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This Healthy Banana Bread is sweetened with medjool dates and ripe bananas (no added sugar!), and made without oil, flour, or cholesterol. It’s the best lightened up banana bread that’s still perfectly sweet, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth moist! All you need is 10 simple ingredients and 1 hour to bake.
Table of Contents
Since originally publishing this healthy banana bread almost a decade ago, it has become one of the most popular vegan breakfast recipes on our site (check out the 25+ 5-star reviews!). And while most of us can’t resist a slice of regular ol’ banana bread made with brown sugar and white flour, life is even better when we can indulge in an equally delicious breakfast or dessert made without added sugar, gluten, eggs, and dairy! It’s seriously SO DANG GOOD.
Instead, this banana bread is loaded with wholesome ingredients like oats, flaxseed, ripe and spotty bananas, medjool dates, and homemade almond milk. It’s truly the best, moist banana bread that makes the perfect breakfast, healthy dessert, or wholesome afternoon snack to hold you over at work or school. But don’t take our word for it – just read this review from Teresa:
“I’ve made this so many times I’ve lost count. It’s sooo good. I love that it doesn’t use any wheat/white flour or sugar and it turns out so moist!! I usually top mine with walnuts and chocolate chips for some added crunch and sweetness. Thanks so much!!” – Teresa
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flax eggs: Ground flaxseed meal mixed with water is our go-to egg replacer in many of our vegan dessert recipes, including this banana bread! If necessary or preferred, you can also substitute whole chia seeds (no need to grind them before hand!).
- Oat flour: Use either store-bought or homemade oat flour. If making your own from scratch, simply place 2 cups of oats in a high speed blender and blend until a powder forms, about 20-30 seconds. Avoid using alternative gluten-free flour such as almond flour or coconut flour as these flours absorb moisture differently and would require additional testing.
- Nuts: Adding nuts is optional, but we love the added crunch and healthy fats. Chopped pecans, walnuts, or even almonds would be delicious in this banana bread. Or, opt for chocolate chips and make a healthy chocolate chip banana bread!
- Cinnamon and vanilla: Ground cinnamon and pure vanilla extract adds warmth and compliments the flavors in the sweet banana and medjool dates.
- Baking powder + baking soda: Both baking powder and baking soda are needed to rise the banana bread and make it surprisingly tall and fluffy. We wouldn’t recommend swapping one for the other – both are needed!
- Banana: For the best, no added sugar banana bread, use overripe bananas with lots of brown spots. You can even use frozen bananas that are thawed to room temperature.
- Medjool dates: Fresh medjool dates add additional sweetness while keeping this banana bread free from added sugars. When shopping in stores, medjool dates are typically stored near the fresh produce or can often be found in the bulk section with other dried fruits.
- Non-dairy milk: We typically opt for our Homemade Almond Milk, but any non-dairy milk of choice will work and keep this healthy banana bread both dairy-free and vegan!
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds necessary acidity that helps to balance the sweetness and activate the leavening agents. If you’re out of apple cider vinegar, try an equal amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Equipment Needed
How to Make Healthy Banana Bread
- Prepare the flax egg. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ground flaxseed meal and water until well combined. Set aside for 15 minutes to thicken.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nuts, if using. Combine until well combined and uniform and set aside.
- Puree the medjool dates. In a large cup food processor, add the medjool dates, almond milk, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Process until the dates are completely smooth.
- Add the banana. Once the dates are pureed into a smooth, uniform texture, add the mashed banana and thickened flax egg and mix to combine using a spoon or spatula.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients mixture into the dry mixture and stir until a uniform batter forms.
- Bake. Transfer the healthy banana bread into a greased loaf pan or a loaf pan lined with parchment paper and if desired, top with the additional banana, cut side facing up. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean with just a few crumbs.
- Cool, then serve. Remove the baked bread from the oven and let cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
How to Make Healthy Banana Muffins
Not only does this healthy banana bread recipe make a delicious sliceable bread, but makes delicious banana muffins, too!
To make, simply prepare the banana bread batter as usual, then divide between a 12-cup muffin tin (use muffin liners or grease the muffin tin to prevent sticking!). Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the largest muffin comes out clean with just a few crumbs. Let cool, then enjoy as usual!
Serving Suggestions
We love serving a slice of banana bread just as we would any classic banana bread recipe. Serve as the perfect companion for your morning cup of coffee or matcha latte and a side of fresh fruit, or turn it into an indulgent vegan dessert with a scoop of your favorite non-dairy ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate sauce or vegan caramel sauce, and a generous dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream!
Recipe FAQs
Zucchini tends to add quite a bit of moisture to any banana bread or quick bread recipe. If you are going to add shredded zucchini (something we have not tested ourselves!), we’d recommend squeezing out as much of the excess moisture as possible before folding it in to the batter.
Additionally, reduce the non-dairy milk to 1/4 cup to compensate for the added moisture content.
If your medjool dates are fresh and easy to squeeze between your fingers, no soaking will be required. If you dates are very dry (or have previously been refrigerated), soaking would be ideal. Simply place the pitted dates in a large heat-proof bowl and pour boiling hot water over top. Let the dates set aside to soak and soften for about 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
Medjool dates are, unfortunately, a key ingredient in this healthy banana bread. I have tested this recipe using coconut sugar, and it did not turn out. The banana bread was too dense, and the loaf was very flat.
For this reason, we do not recommend replacing the Medjool dates with sweeteners such as coconut sugar, date sugar, pure maple syrup, or agave. If you are looking for a banana bread recipe that works with coconut sugar, I highly recommend this Vegan Banana Bread recipe!
We have only tested this banana bread using finely milled oat flour and, unfortunately, cannot recommend a swap that will work well. If you only have classic all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour on hand, such as whole wheat pastry flour, white whole wheat flour, or regular whole wheat flour, try our Traditional Banana Bread Recipe!
Depending on your climate and/or oven, the bread can begin to brown too quickly on the top. If you find this to be the case, lightly vent the bread with a piece of aluminum foil. This will help shield the top of the bread from burning and keep it as moist as possible.
Storage Instructions
This banana bread usually disappears in less than 24 hours in our house, but leftovers will be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer-term storage, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place them in a large freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
When ready to eat, set the frozen bread slices on the kitchen counter at room temperature until defrosted and soft again.
Quick Baking Tips
- Bake in the correct sized pan. For best results, we recommend using a 9×5″ or 8.5×4.5″ loaf pan. Or, if making muffins, divide the batter between 12 muffin cups. Changing the size of pan or amount of muffins will require an altered bake time.
- Avoid baking in glass. Although glass pans are a popular choice for baking casseroles, they’re actually not the best choice when it comes to making consistent baked goods. This is because glass conducts heat differently than metal pans and heats up far slower than metal or aluminum. This can result in uneven baking (over cooked edges with uncooked centers) and limit the browning. For best results, we always recommend swapping glass bakeware for metal!
- Use a just ripened banana on top. Unlike in the batter where overripe bananas are welcome, it’s best to use a just ripened banana (without brown spots) on top of the bread. This helps prevent the top of the bread from being overly moist and allows the sliced banana to keep its shape through baking and slicing.
More Quick Bread Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
Print
Healthy Banana Bread with Oats and Medjool Dates Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8
Description
This Healthy Banana Bread is sweetened with medjool dates and ripe bananas (no added sugar!), and made without oil, flour, or cholesterol. It’s the best lightened up banana bread that’s still perfectly sweet, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth moist! All you need is 10 simple ingredients and 1 hour to bake.
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons water)*
- 2 cups gluten-free oat flour
- 1/2 cup crushed nuts (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large ripe & spotty bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- + 1 banana to top, sliced it in half lengthwise (optional)
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, packed
- ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 1/2–2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I used 2)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×5″ bread pan with parchment paper or lightly coat it with oil. Mix the flaxseed meal with the water and stir well. Set aside to thicken, about 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add the oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nuts if using. Mix well until uniform and set aside.
- In a food processor, add the dates, almond milk, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Process until smooth, and then mix in the mashed banana and flax egg with a spoon until combined. Add the date and banana mixture to the dry mixture and stir until a batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and if desired top with the optional banana, cut side facing up (refer to photos in post).
- Place into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick runs clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting.*
Notes
- Chia seeds work well in place of flaxseed meal — use 2 tablespoons in its place.
- We recommend cutting the bread with a serrated knife or a very sharp knife — we use this one.
- Nutrition facts do not take into account the addition of nuts.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Vegan
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This was incredible and so easy! I made two mini-loaves instead of one big one and they came out great 🙂
Do you think all purpose flour would work in this recipe because I only have steel cut oats? Or would those work for the oat flour as well?
Hey Cassandra,
all-purpose flour should work, but we haven’t tested it! We do have another banana bread recipe using APF that can be found here: https://sweetsimplevegan.com/2020/05/easy-vegan-banana-bread/
I love this recipe – I make it all the time! I find it a bit sweet with 1 cup dates so I half that.
It’s in the oven again as we speak. Great work and thank you x
Came out great! Made the oat flour in the blender and left out the nuts. It definitely does taste like a healthier banana bread, not as sweet as using sugar but I don’t mind that. Delicious with peanut butter!
Hi! I made this today and the flavor turned out wonderful! The bread rose beautifully in the oven and came out looking perfect, however as it cooled it fell considerably and ended up being quite short and dense. Any suggestions?
We are glad it tasted good. Sorry to hear about that later part. It is possible that the batter was overmixed, which can cause the bread to be dense and chewy.
hi,
i know it’s a stupid question but i’ve run out of apple cider vinegar. So what can be used as a substitute instead?
Lemon juice would work! They would swap out at a 1:1 ratio.
This banana bread is incredible!! I’ve tried so many banana bread recipes, and all of them have come out bland or gluey. This bread was the perfect level of sweetness, the banana flavor came in strong, and the texture was moist and lush. Oat flour is my favorite flour to work with, and I try to bake without refined sugar and oil, so I really appreciate this recipe! Thank you for all your help making plant-based eating full of goodies and fun.
Hey Jasmine!
I have never commented on any recipes in the Internet but I just feel Like I really want to tell you:
This is for sure
THE BEST BANANA BREAD EVER!
Made in a hundret times and it is always perfect. All my Friends and Family Love it, too. Have sent the recipes to many of them.
Thank you so much <3
This will be my go to banana bread recipe moving forward. It is absolutely delicious and I don’t feel guilty eating it because it doesn’t have refined carbs and is sweetened with a fruit. The ONLY thing I would do different is not adding the almond milk to the food processor. I’m not sure what quality food processor you all are using, but I ended up with almond milk everywhere. I had to add almond milk directly into the oat flour, I lost so much in the food processor. I think the recipe works perfectly well if you put the almond milk directly into the oat flour.
Just tried the bread after letting it cool down. It is amazing, I absolutely love it! Bonus, my whole apartment smells of hazelnuts and bananas ????
Hi have you also tried a mix of oat flour with almond flour?
Hi Ninon! We haven not tried that sorry about that!
I love this recipe. But I’m out of dates, can I sub agave ?
Hi Sariah,
Agave may work in this recipe but it will definitely alter the texture. I have not tested that so I cannot guarantee the results. Let me know if you try it!
Best,
Jasmine
I’ve made this so many times I’ve lost count. It’s sooo good. I love that it doesn’t use any wheat/white flour or sugar and it turns out so moist!! I usually top mine with walnuts and chocolate chips for some added crunch and sweetness. Thanks so much!!
I’ve never commented on a recipe I’ve used on-line, but I absolutely love this recipe and had to let you know. I’ve made it at least half a dozen times (with some in the oven as I type this) and they have turned out fantastic every time.
Each time I’ve used your recipe, I’ve used silicon muffin “tins” with a thick slice of banana on each one and baked for 25-35 minutes. After they cool, I individually wrap them in plastic wrap and throw them in the freezer. When I want one, I pop it in microwave for 15-30 seconds. The frozen banana stays cool and the muffin is soft and warm. I’ve made my own oat flour (about 2 1/2 cups oats pulsed in the food processor until it becomes a flour will yield 2 cups) because I like to leave it a little coarse for added texture in the muffins. One time I did use store-bought out flour, but found the muffins to be more dense (and much more expensive). For variation, I’ve added 1/2 to 1 tsp of cardamom and sometimes I add vegan chocolate chips to 1/2 the batter with a few sprinkled on top in place of the sliced banana.
Thanks for sharing this recipe with all of us!
This makes me happy to hear! Thanks for sharing, so glad you enjoyed the banana bread! 🙂
Love the taste of this recipe! I’ve made it 6 times in the past 3 weeks!
Only thing is every time the outside is super dry. Is this supposed to happen?
Thanks for putting this recipe up! I’ve been looking for an oat flour, sugarfree banana bread and this is almost perfect!!
the outside is naturally going to dry out as it bakes but shouldn’t be exceptionally dry after it bakes. Are you putting the banana on top?
I just made the banana bread and i made half with cacao and chocolate and half without. It turned out very well but i think that it was too much chocolate for me:)). I am gonna put only chocolate chips next time or make it plain
Simple and delicious!! Like a treat I can feel good about eating daily. I’m always looking to use dates or homemade date paste instead of other sugars, so I was stoked to make this! It turned out just divine – mine has chopped pecans and raw cacao chips in it. Totally a repeat recipe for me! My toddler loves it also. Win, win, WIN!
We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thank you for sharing! 🙂
Just made this, with chocolate chips and walnuts. Mine had to bake an extra 20 minutes, it’s delicious! !
That sounds so yummy! Thank you for sharing and your feedback 🙂
Thank-you for the recipe. And the trick with how to line the pan, brilliant! Just made it, delicious!
I am so glad that you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hello!
Can I replace baking soda with extra baking powder?
Also, Can I keep it in the freezer?
THANK YOU!
Johanna