Healthy Banana Bread is filled with good-for-you ingredients. This recipe uses everyday products and does not have any refined sugars or butter.
Have more overripe bananas? Try these Healthy Banana Muffins or Banana Pancakes next!
Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
We go through bananas so quickly at my home! My kids love them as snacks or cut up in their oatmeal, I freeze them to use in an Açaí Bowl or this Blueberry Smoothie, and my husband loves them in this Chocolate Protein Shake.
If we have any leftovers at the end of the week, my kids beg for a baked banana treat. They’ll usually request these Banana Cupcakes, but after I made this healthy banana bread a few weeks ago, they’ve consistently asked for it. Score!
Ingredients In Healthy Banana Bread
- Coconut Oil: Moisturizes, binds, and adds a coconut hint.
- Honey: Naturally sweetens and moistens.
- Eggs: Bind and aid in rising.
- Mashed Bananas: Add signature flavor, sweetness, and moisture.
- Greek Yogurt: Provides creaminess and a slight tang, enhancing texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Boosts overall flavor with a warm aroma.
- Salt, Cinnamon, Baking Soda: Balance sweetness, add warmth, and promote fluffiness.
- Flour: Forms the bread’s main structure.
Quick Tip
This bread is packed with good ingredients — protein from the eggs and Greek yogurt, vitamins and nutrients from the bananas, a boost in good cholesterol and energy from the coconut oil, and antioxidants from the honey.
How To Make Healthy Banana Bread
- Prep: Heat the oven, grease and flour a bread pan.
- Wet Ingredients: Mix coconut oil and honey, then eggs, mashed bananas, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
- Dry Ingredients: Directly add salt, cinnamon, and baking soda to wet mix, then stir in flour and chocolate chips until just combined.
- Bake: Pour into the pan and bake until done.
- Cool: Let the healthy banana bread rest in the pan before turning it out to cool completely and then serve.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Miniature Chocolate Chips: Use dark chocolate for health benefits and antioxidants.
- Chopped Nuts: Walnuts or pecans, tossed with flour before adding to the batter.
- Raisins: Regular, golden, dried cherries, or cranberries, also tossed with flour.
- Spiced Banana Bread: Omit add-ins and increase spices with 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice.
Storage
Storage And Freezing Tips
Can I freeze banana bread?
- Yes! Freeze by wrapping slices in plastic and using a freezer-safe bag/container. It lasts up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature in 10 minutes or in the fridge.
Storage Lifespan:
- Lasts 2-3 days in the fridge, wrapped well in an airtight container.
More Healthy Recipes
- Healthy Fruit Tart Recipe
- Greek yogurt Healthy Blueberry Muffins
- Banana Waffles
- Peanut Butter Protein Shake
- Healthy Zucchini Bread
Healthy Banana Bread
Healthy Banana Bread is filled with good-for-you ingredients. This recipe uses everyday products and does not have any refined sugars or butter.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 packed cup mashed very ripe bananas (~2 large bananas)
- 1/4 cup full-fat honey vanilla Greek yogurt (I recommend Greek Gods)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 3/4 cups white, all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
- 1 tablespoon old-fashioned oats, optional
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x5-inch bread pan and lightly dust with flour. Tap off excess flour over the sink and set the prepared pan aside .
- WET INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, whisk together the 1/3 cup coconut oil and 1/2 cup honey. Add in the 2 large eggs and whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until well mashed and broken down (Note 1). Pack mashed bananas into a 1-cup measuring cup and level the top. Add to the wet ingredients along with the 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and combined.
- DRY INGREDIENTS: On top of the wet ingredients, add the 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Stir. Add in the 1 and 3/4 cup flour and the 3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips (if using) right on top of the flour. With a wooden spoon, gently stir the chocolate chips to get coated with the flour and then mix the flour into the rest of the ingredients. Do not over-mix; stop as soon as the flour is fully incorporated.
- BAKE: Using a spatula, scrape all the batter into the prepared 9x5-inch pan. Bake in the fully preheated oven for 50-65 minutes or until very lightly browned on the edges and a toothpick comes out clean (or with few moist crumbs) from the center of the pan.
- COOL: Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack. When fully cool, cut into slices and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Enjoy slices warmed in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Bread freezes and thaws well.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Bananas: To quickly and thoroughly mash bananas, remove the peels, break into a few pieces, and then beat them in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until well mashed.
Note 2: Sugar: While this recipe contains no added sugar, if you add chocolate chips to the batter, keep in mind that most commercial brands contain sugar.
Nutrition
Serving: 12slices | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.6g | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 6.8g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 117.9mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 14.5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Found you by Googling the ingredients I had on hand for banana bread! Only swap was orange extract as I did not have vanilla, and the bread is delicious and gorgeous. Thank you Chelsea!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed this bread!! Thanks so much for the comment Holly 🙂
Made this last night. I omitted the chocolate chips and topped with some homemade granola. A bit chewier/gummier than regular (butter/oil) banana bread, but this satisfied my craving and kept me somewhat healthy. Thanks!
Ooo granola topping sounds amazing! Glad this was enjoyed 🙂
Yum! This is so delicious. I made it even healthier by skipping the chocolate chips (added cinnamon and chia seeds instead), swapping the brown sugar for sweetener, and swapping out 1/2 of the flour for almond meal. It worked great!
I’m so happy to hear all the swaps worked out well! Thank you so much for the comment!
Just made this and it turned out great! I made them as muffins so I can just easily grab one before heading out the door, and the shorter baking time was a bonus too 🙂 I used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup white, and I only had egg whites so I just used a 1/2 cup of those. So yummy and definitely so much better warm! Thanks!
So great to hear these were enjoyed! Thanks so much for the comment Sarah!!
This is a really tasty recipe! I made it tonight with my three-year-old and I’ve already had three slices! I’m hoping to be able to freeze a few slices to save for weekday breakfasts on-the-go. How does this bread taste after it’s been frozen and thawed? Our loaf was a little dense/chewy, but I think I over mixed, and scooped too much flour into my measuring cup. I’ll definitely make it again the next time I have over-ripe bananas!
Yay! So happy to hear that! Thank you Lisa 🙂 I unfortunately have never frozen it so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would be great! And yes, the less stirring the better 🙂 You also may have had a little too much flour in, perhaps a little looser measurement (don’t pack the flour into the measuring cup) will help 🙂
Any idea how many carbs are in this per slice? I’d love to make this!
Can i replace the whole wheat/ white flour with almond flour or coconut flour?
I’ve not tried either in this recipe, but doubt either would work unfortunately. 🙁 Especially coconut flour since it is especially absorbent of liquid, this bread would be ultra dry. I’ve tried doing all oat flour and it didn’t work, which is why I don’t think almond flour would be great.
I did the recipe with 1/2 almond meal and 1/2 wholewheat flour and it was perfect!
So glad to hear that! I’m happy you enjoyed this bread! 🙂
Wanted to thank you for this recipe! I’ve made it a few times and it’s delicious. The dog I was watching once even hopped up on the counter to eat half of it. That was a sad time for me, but just whipped up another one. Going to make it again now. Many thanks!
Hey Lia, it means so much to me for you to come and thank me!! I appreciate it! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe and thanks for sharing the story of your dog, made me laugh!! Have a good one 🙂
This is my favorite banana bread recipe!! So good, and healthy! Wondering if I can make it into muffins next time or if I need to change anything? Have a great week!
Oh yay! So great to hear that 🙂 I’ve actually never tried making this bread recipe into muffins, but I bet it would work! I’d try 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Good luck 🙂
Looks amazing!
Could you make this bread gluten free?!
I personally haven’t, but if you read the other comments, I believe a few people have and had success 🙂 Hope that helps!