A classic recipe made with wholesome ingredients, this Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread is dairy-free, contains no oil, and still 100% delicious! Whole grain flour, coconut sugar, and 4 extra ripe bananas are the star ingredients in this recipe!
Banana bread is without a doubt, my FAVORITE type of quick bread/muffin. I had THE BEST banana bread of my LIFE when I studied abroad in Australia. Ridiculously thick slices, SO flavorful. To this day I still don’t understand how there was so much flavor in their banana bread. The place that never failed me was Gloria Jean’s. I had actually never heard of Gloria Jean’s until I was in Sydney, but apparently it is also a chain in the states? Anyways, there were several around campus. So typically my snack between classes was a slice of banana bread and a flat white. Soooo good. Healthy? Mmmm not so much. In fact I have to wonder if what made that banana bread so flavorful was artificial flavors. Or possibly it was just loaded up with butter, oil, and sugar. Hmm I guess I’ll never know :-p I dream about that banana bread all the damn time though… the gym cafe also had an amazing banana smoothie…. ugh I miss it.
Okay, enough reminiscing. Let’s move on to MY lovely banana bread recipe, as it is definitely going to be a much healthier version of the slices I was smitten over in OZ. But it still tastes good, duh.
This recipe has NO OIL, is DAIRY-FREE, but is still moist and flavorful! We’re using FOUR extra ripe bananas and two large eggs to ensure this loaf is nice and moist. << why do people hate that word? MOIST MOIST MOIST.
BAKING HACK:
Some of my bananas were not as ripe as I would have liked them, so I put them on a baking pan while the oven preheated and let them brown in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Extra-ripe bananas done in minutes versus days!
Then I used my immersion blender to puree the bananas for a smooth texture. Here is a link (affiliate*) to the one I use if you’re interested!
Then whisk together your bananas, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and add it to your bowl of dry ingredients.
Next GENTLY, gently, gently combine your batter until everything has just come together.
Bake your bread for about 40-50 minutes and check with a toothpick in the middle for crumbs.
For this recipe containing no oil, butter, or extra excessive sugar, I’d say it turned out pretty darn good.
How to Make…
Whole Wheat Banana Bread [oil-free, dairy-free]
A classic recipe made with wholesome ingredients, this Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread is dairy-free, contains no oil, and still 100% delicious!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
- Scale:
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat white flour*
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 medium extra ripe bananas, 2 cups mashed very well
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or dry sweetener of choice)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and adjust oven rack to lower (this will help your bread from browning too much on top). Spray 9×5 bread pan, or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl add 2 cups very well mashed bananas and sugar, whisk until combined. Add in eggs, milk, and vanilla, whisk until completely smooth.
- Add wet ingredients to large bowl of dry ingredients, gently folding in until JUST combined, batter will be thick and heavy.
Avoid over-working the batter, as that will result in a tough bread.
Pour batter into prepared bread pan and bake for 40-50 minutes. Cover top of bread loosely with foil at 20 minutes, to avoid the top from getting too dark. Insert toothpick into middle of bread, it should come out with little to no crumbs when done. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing.
Recipes Notes:
*Whole Wheat flour can probably be subbed but I have not tested this myself. I would just add a couple more tablespoons of liquid. If you try this, please do let me know how it is!
*If you’d like a slightly sweeter bread, bump up the sugar to 3/4 cup.
-This recipe was also tested in a glass loaf pan, at 350F for the first 45 minutes, then an additional 10 minutes at 375F.
-Store bread in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Or bread may be stored in fridge for longer.
-Freeze cooled banana bread loaf by wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and foil, baked bread should keep at least 1 month.
Nutrition Information:
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 167
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 218
- Fat: 1
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 31
TOOLS USED FOR THIS RECIPE
NOTE: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Purchasing products listed through the links comes at no extra charge to you, but I will receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting Fit Mitten Kitchen!
Natalie says
Your photos have me drooling at my desk! This banana bread looks absolutely delish. I definitely need to get my hands on an immersion blender. I get so irritated when I have to whip out my food processor for little jobs. Love that this recipe is dairy-free! Thanks for sharing!
Ashley says
lol well thanks Natalie! The immersion blender is definitely one of those kitchen tools that makes life easier, for sure! I love my kitchen gadgets, whether the husband says I have too many or not 😉
Jess @hellotofit says
One of our roommates made banana bread a couple days ago…wonder if he knew it was Nat’l banana bread day!! It was so so tasty. I usually default to a banana bread cockaigne recipe from Joy of Cooking, but now I will need to try this one!!
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health says
I didn’t realize that you could ripen bananas that way! Genius. This banana bread looks perfect and I love that it’s made with healthier ingredients. Great tip to use an immersion blender too!
Ashley says
Oven ripened bananas is the perfect quick fix when you find yourself Ina bind! Thanks Sarah 🙂
Dani @ Dani California Cooks says
I just love the color of this bread. So dense and hearty! I love quickbreads that are studded with nuts and dried fruit.
Ashley says
Thanks Dani! Oh that dried fruit and nuts combo for sure. I used to hate them when I was little, but I love the mixed texture they give!
Cailee says
Yeah girl! It’s your blog, you can do what you want!! And besides… posting it the day after banana bread day just means that we get to prolong the celebration. So it’s a win win really 🙂 BTW this looks amazing! Recipe on point! Thanks for sharing girl and I hope that you have an awesome weekend!
Xoxo Cailee!
Ashley says
Thanks so much Cailee! Couldn’t agree more about celebrating banana bread 😀
Julia @ Lord Still Loves Me says
Aw I wish you had posted this the day before! I would have added it to my roundup! It looks really delicious though. 🙂 I’ll pin it for later!
Ashley says
Aw well thanks Julia! 😀
Meg says
Hi, can I sub the eggs for a flax egg?
Ashley says
Hi Meg, while I haven’t tested that option myself here, I am fairly positive it will work. I’ve had success substituting similar recipes with flax eggs and they turned out. Just watch the baking time closely if you decide to try it. Let me know how it goes if you do 🙂
Annelyse says
I grew up in Aus but live in the US now and dream CONSTANTLY about Gloria Jeans’ Banana Bread and their Pear and Raspberry Bread and have desperately tried to work out how to make my bread like that but no avail :(. Guess it’s just a treat when I go back?!
Ashley says
Ah yes I am so glad someone understands my love and obsession for Gloria jeans bread! Next time you go back bring me some ☺️
Drew says
Who does not love banana bread!
★★★★★
Courtney Hicks says
This was so good! I swapped out coconut sugar for brown sugar 1:1 and then used regular 2.25 cups of white flour. Worked out perfectly! Thanks for this recipe Ash!