The Best Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

Home Breads The Best Banana Bread Recipe

4.75 from 8 votes

By FoodfaithfitnessFeb 26, 2024Jump to Recipe

A healthier and delicious way to use up those brown bananas, this is one of our favourite afternoon treats.

Table of Contents

Banana bread has been popular since the 30’s. It’s rumored to have been invented during the Great Depression as a way of using up overripe bananas. There are hundreds or banana bread recipes out there, and here we’ve created one that we think tops them all. It has a delicious banana flavour, the slightly bitter crunch of walnuts and utilizes the healthiest ingredient choices without compromising on flavor or texture.

The key is to use the ripest bananas you can. Pro tip: throw your overripe bananas in the freezer until you have enough to make a loaf. They will go black when frozen but the ripening process will be arrested and they’ll be perfect for baking.

Is Banana Bread Healthy?

Banana bread is not particularly healthy, but this recipe is one of the healthiest you’ll find. We’ve chosen ingredients to up the fibre, increase the healthy fats and reduce the glycemic load. Enjoy a slice with your afternoon coffee, and cut it thinner if you’re worried about calorie intake.

On Ripe Bananas

Bananas grow as a starchy green fruit, and they are harvested that way. Bananas continue to ripen off the tree, and are shipped around the world green. they’re now available everywhere and are inexpensive, but in Victorian times they were considered a rare delicacy, and were sold individually wrapped in aluminum foil.

As bananas ripen, the starches turn to sugars and the skins go from green to yellow. Once they start to develop black spots, almost all the starches have been converted to sugars, and they will subsequently get darker and softer.

Fun fact: You can slow the ripening process by wrapping the end of a bunch in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

INGREDIENTS

2cupswhole wheat flour
1teaspoonbaking sodato help it rise
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspooncinnamon
½cupunsalted buttersoftened (or swap in coconut oil for a healthier fat)
½cupcoconut sugar
2large eggsroom temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1 1/3cupsmashed ripe bananas(about 4 small bananas, the riper the sweeter)
Optional: ½cupof walnuts or dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×4-inch loaf pan by greasing it with butter or lining it with parchment paper.

Mix

In a mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Then, in a separate bowl, mix the softened butter and coconut sugar until fluffy, for about 2 minutes with a hand mixer. One by one, add the eggs then stir in the vanilla extract.

Add the Bananas

Fold the mashed bananas into the egg and butter mixture.

Combine

Gradually stir the dry ingredients. Make sure to not overmix.

FAQs

Can I use green bananas?

No. They key is having soft, super-ripe bananas.

Do I have to add the cinnamon?

No. Cinnamon adds a warmth to the loaf but it works just as well without it.

I don’t want cruchy bits in my loaf.

You can grind the walnuts or leave them out entirely. We love the flavor the walnuts add, and sometimes sprinkle extra on top of the loaf before baking.

What to do if my banana bread isn’t fluffy?

Don’t over-mix the dry ingredients. It’ll make your banana bread dense. Also, whether you’re using butter or coconut oil, soften it at room temperature before mixing.

My load sticks to the pan

You can try lining up your loaf pan with parchment paper instead of using butter or cooking spray.

Serving Suggestions

This loaf is perfect with an afternoon coffee with the neighbours, as an after school snack or added to a lunch box. It also makes the best french toast you’ve ever had, which is our favorite way to use up stale slices. You’re welcome.

Make Ahead and Storage

This banana bread will store well for a week, covered to preserve freshness. It also freezes very well. We like to pre-slice it and wrap the slices individually before freezing.

Recipe