Ripe bananas are so naturally sweet I actually use them as the sweetener in some recipes like smoothies and pancakes. Maybe it is my new and improved palate, but I cannot imagine needing a full cup of sugar in addition to three super sweet ripe bananas! Our whole wheat banana bread recipe brings out the best natural flavor the fruit has to offer, packed with nutrition and perfect for making ahead of time. For the version with chocolate chips, make this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread or this Almond Flour Banana Bread!
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!
Whole Wheat Banana Bread Recipe With no Added Sugar
So here is my version of banana bread, which of course calls for 100% whole-wheat flour and a mere quarter cup of honey. And don’t feel confined to the “loaf” shape…these are great as muffins, mini-muffins, or small loaves as well. Also, feel free get creative with add-ins like nuts, raisins or other dried fruit. Enjoy!
Making Banana Bread With Yogurt
It might sound odd if you haven’t tried it before, but using a banana bread with yogurt recipe yields a wonderfully fluffy and tender loaf that doesn’t rely on processed ingredients for texture or flavor.
If you’ve got a serious sweet tooth, you can make this banana bread with yogurt and applesauce to bring in some extra sweetness without having to resort to using sugar. (Homemade applesauce is a lot easier to make than you think, too!)
Try our Banana Bread Bars as well!
Can You Substitute Honey for Maple Syrup in This Banana Bread Recipe?
Instead of using honey, and of course sugar in conventional banana bread recipes, you can absolutely substitute in favor of maple syrup if you prefer. Thankfully, it’s incredibly easy to make the swap! Maple syrup is typically as sweet as honey and sugar, so you can usually get away with a 1:1 ratio, for this whole wheat banana bread recipe we’d recommend 2 Tbs of syrup in place of honey if you prefer!
Whole-Wheat Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup whole-wheat flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 bananas (ripe, mashed)
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup coconut oil ((or another mild oil of your choice))
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease pan.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl mix mashed bananas with yogurt, honey, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
- Fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until blended. Do not overmix.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake large loaf for 40 – 50 minutes or until it comes clean with a toothpick.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
[Entered into Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday]
Anna says
I just had to comment on this recipe...I am ADDICTED to this bread!! Oh my gosh, it is so tasty! I did add one more banana after reading reviews (and all my bananas were very, very ripe) and I added cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg just because I like them in bread some times. It was the most moist bread I've ever had! Some reviewers said it didn't have a banana taste...maybe they weren't ripe enough?? I'm not sure, but it was very banana...y...and sweet with just the honey and bananas! Anyway, I made a pact with my self that I can only make this once a month since I want to eat the whole thing in one day :)
Melody says
I love this recipe. I had to use canola oil as that was all I had on hand. After reading a few other comments, I realize I should have subsituted applesauce. Using the white whole wheat flour made a huge difference. My banana flavor was mild. Next time, I need to let the bananas ripen an extra day or two. But I was so excited to try this recipe, I just couldn't wait.
Antoinette says
I added some almonds and chocolate (baby boy will accept nothing less in his banana bread - 'But mama it HASsssss to have chocolate!!??!!') and I reduced the coconut oil to 1 tbs - otherwise followed exactly. It was heavenly! For Brandy above - I use LoseIt app for tracking calories and put the recipe in with my additions and subtraction and it came to 140 calories for a slice with a 16 slice yield from a reg loaf pan.
nicole says
Made the banana bread today. It looked beautiful but didn't taste to great. Is there a way to tweak the recipe for more moisture?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Nicole. Some readers have added another banana as well as a little extra yogurt. Jill
brandy says
any nutritional information on this recipe?? mine turned out great!
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Brandy. No, we don't, but you can easily calculate it with a few different sites available online that let you enter the recipe. Jill
Jess_Boc says
For this recipe, I added a 4th banana and about a cup of pecans to the mix, with a few sprinkled on top for baking too. It turned out delicious, although I under-baked it (42 mins or so). Next time, I would leave it in 8 or 10 minutes longer. Hubs actually said it was the best banana bread he'd ever eaten, at which point I confessed that I've pitched "The Joy of Cooking" recipe we used for the last 5 years and showed him this one. It's a keeper in our house!
Jessie says
Pinterest directed me to your site again while looking up a wheat banana bread recipe. I made this bread and it came out great! I used canola oil because that was all I had. I also used some agave in place of all the honey. Double the batch. Turned out great!
Sara says
Love the site! I found you when looking for a banana bread recipe and I will never make it any other way. Was DELICIOUS! Good luck to all who are taking the challenge...I did the exact same thing last year and dropped 25 pounds in no time. Keep up the good work!
Heather says
I had bananas that were over ripe and I was looking for a healthy way to make banana bread. I'm so glad I tried this recipe! My husband loved it and it made a really good breakfast option for this week! My parents stopped my one evening and my dad tried it (despite his aversion to anything healthy and his aversion to plain yogurt) and he even enjoyed it!
Joanna says
It's in the oven now. I used banana yogurt to give it a little more banana flavor will let you know how it turns out
Joanna says
It is delicious, moist and full of "real" flavor!!!
Holly C says
Tried the whole wheat banana bread today when I noticed 3 overripe bananas in my fruit bowl. I substituted part of the whole wheat flour with almond flour ( about 1 cup almond meal and 1 1/4 cups flour) also added sliced almonds to give it some crunch. My husband ate 5 pieces and my toddler gobbled it up with dinner. I'm gonna have to stash some away for myself before it disappears!
Jess says
Super happy with this recipie. We are use to things that taste natural vs the sugar ladend banana bread people are use to. Perhaps this was the issue above. Another winner and part of our regular rotation :)
Tarika says
I tried this recipe with 1 1/3 cups of whole wheat flour and it turned out great! Of course ingredients vary from country to country and this slight change worked out perfectly for me here in India.
Diane says
I have to say I made this and thought it was really bland. (and I'm someone who eats cheese pizza and no condiments on my deli sandwiches!) There is no banana flavor whatsoever. Disappointed.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Diane. Sorry the recipe did not work out for you, but, thanks for leaving a review. Jill
Vickie says
We just baked a batch and it is delicious. I love that it's not sugary sweet and you get the taste of banana. I added 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips... Added a little taste of sweet.
Tiffany says
Love this recipe! I did add a little milk my second batch because the first time they turned out a little dry. In the oven now and can't wait to try! I think the key is having really really ripe bananas. And don't expect it to be as sweet as the recipes that call for a ton of sugar. This is my new go-to muffin recipe!
Chunterathome says
I really enjoy your site and have implemented many of your ideas and philosophies. Thank you for all the very hard work and time you put into helping us junk food junkies! Here's my problem...first attempt at this recipe, I used freshly ground hard white wheat. The second try, I used SOFT winter wheat thinking it would yield a lighter, fluffier bread. Both attempts, however, yielded a bread that was hard and crusty on the outside while mushy (beyond the desired "moist") on the inside. I lowered the oven temp the first time thinking it was cooking too quickly, but ended up with the same end result. What am I doing wrong? Btw, the batter seemed a nice consistency each time, so I don't think it was an issue with dry/moist ratios.
100 Days of Real Food says
I am sorry to hear it didn't work out. I've found that with freshly ground wheat you typically need a little more than what a recipe calls for...and I would recommend the red wheat if you can find it.
Cindy says
The first time around I used regular whole wheat flour and it wasn't very good....thick and lacking in favor. I knew this recipe could be a winner though, so I tried it again. The second time I switched to using white whole wheat flour and made muffins. EXCELLENT!! I will never use my old bnb recipe again! I also roasted my bananas in the oven for 10 min to intensify the flavor as well and added 1/4 cup applesauce.
Heidi says
This was so GOOD! I thought it had a great flavor to it:) My kids gobbled it right up, I will definitely be making this again... Thanks for all the wonderful recipes, please keep them coming;)
Kelly Eastmond says
I used applesauce instead of the oil and it turned out great! I also used 4 bananas because that's what I had. Next time my kids want to to try cinammon applesauce!
gina says
I made this today after I nearly freaked out when I realized I didnt have any eggs. But I made it anyway, added 1 extra banana and some cinnamon. Turned out really nice, thanks for the recipe!
Katie says
I just made my first batch. After reading some of the reviews above I decided to add a little cinnamon and nutmeg. They came out wonderful. They weren't bland at all! Thanks for the great recipe.
Amanda Whiddon says
I looked for a long time for a banana bread recipe that was whole grain and without all the sugar. I made this for breakfast, served with scrambled egg whites and it was so yummy! Awesome recipe! My 3 year old and husband loved it. This will be a new staple in our home. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Jackie Price says
I tried this recipe, and was very disappointed in the results. This recipe is very bland, bland, bland! Needs to be tweaked, definitely! And yes, I used three fully ripe bananas. The only thing I changed was adding 1/4 chopped walnuts to the recipe. Can you really have banana bread w/o nuts?
Anyway, when I got a very thick batter rather than the thinner batters I'm used to while making banana bread. I had a hint then that it was going to taste different.
While this bread isn't inedible, my husband and I are drizzling honey on each slice we eat to make it taste better.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Jackie. Our team is sorry this recipe didn't work out, but thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Jill
Amber says
Due to an allergy we are dairy free. What would you suggest as a good substitute for the yogurt in this recipe? Can't wait to try it, as we are HUGE banana bread fans here :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Amber. This is Lisa's assistant, Jill. My husband also suffers from a dairy allergy. While I haven't yet tried it in this recipe, I often substitute either rice milk or almond milk in most of my recipes. While the consistency is different than yogurt, you could at least give it a try and see if it works. Be sure to always use the unsweetened variety of either one you choose. Let us know how it turns out!
Tonyia says
You can actually get almond milk yogurt! I saw it at a health food store last week!
Dawn says
Tried this recipe this morning. Big success! All 3 kids ate them, oldest asked for a smear of cream cheese on his 2nd half but then declared he liked it better plain. :)
We ate them still warm from the oven.
Katie says
I love banana bread and I was SO excited to make this...unfortunately the flavor doesn't have a lot of depth for me...I'm not really sure what to change to give the bread more flavor (I used 4 bananas instead of 3). Maybe more honey? Or more vanilla? Do you have any suggestions?
100 Days of Real Food says
Sorry to hear that...were you bananas ripe?
Nicole says
I think in order for the bananas to lend a lot of flavour they really need to be over ripe not just ripe. perhaps that is what was meant by "ripe" in the first place I am not sure, but in my experience the blacker/softer the banana the better the flavour (in baking anyway LOL)
Gina says
Made this for my mom today for Mother's Day. Absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing such great recipes!
Stephanie says
I used applesauce in place of the oil and added an extra banana and it was delicious!
Casey says
Why do you use coconut oil? I never know the pros/cons of different oils...help please?
100 Days of Real Food says
Casey - This post explains the decision behind our oil selection.
Jenna says
Mmm! So on the first page of comments someone recommended roasting the bananas in the oven for 15 minutes. Genius! It definitely brought out the flavor more. I did use coconut oil, also added 1/3 cup applesauce because I accidentally kinda overmixed :( Also added 1/4 tsp each nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon. OH and a cup of chopped pecans. Baked as muffins for 16 mins. YUM!
Jennie says
Disappointing first result on this recipe. No banana flavor, despite putting in 3 bananas. I'm going to try it again with cinnamon and an extra banana. I also had a thick batter, like cookie dough. I used coconut oil.
My wheat flour may have been old. I just bought some new flour, so we'll see if that helps, too.
Thank you for inspiring good eating! My son and I have been talking about appropriate amounts of fruits and vegetables, and it seems to be sinking in. Hallelujah!
kat says
I believe the bread was done, the knife came out clean...maybe I should leave it in for another 10-20 minutes next time even if the knife is clean? Would it make a difference if that I used just regular oil? (all I have is canola, not coconut oil)
amy says
Can I add peanut butter to the batter for some protein? My daughter does not like to spread it on top of the bread. Thanks!
100 Days of Real Food says
I think adding crushed walnuts would be a better choice personally...and they have just as much protein as peanut butter.
Kellie says
This bread is fantastic. Before converting to real food I made banana bread with a recipe that required 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar. I have never had success baking with whole wheat and was concerned about the 1/4 cup of honey, that's not much sweetener. But, my children did not notice the difference. Thank you for sharing the wonderful recipe.
kat says
Oh, I was going to add, ive tried subbing applesauce too and it still turns out gummy/dense in the middle. Please help, its much appreciated! :)
carissa says
I also tried subbing applesauce for oil and the muffins I made turned out gummy and rubbery too :(
100 Days of Real Food says
Anytime the recipe is altered (like leaving out oil) it can definitely mess with the outcome. Sorry it didn't turn out.
Charry says
I use applesauce in place of the oil. But it only comes out great as a loaf. My muffins were really bad. So I stick with the loaf and make it often. I also use oat flour as I found the wheat taste too strong. This is such an amazing banana bread!
100 Days of Real Food says
I would recommend making it in muffin cups if you didn't like the bread consistency.
kat says
ok, so ive tried this recipie and dont know what went wrong. It was too moist/gummy in the middle but when I put a knife in it it came out clean...suggestions? also, how much pumpkin can i sub for the banannas?
100 Days of Real Food says
So was the banana bread done all the way or not? Here is a pumpkin bread recipe: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/09/28/recipe-pumpkin-bread/
Ali says
Great recipe!! I have made it twice...very forgiving recipe. The second time I added 1/2 ripe avocado, 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds, 5 tablespoons of water, chopped pecans & pistachios and cinnamon & nutmeg. Yummy...my 16 mths old loves them!!!
Ali says
**made muffins and I used Greek yogurt it worked wonderfully :)
Laura L says
I made these and took them camping with my family this weekend and they were a hit! Made them in small muffin tins so they were a great bite size treat and travelled well! Thanks!
Jessica says
When you say to use plain yogurt, can I use plain Greek yogurt (like Chobani) or should it just be plain regular yogurt? I'm not sure if there will be a texture difference.
100 Days of Real Food says
Either one should work just fine!
Kristina says
Can you use greek yogurt?
100 Days of Real Food says
Yes, that should work just fine!