Banana Nut Bread

Is Banana Nut Bread Healthy?

This recipe has about half the sugar and butter than most recipes. The applesauce replaces the usual oil or butter, which keeps the fat and calories low. We’ll also use egg whites instead of whole eggs, for additional caloric savings.

Each loaf has 13 slices, and one slice has only 104 calories and less than 20 grams of carbs. To make it even healthier use whole wheat flour and monk fruit sweetener in place of sugar. I also have a simple banana nut muffins recipe with peanut butter, if you want to try a muffin version!

What You’ll Need

Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make this banana nut bread recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.

• Bananas: You’ll need 2 2/3 cups of mashed bananas, which should be about seven bananas, depending on their size.
• Applesauce: I use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil to reduce calories and add moisture.
• Flour: I think all-purpose flour gives the bread the best texture. If you want more nutrition, you could substitute half of the AP flour with white whole wheat flour. The bread may be too dense with all white whole wheat.
• Baking Soda & Salt
• Butter: This recipe only calls for two tablespoons of butter per loaf.
• Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar will work if you don’t have light.
• Eggs: I use four egg whites to reduce the calories, but you can sub two whole eggs if you prefer.
• Vanilla Extract
• Walnuts: Swap with pecans if you prefer.

Can bananas be too ripe for banana bread?

In my opinion, there’s no such thing as “too ripe” bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter the bread will be. You want them to have plenty of black spots.

How To Make Banana Nut Bread

Here’s how to make this easy bread from scratch!

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 8” x 5” loaf pans with baking spray. You could also line them with parchment paper instead of spraying them.
2. Bananas: Peel and mash the bananas, leaving them a little chunky.
3. Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
4. Wet Ingredients: Cream the butter and sugar with a mixer in a large bowl. Add the egg whites, applesauce, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Combine: Add a third of the dry ingredients at low speed and blend until combined. Continue with the remaining two-thirds of the flour. Mix in the mashed bananas and then fold in the walnuts.
6. Bake: Pour the batter into the loaf pans and bake for 50 to 52 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center, and once it comes out clean, the bread’s done. Let the pans cool before slicing so the slices don’t fall apart.

Tips and Variations

• Nuts: Swap the walnuts for any nut you like, or if banana bread is more your thing, then omit the nuts altogether.
• Chocolate Chips: Sub the walnuts with regular or mini chocolate chips.
• Spices: Add cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or nutmeg.
• Extra ripe bananas result in sweeter bread. They should have black spots and be very soft.
• Avoid over-mixing the batter for the best results. Overmixing can cause bread to be tough or gummy.
• Make Half: You can halve the ingredients to make one loaf.
• Muffins: You can turn this bread into banana muffins by baking the batter in muffin tins. This recipe would make about 24 muffins. Just decrease the bake time to 20 to 25 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick.

How to Store

For super moist banana nut bread, it’s important to store it correctly. Here’s how:

• Counter: You can keep the bread out overnight in an airtight container for up to two days.
• Fridge: Wrap your bread in saran wrap or place it in an airtight container, then store in the fridge for up to seven days.
• Can I freeze it? Yes! Slice the cooled bread and tightly wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Transfer the slices to a gallon-size bag, label it with the name and date, and freeze for up to three months. To eat, remove a piece from the freezer and let it thaw or microwave it for about 15 seconds.

More Banana Bread Recipes:

• Pumpkin Banana Pecan Bread
• Chocolate Chip Banana Petite Loaves
• Banana Pecan Banana Muffins
• Gluten Free Banana Bread
• Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread