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
Recipe
Healthy Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 bananas , about 1 ⅓ cups, mashed
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (white or white-whole wheat)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted (or substitute 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
Create a FREE Account to save your favorite recipes and create meal plans
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe January 2017. Updated January 2021 and January 2022.
Process photos by Nikole from The Travel Palate
This post contains affiliate links.
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?
Absolutely terrific! My daughter and I really enjoyed making it together. Thank you! : )
Thank you so much! So happy you and your daughter spent that time together, and happy you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
This recipe turned out great for me! Thanks to sharing!
Hi Lauren
I saw the nutritional information, however I didn’t see a fiber value and I use that to determine my
Weight Watchers point value. Would you happen to know what it is?
Hi Jessie, I just updated it–thanks! There is about 1 gram fiber per slice
Did you figure out the point value?
I made this banana bread for a second time, it is absolutely delicious! My husband and parents both loved it. It’s moist and so flavorful!
Thank you so much for sharing!
Just getting ready to make this…but can you verify the amount of vanilla? A tablespoon seems like an awful lot~
I do use 1 tablespoon of vanilla. You can use less if you want to. I love the flavor it adds.
I was wondering, could i use just oat flour in place of the all purpose? Or would i need to add a little xantham gum to help with the binding?
Oat flour could work–I haven’t tried it to say for sure, but it’s worth a try!
I love this recipe but it always falls in the middle after I take it out of the oven – are they any tricks to keep the middle from collapsing after it is done and cooling?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah, where are you located? If you’re at a higher elevation you could try adding a spoonful more of flour. Also make sure your baking soda is fresh, and if you are using a glass pan I would try lowering the baking temperature by 25 degrees. Try not to open the oven at all while it’s baking. Hopefully these tips help!
Best banana bread muffins I have ever made! Beautiful crumb. Not too sweet. Thanks for posting. ??
I make this bread all of the time! My husband who doesn’t be like bananas even likes it
My wife just made this for me and my picky 4 year old and we both absolutely loved it! Great recipe!!!
What are the nutrition facts for this banana bread?
I have just added nutritional facts. There are about 100 calories/slice 🙂