)โ€“I had bought it a little while ago because I really wanted to start making healthier baked goods. And I just so happened to have some extra ripe bananas lying around, so I decided to make banana bread and stumbled across your recipe. I ended up making muffins instead, since I donโ€™t have a loaf pan and Iโ€™m snowed in at the moment. I also mixed together some rolled oats, brown sugar, softened butter and cinnamon to top them with. I kept an eye on them, and after about 35-40 mins, they were done! Since its my first time trying a whole wheat muffin, they tasted slightly dry to meโ€“but I added some I Canโ€™t Believe Itโ€™s Not Butter, and they were perfect! Canโ€™t wait for my husband to try them when he gets home; heโ€™s pretty picky, but has been open to trying more whole wheat products :) Thanks so much for posting this recipe! Iโ€™ve already bookmarked it!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Jacki. Iโ€™m so glad you enjoyed the whole wheat banana bread recipe. I love baking with fruit purรฉes (like banana or pumpkin) and whole wheat flourโ€”the fruit helps keep the bread moist. Hope your husband liked the muffins!

  13. Ian Warner

    Great recipe! Added 1/4 cup of walnuts, 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of oats to flour. Added 2 tbsp of pure Canadian maple syrup to wet mixture. Also, for a little decadence added 2 tbsp of melted butter to the oil:) Enjoy.

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Ian. Iโ€™m glad you enjoyed the recipe; those additions sound like great ideas.

  14. Jessica Nichols

    Hey Kathryne! I happened upon your blog googling a new recipe for whole wheat banana bread! What are the odds? haha. Itโ€™s in the oven now and if it tastes half as delicious as the batter did, itโ€™s gonna be awesome! Thanks!

    1. Kate

      Hey Jess! Well, thatโ€™s crazy. I hope the banana bread turned out well. Tell Dan hi for me!

  15. Jessica

    This is my go-to banana bread recipe! Never fails! Have substitued applesauce for the honey if in a bind and still is amazing-there is some in the oven right now! Great job

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Jessica! I hadnโ€™t thought to sub applesauce for the honey. I know some others have replaced the oil with applesauce with good results. Interesting!

  16. Kristina B

    Just make your banana bread. Was so yummy my kids (3 and 4) even gobbled it up :-) Instead of bread I made mini muffins to appeal more to them. I did substitute the whole wheat flour with Spelt flour, then for fun added chopped walnuts and raw coconut sap crystals as a topping. Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!

    1. Kate

      Thanks for commenting, Kristina! Iโ€™m so glad you and your family enjoyed the bread. Iโ€™m also glad to know that the bread turns out well with spelt flour.

  17. Ashley

    Just made this bread, itโ€™s amazing!!! So tasty and so much better for you than orindary banana bread! The only thing I did different was used 1/3 cup of cinnamon applesauce in place of the oil. I plugged everything together into my fitness pal and itโ€™s 155 calories for 1/10! :) thanks for sharing!

    1. Kate

      Thanks for commenting, Ashley! Iโ€™m so glad you enjoyed the banana bread. Thank you for sharing your substitution and nutrition information as well.

  18. Peggy

    Thank you so much for this recipe. I was looking for a recipe for banana bread that used coconut oil rather than butter and googled โ€œbanana bread coconut oil,โ€ and was so delighted to find your blog! I have never really made a great banana bread (itโ€™s usually too dry) but this was fabulous! I added about a tbsp. of maple syrup and also 1/2 cup each of golden raisins and chopped walnuts. It was so yummy โ€ฆ everyone loved it! Iโ€™m sure to check back for more recipes; thanks so much!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Peggy! Iโ€™m really glad you enjoyed the banana bread. I love to use coconut oil in baked goods. You might also like my pumpkin bread recipe and banana oat pancakes.

  19. Glenna

    Wow!! This is so fabulous!!! I tried to be clever like some of your other posters, but Iโ€™m not that great of an experimenter! I used some Greek yogurt along with the oil and then put some wheat germ in with the pastry flour. I think the first was a great idea- the second not so great. The wheat germ (even though I only used a little bit) stands out instead of blending in. As I always have browning bananas, I will certainly make this again but without the wheat germ. Itโ€™s got an amazing light taste. Thanks for sharing โ€“ and thanks to your posters for giving me some great innovative ideas.

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Glenna! Youโ€™re right, my commenters are full of great ideas. Thank you for your feedback!

  20. Christine

    Incredible recipe! I added flaxseed, coconut flakes and walnuts for a more filling treat during a busy morning at work. Just the right amount of sweetness! Thank you and keep up the awesome work!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Christine! Iโ€™m glad you enjoyed the bread. Your additions sound great.

  21. Nicole

    This recipe (with walnuts, a banana bread must, in my opinion) turned out great! One thing, though, the recipe says to bake for 60-65 minutes. I checked at about 58 mins and it was done, a bit overcooked. I then noticed that the summary at the top of the recipe says โ€œCook time: 55 minutes.โ€ Is there a typo in the recipe itself? Next time Iโ€™ll try it for 50-55 mins.

    1. Kate

      Hi Nicole, thank you for your feedback. If I recall correctly, my recipe originally specified 55 minutes but none of my 10+ loaves were ever done at 55 minutes, so I bumped it up to 60. I donโ€™t think itโ€™s my oven (Iโ€™ve baked the bread in two and both required 60 minutes). Do you think itโ€™s due to a difference in our loaf pans? My pan is made of thick stoneware (Le Creuset). What is yours?

  22. Durwin

    I just made this recipe. Only my second attempt at banana bread. I only used 1/3 cup of honey (all I had), and I added some pecan pieces and semi-sweet chocolate chips. All I can say is wow! It is sooooo good, and its made with whole wheat. Love it!
    I will be making this again!

    1. Kate

      Thanks for commenting, Durwin! Pecans and chocolate are two of my favorite things and I can only imagine that they were great in the banana bread.

  23. Amy

    LOVED this both times I have made it as well as my picky teenager ate it up as well โ€ฆ He doesnโ€™t even put butter on it! I really like that you kept it just straight whole wheat as so many others as flour. Yummy!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Amy! Glad your son loves the bread, too. Iโ€™m a big fan of this bread with peanut butter.

  24. Becca

    This is awesome!! I followed the recipe almost exactlyโ€“mixed in some white whole wheat flour, and used 3 bananas not sure if that = 1 cup mashedโ€ฆ. Soooooo good!!!! I never thought i would find a whole wheat recipe that I actually ENJOYED, versus just tolerating! Maybe it is the pastry flour, bc the texture was so nice and not โ€œwheatyโ€, & didnโ€™t burn on the outside like other recipes Iโ€™ve tried. It tasted almost like regular banana bread! Also it was sweet enough I might even try to use just a tad less honey next time, what a nice surprise thanks for the recipe oh & my house smelled amaaazing!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Becca! Iโ€™m glad you enjoyed the banana bread. I guess Iโ€™m used to the flavor of whole wheat, but I do love how whole wheat pastry flourโ€™s mild taste.

  25. Kate

    OK, Iโ€™ve made 2 double batches of this bread so farโ€“and I love it! Also shared it with a few friends whoโ€™ve enjoyed their banana bread, too. :) This recipe is a real jem. Thank you for sharing it.

    My substitutions:
    โ€“ Spelt flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour (which is tough to find in my country)
    โ€“ Buttermilk instead of water
    โ€“ Instead of dissolving the baking soda in water, I sift it in with the flour
    โ€“ Fold pecans into the batter
    โ€“ Sprinkle a wee bit of brown sugar on top alongside the cinnamon before baking

    Itโ€™s one of the first recipes Iโ€™ve used coconut oil for, and now Iโ€™ve got a big tub of it. Love the stuff. I really like the idea of experimenting with some maple syrup in combo with the honey. Iโ€™ve just used regular honey up until now, but I have a batch in the oven now with a more rich chestnut honey. We shall see if/how it affects the flavor!

    1. Kate

      Kate, thanks so much for sharing your substitutions! Iโ€™m eager to try the banana bread with spelt flour. Glad youโ€™re enjoying coconut oil as well, itโ€™s the best!

  26. laura

    Great recipe. Was able to leave out the baking soda and cinnamon to make it suit me and was still gorgeous! Thank you

    1. Kate

      Iโ€™m glad the recipe worked for you even without the baking soda! Thanks for letting me know, Laura.

  27. Maria

    Hi! Sounds delishโ€ฆI am planning to make this for my daughterโ€™s class snack. How long would the cook time be if I made them muffins instead of a loaf? 30 minutes?
    Thank you!

    1. Kate

      Hi Maria, Iโ€™m not sure on the exact baking time but I would check them for doneness around 20-25 minutes into baking.

      1. Maria

        Thanks, Kate. Yesโ€ฆthey were perfect at 28 minutes @325. Iโ€™m making them again tonight for my MOPs group tomorrow morning. Looking forward to following your blog for more great whole food recipes!

        1. Kate

          Glad to hear it! Thanks for reporting back with the baking time, thatโ€™s so helpful.

  28. Amanda

    A little story for you: A few days ago I was casually reading through your Orange Poppy Seed Pound Cake post. When I read the words โ€œhoney whole wheat banana breadโ€ I quickly forgot about the pound cake and make this bread once, then twice. The second time I included 1 cup dark chocolate chips. HEAVEN, I tell you. Perfectly moist, just sweet enough heaven. With all whole wheat flour and honey as a sweetener, this is my new go-to banana bread recipe.

    I read through some of the comments and am eager to try it with Grade B maple syrup, as well as with some orange or lemon zest. Oh, I also used almond extract instead of vanilla in both my versions, and while the taste wasnโ€™t distinct I think it brightened the flavors a bit.

    1. Kate

      Thatโ€™s awesome, Amanda! Glad youโ€™re loving the banana bread. You might also like the pumpkin bread version next fall!

  29. Diane

    I would love to make your bread although I only have whole wheat flour. Could I sift it to make a โ€œpastryโ€ flour? I realize itโ€™s the type of flour and not the texture, but I canโ€™t find the ww pastry flour. Would regular ww flour work in this recipe? Thanks so much, Diane

    1. Kate

      Hi Diane, Iโ€™m sorry youโ€™re having trouble finding whole wheat pastry flour. I have heard from several other commenters that whole wheat flour works great as well. No need to sift, just use the same amount. Good luck!

  30. Kara

    This is a really nice and healthy banana bread recipe! I made it to bring to an Easter celebration and was very happy with how it turned out. I also used whole wheat flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour and thought the bread did just fine with the substitution. Also, the key to any banana bread is using super ripe bananas. Mine could have been a tad riper which would have made the bread a little more flavorful. But overall very happy and the bread tastes great with a little jam on it, too!

  31. Mariam

    Looks delish! Do you think I can use 100% whole spelt?

    1. Kate

      Hi Marian, though I havenโ€™t tried it, Iโ€™ve heard from commenters that spelt flour works well. Hope youโ€™ll give it a shot.

  32. Tatania Elias

    What if I were to use sea salt, olive oil and whole wheat flour in substitute of iodized salt, vegetable oil and whole wheat pastry flour? Would I have to make any adjustments to the recipe?

    1. Kate

      Hi Tatiana, Iโ€™m sorry for my delayed response. I think those substations will work great.

  33. Amanda

    I just made this, but I forgot to use the water. I just added the soda to the mix, but I also added dark chocolate, oats and chia seeds! It was really thick, so I think it may come out really dense? Anyway this is my first time baking with honey! Thanks for a easy to follow recipe!

    1. Kate

      Hey Amanda, I bet your banana bread is a little more dense than usual, but I hope itโ€™s delicious regardless!

  34. Casey

    Thank for the recipe! I used some substituted some nutella for the oil and 1/2 cup of flaxseed for the flour. The batter tasted great and it smells so good! Canโ€™t wait to taste it!

    1. Kate

      Thanks, Casey! I hope you love the final result.

  35. Christina

    Just made this recipe yesterday and it turned out SO GOOD! Best banana bread I think Iโ€™ve ever made! I was really drawn to the recipe because it included coconut oil instead of butter and honey instead of sugar. DELICIOUS!

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Christina! Iโ€™m so glad you enjoyed the banana bread. Itโ€™s my favorite, too.

  36. Samantha

    Oh my god this is perfect! I have never found such a successful whole wheat banana bread (or any bread for that matter) as theyโ€™re always too dense and taste flat but this is delicious. I used canola oil in this recipe, a vanilla pod as I ran out of vanilla extract and added about 1/3 cup crushed walnuts :D Not too sweet, I can taste the honey, the banana, the vanilla- just yum. And healthy! The prep time was also so quick and effortless which was great! The only very small and slight issue is that it took a little more than 60-65 mins and even then my cake didnโ€™t turn out the same golden brown as yours. Would you know why this is so? Anyways, this is definately going to be my go to recipe for banana bread. Thank you so much for sharing! :) Going to get another slice now.

  37. Laura

    In the oven ;D Iยดm so excited to taste it^^

  38. Wern

    I was looking for a good whole wheat banana bread recipe as I have tried a few with mixed results: mainly they have been too dry. I tried your recipe today and I really liked it. The banana bread is very moist and I like the use of honey instead of sugar. The only thing is I found it had an odd after taste but I think that is because it was the first time I had baked with coconut oil instead of butter and Iโ€™m not sure if I like the flavour of the coconut oil. I will definitely try this again with butter or apple sauce. This is the best whole wheat banana bread recipe I have found.

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Wern. Iโ€™ve never noticed an after taste with coconut oil, but maybe your palate is more sensitive to it.

  39. Nirali

    I love this banana bread and have made it several times, but Iโ€™d like to make the recipe using a mini muffin tin so my son can take it to school as a snack. Any thoughts on cooking time for a mini muffin tin?

    Thanks!!

    1. Kate

      Hi Nirali, I havenโ€™t made these as mini muffins but I have heard they turn out well from other commenters. No one has left baking times, but Iโ€™d start checking for doneness after 13 minutes or so. Another commenter had success replacing the 2 eggs with 1/3 c water + 2 TBSP sprouted chia. Hereโ€™s some information on chia โ€œeggsโ€: http://www.veganbaking.net/component/content/article/57-recipes/eggless-binders/208-chia-seed-binder.html. Flax โ€œeggsโ€ might work, too.

      1. Nirali

        Yum! They turned out perfectly! I ended up using the flax egg (I didnโ€™t have white chia seeds as that link recommends, only the black) โ€“ I used 2 TBSP flax meal in 6 TBSP of water mixed it and let it sit for a few minutes. I also added raisins to the recipe at the end. I had a 24 mini muffins panโ€ฆupped the oven temperature to 375 degrees and it took 17 minutes for perfect mini muffins. And I ended up with a total of 32 mini muffins with the measurements you provided.

        Thanks so much for the wonderful recipes!

        1. Kate

          Thanks so much for reporting back, Nirali! Iโ€™m really glad to hear the mini muffins turned out well with your substitutions. Hope your son enjoys them!

  40. Nirali

    Also, forgot to ask, if I needed to make this vegan (son has a dairy/egg allergy), what would be the best substitute for the egg?

    Thanks!

  41. Monica G

    Dear Kate,

    I wanted to report the results of your recipe with some substitutions. I replaced the following:

    โ€” 2 eggs with 2T ground chia and 1/3 cup water
    โ€” 1/3 cup oil with 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
    โ€” 1/2 cup honey with 1/4 cup honey

    The result was perfection!! The bread was soft and very lightly sweet (as I like it). And so healthy! My version has the following nutrition information, with 8 slices per loaf:

    175 calories/slice
    37 carbs/slice
    4 protein/slice
    3 fat/slice
    13 sugar/slice
    297 sodium/slice

    If feeling indulgent, I add MaraNatha Raw Maple Almond Butter on top as โ€œicingโ€.

    Finally, the Le Creuset loaf pan is the best. Iโ€™ve baked in other pans, but Le Creuset makes my loaves rise betterโ€ฆ especially important with substitutions.

    Thank you, Kate!!

    1. Monica G

      Oops!!!! The nutrition info above is WITH PECANS. I made 2 loaves, one with 1/4 cup chopped pecans and another without. I actually prefer without.

      Hereโ€™s the nutrition info WITHOUT PECANS:

      158 calories/slice
      37 carbs/slice
      3 protein/slice
      2 fat/slice
      13 sugar/slice
      297 sodium/slice

    2. Kate

      Monica, thank you very much for sharing your substitutions and nutrition research! Glad you enjoyed the banana bread.

  42. Veronica

    just wanted to say I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I added whole cranberries and walnuts. Superb! thank you

    1. Kate

      Thank you so much for commenting, Veronica! Glad you love the banana bread.

  43. Kim

    Sorry, I really wanted to like this, but it just didnโ€™t taste like banana bread. I followed directions just as instructed. This was my first time using whole wheat flour. It tasted more like a spice cake, then a banana bread, tbh. The flavor was just not appetizing to me for some reason. I loved all the ingredients that went into making it and really was hopeful with all the great reviews. I will not be making this again :(

    1. Kate

      Iโ€™m sorry this recipe didnโ€™t meet your expectations, Kim. If you want more banana flavor, I think you could mix in some chunks of banana before baking.

  44. Gloria

    I made your banana breeadโ€ฆ.soooooo good!! Itโ€™s definitely the best one Iโ€™ve ever tasted and will continue making it regularly. Thanks for postingโ€ฆ.love all your recipes.

    I posted your link on my blog with the pics of the banana bread I made using your recipe. I hope thatโ€™s okay. Here is the link:

    http://healthyfoodideas.blogspot.ca/2013/09/whole-wheat-banana-bread.html

    1. Kate

      Hi Gloria, Iโ€™m so glad you love the bread! Thank you for sharing your photos on your blog and linking over to mine for the recipe. Love the post!

  45. Marie

    Thanks for another great, wholesome recipe! I used a combination of whole wheat and oat flour and it worked well. I made this for breakfeast and was a bit impatient so I made four muffins and a smaller loaft. The muffins came out great (used silicon liners) and cooked in about 20minutes :) I believe this revipe can be varied in so many ways.. Next time I mgiht add a another banana cut into pices..

    1. Kate

      Thanks for commenting, Marie! Iโ€™m glad you enjoyed the banana bread. There are tons of ideas for variations in the comments section is you want to skim through those. Iโ€™m sure a sliced banana would be a great addition!

  46. Katie

    Hi Kate,

    I am new to discovering your blog, and I am loving looking through all your recipes! I made the banana bread yesterday, and it was delicious. I used olive oil, which made the loaf really light, and the addition of honey was delicious.
    Next time I may add some dates and walnuts for some extra crunch and sweetness!

    Thank you for your lovely recipes :)

    1. Kate

      Thanks for commenting, Kate! Iโ€™m glad you enjoyed the banana bread recipe. Iโ€™ll have to try it with olive oil; that sounds great. Hope you enjoy the other recipes just as much!

  47. Clair

    Seems like you canโ€™t go wrong with this recipeโ€ฆso many different substitutions and everyone says its still great. Well I didnโ€™t have any whole wheat flour of any kind so used naughty naughty all purpose flour! BF said its the best banana bread ever so thanks for such a versatile recipe! Will definitely try with WW flour though next time.

  48. Naomi

    Hi Kate,
    I have made a number of your recipes now and I have to say, they have all been delicious! I try to make a new one at least once a week. I made this loaf and the pecan butter as you suggested tonight and it was divine. I used spelt flour instead as thatโ€™s what we had, and cooked it for 50mins instead. Itโ€™s light, moist and so very moreish! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes, great stuff!

    1. Kate

      Naomi, Iโ€™m delighted that you have been been enjoying my recipes! Iโ€™d like to try this bread with spelt next. Great idea.

  49. Ashley-Marie

    Hey Kate,

    Just wanted to let you know that this is my go-to recipe for banana bread. I think I stumbled onto your site when this recipe ended up on tasteologie, and I always pull up this link when I want to make it. Over time Iโ€™ve altered it slightly to include chocolate chips (because I have a real problem adding chocolate chips to anything I can), but the result is the same: decadent and so moist. Pardon me for taking this long to say hi and thank you for this recipe, but seriously. Thanks =)

    โ€“ Ashley

    1. Kate

      Hey Ashley! Thanks for taking the time to say hi! Iโ€™m delighted that my recipe is your go to. If you like pumpkin, I have a pumpkin bread version of this bread that you might like, too!

      1. Ashley-Marie

        Alas, Iโ€™m not the biggest fan of pumpkinโ€ฆ I know, itโ€™s almost embarrassing to admit that to a food blogger, and Iโ€™ve been told Iโ€™m not American for not liking it haha! Maybe one day Iโ€™ll be turned, but for now, Iโ€™ll stay away from the pumpkin craze =)

        But thank you for the recommendation Kate, I always love looking to your blog for healthy baking ideas!