This EASY Healthy Banana Bread recipe is made with low sugar, no oil and is just over 100 calories per slice. It yields incredibly moist, perfectly sweet, and delicious bread!
Looking for more bread recipes? Try my Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, Artisan No Knead Bread, or Skillet Cornbread!
What I love about the recipe:
- Normal Ingredients – No artificial sweeteners or anything out of the ordinary here. I use basic pantry ingredients you already have.
- Healthy – No oil, low sugar, FOUR bananas, and around 100 calories per slice!
- Tastes Amazing – When baked goods are labeled “healthy” they often don't taste great, but I promise you no one would ever guess that this banana bread is any different! It is still just as moist, sweet, and scrumptious as traditional banana bread!
How to make Healthy Banana Bread:
Grease a standard 9×5” loaf pan (I also like to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper to make sure the loaf doesn't stick).
Mash bananas in a mixing bowl. Add egg, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon and stir well to combine.
Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to banana mixture and stir to combine. Stir in melted butter.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 5-10 few minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack.
Pro Tips:
- Use very ripe bananas. The riper the banana, the sweeter it is, the easier it is to mash, and the more sweetness it adds to the bread.
- Trick to ripen bananas quickly: Place the bananas (peel on) on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 6-8 minutes. until the outer peel is dark.
Storing and Freezing Instructions:
To Store: Banana bread will keep at room temperature for 3-5 days.
To Freeze: Cool completely and then store in an airtight container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw to room temperature before serving.
Recipe Variations:
- Healthy Banana Muffins: Follow my instructions HERE!
- Mix-Ins: Feel free to stir in ¾ cup of you favorite chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or raisins, at the end, before adding the batter to the pan.
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Recipe
Healthy Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 bananas , about 1 ⅓ cups, mashed (320 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (15 ml)
- 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar (38 g)
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (25 g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2.6 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (5 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (2.5 g)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (white or white-whole wheat) (180 g)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted (or substitute applesauce) (28 g butter or 30 g applesauce)
Instructions
- Grease a standard 9×5” loaf pan (I also like to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper to make sure the loaf doesn't stick).
- Mash bananas in a mixing bowl. Add egg, vanilla, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon and stir well to combine.
- In a separate small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir to combine.
- Gently stir in melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 few minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe January 2017. Updated January 2021 and January 2022.
Process photos by Nikole from The Travel Palate
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Delicious!I have made it 4 times in 3 days! We just can’t get enough!!!
I absolutely LOVE this recipe!!! I make it as muffins and I add walnuts. I make this EVERY weekend so we have them for lunches for the week. My whole family LOVES them!
Hi, did you add applesauce as listed in the ingredients list?
Hi, did you add applesauce as listed in the ingredients list?
This is a fantastic recipe 🤩 I add another egg, just 2tbsp sugar and sub the apple sauce for 2tbsp of oil. Right now I have a banana, blueberry and raspberry version in the oven 🥰
did you simply add in the blueberries or raspberries to the banana batter?
I just made these into muffins, and they are amazing! I used the bananas and added half a grated carrot and zucchini. I also substituted 50 grams of the APF for almond flour. They taste fantastic and are perfectly moist.
Omg just made this!! Delicious
I have made this with oat flour before. It just made it more grainy/texture. Has anyone used a different flour alternative with luck? Just looking for a more carb friendly version. I’ve also used monkfruit as the sweetener with success.
I made it into muffins. I used 1/2 AP flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour. Eighteen minutes was just the right amount of baking time. Turned out great.
Such a wonderful recipe! I substituted the egg for a chia egg (1tbsp chia + 3 tbsp water). The banana bread turned out so soft and fluffy, will surely be making it again!
I had quit enjoying banana bread because I always felt it was too sweet and overall just not enjoyable. I was so glad to google and find this recipe. I did use wheat flour and also added chopped dates and pecans. It turned out SO MOIST and even the hubs enjoyed (he is the one who likes sweet banana bread typically with chocolate chips). This recipe is a keeper! Thank you, chef!
I only have 3 bananas…of course.
Will I need to adjust the recipe because of this?
Using 3 bananas instead of 4 should still work fine—you might get a slightly denser banana bread, but it will still be delicious.
I love this recipe! I cut back the sugar a tbs of each and it was still delicious! Will try honey today. I always use homemade unsweetened, applesauce. Still delicious! My 4 over ripe bananas are ready to use today! Donna