Healthy Banana Bread – Whole Wheat, Refined Sugar-Free (No Oil Option)

This is seriously the greatest Healthy Banana Bread ever! It’s really simple to make, rich in taste from bananas, incredibly moist, and surprisingly healthy! Substitute all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour, and refined-sugar for healthy honey or date syrup in this nutritious banana bread recipe!

This is a wonderful AND indubitably popular banana bread recipe, with its super-moist and buttery texture, tastes of banana, applesauce and honey, soft crumb, and minimal healthy ingredients! All you need for this recipe is one bowl, a couple of measuring cups, and some staple ingredients.

I simply adore eating this Banana Bread for breakfast with butter or peanut butter on top and even some fresh fruits like raspberries and blackberries! You can eat it whenever! It fits even as a wonderful snack since it can be even classified as a healthier dessert than bread! My grandma loves eating a few crumbs every half an hour!

What Makes This Banana Bread Healthy And Why You Will Love It?

• Unlike typical recipes that use refined flour and a lot of processed sugar, this recipe for banana bread has the option to be made entirely using whole wheat flour.

• Naturally sweetened – Honey, maple syrup or date syrup, which naturally sweetens baked goods like banana bread, provides trace minerals that white sugar does not.

• Basic Ingredients – No artificial sweeteners or anything out of the ordinary here, this banana bread recipe calls for very simple minimal ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!
• One bowl, 10 minutes of preparation – This banana bread recipe will only take up to 10-15  minutes of the whole preparation process and requires only 1 bowl! No mess in the kitchen is required XD

Healthy Banana Bread Recipe Ingredients

One of the things I absolutely love about this Banana Bread is that you don’t need 15+ ingredients and a bunch of bowls to make it! Just a few basic ingredients, 1 bowl, and 10-15 minutes of preparation!

• Butter: Let’s be honest, nothing beats the insanely rich buttery flavor that it brings to the baked goods! If you, however, don’t have the butter, you can substitute it for the neutral-tasting vegetable oil or even unsweetened applesauce.

• (White) Whole Wheat Flour: Compared to conventional whole wheat, this whole grain flour is gentler in flavor and texture. You can use whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour.

• Ripe Bananas: Make sure to use very ripe bananas for the best banana flavor. The ripper the sweeter! You’ll need about 2 larger or 3 medium bananas!

• Honey: Super healthy refined sugar alternative. Make sure to use raw unsweetened honey. You can substitute it for maple syrup if desired.

• Eggs: They create structure and stability within a batter, and help bind the ingredients together.

• Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Helps the loaf to rise as it bakes.

• Salt: Enhances and balances the flavor of all ingredients.

• Vanilla Extract: To add an extra touch of sweetness. An optional ingredient.

How To Make Healthy Banana Bread

You’ll be surprised at the simplicity of this Healthy Banana Bread Recipe! Just like it requires only a handful of simple ingredients, the preparation process is also super simple!

You’ll need only 1 bowl – however, I always like whisking the eggs in a separate smaller bowl, so you can also do the same!

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees Celsius). In a larger bowl, whisk together the melted butter (oil or applesauce), honey, and mashed banana. Then, in a smaller bowl, whisk in the eggs. Once the wet ingredients are well combined, add the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla to the bowl.

Thoroughly mix the mixture with your whisk before adding the flour. Make sure the mixture is free of any remaining clumps of salt or baking soda.

Pro tip: I don’t like adding baking soda and baking powder into the flour, and then transferring them into the eggs and banana mixture because of the possible variations of the flour measure. You may need a smaller amount of flour sometimes, so it is a safer option to add them to the eggs and banana mixture.

Step 2: Add the flour and stir just until incorporated, using a rubber spatula. Stop mixing when there are no longer any flour striations visible. If you overmix the mixture, your banana bread will become thick rather than tender and airy.

Step 3: Prepare the loaf pan by cutting a sheet of parchment paper to fit within.

If you don’t have parchment paper or if you simply want to go the old-fashioned way like me, you can grease the baking mold with a cooking spray like olive oil or sunflower oil. After greasing your baking mold, you should sprinkle some flour over it and shake and roll it around to ensure that the flour sticks to the oil. When the flour remains attached evenly, tap off the extra into the trash can.

Step 4: Pour the mixture into the ready baking pan, place in the oven, and bake for approximately 35-50 minutes (ovens vary). A toothpick put into the center of the loaf should come out clean after baking for 35 to 50 minutes. After 30-35 minutes, check on the banana bread using the toothpick method.

Healthy Banana Bread Baking Tips

• Use ripe bananas – The key to making the best sweet banana bread with rich banana flavor is to use very ripe bananas.
  • Try keeping your bananas on top of the refrigerator or close to a heater for a warm place to store them. They will ripen more quickly.
  • Make use of paper bags: Loosely wrap the top of a brown paper bag over the bananas. Put any additional ripe fruit you have, such as avocados or apples, in the bag as well.

• Lightly scoop the flour into the measuring cup, leveling the surface afterward. Avoid packing in too much flour by not using the measuring cup to scoop the flour straight.

• Don’t overmix the mixture: Stir everything together just until it’s all incorporated after adding the flour to the bowl. If you overmix now, the bread will come out thick and tough instead of soft and supple.

Recipe Variations

• Dairy-free – To make dairy-free banana bread, substitute butter for vegetable or or applesauce.

• Add some nuts or raisins – A healthy and flavorful addition to this banana bread would be the finely chopped nut mix or one type of your choice or soft tasty raisins. To make banana nut bread, mix finely chopped nut mix into the batter after adding the flour.

• Add dark chocolate – In case you’re craving an even sweeter banana bread combination you can add some dark chocolate chips into the mixture and enrich the flavor!