This healthier no butter and no refined sugar-free banana bread is loaded with tons of banana flavor, has a light and slightly chewy texture, and is wonderfully moist, fluffy, and delicious!
Jump To
- Why You’ll Love This Refined Sugar Free Banana Bread
- 🛒Ingredients For Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
- 🥣Instructions
- Flavor Profile
- ⏲️ Recommended Equipment
- How To Measure Flour
- 📋Tips
- Recipe Troubleshoot
- Storage Instructions
- 👪Serving No Butter Banana Bread
- Best Banana Bread Recipes
- Banana Bread Substitutions
- Variations
- 🤷Common Readers Questions
- Other quick bread recipes you’ll love:
- 📖Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You’ll Love This Refined Sugar Free Banana Bread
- This recipe uses 100% whole wheat flour instead of refined flour and minimizes processed sugar.
- The sweetness comes from natural sources like honey or maple syrup, providing trace nutrients that white sugar lacks. Additionally, it incorporates a moderate amount of unrefined oil, such as virgin coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, or vegetable oil, as a healthier alternative to whole sticks of butter.
- Want to make your banana bread with all-purpose flour instead?
- Or with almond flour? Try this banana bread instead.
🛒Ingredients For Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
- Bananas - choose overripe bananas with brown spots and a strong banana aroma for the best banana bread flavor. Aim for 2-3 large, brown bananas. Certainly, the sweeter the bread will be with darker bananas. However, if you're longing for moist banana bread and only have yellow bananas, the recipe still works wonderfully.
- Whole wheat flour - for a healthier twist, we love to use whole wheat flour, thanks to other moist ingredients the bread tastes incredibly moist, spongy, and airy.
- Baking soda - in place of baking soda you can also use baking powder.
- Coconut oil - I used regular coconut oil and melt it in the microwave. You don’t necessarily taste the flavor of coconut here, but if you want to be sure use unscented coconut oil. Olive oil is fine too.
- Salt - I use a small amount of fine sea or kosher salt to subtly enhance the flavors of the bread.
- Eggs - for optimal blending and rising, use eggs at room temperature.
- Cinnamon - use high-quality cinnamon. You can also include some other warming spices like ground cardamom, and nutmeg to add depth to the ripe banana flavor. Alternatively, all spices, cloves, and ginger can provide a unique twist.
- Incorporate vanilla extract to heighten the overall flavors and impart sweetness to the bread. If vanilla is unavailable, consider alternatives such as almond extract, or rum extract.
For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
🥣Instructions
Prep. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and either grease a 4.5" x 8.5" loaf pan with oil or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 1 - Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, mashed bananas, yogurt, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and coconut oil until the mixture is smooth.
Step 2 - Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 3 - Combine wet and dry ingredients. Using a sifter, gradually add these dry ingredients to the banana mixture in two batches.
Step 4 - Mix ins (Optional). If you want to add some sweetness and extra flavor add ½-3/4 cup of chocolate chips or ½ cup dried fruit/nuts now. Stir with a spatula until the ingredients are well combined.
Step 5 - Bake. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes. Cut one larger banana in half and lay it over the top of the batter. Press it to encase it in the batter. Once baked, the banana caramelizes, contributing moisture and additional sweetness to the bread.
Check for doneness around the 50-minute mark using a toothpick.
✅ EXPERT TIP: If the top of the bread is becoming too brown, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil. Keep in mind that ovens vary, so this adjustment may be necessary.
Once baked, let the bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Flavor Profile
This no-butter banana bread is pleasantly sweet (but not overly sweet), striking a perfect balance of flavors. It leaves room for customization when served, perhaps with jams or spreads.
Sweetness also depends on the ripeness of bananas, if you're worried, I've also tested this bread with ½ cup of honey (instead of ¼ cup of maple syrup) and it was much sweeter and so good!
⏲️ Recommended Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight Food containers
- Mixing Bowls
- 9x5 inch Bread Loaf Pan or 8x4 inch loaf pan
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
How To Measure Flour
You can achieve amazing results by measuring flour correctly. Follow the "spoon and level" method:
- Gently stir the flour with a large spoon to loosen it, then spoon it into the measuring cup without scooping. Finally, level off (s the excess with a butter knife.
- Read more about how to measure baking ingredients.
📋Tips
- Use a kitchen scale for precise baking ratios. If you don't have one, fluff out ingredients like flour before measuring.
- Mash bananas with a fork, not a blender, leaving tiny lumps.
- Grease the baking pan and parchment to prevent sticking.
- Create a parchment "hammock" by letting a few inches hang over the pan edges for easy lifting.
- Make Banana Muffins by baking the batter in greased muffin tins or liners at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For Banana Cranberry Walnut Bread, add ¾ cup of cranberries and ½ cup of walnuts. Mix them with the dry ingredients, ensuring thorough coating with flour to prevent sinking in the batter.
- Before removing the loaf, wiggle the parchment to loosen it, allowing the bread to easily come free without the need for a knife.
- Separate and mix wet and dry ingredients to avoid overmixing, which can lead to a dense loaf. Whisk each separately before folding them together for the batter.
- Tip on mix-ins - For extra security step, mix dry add-ons with dry ingredients first to coat them with flour before combining with wet ingredients, preventing them from sinking during baking.
Recipe Troubleshoot
Why did my banana bread not come out fluffy?
Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent banana bread from becoming dense and rubbery. For optimal results, blend the dry and wet ingredients only until just combined. Additionally, be cautious with ingredient measurements, as a higher ratio of wet to dry ingredients can lead to a less fluffy loaf.
Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store at room temperature. Once the banana bread has cooled completely, place it between paper towels and store it in an airtight container. Freshly baked banana bread remains fresh for approximately four days at room temperature.
- 🥶Freezing. For freezing, wrap the cooled banana bread in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag, or freezer-safe container, or wrap it in layers of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Don't forget to label it with the date. Frozen banana bread will be kept for about 3-4 months.
- To Thaw. To thaw from frozen, leave wrapped banana bread loaf on the counter for approximately 4 hours. For a quicker thaw, unwrap and bake on a preheated baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes.
👪Serving No Butter Banana Bread
Banana bread is delicious warm or cold, making it a versatile treat. It's perfect for picnics, post-game snacks, or camping desserts. The flavors intensify the next day, making it a delightful breakfast paired with homemade coffee or hot chocolate.
Banana Bread Substitutions
- Oil: My preference is coconut oil; the unrefined version blends seamlessly into the final product. Olive oil, is also suitable which will add a subtle herbal note. Alternatively, opt for neutral-flavored vegetable oil, although cold-pressed sunflower or grapeseed oil for a less processed option.
- Flour alternatives: Instead of whole wheat flour, you can use an equal amount of all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Milk: Use whole-fat or low-fat. For non-dairy milk use plant-based based alternatives (we love unsweetened oat milk or almond milk).
- Eggs: I don't recommend dry egg replacement here but 2 flax eggs should work better instead.
- Yogurt: This can be substituted with sour cream or plant-based yogurt.
Variations
Feel free to add your favorite nutritional mix-ins, but keep the total under ½-1 cups for this no-butter banana bread.
- Opt for dried fruits and nuts like raisins, chocolate chips, cocoa nibs, coconut, poppy seeds or chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and almonds. Chop larger add-ons like nuts into smaller pieces.
- For extra security step, mix dry add-ons with dry ingredients first to coat them with flour before combining with wet ingredients, preventing them from sinking during baking.
- Sunflower seeds or hemp seeds for protein.
- ½ cup of shredded vegetables – like carrots or drained zucchini.
- Instead of chocolate chips we also love to use cocoa nibs which are healthier but have a bittery undertone.
🤷Common Readers Questions
No problem! Freeze overripe bananas by peeling and storing them in a freezer-safe container or bag. You can freeze whole bananas, individual peeled ones, or banana slices. Use freezer bags for convenience and space efficiency. Remember to label the container with the date, as frozen bananas maintain their texture for about 3 months. When you're ready to make banana bread, check our recipe for Banana Bread with Frozen Bananas.
Top alternatives to butter in banana bread include neutral oils like canola, vegetable, olive, ghee, and coconut oil.
While butter is favored in banana bread for its rich, sweet flavor, oil, unless flavored, usually doesn't impact the taste significantly. It contributes to a moister and fluffier texture.
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❤️Did you make this recipe? Please be sure to leave a rating and a comment below. Thank you!❤️
📖Recipe
Refined Sugar Free Banana Bread (No Butter)
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup maple syrup, or honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed banana, (about 2-3 bananas)
- 1 larger extra banana for decoration
- 3 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and either grease a 4.5" x 8.5" loaf pan with oil or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Step 1 - Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, mashed bananas, yogurt, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and coconut oil until the mixture is smooth.
- Step 2 - Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Step 3 - Combine wet and dry ingredients. Using a sifter, gradually add these dry ingredients to the banana mixture in two batches.
- Step 4 - Mix ins (Optional). If you want to add some sweetness and extra flavor add ½-¾ cup of chocolate chips or ½ cup dried fruit/nuts now. Stir with a spatula until the ingredients are well combined.
- Step 5 - Bake. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes. Cut one larger banana in half and lay it over the top of the batter. Press it to encase it in the batter. Once baked, the banana caramelizes, contributing moisture and additional sweetness to the bread.
- Check for doneness around the 50-minute mark using a toothpick.
- Once baked, let the bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Sweetness and Flavor. This no-butter banana bread is pleasantly sweet (but not overly sweet), striking a perfect balance of flavors. It leaves room for customization when served, perhaps with jams or spreads.
- Sweetness also depends on the ripeness of bananas, if you're worried, I've also tested this bread with ½ cup of honey (instead of ¼ cup of maple syrup) and it was much sweeter and so good!
- For substitutions and variations please read the blog post.
- If the top of the bread is becoming too brown, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil. Keep in mind that ovens vary, so this adjustment may be necessary.
- Why did my banana bread not come out fluffy? Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent banana bread from becoming dense and rubbery. For optimal results, blend the dry and wet ingredients only until just combined. Additionally, be cautious with ingredient measurements, as a higher ratio of wet to dry ingredients can lead to a less fluffy loaf.
- To Store at room temperature. Once the banana bread has cooled completely, place it between paper towels and store it in an airtight container. Freshly baked banana bread remains fresh for approximately four days at room temperature.
- Freezing. For freezing, wrap the cooled banana bread in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag, or freezer-safe container, or wrap it in layers of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Don't forget to label it with the date. Frozen banana bread will be kept for about 3-4 months.
- To Thaw. To thaw from frozen, leave wrapped banana bread loaf on the counter for approximately 4 hours. For a quicker thaw, unwrap and bake on a preheated baking sheet in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes.
Rita
enjoy a delicious slice of warm sugar free banana bread with your morning coffee.