Healthy Banana Bread
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Healthy Banana Bread has everything you love about the classic version (soft, moist, warmly spiced, and perfectly sweet) but made with a few better-for-you ingredients you can feel good about. It’s naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup, made extra tender with olive oil, and packed with rich banana flavor from plenty of overripe bananas.
Even with less sugar than my Classic Banana Bread, it’s still full of flavor thanks to a cozy blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. And don’t skip the best baking secret ever (aka espresso powder), which enhances the flavor without making it taste like coffee. With my recipe, you’ll get a bakery-style loaf that’s wholesome, satisfying, and anything but boring. Plus, it’s perfect for customizing with your favorite mix-ins like chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or whatever you’re craving!
This Healthy Banana Bread helps you satisfy your sweet tooth while still giving you a recipe you can feel good about enjoying! And for more healthy-ish desserts, try my Chocolate Mousse, Crunchy Peanut Butter Snack Bites, or Cottage Cheese Ice Cream!
Table Talk with Tawnie
After publishing plenty of indulgent banana breads, a “healthier” better-for-you banana bread was requested from multiple people over on my Instagram. While the classic banana bread is so good and comforting, sometimes a lighter for you loaf hits the spot. After multiple rounds of testing, I finally landed on this combination of ingredients that doesn’t sacrifice flavor but is still made with healthier ingredients. When I’ve made healthy banana breads in the past I’ve always found them to be dry and pretty bland, so I carefully curated this recipe to have plenty of moisture and flavor. I hope you love this one and I’m excited to hear what you think – leave me a comment below to let me know!
- Flour: You can use white whole wheat, or all-purpose for this banana bread. Using white whole wheat will give this banana bread a heartier taste and will also increase the fiber content!
- Maple syrup: This banana bread uses maple syrup as its primary sweetener instead of regular refined sugar. You could also use honey as a natural sweetener option.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use a mild olive oil, not overly peppery or robust. Some of my recommendations would be Kirkland, Terra Delyssa, or Delallo. If you don’t want to use olive oil, you can use canola or vegetable oil.
- Bananas: Your bananas should have lots of brown spots or streaks on them. You want to use ripe or over-ripe bananas so they will mash into a puree, which allows them to distribute more evenly throughout the batter. Also, the riper the bananas, the sweeter and richer the banana taste, which will enhance the overall flavor of the bread.
- Mix-ins: Since this banana bread recipe isn’t overly sweet, it’s a great recipe to add your favorite mix-ins for more flavor and texture! Some of my favorites to include are chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, etc
My Favorite Loaf Pan
This is my favorite loaf pan for recipes like this banana bread, plus it comes in fun, different colors!
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Mix wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together all of the wet ingredients until smooth and well combined.
Whisk dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
Combine ingredients
Combine the dry ingredients with the wet. Then gently fold in the mix-ins (⚠️but be careful not to over-mix!!).
Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes. Tip: If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
Let cool & enjoy!
Let the banana bread cool for ~20ish minutes. Slice & enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Mash bananas thoroughly: Mash the bananas well to ensure a smooth and consistent banana flavor throughout the bread. A few small lumps are okay. I usually like to use my hand mixer to get them perfectly mashed.
- Don’t add too much banana: I always measure out 1¼ cup mashed banana for my recipe, which is usually 4 small or 3 medium bananas (or 300 grams if you have a food scale). Using too much mashed banana can lead to texture issues and the bread may not cook or rise properly.
- Room temperature ingredients: Make sure your milk and eggs are room temperature for even mixing. I like to the eggs sit out ~45 minutes – 1 hour before baking (depending on the temperature of your kitchen).
- Ripening bananas quickly: If you don’t have ripe bananas on hand, you can ripen them quickly by placing them in a paper bag for a day or two. The ethylene gas they produce will speed up the ripening process.
- Don’t over-mix: Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough and dense texture.
- Loaf pan: Light-colored pans reflect more heat and can yield a lighter crust, compared to dark pans. I have not tested this recipe in a glass or ceramic loaf pan; those pans will require an adjustment to the baking times.
Baking Tip!
If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking to keep it nice and moist and allow the bottom to cook through without it burning!
Variations / Substitutions
- Gluten-free: Use 1:1 gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour to make this banana bread gluten-free.
- Muffins: If you want to turn this recipe into muffins, pour batter into a greased muffin tin and bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then, without opening the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 12-15 minutes.
Storage / Freezing
- Room temperature: Will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature. Wrap the banana bread in plastic wrap, then place it in an airtight container, such as a plastic storage container with a tight-fitting lid or a resealable plastic bag. If you’re stacking multiple slices or pieces, separate them with sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerator: Wrap and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Wrap the banana bread in plastic wrap or foil and then place it in an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 2-3 months. Be sure to label and date to keep track of how long it has been frozen. When ready to enjoy, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. Or, microwave a slice!
FAQs
What makes this banana bread “healthy”?
This banana bread recipe is “healthier” than traditional banana bread for a few reasons. First, it uses maple syrup and molasses as its main sweeteners instead of regular, processed granulated sugar. You can also use white whole wheat flour, which increases the fiber content of this loaf. And lastly, using olive oil instead of canola or vegetable oil adds lots of nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich healthy fats to this loaf!
What olive oil should I use for this recipe?
Use a mild olive oil, not overly peppery or robust. Some of my recommendations would be Kirkland, Terra Delyssa, or Delallo for some options.
Can I use a different oil besides olive oil?
Yes, if you don’t want to use olive oil, you can use canola or vegetable oil.
How do I know my bananas are ripe enough?
Your bananas are ripe enough when they have lots of brown spots or streaks on them. They should also be very soft. If your bananas are still hard or have any bits of green still on them, they are not ripe enough for this banana bread.
shop this post
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Healthy Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup over ripe bananas (mashed (usually ~3 bananas but be sure to measure))
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (go for something mild, not robust)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. molasses
- 1¾ cup flour (spooned and leveled (can use white whole wheat or all purpose))
- 1½ tsp. baking soda
- 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. fine salt
- 1/4 tsp. espresso powder
- Pinch of nutmeg and cardamom
- 3/4 cup favorite mix ins (chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, etc.)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×5 light colored aluminum loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, olive oil, maple syrup, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and molasses until smooth and well combined.1¼ cup over ripe bananas, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 2 large eggs, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. molasses, 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, espresso powder, nutmeg, and cardamom.1¾ cup flour, 1½ tsp. baking soda, 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. espresso powder, Pinch of nutmeg and cardamom, 1/2 tsp. fine salt
- Combine the batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold together until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Add mix-ins: Fold in the mix-ins.3/4 cup favorite mix ins
- Transfer to pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with a few extra walnuts, if desired.
- Bake: Bake for 55-65 minutes Start Timer, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. YUM! Start Timer
Notes
- Olive oil: Use a mild olive oil, not overly peppery or robust. Some of my recommendations would be Kirkland, Terra Delyssa, or Delallo. If you don’t want to use olive oil, you can use canola or vegetable oil.
- Mash bananas thoroughly: Mash the bananas well to ensure a smooth and consistent banana flavor throughout the bread. A few small lumps are okay. I usually like to use my hand mixer to get them perfectly mashed.
- Don’t add too much banana: I always measure out 1¼ cup mashed banana for my recipe, which is usually 4 small or 3 medium bananas (or 300 grams if you have a food scale). Using too much mashed banana can lead to texture issues, and the bread may not cook or rise properly.
- Loaf pan: Light-colored pans reflect more heat and can yield a lighter crust, compared to dark pans. I have not tested this recipe in a glass or ceramic loaf pan; those pans will require an adjustment to the baking times.
- Store at room temperature: Will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature. Wrap the banana bread in plastic wrap, then place it in an airtight container, such as a plastic storage container with a tight-fitting lid or a resealable plastic bag. If you’re stacking multiple slices or pieces, separate them with sheets of parchment paper or wax paper to prevent sticking.
- Store in the refrigerator: Wrap and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
