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.
actually this isn’t healthy at all, banana that is baked at high temperature is full of acrylamides and AGEs + the recipe is full of sugar from honey and maple sirop is not the best sweetener (what about sukrin?)…but it looks tasty though
I disagree. 325 degrees Fahrenheit is low for a baked good. I don’t know what sukrin is. As indicated in the recipe, you can use non-dairy milk like almond milk, and even flax eggs if you’re worried about the saturated fat (which I am not, and there is no trans fat in milk or eggs).
+ I forgot to say that milk and eggs are also not healthy (high in saturated fat and trans)
This recipe is so nice and really healthy (for something that tastes so good!) my third time making it and I substituted a half cup of whole wheat flour with a mix of quinoa flakes, teff (super food grain from Ethiopia) flakes and desiccated coconut. It works really well and gives it even more nutrition and texture! Thanks for the recipe Kate!
I tried it, it came out oily and mushy on the inside.. I followed your recipe exactly.
I loved this recipe! I actually cut the sugar by a 1/5 and it works out perfect for me! I have been looking for a healthy banana bread recipe that tastes good and this is the one. I also have been experimenting with mixing different types of the sugars (I like using mostly maple syrup with just a bit of honey) and mixing white and whole wheat flour. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!!
Second time i have used this recipe to make a yummy banana bread, loved it and will definitely hold on to this recipe! The first time I added banana slices, sultanas and walnuts to the batter. Second time around I added dates, macadamias, walnuts, sultanas, banana slices and grated ginger on the top. I also added nutmeg and allspice with the cinnamon to make it extra spicy. So easy and fun to whip up!
Thanks for such a versatile recipe! I’m so happy I stumbled onto your blog :)
I calculated the nutrition info based on how I made this and thought I’d share the info since people are looking for it. I used:
-regular whole wheat flour
-creamed honey
-coconut oil
-no mixins
I made 16 muffins with the recipe and each has:
138 calories
5.6g fat (4.2g saturated)
21.5g carbs
1.8g fiber
10g sugar
2.8g protein
30 calories, 8g sugar and 8.5g carbs come straight from the honey though, so switching this to something else will help with those amounts!
Wow!! What an amazing healthy alternative.. Me and my other half absolutely loved it and have had a slice ( or 2 ) every day for the last 3 days! I used almond milk and a gluten free brown rice flour and it’s delish! Also added some cocao nibs for more crunch! THANK YOU for a lovely guilt free recipe!
Hey !!! MMMM…… Just made this and had quite a few slices with my coffee just now :D One thought tho.. I think you shouldn’t use baking soda unless you are using milk in the recipe am I correct. ? I didn’t use milk in my recipe so I opted for baking powder instead. :) Thank you for the recipe. I added coconut and dark chocolate to mine….. YUMMYYY !!! X
I’m glad yours turned out well! Baking soda is correct, whether you’re using milk or not. You need an acidic ingredient like buttermilk to counteract the bitterness of baking soda, but the honey/maple syrup does that job in this recipe.
hello Kate! How do you get the bread to have a rounded top like in your pictures? My loaf looked great when I look it out of the oven, but after letting it cool it sagged a bit I the middle and flattened.
Was it cooked through the middle? Did you make any substitutions? If it wasn’t cooked through in the middle, it needed a few more minutes in the oven. If it was, I’m not sure what went wrong. My bread always rounds up as shown.
Licking the bowl is a pleasure! I can’t wait to sample it once it’s ready. Yum!
Oh, and yes, it is sooo tasty! Truly scrummy! Thanks for the recipe! I used eucalyptus honey and extra virgin olive oil, I also added raisins and used three bananas. Whilst the mixture was very wet (due to extra bananas), the cake cooked in an hour and it is very moist and soft.
Hi Kate,
Iv made your recipe twice now (I never bake), it tastes delicious although the texture is quite thick and doughy – is that how it’s meant to be? If not, what am I doing wrong?
Thanks Britt
Thank you so much! I have recently found out that I am pre-diabetic and this recipe didn’t effect my glucose levels. This recipe was moist and delicious! I used the coconut oil, maple syrup, regular whole wheat flour and then added chopped strawberries.
Thank you, Jan! I’m glad to hear it didn’t effect your glucose levels. I have a tendency to become hypoglycemic when I eat simple carbs, so you’ll find that all of my recipes are made with 100% whole grains and tend to be pretty well balanced.
I made this with the olive oil and maple syrup and it was quite good. Not as sweet as I like things but that is to be expected for a healthier version of banana bread. I gave some to several people and they all enjoyed it.
Hi, I made this banana bread over the weekend but it was dry. How do I make it moist?
Thanks
I’m not sure why it was dry. I do find that I get a slightly more moist texture when I use maple syrup instead of honey. It sounds like you probably used too much flour, though—I use the spoon and swoop method. Spoon flour into the cup and then scrape the top flat. If you dip the measuring cup into the flour and scoop it, you could get 50% more flour than I used to make this bread.
Hi Kate,
I’ve made this recipe many many times and its been great ! So thank you !
I do have a question though. I use the standard cup measurements and this time I ended up measuring in grams and one cup whole wheat flour is about 165 grams. But then when I looked up online its only about 129 grams per cup. So am I adding too much ? I do have a crumbly bread rather than a firm one, and it crumbles when I cut it into slices. So should I reduce the quantity and stick to grams instead of cup ?
Appreciate your time. Thank you !
Hey Gayathri, I wish everyone baked with grams, so this would be easier! It sounds like you used too much flour, yes. I use the spoon and swoop method of measuring cups—spoon flour into the cup and then scrape the top flat. A one-cup measurement for me is usually around 129 grams.
Thank you so much Kate !
I really do wish everything was in grams. I do have a standard measuring set and I tried the spoon and swoop again. It was still 145 grams. But I did change it to 129 this time and the bread was so soft and lovely (lovelier if thats even possible).
This is a recipe I am going to pass on to my grandchild ! It is so yum !
Thank you once again for all your hard work and arriving at the perfect recipe and sharing it with us here !
Gayathri
I personnaly used 210 grams of flour in this recipe and it went well…
Do you think you could substitute applesauce for the syrup and still get a yummy bread?
I made this on Sunday for my family, and it was gone in less than 2 days! I used whole wheat pastry flour, which definitely made it feel and taste like “regular” banana bread. The cinnamon swirl on top made it so much better, too! I now have 2 more loaves in the oven, and my two-year-old saw me and said, “You makin’ more bamama bread, mom?” When I told her I was, and it was baking, she said, “I want chocolate chip bamama bread, mom!” So I sprinkled some stevia-sweetened chocolate chips on top of one of the loaves. Yum! Thanks for this recipe!
Hi, I still prefer the Black no process sugar called “panela” what is made completely natural without the bad things of white sugar. Actually it has lot of properties for good health. So how much of this specific sugar could be added? And I like a “sweet” taste, not a “nothing” sweet taste. People are very obsessive with “all the sugar are bad”. And it is not true.
Thanks
My nieces and nephews loved it so much , I will make it again soon because it is delicious , healthy , easy to make.
Thank you
Hi there
Can I substitute the flour for rye flour?
thanks
Hi, I went with the maple syrup, doubled the cinnamon, used macadamia oil instead of coconut oil, and natural yoghurt in place of milk or water. It was lovely. Thank you.
hi i made the banana bread and it is completely runny. i followed all instructions and substituted with gluten free all purpose flour.. why is the batter super runny even after its baked i have a runny cake.
Came out wonderful..me n my husband loved it. We don’t like super sweet cakes.. But this was amazingly balanced banana bread..moist and mildly sweet. Will be my go to recipe. Thank u for the recipe. Two thumbs up
YUM! My first try at banana bread and this is so good! Added some chopped walnuts which give a nice crunch. I also whipped up some cream cheese frosting which is delicious spread on top, not that it even needs it! Will definitely make again and experiment with other add ins :)
#1 Recipe for BB! I make this often and it’s a hit w/ toasted pecans, a dash of oats in the batter, and tonight I added cocoa for chocolate bread. Great recipe!
Impeccable banana bread! First thing I’ve ever baked (sans box mixes) and turned out amazing. Was wondering if using molasses would work instead of or in addition to honey?
Really appreciate It!
I love this recipe! Making it for the third time this morning and my kitchen is full of lovely cinnamon scent :) It has healthier alternatives to traditional cake ingredients but does not compromise on taste in the least. It also keeps well….I like to keep it well-sealed in a lunch box and take a slice to work with me as a treat instead of giving in to the temptation of buying far less healthy commercial chocolate/sweets from the vending machine…not that it lasts long in the house! Thanks :)
Can you use this recipe in a muffinew pan?
Yes, check the recipe notes. :)
Question
could you add in a protein powder to boost the protein content or would that ruin the consistency?
I’m really not sure. You would probably be better off adding a protein-rich topping to individual slices. I like peanut butter!
I got addicted to this, best healthy recipe ever! I made this twice this week an once, I added 1/3cup cacao, this was so delicious, too.
By the way, I use grounded almonds (1 3/4 cups) instead of flour.
Thank you for this taste adventure.
Greetings from Germany!
Hi Kate, I made this today and it was super delicious. I’m baking a bread for the first time and I’m excited to try more of yours. I added some toasted walnuts, cashews and almonds as toppings and it looked yummy. This is the best and the easiest recipe with simple and healthy ingredients.
Thanks a ton :-)
Hi used white plain flour as it was in cupboard. My bread has now been in oven for 80 minutes and is still very undone looking in the middle. Is it the flour or should it look like this?
You’re recipe for Healthy Banana Bread is my go-to of all time. Every time I make it, it is consistently delicious and moist; whereas with other recipes one time it would be dry, another time not taste as good. I’ve made it several times for work and it’s gone in a flash. Thank you!
This is definitely one of my favorite Healthy Tasty Banana Bread recipes. Love the healthy ingredients. It is so moist and delicious. I have made it 3 times. It works every single time!! :)
I have been experimenting with different flour. Today I use half Almond Flour and half Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. Also add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
Its Perfect!!
Thank you so much for sharing Kate!!
Hello :) I was wondering how much all purpose flour to use instead of the whole wheat flour?
And if i were to mix the two flours, how much of each?
Thanks heaps!
– Priya
Love this recipe,every time I make it it turns out better than the last! My husband is a great fan of banana bread and this is the healthiest, thanks a lot for sharing!
I used more bananas and 2 tbsp. of natural peanut butter with the coconut oil……it turned out beautifully.
I just made this, and it is so wonderful! Thank you, Kate, for all of your wonderful recipes.
Made this and it is wonderful! My first time making banana bread. Things I changed: I used 3 whole super ripe bananas, maple syrup, and added in vegan chocolate chips and two tablespoons of fresh honey roasted peanut butter. So good! Thanks for the guide :) will be trying more of your recipes.
Amazing cake! Needed some cheering up today and this is perfect:) lts a second time l am making this and both times it was wonderful.
Second time l made it with coconut oil, that made the cake extra yummy. Thank you for this great recepie!
Dear Kate,
As I wrote earlier, I’ve made this recipe several times and absolutely loved it.
But I have one small issue and I’m hoping you can shed some light on it. When I cut it into slices it breaks up. I dont ever get clean cut slices like in the picture above. I do add half cup of walnuts. I dont know if that is a reason, but I’m assuming it shouldnt be.
So what am I doing wrong here ? Could you help ?
Thank you so much
Gayathri
I just want to add, I’ve baked this in a muffin pan and its turned out great. No crumbling or baking. But when done in a loaf pan I cant get slices.
Thanks
I absolutely love this recipe!!!! I make it egg and dairy free, and it is just so delicious. Everyone who tries it just loves it as well!
Hi Kate!
I made yesterday this banana bread and is sooo tasty, really easy to make too. The only problem is how to stop eating it!. I will share on Instagram this recipe today with your hashtag.
I’m a big fun of your blog, I love your recipes and even the tips you give for new bloggers. I started one recently and found your tips very useful.
Thanks for sharing all these nice recipes and helping others with their blogs. Keep up the good job!
I came across this recipe while trying to find healthy snacks and banana bread is my number one weakness. I’ve tried many other recipes but none compare to yours, this turns out perfect every time and the flavour doesn’t even taste bland and healthy! Love your recipes! Thank you x
Love the healthy take on this banana bread! Ran out of honey so had to use brown sugar. To make up for the lost liquid, I added 2 extra tablespoons of cashew milk. Next time, I will add more banana instead!
Worked wonderfully in my bread machine. I put it on the knead setting until all ingredients are well mixed, then I switch to bake. :) Perfect!
I just made this- i used maple syrup and i topped with nuts, coconut, sultanas and cranberries. I want to thank you so much for this recipe! I have been searching high and low for a healthy but traditional banana bread recipe and this one was amazing. Simple method and ingredients that I already had in the house. The bread was perfectly moist and i’m going in for another slice (without guilt!) X
This … is… absolutely amazing. I used regular whole wheat flour because I love the extra nutty taste it brings to the party. Thank you for sharing!
Hello Kate & Everyone else who’s here,
While Kate is busy with other things – I need some help with this recipe. I’ve made this several times. It tastes divine. I just have one small problem. When I try to cut it it crumbles. I dont get neat slices like in the picture. Can someone help me understand why ? The only change is that I use butter instead of coconut oil (1:1 substitution). I dont know if I’m using too much bananas. I use about a cup – which is about 280 grams mashed bananas. I also add walnuts as suggested here. Do the nuts prevent the bread from holding together ?
Grateful for any insight anyone can give me
Thanks
Gayathri
Are you letting it cool completely and slicing with a serrated bread knife? If so and it’s still crumbling you can try reducing your baking time a smidge.
Thank you so much Nicole ! Yes I allow it to cool completely.
I bake it for 60 minutes exactly which is when the knife inserted comes out clean. If I bake any less there is little wet batter sticking to the knife. So I dont know if thats ok.
Do the addition of walnuts cause the bread to fall apart ? They are small bits (not too tiny) though.
Thanks again !
Gayathri
I add walnuts to mine also so I wouldn’t think that’s an issue. I start checking for doneness after 45 minutes and usually end up pulling the loaf out at 50-55 minutes. The only real difference I can find is that you use butter but I’m surprised that would make it crumbly.
I just did a quick search on butter vs oil for banana bread and I saw quite a few answers that their banana bread made with oil had a finer, more even crumb than the one with butter.
I also just saw a discussion where someone answered that she tried a new pumpkin bread recipe that called for oil instead of butter and she said, “IT WAS THE BEST PUMPKIN BREAD I’ve ever made. The texture was moist, but still quite light. it was much better after it cooled down and it didn’t crumble when cutting.”
So it could very well be the butter.
I also saw some advice to use melted butter to mimic oil (instead of using room temperature soft butter) so if you are not melting your butter you could try that to see if it makes a difference.
Made this today, it turned out beautifully!