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!
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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]
Traci says
Is coconut oil liquid? I have a jar but it's solid.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tracy. You will need to bring it to a liquid state. Here is more information on cooking with coconut oil: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. ~Amy
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Lorana. If the batter seems too dry, you might try adding applesauce. ~Amy
Lorana says
I was super excited about this recipe but was disappointed. I understand that it will take some time to get used to less sweetness but this recipe was super dry. I had to drench the slices in butter or milk just to get them down…the flavor was great though. Any thoughts on how to moisten them up?
Kel says
Please let me know what whole wheat flower you use. I use Heckers but I suspect you use a better one:) thanks!!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kel. Lisa most frequently uses King Arthur's white whole wheat. ~Amy
Juan says
Thanks for the recipe! But one question: could I do away with the yogurt or perhaps substitute it with something else? Cheers and thanks again.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi. I've substituted applesauce with success. ~Amy
Melissa says
I'm going to make these as muffins today and wanted to add shredded carrots. Do you think I would need to modify and other ingredients to accommodate the carrots? Thanks so much! :-)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Melissa. We've not tried that kind of an adaptation. However, I have found this recipe to be fairly forgiving, so give it a try and let us know how it goes. ~Amy
Judy says
Do you ever use white whole wheat flour? Thanks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Judy. Lisa often uses 100% white whole wheat. ~Amy
Amy says
Made this recipe for the first time tonight. Followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect. My family would have eaten the whole loaf all at once if I let them! And my husband loved how the house smelled when he came home from work. Another winner, thank you!
Sarah Tracy says
Hi! I just made this yesterday. I had some ripe bananas to use up. I really loved this bread! It was soo yummy! I actually used one cup whole wheat flour and then the other cup and a quarter with regular all purpose. I'm not a fan of wheat flavor so I didn't want it to be too strong. I also used organic french vanilla yogurt. It was my first time using coconut oil in baking and it was great. I barely tasted it (I'm not a huge fan of coconut) but I wouldn't have minded if it did a little bit. lol.
I think I want to try muffins next time. How long would you recommend baking it for in a regular muffin pan? (not mini or jumbo)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Sarah. Other readers have had a good turnout with 15-20 minutes. ~Amy
Ali says
Well I went ahead and baked these...used maple syrup instead of honey, applesauce instead of yogurt, used 4 bananas and a few chocolate chips. Turned out great! Made 12 muffins. Next time I think I'll use 5 bananas as they weren't banananie enough for me
Chelsea says
I would love to make some muffins for my 10 month old. Can I just substitute maple syrup for the honey? Or would they be sweet enough without any sweetener? Thanks! Absolutely loving all your recipes!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Chelsea. You can sub syrup for honey. :) ~Amy
Samantha says
Mine just got out of the oven. I tasted it and it's not too dry but not too sweet either. Could I also put in some maple syrup to help with the lack of sweetness? If so, how much would you recommend?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Samantha. If you typically bake with refined sugars, it is likely not as sweet as the banana breads you are used to. You could try adding syrup to sweeten it up but I wouldn't use more than a couple tablespoons or you could change the batter consistency too much. ~Amy
Laurie says
I made these muffins this afternoon. I am new to clean eating and unfortunately, these just weren't sweet enough for me. I didn't have plain yogurt and substituted applesauce instead. I wish I had added raisins and some cinnamon to add some sweetness. My 8 year old son loved them and he really DISLIKES bananas so I was pleasantly surprised! The muffins were very dry - I had tried the carrot applesauce muffins last week and they were so moist and delicious so I was hoping these would be just as good. I will try again though!
Heather says
I always make this into muffins with cinnamon and nuts added! It helps to add a little more flavor and the nuts are a nice little addition. For nuts I use whatever I have on hand which is usually slivered almonds!
Stacie Chen says
I do not have any coconut oil *gasp* unheard of. Can I just use all butter?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Stacie. Yes! :) ~Amy
Leeanne says
This was delicious!! I'm a massive fan of banana bread but looking for healthy alternative for my 2 year old as I don't want her eating mountains of sugar. This recipe was awesome, just sweet enough and perfect knowing there is no sugar, was yummy!
Thank you so much for sharing, I will be making more tomorrow to freeze for us for when our newborn arrives - I assume it freezes well?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Leeanne. It does freeze well. ~Amy
Franki says
Like all of the recipes on this site, this one is a winner! I love to tweak and adapt this one needed no changes in my book!!!I'm new to coconut oil and I don't always love using it. But the subtle coconut flavor in the banana bread is perfect!!! My new favorite breakfast is this banana bread with a smear of the Mommables sunflower "nutella". Thanks for the tip for the Trader Joe's coconut oil, half the price and the only version I've found with no peanut/tree nut disclaimers! My husband asked for chocolate chips in it next time. I don't think it needs it, but next time I'll double it and try one loaf with them for a treat.
Lisa says
Made this last night and it's very dense and dry and just tastes like wheat flour. I used greek yogurt, is that ok? Any other suggestions for how to 'fluff/lighten' and moisten it up?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Lisa. It is a dense bread but is not typically dry. The Greek yogurt should have been fine. Are you sure you got your measurements right? ~Amy
Christine says
I made this recipe today, I made it into muffins and it was delicious!! I used organic unsweetened applesauce instead of honey( only because I'm trying to cut out sugar). My daughter is in love with them, said these are the best muffins ever! I don't use muffin liners, I just spray my non-stick muffin pans w/ oil and they pop right out. Thanks for a great recipe, and helping my family on this new healthy lifestyle!!!
Karen says
Any idea of the calories or carbs?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Karen. We do not provide nutrition details but there are many online tools available to do so. Our focus is cutting out processed foods and replacing them with real/whole foods, not so much on numbers. ~Amy
Kelly says
I have a question about using coconut oil in this recipe. Do you put the oil in as a solid coming straight out of the jar, or do you melt it first?
Thank you!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kelly. You melt it first. This post on cooking with coconut oil should help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. ~Amy
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Macey. Coconut oil is very versatile. Here is a little more info on the types of oils/fats Lisa uses and why: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/14/mini-pledge-week-10-no-refined-oils/. We would typically use butter as an alternative to coconut oil. ~Amy
Macey says
I am wondering why coconut oil is approved under "real food". Have heard a lot about it, positive and negative. What could be used as an alternative that is not coconut or canola?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Macey. You could exchange it for butter, if you prefer. We are fans of both. ~Amy
Ann says
I've made this recipe a few times and everytime I make them it's always dense and dry. Can anyone advise as to why it's dry? I follow the recipe to the t but the only thing I change is the yogurt. I use apple sauce instead because we need it to be dairy free. Any advice is appreciated as I really love this wholesome recipe. Thanks in advance.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Ann. The yogurt does contribute to the moisture in this recipe. I've used coconut milk before and it has worked well. Maybe give that a try? ~Amy
Kat says
Hi
I just made this recipe and I found it to be a little dry my self and I did use the yogurt.
Only thing that I think I will try next time is adding one more banana. I used 3 ripe bananas but they were small.
I think that may make a bit of a difference. I also find they aren't very sweet which I don't mind but I'm guessing my 4 yr old will.
Clies says
What would you use in place of the yoghurt as most of my family can't eat it. Thanks
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Clies. I've used applesauce as well as coconut milk. Both worked well as a sub for yogurt in baking. ~Amy
Alina says
Are there any changes you recommend for high altitudes? I just moved to New Mexico, and have trouble with everything I try and bake still! Tried to make this bread, and it looked done when I pulled it out of the oven, but it was still completely uncooked in the middle when I cut it! Any ideas?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. This should help: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/howtocook/primers/altitudebaking. ~Amy
Jamie Dunson says
It's softer when cooked for only 40 minutes. Very delicious!!!
Sally says
I've made these a few times now and have changed just a couple things... I omit the honey, use just 2 Cups flour and add unsweet applesause (1/4 Cup) which helps with the dryness that folks have mentioned. Everything else I kept the same. The muffins are great! Both my 1 year old son and my father (who has a sweet tooth) love them.
Cynthia says
I have a confession... I missed the sweet taste of banana bread. We're new to the real food life and our palates are much different but we still miss the taste of some of the processed junk occasionally. I minced some dates and added them to the batter (and walnuts). SO GOOD!! The dates were sweet and made the bread very moist! Thank you for the great recipe!!!
Amanda says
Cynthia I was the same way! I used 4 bananas instead of 3 (made it so much sweeter and more cake like instead of a dense bread) and also a tsp of cinnamon...it did the trick for our sweet tooth! I will have to add some dates or raisins sometime, too.
Anne says
I only had 1/2 a banana so I used that and subbed homemade applesauce for the rest. Added some finely chopped walnuts. Also sprinkled a few mini chocolate chips in the ones I will freeze for lunchboxes. They were delicious and my kids loved them.
Anne says
~made them into muffins
Colleen says
Delicious! I made muffins with the recipe and added cinnamon.
Jennifer says
I am excited to try this recipe! I did have a couple of questions though. What size bread pan do you recommend for a "large" loaf and what is the serving size?
Also, I may sound ignorant here but I just bought my first jar of coconut oil and realized it is solid. Is that normal? Should I put in the 1/3 cup in its solid form?
Okay, well that was more like 3 questions...looking forward to hearing the answers. :) Thank you in advance!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jennifer. These are the spec on my large pan: Length: 8 3/8"
Top Width: 4 1/8", Depth: 2 3/8", Capacity: 2 lbs.. And, here is what you need to know about cooking with coconut oil: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. ~Amy
Holly says
This is the best healthy banana bread recipe out there. I made another one last night and my husband almost barfed eating it. Luckily I didn't think the other was that bad so now I get the whole loaf. But still, this recipe is hands down the best. I wish I hadn't experimented with any other! Thanks for sharing!
Avis says
I've just been diagnosed as pre diabetic; can I substitute the honey for applesauce--and how much should I use?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Avis. I would try subbing them 1:1. ~Amy
Angela Winn says
It might have already been asked and answered in the other 15 pages of comments, if so I apologize. But can I use spelt flour for this? I loved the spelt pumpkin muffins and would like to try it in more things!
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Angela. While we haven't used spelt in this particular recipe, I think it will work out fine. Let us know what you think. ~Amy
Tammy says
Would almond flour work?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Haven't tried almond flour in this one, either. ;) ~Amy
Sarah says
My brother and I have made this recipe twice! We absolutely love it. We used peanut butter instead of the yogurt, and added chocolate chips. Tastes amazing when it's piping hot out of the oven. I love the subtle sweetness of this bread, but others may want to add a bit more honey if they like sweeter banana breads. Amazing recipe that's 100% clean. I love it! :)
Candace Lance says
We made this just today into muffins for easy grab and go breakfasts this week. Both myself & my husband found them really good. We added a dash of cinnamon & walnuts to give it a little more flavor. The bananas can easily be switched out for carrots or zucchini, as well.
Betty Pospisil says
What can you substitute for the yogurt if you have to be dairy free? I was going to substitute coconut milk for the milk.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Betty. I've used coconut milk in this recipe but I think I would add it slowly to be sure it doesn't mess with the consistency too much. ~Amy
Julia says
Hello! Just made those muffins and used Arrowhead Mills stone ground whole wheat flour, the dough turned out too bee to thick. The muffins came out too doughy not very tender. Should I still have used 2 1/4 cups or much less because it's stone ground flour? Thanks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Julia. You could try cutting the flour by a 1/4 cup or adding a little liquid. I have added water, egg white, yogurt, or applesauce to up the moisture quotient when my batter seems a little dry. ~Amy
Claire Haddad says
My dough came out very dry as well. I think because I used 3 smaller bananas. So I added 1/2 cup of applesauce and it was perfect. I probably should have held back some of the whole wheat flour until the end to see if the dough would end up needing some additional liquid or not.
Paulette says
To Deb who asked about cooking sprays, I've had a spray bottle filled w/ olive oil & one w/ veg. oil for different reasons. I had the pleasure of smelling pam once at a friends house & felt like passing out. Just get yourself a spray bottle & fill it w/ your favorite oil or blend. Make sure it has a spray & not just a squirt section! Works great + if you like to make oils w/ garlic or herbs, its easy to get in inside.
Mollie says
This is a very nice banana bread recipe. It is definitely not overly sweet or flavorful (even if using very overly ripe bananas). I added 1/2 tsp of cinnamon (flavor boost! I would use more next time, and probably use some toasted nuts too) and I substituted full-fat sour cream for yogurt (because I already had sour cream open and needed to use it.) The yogurt I had on hand was plain non-fat greek yogurt... so I was also concerned about loosing the fat content in the recipe. I also used Bob's Redmill Stone Ground Whole Wheat flour. I did have USDA organic expeller pressed coconut oil, which I bought at WF forever ago and had never really used. I was planning on using it to make natural lotions or something but never did. So it is actually marketed (at least my jar) as a beauty product! hah but I baked with it just fine. Like another reviewer said, the coconut oil will resolidify when it hits something colder and possibly be hard to mix in. I had my mashed banana mixture completed mixed and beaten BEFORE I added my liquid coconut oil. When I was ready to add the oil I was beating with a fork at the same time, so I didn't have any problems with resolidification. I also took a few teaspoonfuls out to see how mini muffins worked- they only took 10min.