Healthy Banana Bread

Who could say no to a lush slice of healthy banana bread? Not me! Banana bread is delicious as is, but add chocolate into the mix and you’ll end up with something truly irresistible ?

Few smells are as comforting as banana bread baking in the oven – the warm sweetness of ripe bananas, the faint nuttiness of toasted oats, that caramel edge where the crust meets the pan. It’s a nostalgic treat for many of us, yet it’s also one of the easiest baked goods to make healthier without sacrificing any of that cosy, homey goodness.

This healthy banana bread recipe isn’t about deprivation – it’s about balance. It’s about making choices that nourish your body and satisfy your cravings. The best part? When you bake it right, you’ll hardly notice it’s “healthy” at all.

Why I love making this healthy banana bread:

Banana bread is probably one of my favourite types of cake. I’ve made a few of banana bread recipes in the past, like my  walnut banana bread, banana blueberry bread and this banana avocado bread. I can see myself making many more variations in the future too 😀 I just love how dense and moist they are. You really can’t go wrong with a good banana bread. It’s such a crowd-pleaser!

Bananas are the unsung heroes of healthy baking. They bring natural sweetness, moisture, and structure – all of which reduce the need for extra sugar and fat. The riper the bananas, the more sugars they contain in the form of fructose, which blends seamlessly into the batter, giving you that sweet, caramelised depth of flavour.

Plus, bananas lend an incredibly soft texture. That’s why you can often cut back on butter or oil and still end up with a moist, tender crumb. It’s a clever swap that makes the bread feel indulgent without the heaviness.

Why I think you should try this healthy banana bread:

Versatility – Healthy banana bread is versatile. It can be breakfast, a snack, or dessert. It can be enjoyed plain and simple, or dressed up with extras like chopped walnuts, dark chocolate chips, or a swirl of nut butter.

Less sugar – One of the biggest myths in baking is that less sugar means less flavour. With banana bread, the opposite can be true. Cutting back on added sugar allows the natural sweetness of the bananas to shine through. You start to taste the ingredients themselves – the fruit, the nuts, the oats – instead of just sugar.

Fun to make – There’s something satisfying about baking a loaf that tastes indulgent but aligns with your health goals. This healthy banana bread is about making the most of simple, natural ingredients. It’s about turning those overripe bananas on your counter into something that feels homemade, honest, and nourishing.

Comforting – Now that the weather is warming up, toasting a slice of this healthy banana bread with a cup of coffee is my idea of a perfect afternoon pick me up. 

Treat yourself or make it the next time you want to impress someone with your baking skills. It’s super easy to make, you just need one bowl and a wooden spoon! It looks so stunning topped with a sliced banana, but if you only have 3 ripe bananas on hand, don’t panic, it will still taste delicious without. I must admit I added it more for decoration and for that ‘wow effect’. It does add some extra sweetness and banana flavour, but leaving it out won’t be the end of the world. 

What you need to make this healthy banana bread:

Ripe bananas – the riper the better. Ripe bananas add more natural sweetness and make the loaf more moist and rich. 

Oats – I use ground oats (aka oat flour) in most of my bakes and sweet treats. It’s a great alternative to white flour with more fibre and nutrients. You can also make the recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free oats. All you need to do is blend your oats (quick/porridge oats are best, but any will work) into a fine flour using a high speed blender.

Ground almonds – this adds more moisture to the cake and works really well combined with oats.

Cocoa – dark baking cocoa powder works best to make the chocolate rich and super chocolatey.

Sugar – I usually use brown or coconut sugar, but any granulated sugar will work. Originally the recipe called for 55g of sugar as that was sweet enough for me (I no longer enjoy super sweet treats), but some of my taste testers said it wasn’t sweet enough for their liking. I then changed the recipe to include 75g of sugar. You can use more of less depending on how sweet you like your treats! 

Baking powder – to help the loaf rise.

Oil – I use coconut oil, but any oil will work. 

Milk – I didn’t want to use too much oil, so I’m using some milk to add extra moisture to help the batter come together. 

Flax/chia egg – this works as a sticky, gloopy binder. You can use 1 regular egg if you prefer. 

How to make this healthy banana bread:

• Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan assisted/350F.
• Add the ground flaxseed to a small bowl along with 3 tbsp water. Leave to set for 10 minutes.
• Add the oat flour, ground almonds, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt to a bowl and mix to combine. 
• Mash the bananas well with a fork, then add to the bowl along with the oil, milk and flaxseed mixture. Transfer the cake batter into a loaf tin (I used a 22×12 cm loaf tin).
• Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top. Slice a banana in half and press into the batter cut-sides up
• Bake in for 60-65 minutes. Leave to cool completely before slicing. 

This healthy banana bread is:

Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Dense
Moist
And deliciously chocolaty ?

Chocolate Banana Bread

You NEED to try this healthy chocolate banana bread. It's decadent and chocolatey without being overly sweet and is made using healthier ingredients. The best banana bread I've made to date!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Servings 10

Calories 229 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• 340g ripe bananas around 3 large or 4 medium bananas
• 110g rolled oats (see notes)
• 50g ground almonds
• 55g cocoa
• 75g brown sugar (see notes)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp coconut oil or oil of choice
• 60ml almond milk or milk of choice
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (see notes)
• 3 tbsp water

Optional toppings

• 1 ripe banana optional
• A handful of chocolate chips optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan assisted/350F.
• Add the ground flaxseed to a small bowl along with 3 tbsp water. Leave to set for 10 minutes.
• Add the oat flour, ground almonds, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt to a bowl and mix to combine. 
• Mash the bananas well with a fork, then add to the bowl along with the oil, milk and flaxseed mixture. Transfer the cake batter into a loaf tin (I used a 22×12 cm loaf tin).
• Sprinkle some chocolate chips on top. Slice a banana in half and press into the batter cut-sides up
• Bake in for 60-65 minutes. Leave to cool completely before slicing. 

Notes

Make your own oat flour by blending quick/porridge oats into a fine flour in a high speed blender. Use gluten-free oats to make the recipe gluten-free. 

I usually only use 55g (1/3 cup) of brown sugar, especially when using really ripe bananas. However, I've been told by some taste testers it wasn’t sweet enough for their liking, so you have the option of sticking to the recipe or adding less sugar if you prefer less sweet desserts. 

Other types of granulated sugar will also work. 

You can use ground chia seeds instead or 1 medium regular egg.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.001gSodium: 218mgPotassium: 336mgFiber: 5gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 30IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 2mg

Keyword banana bread, chocolate recipes, easy recipes, gluten-free cake, healthier dessert, healthy baking, vegan cake

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