How to make healthy banana bread that actually tastes good! This recipe has lower sugar and fat and adds whole grains compared to more traditional recipes.
Our original banana bread inspires this healthy banana bread recipe. This version keeps all the deliciousness of the original but with a few smart swaps to reduce calories, sugar, and fat. We’ve even added whole wheat flour for an extra boost of fiber.
This lighter banana bread is super moist, dense, and really delicious. For more banana recipes, see our banana muffins or these healthy banana blueberry muffins.
Key Ingredients
- Bananas: For the best healthy banana bread, use very ripe bananas. I’m talking brown and speckled bananas. They are sweeter and make the baked bread soft and moist. If you have unripe bananas and can wait a day or two, place them in a brown paper bag and set them aside in a warmer part of your kitchen.
- Flour: I use a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour in this recipe. You can use 100% whole wheat, but blending in some all-purpose makes the bread more tender in the middle. I use the same blend when making my favorite whole wheat pancakes.
- Baking Soda: Helps the bread rise and brown nicely.
- Cinnamon, Molasses, and Vanilla: These make the bread taste amazing, rich, and warm.
- Olive Oil or Coconut Oil: Our traditional banana bread recipe uses melted butter, but for this healthier version, we call for less fat and swap in olive oil or coconut oil. If you want to stick with butter, you can!
- Sugar: Use what you have, but brown sugar makes our bread flavorful and moist. I use granulated sugar in the video, showing that you can use what you have on hand. We have reduced the sugar from 3/4 cup in our original recipe to 1/3 cup. A major savings and your blood sugar will thank you.
- Eggs: Provides structure and stability to the bread. We use two eggs. To make this recipe egg-free, use 2 flax eggs or aquafaba.
- Lemon: A bit of lemon zest and juice makes our bread extra delicious.
How to Make Healthy Banana Bread
Our healthy banana bread batter is so simple to make. To start, whisk together the dry ingredients: the flour (all-purpose and whole wheat), baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Then, toss your ripe bananas into a bowl and mash them with a fork. There’s no need for a stand or electric mixer when mashing bananas, especially if they are nice and ripe. Mix the bananas with olive oil, molasses, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Then, simply combine the wet and dry ingredients and bake! Easy!
Easy Healthy Banana Bread
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
This healthy banana bread stays moist and tastes great! Our recipe has lower sugar and fat while adding whole grains. Check the tips section below for tips on making this gluten-free or vegan.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3/4 cup (95g) whole wheat flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large bananas, heavily speckled or even black bananas are best, about 1 cup mashed
5 tablespoons (75ml) extra-virgin olive oil, melted coconut oil, or melted butter
1 tablespoon molasses
1/3 cup (65g) sugar, brown sugar is best
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
1Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
2Butter and flour an 8 ½-inch by 4 ½-inch loaf pan. Or grease the pan and then line it with a sheet of parchment paper (as shown in the video). See tips for pan sizes.
3Whisk all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together and set aside.
4Use a fork to mash the bananas into a chunky paste in the bottom of a large bowl.
5Whisk the olive oil, molasses, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice into the bananas until blended.
6Switch to a large rubber spatula, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and then add the dry ingredients in two parts, stirring until the flour disappears and the batter is smooth.
7Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 65 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. After 30 minutes in the oven, check the bread for color. If it looks like it is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
8Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the bread and cool completely before slicing.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Banana bread lasts in an airtight container, on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze, double wrap it with one layer of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil, then freeze it for up to 6 months.
- Best pan: I use an aluminized steel 1-pound loaf pan, which is 8 ½” x 4 ½” (from USA Pans). For glass loaf pans, consider decreasing the oven temperature by 25 °F and baking a little longer. Stoneware pans may also need temperature/time adjustments, but it is hard to say without testing the specific pan. If using a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan, the banana bread will not be as tall, and the baking time will be less by 5 to 10 minutes.
- Use 100% whole wheat flour: Use 1 1/2 cups (195g) whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour. If the batter seems too thick, thin it with a tablespoon of water or milk.
- Gluten-free banana bread: Use your favorite store-bought gluten-free flour blend. We are partial to Bob’s Red Mill.
- Vegan banana bread: Use 2 flax eggs instead of the eggs.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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Hello Adam and Joannne,I tried your recipe today, making a cake instead using a 1.5L pyrex baking dish. I shortened the cooking time to 30 minutes, and it turned out a tasty, rich, and moist cake which I divided into 16 pieces (snack size). Online recipe reviewers often substitute or add different ingredients which can be confusing, so I kept your recipe “authentic” except for using part butter, part EVOO. My one wish is that I could have more of a banana taste, and slightly less of the spices/flavourings. Thanks for the treat!
Easy recipe to follow,has Risen well looks good.👍👍👍
So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Looking forward to baking this healthier version of a banana bread!
We’ve made this banana bread twice and really like it. It’s very easy to make as well. I have a pampered chef clay loaf pan so no need to line the pan. Delicious!
AMAZING! I make it for the second time this week, this time double dose.
Thank you!!!
Can I substitute the wheat flour with oat flour? Half plain half oat flour.
Hi Annie, Oat flour may work, but the texture of the bread will be quite different. I’d start with a 50-50 blend and see how it goes.
Hi Joanne! This is Raine! I love this banana bread. It is much better for you then most recipes, but it still tastes AMAZING! I used coconut sugar which is much healthier than white sugar. It was still really good. Thank you! I love your recipes! Raine 🙂
Tried this bread with less sugar and more bananas. Loved the taste. This was my 2nd attempt of baking something and 1st attempt of banana bread. It turned out great. Amazing taste. Thanks a lot 🙂
Really really so good, I’m in love, I can have it for breakfast every single day. Thank you