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?
Finally found a truly healthy banana bread recipe that has low amounts of sugar and butter/fats.
Copying another commenter, the second time I made this recipe I substituted 1/3 of flour with protein powder and it turned out well! I also added chopped walnuts, and used all brown sugar (rather than brown + white sugar).
My go-to cake recipe nowadays!
These turned out excellent. I did reduce the white sugar to 1 tablespoon, and next time I may also reduce the brown sugar to 2 tablespoons, because we generally prefer things a little less sweet. But this recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank you for providing it.
This is my first time baking anything and it came out PERFECT after 40 minutes. I added walnuts and a few chocolate chips on top. Can’t wait to try this again and using apple sauce instead of the butter next!
I love this recipe, I make it a the time when I have 4 bananas left. Just sweet enough and my whole family loves it!!!!
Love this. Don’t miss the fat and it’s plenty sweet. Will be making this often.
Love this recipe. Plan to make it again today. Curious about the calories. I entered the recipe into very well fit and it calculated 316 calories per slice.
With our calculations, assuming you get 12 slices from your loaf of bread, it would be 137 calories per slice. We are so glad you enjoy this banana bread recipe!
This is the best banana bread recipe ! It’s my go too !
Delicious loaf with minimal sugar and butter! Finished baking within ~45 minutes, very moist. Super easy to whip up before supper! Definitely recommend. 🙂
Wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out with less sugar and oil than usual, but this might be my new go-to recipe for banana bread!
Used sugar alternative for the granulated, and subbed 1/2 cup of the flour with protein powder. It still turned out fantastic.
I did 35 & it was overbaked 🙁 i shoulda checked it before but i thought since i was on the very end of the suggested time i would be ok. Came out dry. I did use whole wheat flour & applesauce so its not too sweet, but dry. Shucks.
Whole wheat flour naturally absorbs more liquid and provides a more dense texture. This is why we recommend all purpose flour or white whole wheat flour in this recipe.