In honor of National Banana Bread Day, I'm sharing one of my absolute FAVORITE recipes! This banana bread recipe has been a staple in my house for a LONG time and is so easy and versatile, I know you'll love it, too.
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You can make this recipe as healthy as you'd like and it works SO well with an assortment of mix-ins for a little extra ~something something!~ Also, I can typically get away with only using one bowl, a masher, and a whisk when I make this so it's light on the dirty dishes which, I think we can all agree, is a huge win!
What makes this banana bread healthy?
- It's made from whole wheat flour, unlike traditional recipes that use refined flour and lots of processed sugar
- You can naturally sweeten it with honey or maple syrup, which offers at least some trace of nutrients that regular white sugar does not
- Lastly, this recipe uses unrefined oil rather than full sticks of butter (choose from coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, or even vegetable oil)
It definitely won't send your blood sugar skyrocketing and the whole wheat flour works it's magic to keep you feeling fuller, longer. And I promise, no one will even know this banana bread is "healthy!"
Have special dietary restrictions? With a few modifications, you can make this bread vegan (so dairy-free and egg-free, too) or gluten-free.
Make it vegan (dairy-free, egg-free):
Use maple syrup instead of honey, replace the eggs with flax eggs, and choose your favorite non-dairy milk (I use almond milk all the time so I know that's a winner) or water.
Make it gluten-free:
Use an equal amount of Bob's Red Mill's gluten-free blend or 2.5 cups certified gluten-free oat flour. Coconut flour is NOT a good substitute for this recipe.
Make it sugar-free:
Instead of using maple syrup or honey, just add an additional ripe banana (so if using 2 originally, use 3 to replace sweetness). It won't be quite the same but if your bananas are nice and ripe, the additional one will add extra flavor and sweetness without the refined sugar!
What kinds of mix-ins work well in this banana bread?
Mix-ins are totally optional for this recipe but they're so fun to add in a little extra surprise! Here are some that I've loved adding in depending on my mood and cravings:
- Rolled oats
- Chocolate chips
- Nuts
- Chopped, dried fruits
- Extra fresh banana
- Blueberries
- Raisins
- Nut butter
This recipe is so great for all kinds of reasons and it's versatility makes it great for little hippos, too! It'd make a great snack for baby led weaning but toddlers and grown ups will love it also!
Let's bake it!
Here's what you'll need to get started:
| Olive Oil (or Coconut or high quality vegetable oil) | 1/3 cup |
| Honey or Maple Syrup (optional) | 1/2 cup |
| Eggs | 2 eggs |
| Mashed, ripe bananas | 2 large bananas |
| Milk of choice or water | 1/4 cup |
| Baking Soda | 1 tsp |
| Vanilla Extract | 1 tsp |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp |
| Ground Cinnamon | 1/2 tsp, plus more for topping |
| Whole wheat flour | 1 3/4 cups |
| Optional Mix-ins | 1/2 cup |
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan
- In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey (or maple syrup) together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well.
- Mash your bananas and then whisk them in to the other ingredients and add your milk. I love my masher if you want one, too!
4. Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend. Lastly, add in the flour and stir until just combined. Lumps are ok! If you're adding mix-ins, ~~fold them in~~ now
Almost all of my dry goods are stored in these air-tight containers that we LOVE.
5. Pour the batter in to the greased loaf pan and sprinkle with cinnamon
6. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (mix-ins might increase baking time to closer to 60 minutes). Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Let cool fully before slicing - it's tough, it smells so good!
That's it! I hope you try this recipe and love it just as much as we do!
Happy Baking!
Jackie