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.
Do you think rice malt syrup will be ok in place of honey?
Can I replace the wheat flour with oat flour?
Hi, Rufina! Other commenters have said it works, but you’ll need a teaspoon more of baking powder. It may come out finer (ie, crumbly) and may not rise as much, but the flavor should be great! Let me know how it goes.
Has anyone tried adding peanut butter? I was thinking about adding some (no added sugar or salt smooth pb) for my son. Anyone find a good way to do this without messing up the original recipe?
This turned out great! My husband really liked it too. We don’t eat exclusively gluten free but have cut down the amount of wheat products we eat so I made it gf using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour. I also cut down the sweetener to 1/3 cup maple syrup since I added chocolate chips and it was plenty sweet for our taste.
Wonderful! What did you think of the Bob’s GF Blend? It’s my favorite to use for making everyday recipes GF. I hope you find it versatile. Good luck to you and your husband on cutting back some of that wheat!
Hello, i made the banana bread yesterday and turned out very nice , we liked it Thanks q lot for the recipe.
But it wasn’t moist but a bit dry , do you have any idea why it turned out like this ???
My bananas weren’t very ripe can this be the reason or what else can be ???
I’m sorry the texture wasn’t quite right, Mai! The bananas could be a part of the problem–the riper they are, the more their natural sugars break down and provide a more watery texture to the mashed bananas. What type of flour were you using? Some nut or rice flours have a tendency to dry baked goods out.
I just made this and it came out PERFECT :)
YES!
I baked the healthy banana bread today. I used rice milk, maple syrup yogurt and cold pressed organic coconut oil- cant taste it at all and worked very well.
I used 2 large ripe bananas and made two loaves by doublingthe ingrdients apart from the bananas.
I also added walnuts and used 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt instead of eggs.
Lovely recipe. Thank you
Great! I’m so glad this worked out for you, Bharti.
Wow, just so amazing! I used brown rice flour and almond milk. Wow, these are so yummy. I also made them into muffins, they didn’t need as much cooking time! What a hit! Thank you! :)
Perfect! Thanks, Karen!
I uesd coconut flour in this recipe, and i don’t think it works, it looks like mashed potatoes… ugh
Ugh, I’m so sorry, Deanna! Coconut flour is really tough to work with, and can’t be switched out 1:1 with wheat flour. I only use it when it is specifically called for in the recipe. I hope you try this again with wheat flour!
Ok so I used this recipe but subbed apple sauce for oil and bobs almond meal/flour .it cooked on the sides and top a toothpick came out clean but it’s just mush .. can you help me ?
Hey, Fallon. Nut flours are really difficult to use in recipes that weren’t written with them in mind- they just don’t behave the same way as wheat flour! Have you tried using Bob’s Red Mill GF flour blend? It’s a mix of rice flours, and can be used as a substitute with a 1:1 ratio with wheat flour.
Fantastic recipe. My 7 year old daughter and I just made it together and she loves it. We actually used a muffin tin instead of a bread pan. We believe she has a corn allergy; so, now are trying a “corn elimination” diet. It is amazing (and a bit scary) how many products include corn byproducts. This is a great option. We will be making it again.
Oof, so sorry to hear that, Cara. Gluten can slip into so many things, so I don’t envy how careful you’ll have to be. BUT, I know there are some great resources out here in the blogosphere for gluten-free folks, so I hope that helps!
I’ve tried a lot of Banana Bread recipes and this is hands down the best one I’ve ever made. I love that it uses honey instead of refined sugar which I have stopped using. Thank you for the most delicious, moist & healthy banana bread!
Thank you, Lydia! That is exactly what I was aiming for.
Amazing! I swear by this recipe. It’s always great great hit and loved bread in my family.
I was thinking, how would that be, to use mango in place of banana? Have you tried that way, how would it come out
?
I haven’t tried that myself, Sri, but I think if you do a mango puree, you could do a 1:1 substitute with the banana and see how it goes! Let me know if you try it.
Hi! I can’t wait to make this recipe. I have three medium sized bananas that I need to use up. Could I use all three, it’ll probably be a bit more than a cup, or will it make it too moist? Thank you!
Other commenters have used more than the recommended amount, and it seems like it worked out great! They’ll be extra banana-y and you’ll most likely have more batter (so, more bread!). Just keep an eye on that cook time–it will most likely take longer, since they will be more moist.
I was interested in finding a healthy banana bread recipe. Happily, I found yours. I made no changes. I baked it a little while ago and my husband just asked for another slice. He also added that he could eat the rest of the loaf himself. I put my foot down on that one.
I hope you manage to get a piece, Suzanne! Thanks for the kind comment.
I made this vegan by skipping the eggs and using 4 bananas instead of 2. Tastes the same as the regular version (which I have also made).
Perfect! Thanks, Brady.
I’ve tried making MANY versions of banana bread over the years and most were tasty, and some of those were fairly healthy. THIS IS THE RECIPE…BEST BANANA BREAD EVER. My entire family agrees, and I totally love that it’s a healthy treat for them. I made it with the coconut oil and milk, and only a 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Perfect. Seriously.
So kind of you, Dina!
Made this recipe today, hoping to find a banana bread better for my granddaughter. Nana loves it. Delicious. Followed the recipe and added walnuts. The test will be after school when she has it for snack.
I hope she likes it, Ida! Thanks so much for the kind comment.
This recipe is super easy to follow and the taste of it is amaaaazing ! I baked it at 60-65 mins and added mini chocolate chips in them, I think walnuts would have been a better add-in. It was so delicious especially when you dip them in milk !! Definitely making it again this week yay
Yum! This sounds great with a cold glass of milk. Thanks, Wendee!
Excellent receipe
:) Thank you!
Hi Kate! I am so looking forward to making this healthy version of my favorite banana bread treat. Unfortunately, the Ivory Wheat is out of stock (tears). Could you advise of the best alternative. I only saw the 1-to-1, whole wheat, and all-purpose flours.
Hi Pearl! Whole wheat flour will work great.
We are banana bread aficionados in our house and have tried zillions of recipes and have now put this one to the top. It is moist, super delicious and easy to make. We used the coconut oil and 1/2 honey and 1/2 maple syrup combo. We also heated the milk a bit and let the eggs sit out a bit so everything was at room temp. We also cheated a bit as our bananas weren’t as ripe as normal so we mushed 3 huge bananas and then cooked them for 10 minutes. We let that cool and then added that to the recipe. Really enhanced the flavour.
Yes!!! This is so awesome! And that’s a great tip for using underripe bananas–I’m definitely stealing that!
I really want to make this, but I do not have whole wheat flour. I only have all purpose and bread flour. Will either of these work?
Hello Kate and everyone,
I have a question about using frozen thawed bananas in baked goods. Do you think they would work? Have you ever tried them? I have a lot of frozen bananas because very often they get too ripe before I can eat them. I am wondering if they would be too wet. Thanks much!
All purpose will work! I wouldn’t use bread flour, though.
When do you add the milk or water?
That’s in step 2, Nikki! “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.”
How many calories does it have?
Hi, Antonia! Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
I love love love this recipe! I make it into muffins and add chocolate chips. Kids love them too. One bowl is the best. Plus I love how healthy it is. I wonder how I can adapt it for strawberries? I would love a strawberry chocolate chip muffin recipe. Any advice?
Hi Lynn, so glad you enjoyed this one! Check out my raspberry muffins; you could definitely replace the raspberries with chopped fresh strawberries and add some chocolate chips. I’ve tried using puréed strawberries in place of the banana and that didn’t work out so well.
Wow. This really is yummy. I’ve made this twice now (both times with GF SR flour and half tsp of baking powder plus handful of pecans and sultanas.) It’s perfect every time and I can’t even bake!! I follow a sugar-, gluten-, and dairy-free diet and I am so glad recipes like this are available so I don’t miss out. Thanks so much.
I’m so glad this worked out so well, Kerry! I’m always happy to help folks navigate their diet restrictions with joy. You shouldn’t have to take the fun out of cooking and eating in order to nourish your body!
I made the Banana Bread. I had all the ingredients except the whole wheat flour. All I had was white self rising. So I left out the salt and baking powder and used the self rising flour. It was awesome . Best Banana Bread I’ve ever had. Already had 2 pieces and still warm. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so glad that worked out, Regina! Wonderful.
This banana bread is sooooooo good!! Just tried it and it’s easy and tastes amazing :)
:) Perfect!
Loved it – easy to bake and healthy. Added the walnuts and for a naughty treat, served with chocolate hazelnut spread…Mmm
Yum!
Yummo, made this with spelt wholemeal flour, honey and veg oil….delicious!
Yummo is right!
Wow, you’ve made our household so happy with this recipe! We cut out the white stuff, leaving lots of our previous baked goods off the table. But this was perfection. Made as is with honey and dark chocolate chunks. It was gobbled up immediately with the little remaining still delectable the next day. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Jackie! So glad this could help make your family treats a little healthier. :)
I bake this whenever I have overripe bananas, and it turns out beautifully each time– my family raves about it! Thank you for this perfect recipe!!
I’m so glad this one is so reliable, Sanjana! Hello to the family. :)
Hi I want to try some of your whole wheat recipes. Can I use regular whole wheat flour instead of white whole wheat flour?
Yes, you can!
Wow, this is really, really good. I was a little hesitant because normal bread calls for so much sugar, I figured this could not possibly be as good as regular banana bread. This is actually better then the normal one I always made! My kids love banana bread but I hate giving them so much sugar. They devoured it and asked for more. Thanks!!
Hooray! I’m glad this exceeded expectations, Vanessa. Those bananas have plenty of sugar in them alone!
Looking forward to trying out this recipe! Can you please provide the nutritio info? Thanks!
Hi, Lorena! Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
I have made this recipe at least 30 times. I use apple sauce instead of oil as I’m trying to lower my cholesterol. It is always a hit. The entire family demolishes it every time. The only fault in the recipe is the suggestion to let it sit for 20 minutes on a wire rack. It NEVER lasts that long in this house :-) Thanks for a great go-to recipe.
Ha! This is all too cute. I just imagined your family devouring the bread Cookie Monster-style, crumbs flying all over the place! I’m so glad it’s such a huge hit. I hope you get some, too!
Amazing texture and taste. I stumbled on this recipe when looking for a banana bread without butter. The honey and cocunut oil bring this recipe to great heights. Love it!
Awesome! I’m so glad you found this recipe, Liz.
Hi,
Its a wonderful recipe. It would be good if you can specify the cup measurement in grams which will help many of us. Bananas come is different sizes. I have messed up many times using the cup measurement. I would like to try today. Please help me out to know how many grams is equivalent to one cup?
regards,
Meera
I made this as gluten-free muffins. I added a half cup Splenda (as I knew it wouldn’t be sweet enough for me, but didn’t want the added calories). I used water instead of milk – as i was out of milk :) Must say, I was totally impressed! YUM! Will make again!
Great! Happy that worked out for you, Allison.
Hi Kate, I tried the vegan version of this with Spelt and if taste great!
If i would like to make it a sugar free loaf, do you know if i should just omit the maple syrup or subsititute the same amount with water/almond milk? Will that work?
Hi Joanne, so glad you enjoyed the bread. I haven’t tried making a sugar-free bread, but if I were to guess, I’d replace the maple syrup with an equal volume of half mashed banana, half milk.
This banana bread is delicious and love that it’s healthy!! Thank you for such a great recipe!!
You’re welcome, Melissa!
This is sooo yummy! I added tons of chia seeds and it gave it a little crunch! My toddlers and husband loved it!
Sounds delicious, Damaris!
This looks delicious! Have you ever subbed oat flour for the whole wheat flour? Do you think it would be okay?
Thanks!
Hi, Danielle! Unfortunately, oat flour doesn’t behave the same way wheat flour does in recipes. People usually suggest only swapping out a portion of the wheat flour with oat, and not replacing it in its entirety. It can be tricky to find the right ratio, so I usually don’t suggest making that substitution. If you’re avoiding gluten, have you tried Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Blend? That should do the trick, as it’s a 1:1 substitution!
Love this recipe!!! Have made a few times and it’s come out perfect. Thank you
Great! Thanks, Claire.
Hi Kate and Cookie,
This has become my No 1 go-to website for recipes, in my efforts to introduce more healthy, non-sugar encased foods to my kids. I have made this banana bread four times in the last month – each time a hit.
For the kids, I’m making it almost word by word – except that I use a lot more cinnamon. Also I go half-and-half honey + unsweetened date syrup (silan). The jury is still out on whether that is a good idea – I end up with a darker, and I think less sweet loaf – but I am not sure how it might affect the baking. Any thoughts?
For adults (morning tea treat at work), I added chia seeds and dessicated coconut (keeping in mind I use a very mild flavoured coconut oil), and also about 3 times the recipe cinnamon. I was so popular at work that day – especially when I told them how little sugar and how much goodness is in it.
Thank you!!!
That all sounds so warm and delicious, Sasha! I’m so glad you enjoy it. It seems like the unsweetened date syrup would produce a less-sweet result, but other than that, I can’t come up with any other effect it may have on the baking process. If you like the flavor, I say go for it! I’m so happy you’ve shared this with your family and friends. Thanks for reading!
I never (seriously, I don’t) comment on cooking blogs – although I should because I use them often but I just can’t help myself today. This banana bread is that good. I have made a LOT of banana breads but none are as good as this one. I recently purchased local honey and I only had one egg so I used a flax egg hoping for good results and I was pleasantly surprised! I shared the bread with my neighbors. I was instantly asked for the recipe and my neighbor bakes a LOT too! Thank you for sharing this, just amazing. I am drooling just thinking about it! And I LOVE that there is NO refined sugar!
Oh, I love this! There’s so much goodness in this comment. Thank you for taking the time to review the recipe, and for sharing it with your neighbor! I’m so glad you found my blog.
Hi Kate,
I do not have any white whole wheat flour at hand- can I substitute all purpose flour 1:1?
Yes, you can!
isn’t white whole wheat flour much denser than all purpose? So should I follow 1:3/4 rule?
this is without a doubt the best banana bread I have ever had! The kids will be lucky if they get any :)
Haha! Maybe a double batch next time? :)
I made this bread yesterday with a small change (gluten free mix of almond and rice flour) and … my family loves it. Great recipy !!! Thank you :-)
Awesome! Happy to hear the GF version worked out so well for you, Agnieszka.
Just made this banana bread – it was very delicious! I can eat it everyday!! Thank you :)
Great! Thank you, Anna. I’m happy you enjoyed the bread. :)