This moist and sweet healthy banana bread is low sugar and made with only whole food, nutrient-dense ingredients, and is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free! You can feel good about eating it for breakfast, a snack or dessert.
This easy recipe is as healthy as it is simple! If you know me, you know I'm all about making everything as nutrient-dense and low-sugar as possible, using simple ingredients.
Growing up, I thought we had the best banana bread recipe. It was extremely delicious and moist, however now I just couldn't do it. Way too sweet and I just know I wouldn't feel good after eating it!
I love having a better version of the same classic quick bread that I can confidently eat, knowing it's helping my body and not damaging it.
It's one of my favorite recipes!
Why you'll love this recipe
Healthy - Most traditional banana bread recipes use refined flour and sugar. This recipe uses gluten-free whole food flours and many nutrient-dense ingredients so you can feel good about eating it and feeding it to your family.
Easy - An easy banana bread recipe that can be made with just a few basic ingredients. You don't need any fancy equipment or advanced baking skills to make it.
Versatile - Can be customized with different flavors and ingredients. You can add nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, shredded coconut or dried fruit to make it your own.
Comfort food - A classic comfort food that's warm, sweet, and satisfying, making it the perfect treat for any time of day. Although, it's still healthy enough to have for breakfast!
Healthy banana bread ingredients
Bananas - The star ingredient in banana bread, providing natural sweetness, moisture and of course, banana flavor. High in potassium, fibre, antioxidants and more nutrients.
Coconut oil - Adds richness and a subtle coconut flavor to the bread. It also contributes to the moistness and tenderness of the crumb.
Maple syrup - A natural sweetener that also helps to keep the bread moist and tender. I use a minimal amount to provide sweetness but keep it as healthy as possible!
Eggs - Provide structure, texture, and richness to the bread. They also help the bread to rise and hold its shape. Eggs are very nutrient-dense, containing a ton of vitamins, minerals, protein, fat and more!
Coconut flour - A gluten-free flour. It's high in nutrients, including fibre, protein, healthy fats and iron!
Arrowroot flour - Another gluten-free flour that helps to bind the bread together and gives it a slightly chewy texture.
Chia seeds - A source of healthy fats and fiber, and they also help to bind the bread together. Use ground chia seeds (I just grind them in my high-speed blender).
Baking powder - A leavening agent that helps the bread to rise and become light and fluffy.
Baking soda - Another leavening agent that helps the bread to rise.
Sea salt - Enhances the flavor of the bread and balances out the sweetness.
Vanilla extract - Adds a sweet, floral aroma and flavor to the bread and enhances the overall flavor.
Optional add-ins - Dark chocolate chips or chunks, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, etc.
FAQ
Conventional banana bread is made with highly processed, nutrient-devoid brown or white sugar and all purpose flour. Even those made with whole wheat flour aren't much better, since wheat needs to be soaked, sprouted or soured to make it easily digestible. This homemade banana bread uses only gluten-free whole food flours and many nutrient-dense ingredients, such as eggs, coconut oil and chia seeds, so you can be confident it's a better choice for your health.
Yes, using overripe bananas in banana bread is ideal. Ripe bananas are sweeter and easier to mash, which means you can use less sugar in the recipe. Additionally, the riper the bananas, the more antioxidants they contain and the easier they are to digest, compared to unripe bananas.
You can! Thaw the bananas at room temperature or in the fridge overnight. Strain off the brown liquid that has pooled underneath, mash and use in the recipe. If you want more tips on this, read this article on how to freeze and thaw bananas for baking.
Yes, you can use an alternative liquid sweetener such as honey or date syrup in this recipe. These sweeteners are natural and contain more nutrients than refined sugar. Keep in mind that the flavor may be slightly different if you substitute one of these.
Yes, all the ingredients in this banana bread are naturally gluten-free!
Yes, there aren't any dairy products in this recipe. The only exception may be the optional add-in of chocolate chips - make sure they are dairy-free. If you are okay with dairy you could substitute melted butter for the coconut oil.
Banana bread serving ideas
- Toasted - Toast a slice of banana bread and spread with butter or cream cheese.
- With fruit - Serve banana bread with fresh fruit like berries, sliced peaches, or sliced bananas.
- With yogurt - Serve a slice of banana bread with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey for a protein-packed breakfast or snack.
- With nut butter - Spread a slice of banana bread with almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter.
- Grilled - Cut banana bread into thick slices and grill on a griddle or pan until lightly toasted and caramelized.
- French toast - Use leftover banana bread to make French toast by dipping slices in a mixture of beaten eggs and milk, and then cooking in a pan until golden brown. Don't soak in the egg mixture for as long, as banana bread has more moisture than other bread.
- Ice cream sandwich - Make a banana bread ice cream sandwich by sandwiching a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two slices of banana bread.
- Bread pudding - Use leftover banana bread to make bread pudding.
Tools you may need
Measuring cups and spoons
How to make healthy banana bread
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup arrowroot powder
- ¼ cup ground chia seeds
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup optional add-ins (chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, shredded coconut, etc)
- 5 large eggs
- 1¼ cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. For the easiest banana bread removal, place a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan.
Melt coconut oil and leave it to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (make sure coconut oil is cool so it doesn't cook the eggs!).
Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until when you insert a toothpick it comes out clean.
Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then go around the sides of the bread with a knife to loosen them and gently invert to remove. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
How to store healthy banana bread
- Cool the bread completely - Allow the banana bread to cool completely before storing it. If you try to store it while it's still warm, it can create condensation, making the bread soggy.
- Wrap the bread tightly - Wrap the banana bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep air out and prevent it from drying out. You can also use a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container.
- Store at room temperature - Store the wrapped banana bread at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you plan to keep it for longer, store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Refrigerate for longer storage - If you want to keep the banana bread for more than 2 days, store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Keep it wrapped tightly to prevent it from drying out.
- Slice before freezing - If you plan to freeze the banana bread, slice it first so you can take out only the amount you need. This will prevent you from having to thaw the entire loaf at once and individual slices thaw faster.
- Freeze for extended storage - To freeze banana bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil or a freezer bag. Label the package with the date and freeze it for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat it, thaw it in the refrigerator or at room temperature, and then reheat it in the oven or microwave if desired.
Did you try this recipe? If so, I would really appreciate a 5-star rating and your comments below! Thanks!
More nourishing breakfasts
- Baked Oatmeal With Sprouted Oats
- Sourdough English Muffins
- Low Sugar Peach Jam
- Peaches and Cream Soaked Oatmeal
- Creamy Millet Porridge
📖 Recipe
Healthy Banana Bread
This moist and sweet healthy banana bread is low sugar and made with only whole food, nutrient-dense ingredients, and is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free! You can feel good about eating it for breakfast, a snack or dessert.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup arrowroot powder
- ¼ cup ground chia seeds
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup optional add-ins (chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, shredded coconut, etc)
- 5 large eggs
- 1¼ cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. For the easiest banana bread removal, place a piece of parchment paper at the bottom of the pan.
- Melt coconut oil and leave it to cool.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (make sure coconut oil is cool so it doesn't cook the eggs!).
- Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until when you insert a toothpick it comes out clean.
- Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then go around the sides of the bread with a knife to loosen them and gently invert to remove. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
Notes
Store at room temperature - Store banana bread in plastic wrap, a Ziploc bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you plan to keep it for longer, store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Refrigerate for longer storage - If you want to keep the banana bread for more than 2 days, store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Keep it wrapped tightly to prevent it from drying out.
Slice before freezing - If you plan to freeze the banana bread, slice it first so you can take out only the amount you need. This will prevent you from having to thaw the entire loaf at once and individual slices thaw faster.
Freeze for extended storage - To freeze banana bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil or a freezer bag. Label the package with the date and freeze it for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat it, thaw it in the refrigerator or at room temperature, and then reheat it in the oven or microwave if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 332mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 6gSugar: 11gProtein: 6g
This nutrient calculation is done by an automated calculator and may not be accurate.
Leave a Reply