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Home Recipes by Type Breads & Muffins Quick Breads
VG Vegetarian

Whole Wheat Banana Bread (one bowl!)

4.62
/5
1 hr 35 mins
48 Comments
Jump to Recipe
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 08/03/2022Updated: 08/03/2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Banana bread, text overlay reads "whole wheat banana bread - perfect every time."
Banana bread, text overlay reads "perfect whole wheat banana bread."
Banana bread, text overlay reads "perfect whole wheat banana bread."
Banana bread, text overlay reads "the best whole wheat banana bread."
Whole Wheat Banana Bread is a staple in my house - my kids adore it and it's the perfect use for ripe bananas. People are always shocked when I tell them this is healthy! It freezes well and it's going to become a staple in your house, too.

Whole wheat banana bread is a staple in my house – my kids love it and it’s a perfect way to use ripe bananas. It freezes well and makes a great lunchbox treat!

Recipe Overview

Why you’ll love it: You’ll love the one bowl method I use to make this bread, for easy cleanup.

How long it takes: 15 minutes to stir up, 1 hour to bake
Equipment you’ll need: large bowl, measuring utensils, masher, loaf tin, oven
Servings: makes 1 loaf

Whole Wheat banana bread, partially sliced.
Table of Contents
open
  • 1 Recipe Overview
  • 2 About This Banana Bread
  • 3 What You’ll Need
  • 4 How To Make This Recipe
  • 5 Baking Tip
  • 6 FAQs
  • 7 Make It Your Own
  • 8 Make-Ahead Ideas
  • 9 Storage Tips
  • 10 more Banana Recipes
  • 11 Get the Recipe: Whole Wheat Banana Bread

This banana bread recipe is one of my favorites and it’s one that I make so frequently. I even let my type-A personality take the backseat sometimes and let my kids help me out with it. They love using the potato masher to mash the bananas. They also love talking me into adding some chocolate chips.

I’ve shared a few varieties of this bread — whole wheat caramel banana bread, whole wheat banana bread with chocolate chips and coconut, reduced-fat chocolate banana bread, and skinny banana bread muffins! We really do love this whole wheat banana bread in every shape and form.

About This Banana Bread

Even with all its different variations, this recipe is the one I go to most often. If I have enough bananas, I almost always make two loaves. I’m all about doubling up on things because it isn’t much more work to use a bigger bowl and wash two loaf pans. Then we have one loaf to enjoy right away AND a loaf to freeze. Yay!

Overhead view of sliced banana bread.

I’ll run through the recipe here with lots of additional tips but feel free to jump to the recipe card below. You’ll find complete instructions and nutrition information.

What You’ll Need

  • Bananas! It wouldn’t be banana bread without bananas. You’ll need one and a half cups of mashed ripe bananas which is about 3 large bananas. Use nice ripe bananas, the riper the better. Bananas with brown speckles or even completely brown are best for banana bread.
  • Applesauce: You’ll need a half cup which happens to be just the amount that’s in the snack sized servings of applesauce. The applesauce replaces much of the oil that’s usually added to quick breads. I usually use unsweetened applesauce.
  • Oil: While most banana bread recipes have up to a cup of butter, this healthier recipe has only 2 tablespoons of oil!
  • Whole Wheat Flour: Whole wheat flour adds lots of nutrition and fiber and gives the bread a hearty texture. If you prefer, all-purpose flour can be substituted or even a combination of the two flours.
  • Sugar: Use regular granulated white sugar. There’s a lot of natural sweetness from those ripe bananas and the applesauce.
  • Eggs: Most quick breads contain eggs and this bread is no exception.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds a nice sweet flavor. If you like to vary things a bit, try maple extract.
  • Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt: Normal quick bread ingredients, they add leavening and keep the bread from tasting flat.
Ingredients in separate dishes, including eggs and bananas.

How To Make This Recipe

When I first began making this banana bread, I’d always use three bowls. One bowl for mashing the bananas, one to combine the wet ingredients, and one final bowl for the dry ingredients. It’s the type-A in me again, probably. Everything in its place!

Then I remembered that I don’t like doing dishes, so I switched to the method I use now for most of my quick breads and muffins. With this method, you only need one bowl.

Guess what? Your bread turns out the same whether you use three bowls or one. And it’s a third of the dishes. That’s a beautiful thing, right?

Here’s how to do it: Start off by mashing the bananas in the bottom of a large bowl. To the bananas, add the sugar and the rest of the wet ingredients: eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla.

Wet ingredients in clear glass mixing bowl.

Give the contents of the bowl a vigorous stir, making sure the eggs are well blended. You shouldn’t be seeing runny whites or yellows.

On top of that mixture, gently add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Give those a little toss together – I use my fingertips! – before stirring them into the wet ingredients.

Dry ingredients added to wet ingredients.

Gently fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture until there’s no dry parts. Try not to overmix the batter. It will look a little lumpy and that’s okay. Overmixing makes the bread tough or have a lot of big holes.

Scrape the batter into a loaf pan and bake! It will take about an hour. Use the toothpick method to test if it’s done.

Unbaked banana bread in loaf pan.

Baking Tip

Wondering how to tell when your bread is ready to take out of the oven? Stick a toothpick halfway into the bread, near the center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean or with a crumb or two attached, the bread is ready to take out of the oven. If it comes out with sticky batter, let the bread bake a bit longer.

Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes or so before removing it from the pan. Finish cooling on a wire rack.

Baked banana bread in loaf pan.

When it’s completely cool, slice the bread into ten delicious slices.

Three slices of whole wheat banana bread on a platter.

While this bread is completely delicious on its own, to dress it up, try spreading it with gingerbread butter, orange honey butter, or just plain butter. Peanut butter is really good, too. For fancier brunches, serve it with vanilla bean whipped cream cheese.

I know you guys are going to absolutely love this whole wheat banana bread as much as we do!

FAQs

Is banana bread bad for you?

Like most baked goods, banana bread is a sweet treat that should be eaten on a “once-in-awhile” basis. Bakery banana bread is often high in added sugar and fat, making it “bad” for you.
However, I would consider this recipe a healthier choice because it’s made with whole wheat flour (for added nutrition and fiber), less sugar, and very little added fat. Most of the sweetness comes from the bananas and applesauce.

Which is better, banana cake or banana bread?

Hmm, are we talking about taste or health attributes? Banana bread is a better choice nutritionally. It has less fat, sugar, and usually isn’t frosted like a banana cake is.
There’s certainly a place in my heart for banana cake though! If you’d like a recipe, try the best banana cake. It’s wonderful frosted with homemade cream cheese frosting or even better, chocolate cream cheese frosting!

How do you tell if banana bread has gone bad?

Because banana bread is quite moist, it’s a good environment for mold and bacteria growth. It will be fine on your counter for a few days but if you notice fuzzy mold, black or white spots, or a strange odor, discard it.

Make It Your Own

  • Add chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips to the batter. My kids love this variation. If we weren’t a nut-free family, I’d add peanut butter or butterscotch chips for a treat.
  • Add chopped toasted pecans or walnuts to the batter for banana nut bread.
  • If you like warm spices, a teaspoon of cinnamon adds a whole new dimension of flavor. Add it with the dry ingredients.
  • Not crazy about bananas? Try this pumpkin streusel bread or applesauce bread.
Slice of banana bread with butter.

Make-Ahead Ideas

As I mentioned above, I usually make a double batch which yields two loaves: one to eat fresh, and one to freeze. You’ll need six ripe bananas which is a lot of bananas! Whenever I have extra ripe bananas, I peel them and put them into a freezer safe container for later use, like baking that extra loaf of bread. Thaw them slightly before using. They may look a bit juicy and brown but don’t worry, the bread turns out fine. If that sounds like a good plan to you, you can read more about freezing bananas.

Storage Tips

This bread will keep on the counter for three days or in the fridge for up to a week. Always make sure home-baked breads or muffins are completely cool before storing in an airtight container or resealable bag. Warm bread in an airtight container will produce moisture which promotes spoilage.

This banana bread freezes well. It will keep at least a month in the freezer. Freeze the loaf whole or cut up into slices so you can easily grab one and go. It makes a great lunchbox treat.

more Banana Recipes

Have a bunch of brown-speckled bananas sitting on your counter? The riper the better! All of the recipes listed below are delicious ways to use up ripe bananas. Try:

  • Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Triple Chocolate Banana Muffins
  • Healthy Banana Pancakes — whole wheat
  • Skinny Banana Bread Muffins
  • Banana and Chocolate Pudding Dessert Bites
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Milkshake
  • Banana Split Pancakes
  • Creamy Mango Banana Smoothie

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Whole wheat banana bread, partially sliced.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Whole Wheat Banana Bread

4.62 from 57 votes
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Additional Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins
10 servings
Print Rate Recipe
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Whole wheat banana bread is a staple in my house – my kids love it and it's a perfect way to use ripe bananas. It freezes well and makes a great lunchbox treat!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 large bananas)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 2 tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola, or coconut)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Place mashed bananas in a large bowl (I'd mash them right in this bowl to save dishes!). Add eggs, sugar, applesauce, oil, and vanilla. Whisk to combine wet ingredients.
  • On top of wet ingredients, add whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gently mix the dry ingredients together before stirring into the wet ingredients.
  • Whisk all ingredients together just until combined.
  • Spray a 8- or 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add banana bread batter and smooth out into an even layer.
  • Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
  • Cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan before turning out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

  • Banana bread, wrapped well, will keep at room temperature for a few days. For longer storage, store in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to a month. If desired, slice first before freezing so individual slices can be removed.
  • If desired, replace whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour, or a combination of the two.
  • Sugar can be reduced to 1/2 cup, if you’d like to reduce added sugar. The bananas and applesauce add lots of natural sweetness.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 213kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 261mg, Potassium: 230mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 75IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk
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  1. Geri says

    August 3, 2022 at 3:54 pm

    5 stars
    This is my favorite banana bread too! I usually add either walnuts or pecans, cinnamon, and a little Hershey’s dark cocoa powder.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      August 6, 2022 at 9:40 am

      So glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!

      Reply
  2. Ferryal Lackey says

    July 8, 2021 at 6:59 pm

    If I want to make these as muffins, how long would I bake it for please? Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      July 12, 2021 at 9:57 am

      I would start with 15-18 minutes and go from there if they’re not done yet. :)

      Reply
  3. Christine Roth says

    August 15, 2020 at 8:48 am

    This was fantastic! What a delicious and EASY recipe to follow. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      August 17, 2020 at 10:22 am

      So glad you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and a review!

      Reply
  4. Carmen Garcia says

    March 29, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    I just put my first loave of banana bread in the oven first time making it and it was so easy

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      March 31, 2020 at 2:26 pm

      So glad you liked this recipe! It’s one of my favorites.

      Reply
  5. Louise says

    March 29, 2020 at 10:08 am

    This is the best banana bread I have ever made, I didn’t have applesauce so replaced with extra banana. 

    I’m in the UK so I converted from cups, but it worked out really well. It’s so good that it half of the loaf is gone, it has only just cooled!

    Thank you for the recipe

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      March 31, 2020 at 2:27 pm

      Wow, thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked it, thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!

      Reply
  6. Margaret says

    March 16, 2020 at 3:17 pm

    Hi I like the 1 bowl recipe do you have anymore?
    I am going to make the banana one. I am by myself so 1 bowl recipe is good for me thx

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      March 18, 2020 at 2:21 pm

      Hi Margaret, you could make this chocolate banana bread using the same method! Enjoy!

      Reply
  7. Tom says

    February 24, 2020 at 8:52 pm

    I just made this tonight. It is delicious – I’ll be making it again.

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      February 25, 2020 at 8:11 am

      So glad to hear it! It’s one of our favorites too. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

      Reply
  8. Lynn says

    February 13, 2020 at 2:36 pm

    If I made this mixing regular flour, should I cut the sugar?

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      February 17, 2020 at 6:46 pm

      Nope, same amount!

      Reply
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