The Guilt-Free Banana Bread Recipe You Have All Been Waiting For …
Okay, maybe not ALL of you, but ever since I posted about the Breakfast-Worthy Banana Bread from my book, Go Dairy Free, I have been flooded with requests for the recipe. It is in the book (along with tons of dairy-free living info and many other awesome recipes, if I do say so myself), which can be ordered on Amazon for an insanely good price … but enough with the sales pitches … I am more than happy to share that recipe with you here!
But first, a little background on the recipe …
An important part of going dairy-free for me was turning to home-baked bread. At the time, every last loaf at my local grocer contained milk in some form (milk powder, cheese, whey, caseinate, etc.). Even when a couple specialty vegan/dairy-free brands appeared, they were way too costly to warrant regular purchase.
While I learned to enjoy pounding on dough for a good homemade yeast bread once in a while (excellent stress reliever), I don’t always have time or the patience for the process. So I set out to create a quick bread that was nutritious enough to use for my morning toast. With that in mind, this bread is completely sugar-free, using just the bananas for a hint of sweetness. I find it perfect as a base for nut butter, jam, or honey, each of which adds their own dose of flavor, wouldn’t you agree Ricki? [Ricki has a new cookbook out called Sweet Freedom – desserts without wheat, dairy, eggs, and refined sugar – so I consider her the ultimate expert on sugar-free baked goodies]
If you want a little of the sweet stuff, feel free to add around 1/4 cup of your favorite sugar (honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, evaporated cane juice, sugar straight up, etc.) to the recipe. But, if you want a loaf of sugar-loaded, dessert banana bread, I suggest you look elsewhere.
Healthy foodies who know how to savor the flavor … read on, and fire up that oven!
Unsweetened Breakfast-Worthy Banana Bread
Recipe from “Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living” by Alisa Fleming (yours truly!)
This Recipe is Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free and Optional Nut-Free
“Going out on a limb, I created a banana bread recipe that is completely void of added sugar of any kind, relying solely on the extra-ripe bananas for their natural sweetness. What resulted was a mildly sweet loaf of bread that my entire family adores. It is perfect for breakfast, and won’t leave you face down on your keyboard by 10am. Feel free to make this bread the night before, allowing the banana flavor to infuse and giving the bread time to take on some moisture. If you do prefer a bit of a sweeter loaf, add a bit of sweetener with the wet ingredients.” – [Yes, I just quoted myself]
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Milk Alternative of Choice
2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed
2 Cups Whole Grain Spelt Flour or Whole Wheat Flour
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1-1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Cup Grapeseed or Coconut Oil
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 to 4 Medium-Sized, Very (Very) Ripe Bananas, Mashed (about 1-1/2 to 2 cups mashed)*
1/2 Cup Nuts, Dried Fruit, or Other Add-ins (optional)
Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl combine the milk alternative and flaxseed and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Returning to your mixing bowl, blend in the oil, vanilla, and bananas until well mixed. Stir in the dry ingredients by hand, being careful not to over-mix; a few lumps are okay. Gently fold in the nuts, fruit, or any other add-ins, if using. Spread the batter into your prepared loaf pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is browned and resilient to the touch. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Mini-Loaf Option: The loaf pictured above is actually a mini-loaf. This recipe will make four mini loaves, baked at 350º for about 22 to 25 minutes. I topped the loaves with some sliced almonds just before popping them in the oven and subbed the vanilla extract with 3/4 teaspoon almond extract for a slightly almond vibe.
* I prefer to use a full 2 cups of banana for the deepest flavor and a very moist bread, but using 1/2 cup less will allow the bread to rise a bit more.
Yields 10 to 12 servings
74 thoughts on “The Guilt-Free Banana Bread Recipe You Have All Been Waiting For …”
Alisa, your readers can rejoice because this is THE BEST banana bread! I fell in love when I made it after getting your book–it’s the perfect blend of just sweet enough, substantial, moist and intensely banana. Mmmm, I’d love a piece right now!!
That looks delicious and healthy! I bet the spelt or whole wheat flour adds a nice taste.
can’t wait to give this a try! and your book the next time i’m on amazon 🙂
Nice looking bread! I just had a request for banana bread from my oldest, so this one is definitely going to be made next…I may have add the sugar though…for the kids!
Thank you so much!! I’m super excited to try this. In fact, I have some bananas ripening on the counter right now because I was anticipating an attempt at sugar-free vegan banana bread this week!
Going to have to try this with a nice little blend of gluten-free flours. Looks delish!
…i agree with meghan. gotta try it with gluten fre flours! i like that it doesn’t have any added sugars or sweetners to it!
I need to try this!! It looks so tasty. What a beautiful photo, too!
I love the texture it looks so good that I want to sink my teeth into it right now – gorgeous!
Oh, how I wish I’d been in possession of this recipe on Sunday morning when I made a delicious, yet notably less healthy version of banana bread than yours. This looks absolutely delicious!
Thanks for the recipe!
Can I replace “Unsweetened Milk Alternative of Choice” with water?
Yes, any liqiud (within reason!) will work. Milk alternative will give you a slightly richer and more flavorful end result than water. Orange juice or pineapple juice might also be a good sub (and add a little more sweetness) if you want a bit more flavor than plain water.
This recipe looks fantastic. I just printed it and found myself nibbling a corner of the paper- HaHa! Seriously, I keep flaxseed in my freezer, so any excuse to use it in baking is good enough for me. Now I’ve got to hurry those bananas along in their ripening process!
This is the healthiest recipe I’ve seen for Banana Bread to date. Can’t wait to make it! One interesting variable I’ve added to banana breads in the past, is to add about a tablespoon or so of pure orange juice on top of the batter, right before baking. Sounds strange, but adds a nice crunchy, sweet top and edges which adds to the overall texture.
Thanks for sharing and experimenting!
sounds great! anyone ever try using coconut milk for the “unsweetened milk alternative of your choice”? I am thinking about it but have not worked enought w/ coconut milk to know about its “issues’ when baking with it.
This is so delicious! I used rice milk for my wet liquid. What do you typically recommend(not juice).
This is fabulous! We try to eat gluten and dairy free and this recipe really fit the bill. I love that it doesn’t have added sugars either! I used rice milk and a gluten-free flour blend and it was terrific. Thank you!!!
oh i love to eat bananas raw. i also love foods and recipes with banana in it. they taste very very good
Love that there’s no sugar in this — perfect when cooking for a two-year-old. Recipe worked well in all regards except for baking time. Pulled it after 40 minutes because we had to leave the house but was still not quite as done as I’d have liked it. Will bake it longer next time and suspect the loaf will be spot on. Thanks for the recipe.
I made it yesterday and it’s gone today! You csn’t ell that it’s made withour sugar. Wonderful!
i can’t EVEN BELIEVE i finally found the recipe i’ve been searching for. i can’t even estimate the number of hours i’ve wasted searching for a vegan recipe without sugar and sugar ‘substitutes’! i am forever grateful. not to mention it’s an amazingly delicious bread! WOW!!! keeping on baking, ms. frugal!
Ditto! My search engine bar was too short “vegan banana bread no sugar or artificial sweeteners no vegan margerines no wierd stuff oh and can it be tasty too?”
Is there anything that can replace the grapeseed or coconut oil?
Oh my gosh this is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I have 3 overly-ripe bananas right now, and a little muffin pan I want to try out. Mini banana muffins! Yipee!
Brilliant! Seriously, bananas are so sweet, one does not need extra sugar. This IS the banana bread I’ve been waiting for all my life. Thanks 🙂
I LOVE this banana bread! I add about 4 T. of agave or honey to sweeten it up a bit. I have 3 kids (7, 4, and 2) and they devour it! In fact, I now make double batches and put it in the freezer. I’m so glad I found this website. I’m looking forward to tying more recipies since my oldest has a dairy allergy. Keep up the great work!
This is now my go to banana bread! I love it! It’s moist, flavorful, nutritious, and so simple to make. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hello.
I made this bread for my 11 month old son who is allergic to dairy. I replaced the dairy with a rice milk.
he had a severe allergic reaction. have you ever heard of anyone having a reaction to rice milk?
this bread is delicious and I am so sad that my son reacted to something in the list. I have tested him with whole wheat flour and that doesn’t seem to bother him at all. any advice or ideas? also can I replace the milk alternative with water?
thanks
What’s your favorite gluten free flour blend, to those who mentioned using such?
Also, I am planning to make this as my son’s first birthday “cake”. Would it be good with cream cheese or something on top?
thanks.
Brandi
Brandi – If you are going totally no sugar, yes I think cream cheese or cream cheese alternative (or even nut butter) would be good on top. This bread is just lightly sweet (only as sweet as the ripe bananas you use!). If you do want it a little sweeter for a treat, you can add up to 1/4 cup of your favorite sweetener (liquid or granular). However, if your little one doesn’t know sweet yet, then this is probably perfect … and better for him!
As for store bought flour blends, most of my gf friends that use store bought blends go for Bob’s Red Mill. However, I recently turned a friend onto a homemade blend from Cybele Pascal that works great in baked goods like these:
4 cups superfine brown rice flour
1-1/3 cups potato starch (not flour)
2/3 cup tapioca starch or flour
You will want to add a little xanthan gum too (maybe 3/4 t).
I just pulled this bread out of the oven and it is absolutely wonderful! I was short on banana so I added about 3/4 cup pumpkin and topped it with chopped walnuts.. delicious! Thank you!
Can the oil be substituted with unsweetened applesauce?
Hi!
I am always looking for sugar free recipes….
I have never baked a bread before… I recently purchased a loaf tin which is 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inches approx.
Will this one tin be OK for the above measurements?
Can I use stonegroung wholemeal pastry flour for this recipe?
Thank you
S
SK – that loaf pan should be the perfect size for this recipe. I think that flour should work quite well too in producing a lighter bread (wholemeal pastry flour is lighter than plain whole wheat). Just be sure to let the loaf cool all the way before slicing. Pasty flour has less gluten than regular whole wheat flour, so it will be more prone to crumbles if cut while still hot (bread “firms up” as it cools).
Hi Alisa
I am at the moment baking the banana bread cake…! I am not sure what happened… I was mixing everything 280gms of flour; 30gms flas with 115gms of milk + 350gms of bananas + the other dry materials… and it became very difficult to mix the whole batter…. there was not enough liquid in this. So I had to add 191gms of Orange Juice… and then it started to look like a cake batter and now it is being baked at less than 180c … I hope it turns out allright…
Cheers
S
SK – It is a bread (for slicing and toasting) so it should be a thick batter. But it sounds like you may have forgotten the oil. You need 1/4 cup of liquid oil too! I hope it turns out for you.
I just made this last night and it’s great! I hope it passes my husband and son’s approval! 🙂 I only used about 1.5 C banana, but wish I had more. And I substituted 1/2 C of oat flour for the w/w flour.
Thanks for giving us a recipe that has no added sugar!
So glad you liked it Diana and thanks for the feedback! Love the use of oat flour – I will try that next time.
This is the best banana bread and tastiest in the whole world!!!! I have been searching day in and day out for a great sugar free banana bread and I have absolutely found what I have been in search of for the longest time. It is so moist and sweet from just the bananas! I absolutely love it! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So glad you like the recipe Anna! Enjoy!!!
I can not thank you enough for your recipes. I thought my life was over as I love to eat. I was just diagnosed with wheat, soy and dairy allergies. I am going to try your banana bread resipe right now as the ripe bananas have been waiting patiently for me to come do something with them.
You gave me hope for being able to enjoy eating again.
Hi Pat, I’m so happy I can help! Make sure spelt is okay for you too … it is a cousin of wheat – okay for some with wheat allergies, but a problem for some.
We love the bread as is, but sometimes when craving something sweeter, I will add honey or brown sugar / coconut sugar – a couple tablespoons or up to 1/4 cup. Feel free to add sweetener if desired with no other changes to the recipe.
I made this today, gluten free by switching out the flour with my GF rice flour mix and 1/4 tsp xanthan gum. It turned out great. I’ve been craving a morning treat to toast and then spread with peanut butter. This is it! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
I’m always on the lookout for bread recipes (particularly whole wheat) that don’t include sugar.
I grind my own wheat berries, but sugar is something I can do without, so this idea looks good – and I’m printing this recipe to try in the near future.
Thanks!
Hiya, I made this and it was DELICIOUS, but the texture was nothing like that of the photo. It was very dense and moist, not airy and risen. I used 3 bananas (but forgot to check how many cups it came to)
Afterwards I noticed that i had used BAKING POWDER instead of BAKING SODA; but surely they are both raising agents, would it mke that much difference? please help. I want to make it again and try to achieve a more risen texture. flavour- yum!! Ate it with home-made cashew/brazil nut butter, sweetened with honey. amazing.
Hi Beth, baking soda is much more reactive than baking powder, so yes, it does make a difference! Use the baking soda, being careful not to over stir the wet with the dry (a few lumps are okay) and immediately place it in your preheated oven.
Glad you enjoyed!
Hi, thanks for the reply!
I always thought Bicarbonate of soda needed an acidic element, like buttermilk/vinegar etc?
Still….you have made the cake and the photo looks amazing so I shall trust you and try again. My 3 very large reserved bananas are delightfully speckled now 🙂
Hi Beth, the bananas themselves provide the acid needed to activate the baking soda. If concerned, you can stir a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar into the milk alternative and let it sit 5 min before adding, but this may alter the flavor of the bread a wee bit, and I’ve never had a problem with just using the bananas as the acid.
TEXTURE PERFECT! Thank you! I should have trusted you 🙂 There was no need to add a thing. I used 2 cups of banana. I topped it with a macadamia “cream cheese” icing , I am posting it on my blog in the next few days, with a personal thank you and linking back here, if that is okay?
Ooh, I just bought a package of Authentic Flours Brown Rice Flour. Can’t wait to convert this to gluten free!
Do you think that coconut flour would work?
Hi Leah, coconut flour can’t be substituted 1:1 for other flours. It will be far too dry and crumbly. With coconut flour, you would need to reduce the amount by quite a bit, and probably add one or two eggs. I haven’t tested it.
My husband loved the bread. I don’t think it’s sweet enough even though I added a little honey. It took 60 minutes of cooking and still REALLY moist. I used 2 cups very ripe banana and chia gel for the oil. I will probably make it again and use a little less bananas and try it with the grape seed oil or coconut oil.
Mary, chia gel will prevent it from setting up properly. Oil and chia have very different baking properties – chia is best used as a replacement for eggs, not oil. If you opt to use chia gel, I would definitely reduce the banana to just 1-1/2 cups.
I have tried this twice and though I did one loaf (vs. mini loaves) mine didn’t come even close to rising and looking like this….
Hi Cynthia, I’m so sorry that I missed your comment! Make sure your leavener isn’t expired. I’ve made this recipe so many times (as have readers) at different altitudes and it always rises well. Beyond leavener, I’m not sure what the issue could have been. Try using just 1-1/2 cups banana, as the banana will make a heavier, moister loaf.
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