Learn how to make easy and healthy banana bread recipe with applesauce, honey or maple syrup, whole wheat flour and no sugar that is tasty, moist and kids love. Rave reader reviews! If you can find a more simple healthy banana bread sweetened only with 1/3 cup of maple syrup and without a cup of vegetable oil, feel free to leave it in the comments.
Your perfect banana bread should be moist inside, with glossy and sticky top, with a crack. And when you take a bite it melts in your mouth. That in my world is the best healthy banana bread and you are looking at it right now!
MY LATEST RECIPESWhat Makes Super Healthy Banana Bread
- Natural sweetener like maple syrup or honey that replaces refined sugar.
- Applesauce replaces almost a cup of oil and makes banana bread moist.
- Whole wheat flour adds fiber, nutrients and vitamins unlike the all-purpose flour stripped of everything that’s good for us.
Is Banana Bread Healthy
Well. Where do I begin?! I think everyone has their own definition of “healthy”. And I think my banana bread recipe is healthy for the above mentioned reasons. If you don’t eat entire loaf in a day.:)
What Are the Best Bananas for Banana Bread
- Yellow with brown spots bananas are super sweet.
- The uglier bananas, the better. Even uglier than in my photo and video are perfect.
How to Make Banana Bread with Fresh Bananas
If you don’t have going bad bananas, don’t fret. To “ripen” bananas faster, bake yellow bananas with skin on for 20 minutes at 300 degrees F oven.
What Can I Substitute Applesauce With
Here are my thoughts and what has worked for some readers:
- Extra ripe large banana
- Whole milk Greek yogurt
- Pureed fresh apples
What Flour Is Good For This Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
Baking is a science, so it’s best to stick to the original recipe if you want the recipe to work. Especially when it comes to flour.
Flours that work with this recipe:
- Whole wheat flour
- Spelt flour
Flours that don’t work:
- Almond flour (see my almond flour banana muffins instead)
- Coconut flour (see my coconut flour banana bread instead)
- All purpose white flour.
How to Make Healthy Banana Bread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9 x 5 loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper. In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork or a masher.
- Add eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk to combine (masher works fine).
- Add flour and stir gently just enough to mix.
- Pour batter in prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool off completely.
- Cut into 10 slices and enjoy.
Healthy Banana Bread
Learn how to make easy and healthy banana bread recipe with applesauce, honey or maple syrup, and whole wheat flour that is tasty, moist and kids love. Rave reader reviews!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium very ripe bananas (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 eggs, large
- 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 tbsp avocado or coconut oil (melted)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder, aluminum free
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9 x 5 loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork or a masher. Add eggs, applesauce, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk to combine (masher works fine).
- Add flour and stir gently just enough to mix. Pour batter in prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool off completely. Cut into 10 slices and enjoy.
Store: Keep in a cool dry place in a glass airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
Do I need to adjust any of the ingredients to add nuts?
Nope.
This recipe is amazing! I was looking for a banana bread without sugar and using spelt flour and here it it! My kids love it, it is so yummy it pretty much gets eaten in a day! Thanks so much 😊
★★★★★
You are welcome.:) Yes, my kids love it too! I make 2 at a time because husband counts as “a kid”.:)
I have made many a “clean eating” banana bread. This was, by far, the most outstanding. The size of the loaf was relatively large compared to others I have made. I added some cinnamon to this for an extra little bit of flavour. Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Awesome! Yes, cinnamon is great. I just try to keep recipes basic and then little flavour tweaks are to personal taste.:)
The most delicious healthy banana bread I have ever tried!
★★★★★
This is the BEST banana bread I’ve ever made. I was out of applesauce and to lazy to make some so I used an extra banana. The lightest banana bread I’ve ever made. Thank you.
Yay. Yay. Yay.
Hi,
I followed your recipe, I think it’s the best I have seen. I am not sure what applesauce is and I replaced it with unsweetened almond milk. I baked for 40mins and the bread turned out quite dry. Is it because I don’t have much oil In it (the applesauce has oil I presume)?
Thanks!
Sissi
Hi Sissi. You can’t replace applesauce with almond milk. Applesauce is puréed cooked apples full of fiber thus adding moisture. It replaces oil in baking quite well. Almond milk is simply water. You can buy applesauce in any store. Bread will turn out amazing!
Hi Olena,
Thanks for your reply. I will try it with applesauce. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. perfect wth my diet 🙂
Just made this recipe, and it is soo good! The only difference is I used 3 large bananas and 1/4 cup maple syrup because it was easier to calculate the nutrition lol. I used spelt flour and next time I will use whole wheat and see how it turns out. It might seem soggy/wet when you first take it out the oven and cut into it but rest assured when it cools overnight it dries and is fluffier than ever. Oh and I had to bake mines for 10min extra on top of the 60min.
Awesome! So glad to hear. I am making my healthy banana muffins today too. Kids love them.
Just made this following the recipe exactly with the addition of 2 T of mini chocolate chips. I halved the recipe as I only had 2 ripe bananas. I baked it for 35 minutes. It’s almost gone, after being highly approved by an 8 and 10 year old, and ME!! Very moist and delicious!
Wohooo!:)
Hi, Olena!
First of.all, thank you for.sharing with your healthy and light recipes! This is awesome, because the recipes that I see perfectly fit.in my current diet:) I recently had my 4 th child and surely gained some baby fat:( but am working on getting back in shape. I am also eating high protein and low fat/carb foods. It is very effective! And does not affect my milk supply:)
Blessings to your family!!!
Hi Victoria. Congratulations on your baby! I’m glad to help.:) It is all possible with a little bit of work.:) Thank you for reading!