This post contains affiliate links.
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.
Follow me for more great recipes
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Text me new recipe ideas!
Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe January 2017. Updated January 2021 and January 2022.
Process photos by Nikole from The Travel Palate
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?
How long did you bake the muffins?
I don’t see applesauce in the ingredient list
This is a fantastic recipe. I had a “tried and true” banana bread recipe that I have used for years, but it has a stick of butter and a cup of sugar in it. I was looking for a healthier recipe and this is it! It is light and moist and tastes great. I did add some walnuts and a few chocolate chips as well.
I made this twice. The first time with regular flour and applesauce. – exactly as written. The second time , I used whole wheat flour and applesauce. I also added walnuts for some protein. I think this is the healthiest snack I have made in a very long time! I did bake it in muffin tins for 20 minutes so I could have a grab and go in the morning.
There is no need for butter in this recipe! I had the mini snack containers of applesauce, and I dumped one of those in it instead of butter and mixed the applesauce with the banana sugar mixture. One thing I would like to add that could be very helpful. I sift my flour. It mixes with the “wet” ingredients much easier and avoids the overmixing habit that so many bakers have.
Thanks.
Delicious. So happy with this recipe. Just enough. Thanks!
Great recipe, so fluffy and tasty. Still so sweet even though not as much sugar as usual recipes call for! Will be using this as my go-to banana bread recipe!
Very tasty, but a bit dense. It didn’t rise all that much, but I admit my ingredients are old. I think it could have even had less sugar- it has a very rich flavor. Overall it came out good not great
Absolutely delicious 🤤 fab recipe changed one thing used dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar. Not too sweet so moist will definitely make again with left over ripe bananas
This was over all a delicious recipe! But, most people don’t have much access to coconut sugar. It was a great recipe though!
So glad you loved the recipe. I’m a little confused about the coconut sugar though bc this recipe does not have coconut sugar in it.
Came back to comment how delicious this recipe is!!!! This is the BEST banana bread recipe ever! And healthier than your typical b bread that usually calls for 1+ cups of sugar. I did 3 TBSP of brown sugar + 2 TBSP of coconut sugar. Make sure your bananas are extra ripe! Sprinkle some walnuts with chocolate chips on top and you will die and come back alive within seconds.
I’ve made this recipe sooo many times. I love that it’s not too sweet and you really taste the banana flavor. I like adding chocolate chips or nuts, but it’s also good plain!
I baked it for 35 minutes, then 45, then an hour. Then an hour and 15 minutes. Gave up. Unfortunately it’s not edible, completely raw in the middle.
I’m sorry that happened! It might be a good idea to calibrate your oven and make sure it’s heating to the correct temperature.