This Healthy Banana Bread Recipe is a family favorite that’s quick to mix up, made with everyday ingredients, and always disappears fast.

Slices of Healthy Banana Bread Recipe, warm and inviting, with chocolate chips scattered throughout.
chelsea

author’s note

Bananas Never Go to Waste With This Bread Around!

I go through bananas so quickly at my home! My kids love them as snacks or cut up in their oatmeal, I freeze them to use in an Açaí Bowl or this Blueberry Smoothie, and my husband loves them in this Chocolate Protein Shake.

If I have any leftovers at the end of the week, my kids beg for a baked banana treat. They’ll usually request these Banana Cupcakes, but after I made this healthy banana bread a few weeks ago, they’ve consistently asked for it. Which is a huge win in my book!

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Ingredients in this recipe prepped out for easy assembly including flour, bananas, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, eggs, vanilla, honey, chocolate chips, oil, and yogurt.

Ingredients In Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

IngredientTips & Swaps
Coconut OilMelt before mixing. Swap with avocado oil or melted butter if preferred.
HoneyNatural sweetener that adds flavor. Maple syrup works as a 1:1 substitute.
Greek YogurtAdds moisture and protein. Use sour cream or dairy-free yogurt instead.
Ripe BananasThe darker, the better for natural sweetness and flavor.
FlourAll-purpose keeps it light. Swap half for whole wheat flour for heartiness.

Quick Tip

This bread is packed with delicious ingredients — protein from the eggs and Greek yogurt, vitamins and nutrients from the bananas, a boost in good cholesterol and energy from the coconut oil, and antioxidants from the honey.

The bananas mashed up and then added to the wet ingredients for this Healthy Banana Bread Recipe.

How To Make Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

  1. Prep: Heat the oven, grease and flour a bread pan.
  2. Wet Ingredients: Mix oil and honey, then eggs, bananas, yogurt, and vanilla.
  3. Dry Ingredients: Directly add salt, cinnamon, and baking soda to wet mix, then stir in flour and chocolate chips until just combined.
  4. Bake: Pour into the pan and bake until done.
  5. Cool: Let the healthy banana bread rest in the pan before serving.

Featured Comment

“I’ve finally found the ONE, so good! Even my husband loved it.
You’re photos sold me on trying yet another banana bread recipe,
it came out perfectly, thank you thank you!”

– Jen
94 More Reviews
The dry ingredients added to the wet and it all mixed together.

Variations

  • Mini Chocolate Chips: Use dark chocolate for a different flavor and more antioxidants.
  • Nuts: Add walnuts or pecans, tossed with the flour, to the batter.
  • Raisins: Regular, golden, dried cherries, or cranberries, also tossed with flour are delish.
  • Spiced Banana Bread: Leave out the add-ins and increase spices with 1/4 tsp nutmeg or a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice.

Healthy Banana Bread Recipe batter in the pan baked up to perfection.

Storage

Freezing And Storing Leftovers

  • Store healthy banana bread in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.
  • For longer storage, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • To thaw, leave it at room temp for a few hours or heat slices in the microwave.

Use Extra Bananas In:

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4.65 from 28 votes
Slices of healthy banana bread, warm and inviting, with chocolate chips scattered throughout.
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Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

By Chelsea Lords
This Healthy Banana Bread Recipe is filled with good-for-you ingredients. This recipe uses everyday products and does not have any refined sugars or butter.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 slices

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 packed cup mashed banana 2 large bananas
  • 1/4 cup honey vanilla Greek yogurt full-fat, I recommend Greek Gods
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips optional
  • 1 tablespoon old-fashioned oats optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Generously grease a 9×5-inch bread pan and lightly dust with flour. Tap off excess flour over the sink and set the prepared pan aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and honey. Add in eggs and whisk until smooth. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until well mashed and broken down (see note 1). Pack mashed bananas into a measuring cup and level the top. Add to the wet ingredients along with the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and combined.
  • On top of the wet ingredients, add the salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir. Add in flour and mini chocolate chips (if using). With a wooden spoon, gently stir the chocolate chips to get coated with the flour, then mix the flour into the rest of the ingredients. Do not overmix; stop as soon as the flour is fully incorporated.
  • Using a spatula, scrape all the batter into the prepared 9×5-inch pan. Bake in the fully preheated oven for 50–65 minutes or until very lightly browned on the edges and a toothpick comes out clean (or with few moist crumbs) from the center.
  • Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. When fully cool, cut into slices and enjoy.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: To quickly and thoroughly mash bananas, remove the peels, break into a few pieces, and beat them in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until well mashed.
Note 2: While this recipe contains no added sugar, if you add chocolate chips to the batter, keep in mind that most commercial brands contain sugar.
Note 3: I’ve also tested this recipe with a mix of oat flour and regular flour. For that version, click here.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days. Enjoy slices warmed in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. Bread freezes and thaws well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.6g | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 6.8g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 117.9mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 14.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Meet Chelsea

Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.65 from 28 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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94 Comments

  1. Collie says:

    I make this once a week at my house. Perfect for breakfast.

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      So glad you’ve enjoyed it!

      Reply
  2. Geo says:

    Is the batter supposed to be so thick, like cookie dough? Every banana bread I’ve made has always been more runny. I used a browner whole wheat flour…hmmm

    Reply
    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      It’s a fairly thick batter, but shouldn’t be thick like cookie dough. I’m sure the whole wheat flour is making a difference

      Reply
  3. Heather says:

    Did the recipe change? This used to be my go to banana bread recipe, but I’ve been without an oven since fall, and when I visited my saved tab the recipe seems different. I don’t remember coconut oil or honey being in the original recipe and I do not have coconut oil on hand, so I am quite disappointed.

    Reply
      1. Sheila says:

        Yes, the recipe changed — or at least, the recipe located at this URL is different than it used to be (I had the same experience as Heather, this used to be my go-to, but I took a baking break for a while, and when I came back to it via browser bookmark, the ingredients were different).

        Reply
        1. Chelsea Lords says:

          Hey Sheila! I updated this recipe to make it more consistent and delicious! I hope you enjoy! 🙂

          Reply
  4. Katie says:

    5 stars
    I just stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest, and I’m so glad I did! I used 1 cup of white flour and 1/2 cup of whole wheat, and it was a perfect density! I also only had about 1/4 cup of brown sugar on-hand, so I added 1/4 cup of honey, and it was the perfect sweetness! My husband loved this, and I don’t think he realized it was a skinny version. 🙂 I baked for 40 minutes, then foil-tented for another 12! Thanks for the recipe! Yum!

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      You’re a genius! Way to work with what you got!:) So glad you guys enjoyed!

      Reply
  5. Sajid says:

    What are the white threadlike specks in the bread.

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      I think you’re talking about the oats!

      Reply
  6. Cassie says:

    Could you use almond meal instead of flour?

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      I wouldn’t recommend it on this bread

      Reply
  7. Emily says:

    Hi! Would it work to use parchment paper, rather than spraying the pan? will this change anything? #bakingnewbie

    Reply
    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Sure that would work great! 🙂 Enjoy!

      Reply