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.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
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 I’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 I’m feeling indulgent, I’ll add honey, butter, Nutella or maple cream cheese. Huzzah!
Honey Whole Wheat Banana Bread Recipe
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 don’t even have to tell anyone it’s healthy! ;) Recipe yields one loaf.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mashed bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda*
- ¼ cup hot water*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs and beat well.
- Stir in bananas and vanilla, then stir in the salt and cinnamon. Lastly, stir in the flour, just until combined.
- 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.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and swirl with a toothpick or the tip of a butter knife for a pretty marbled effect.
- 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 it’s an unnecessary step. If you prefer, you can just stir in ¼ cup water or milk (any kind) into the oil/honey/eggs and whisk the baking soda in with the spices. I’m leaving the recipe as is because I know so many of you love it as written!
Need to omit the eggs? I’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 nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
If i could give it more than 5 stars, i would. This recipe is seriously amazing. even if it wasn’t healthy i would still totally love it.So Delicious. :)
I work from home & this is a Meal Prep breakfast STAPLE in my house! Both the bread and muffins freeze well, a healthy breakfast my kids love, thanks Kathryne!
To make it even healthier, I substituted aquafaba for the eggs and date syrup for the honey and it came out great!
Shoot… I didn’t read far enough to see you still add the baking soda even if not doing te hot water trick. We will seee…
Let me know how it turns out! We all have those oops sometimes. :)
Definitely an oops! It turned out very flat. But look forward to attempt #2 so I can enjoy this delicious looking recipe.
Me too. I guess I’ll find out
Husband and kids loved it! Thank you for the recipe!
We just add the baking soda along with the dry ingredients. Don’t use any water at all and it turned out great!
You’re welcome!
Can this honey whole wheat banana bread be made in a Breadman automatic bread maker? If so do I use the 1 1/2 lb or 2 lb loaf. Thank you.
I haven’t tried it in a bread maker. Typically bread makers have a nice how-to guide that you should be able to reference. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
HEY Can I use wholemeal spelt flour?
My banana bread was really moist and Fluffy :)
Hands down this is the tastiest banana bread I have ever tried! I was pleasantly surprised how perfect it came out giving how easy it is to make. This is now my to go recipe for banana bread. Thanks a million for sharing Kate :)
Thanks for your sweet words and review, Day!
No need to omit eggs – they are good for You! I put flaxseeds (and chia seeds) already in my whole wheat pancakes… I don’t want to put any in the sacred bana cake that’s already been altered enough with whole wheat.
Thanks for sharing!
I did it yesterday and it turned out super yummy and my husband loved it. I just skipped one egg yoke in the recipe. Thanks so much.
Wonderful! Thank you!
Very yummy!!
Thank you!
Thank you so much for this recipe. The result was absolutely perfect and the result was delicious. I made this using kamut flour and it turned out really well.
Wonderful, Julie!
I made this recipe last night and it is absolutely delicious!.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it, Chrissie. Thanks for your star review.
Hi. Tried this recipe today with some old very ripe bananas. Easy to mix and bake. The loaf came out great One thing to consider though is the cook time based on oven type. With my convection oven at 325F it was done after about 43 minutes or so, far less than the 55 to 65 minutes in your recipe. Not sure if the cook time was decreased by the dark metal loaf pan I used.
Thanks for sharing!
Delicious recipe! I’ve made this a few times now. Last time, I added a little nutmeg to make it warmer for the winter and it was perfect.
This had a nice flavour and I appreciated this healthy option a lot, but my loaf came out quite, unfortunately.
I’m sorry to hear that Toby!
I replaced 1/4 cup of flour with oatmeal then sprinkled some on top as well. It came out great.
Happy to hear that Wes! Thanks for sharing and for your review.
Great recipe. It’s become my go-to commuter breakfast or anytime treat.
Thank you, Jeff!
I came across this recipe and decided to go for it because it had the most clean ingredients and was really easy at the same time. I used coconut as my oil and maple syrup as my sweetener besides the really ripe bananas I used. I also used coconut milk instead of water and mixed in the baking soda when I added the cinnamon and salt. Normally I probably would have used almond milk, but the coconut milk worked great. I also used a non stick pan so I skipped the oiling the pan part. It turned out so good! A light crust on the outside and a very soft and moist delicious inside. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone. Also mine was done at 50 minutes.
Thanks for trying it, Michelle! I appreciate the review.
Do you hVe the nutritional info on this great bread?
The nutritional information is below the notes section of the recipe. You just need to click to expand. :)
Sorry…looked, but didn’t see this info. Was surprised to see how low cal it is! Yummy, too! Will be making it again and again…
Hello! I baked this bread today. It turned out absolutely fabulous. Thank you very much for sharing your recipe. It was very easy to follow. I made a few changes:
1/3 cup agave
Egg replacer
Didn’t have vanilla essence, used almond essence instead
By the way I live in the UK.
Thank you, Rohini!
Yummy! I completly missed this note about baking soda, oopsi. But it turned out just fine. My boyfriend loves it.
I’m happy you still liked it!
This is my go-to banana bread recipe! Love it!!
It’s a great one I keep coming back too.. I would like to know the cook temp for a non fan forced oven?
Did anyone else’s batter turn out thicker than hers looked in the video? It’s my 2nd time making it and same thing happened. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong, I’m using King Arthur white whole wheat flour….maybe I’ll try using 1/4 cup less flour and see how the consistency is. 3rd times the charm?
Hi Iman! How does it turn out once baked?
Hi Kate – I wondered if you could substitute the whole wheat flour for buckwheat flour? Thanks Amanda
Hi Amanda, I wouldn’t know without try it, sorry! I would suggest a GF flour blend if you need it to be gluten free.
My third time making this in 2 weeks. It’s amazing. I add some pecan nuts for some crunchy bits. Wonderfu! Thanks
I am so glad I found this recipe. It is exactly what I have been looking for. If I have to bake 2 loaves at the same time, does the baking time vary?
Thank you!
Hi Gowri, It can take a little more time as the heat is being taken up by two instead of one. Try starting with suggested baking time and adding as necessary.
I have only just put it in the oven. Will comment later about the outcome! I’m very excited :)
best recipe ever
Hi,
I love this recipe. I make this almost every other weekend for my toddler. He loves it and so do my hubby. Quick question please – I am thinking of using self raising wholemeal flour this time (as I have it in my pantry). Do I still need to use baking soda ? Can you please let me know as I plan to bake it tomorrow. Thanks.
Rev x
Hi Rev! Without trying it, I wouldn’t be able to tell you exactly. Sorry!
I have made your recipe twice now, and my husband and son both agree it’s the best banana bread they have tasted. My husband is diabetic and this bread seems to have little effect on his blood sugar levels he even enjoys it with a slice of cheese( mature cheddar) on it.
I am about to make another loaf this afternoon this time I’m going to add some chopped dates.
Thank you so much for putting this recipe on line, its GREAT. 5+ stars! I live in the UK
Thank you for sharing, Jenny! I’m happy you loved it.
Very easy straight forward recipe. So Yummy my husband and my 3y old loved it! Thank you
Great! Thanks for your review, Rania.
Questions: how do I add walnuts to this recipe. I love walnuts!Do I reduce the amount of oil or??And I want to make sure am reading the directions correctly is it 1and3/4 of whole wheat pastry flour? The one printed out very small, so want to clarify as am not used to baking with w.w.pastry flour much. But want to bake with it more.
Well I answered my own questions by “reading the intro to the recipe”.Ha ha. Yeah I get it a hurry. And figured out the flour portions by common sense. Looking forward to trying this recipe and will let you know the outcome.
Hi, I was wondering if I could substitute olive oil for canola oil? And do you have the measurements of the ingredients in grams? Thanks!
Hi Natis, I assume canola oil would be ok. I don’t have grams for my recipes, sorry!
Excellent banana bread. So easy and much better for you than classic banana bread. I cut my oil down to 1/4 of a cup and the honey down to 1/3 of a cup and it worked out fine (i have no self control with this bread). I have made 2 loaves in 2 days and will be making another today!
Can I substitute stevia powder as the sweetener? How much would I use? Don’t like honey. I use stevia powder in all my recipes.
Maybe, I can substitute stevia drops instead?
Warm regards
Hi Barbara, I don’t usually use stevia. The honey helps with the moisture. You could try my other banana bread and use maple syrup: https://sooka.info/healthy-banana-bread-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Hi Kate,
Thanks. My husband is diabetic so I’m looking for an option to substitute that’s suitable for him. Do you have any other suggestions? I actually found your Banana Muffin recipe as well. I will try it as well.
Hi Barbara, I would suggest searching the comments to see what others have tried. I know some have tried applesauce for instance in some cases, but I haven’t tried it myself so can’t guarantee.
Hi Kate,
I will do that, thanks.
I just checked your Banana Muffins Recipe and its seems like it’s pretty much exactly the same as this recipe. I am going to try the muffins instead as my hubby prefers muffins. I will comment under that recipe how they turn out. I will be making them in the next few days.
Yes, please let me know!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I added chopped pecans and put a few on the top. It was the best banana bread I’ve ever eaten. I plan on making it again in the near future.
yummy and only 1/2 cup of sugar. I think I needed to cook mine longer as it was kinda gooey inside and not fluffy and crumbly like bread. But it looked brown and was in for 50 minutes.
Kid approved!! My 5 year old loves it ! We made this tonight and I was a little worried, as I’ve never cooked with whole wheat flour before. I’m so impressed! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Emilia!
Kate,
Oops! Didn’t have my glasses on, and put almond extract instead of vanilla! Was half way through recipe, and I’ve made this more than 10 times before, so I kept on. Is it going to be terrible?
Hi April! I hope your bread turned out well! I’ve never tried almond extract in this bread before—I do believe it’s more potent than vanilla extract.
Success! It was amazing! My husband didn’t even notice.
This banana bread turned out perfectly! Literally the recipe I’ve been searching for. Comes together in one bowl and so easily with few ingredients. Perfect for the whole family!
Your recipes are always fantastic. Your my go to for healthy recipes that even my kids love. Keep up the great work!!!
This is my favorite banana bread recipe ever! I’m new to baking and have tried several, looking for the ultimate. This one is the winner. I use honey vs maple syrup, because I always have lots on hand, snd coconut oil vs olive.
First time making banana bread with wheat flour and honey, came out perfect. Added 1/4 c of chopped walnuts for some crunch. YUM!
made the recipe as follows: olive oil and honey options, soy milk in place of water, and baking soda added along w salt and spice. -i also increased bananas to 5 sm/med, or about 2c. bc i added more bananas, and only had medium size eggs, i used 3 of them… voila! however, the bread came out a tad dryer than i had hoped. i think maybe… it didn’t need the extra egg? or 60 minutes, instead of the 65 that i baked it? will try again. i appreciate the base ingredients that this recipe calls for! warm regards from seattle.
I made this last night with banana butter we canned over six years ago. The crumb is so tender and light in this recipe. We will adapt this recipe to use apples to make an apple spice bread. Thanks for the receipe.
Kate, I really appreciate you posting this recipe…its perfect and always a hit with my family!
This recipe looks delicious! Has anyone added walnuts to it? If so, how much?
Hello! Yes, see the note on mix-ins. 1/2 cup usually works well.
Made this with gluten free flour, substituted eggs with applesauce and baking soda, added chocolate chips and almonds and made it into bars! Very good, thank you!
I have made this several times as written and it is delicious.
I need help though. To change up the recipe a bit (and avoid wheat for DH who is diabetic), I tried substituting coconut flour for the whole wheat flour and applesauce for the oil. It became paste. It wasn’t liquidy at all. Even adding a lot more milk did not help. What can I do to use these ingredients?
Hi Jen, unfortunately coconut flour isn’t a great substitute. I would suggest oat flour or possibly spelt flour. I have update my banana bread recipe that might be helpful for you!
When I made the Honey Whole Wheat Banada Bread it rose to the top of the pan and then started to drop down and by the time I took it out of the oven it had dropped down to 1/2 the height. It was also soggy on the bottom. Why is no baking powder used in this recipe? Do you have any idea what happened here?
Robbin
Hi Robbin, I’m sorry to hear that! I’ve not experienced that. Are you sure your baking soda has not expired? Were you using a gluten-free flour, by chance?
I didn’t realize baking soda had an expiry date (nothing shown on the box), but I have had it for awhile. Also, I wasn’t using gluten-free flour, but regular whole wheat. Thanks for your comments – the banana bread is edible anyway with a good cuppa tea!
I made this recipe for the first time today after searching for whole wheat banana bread. Used coconut oil and honey, and my only change to the original was adding a scoop of crushed walnuts and pecans combined with cacao nibs.
I put it in my oven for about 52 minutes. On my next attempt I might set the timer for 45 minutes and then check, since it might be a tiny bit overcooked (my oven seems to overheat for some reason), but aside from that it’s a delicious recipe! I’ve tried various recipes from this blog before and they’re always fantastic. Thank you, Kate.
My first time rating a recipe! Delicious! Won’t feel bad about my kids devouring this. Great ingredients. Super moist. Only baked 50 minutes