Go Back

Healthy Banana Bread

Healthy banana bread that’s naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and honey, baked into a wholesome golden loaf with a heartier whole wheat crumb. This no sugar banana bread style uses olive oil or coconut oil for a tender texture and bakes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana loaf batter
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 0.3333333333 cup honey or maple syrup Use honey for a classic flavor or maple syrup for a different sweetness profile.
  • 0.25 cup coconut oil or olive oil, melted Melt until just liquid and let cool slightly if very hot.
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour (or use all whole wheat) If using all whole wheat, expect a denser crumb.
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.25 cup chopped walnuts or almonds (optional) Add-ins optional, but they boost crunch and texture.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Bake the loaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Whisk oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla into the mashed bananas until smooth and fully combined.
  3. Fold in whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until just combined—do not overmix.
  4. Fold in nuts if using.
  5. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55–65 minutes until deeply golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool completely in the pan before slicing, since the texture improves significantly as it cools.

Notes

Pro tip: Use very ripe bananas (freckled and soft) so the loaf turns naturally sweet without added sugar. Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days or in the fridge up to 7 days; warm slices briefly for best flavor. Freezing is yes—slice and freeze in a sealed bag up to 3 months. For a dairy-free swap, use a plant-based vanilla extract and ensure your eggs are substituted only if you have an egg-replacement that works 1:1 in quick breads.