Maple Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Soft, sweet and swirled with autumn flavors of maple and cinnamon, this maple cinnamon swirl banana bread will soon become your new favorite healthy breakfast! Not only is this banana bread absolutely delicious and reminiscent of fall, but it’s also healthy for you, made with 100% whole wheat flour and 1/2 the sugar of traditional banana bread recipes!

The autumn season is officially here and if you’re into all things autumn, then you know what that means: pumpkin spice everything, cozy sweaters, hot tea, soft blankets, cool mornings and colorful leaves. When it comes to fall flavors, pumpkin spice seems to get all the love, and while I love pumpkin, a flavor that often gets overlooked is maple. Well, maple paired with warm cinnamon spices to be exact. Oh, and it gets even better…..because what is more comforting on a cold fall morning than a warm slice of banana bread? You see where I’m going? Yeah, banana bread + maple + cinnamon = a match made in heaven. Add in a cup of hot tea and you’ve got perfection….

I adapted this maple cinnamon swirl banana bread recipe from my original banana bread recipe which you can check out here. So, if you’re just not into maple, then you can make the OG recipe instead. But for those of you interested in something unique, then I can’t wait for you to try this new recipe out. Not only is this banana bread recipe healthy like the original, but it also features a cinnamon swirl layer in the center of the loaf. The cinnamon sugar caramelizes as the loaf bakes, creating an intense cinnamon flavor that compliments the light hint of maple so well. So if I hadn’t convinced you to try this recipe yet, maybe I have now….. 😉

Ingredients You Need

Whole Wheat Flour~ To add in a boost of whole grains, I love using 100% whole wheat flour. However you can substitute with all-purpose flour if you prefer that instead.

Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt~ The small but mighty trio as I like to call them, these three ingredients are essential for helping your loaf rise and giving it optimum flavor.

Cinnamon~ For this recipe, lots of cinnamon is essential for creating that lovely cinnamon swirl layer. Don’t omit this ingredient!

Brown Sugar~ I love the deep, caramel flavor that brown sugar gives this banana bread, however you could also substitute with white sugar if that’s all you have on hand. I haven’t tried using honey or maple syrup, but be sure to let me know if you experiment.

Overripe Bananas~ For the sweetest loaf, be sure to use very ripe, spotted bananas. Unripe bananas will give your loaf a bitter taste.

Maple Extract~ To achieve maple flavor without having to use a lot of expensive maple syrup, I prefer to use maple extract. You can find maple extract near the vanilla extract at the grocery store.

Eggs~ In order for the loaf to rise properly, be sure to use eggs. You could also try using flax eggs instead if you need an egg substitute.

The Dance

This maple cinnamon swirl banana bread is so simple to throw together! Simply mash your bananas in a large bowl, add the eggs, maple extract and brown sugar and whisk to combine. Then add the rest of your dry ingredients and stir to form a thick batter. To make the cinnamon swirl layer, simply mix together brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour half of the banana bread batter into your pan, top with the cinnamon/sugar mixture and then pour the remaining batter on top of the cinnamon swirl layer. Gently smooth the batter and top with walnuts if desired. Bake, slice and serve warm….with a cup of hot tea or coffee of course 🙂

Whether you love the autumn season or not, I have a feeling you’re going to quickly fall in love with this maple cinnamon swirl banana bread loaf. Subtle hints of maple paired with a thick swirl of warm cinnamon spice is a perfect way to start off the morning. Even though I’m a big pumpkin spice fan, I might just have to say that maple-cinnamon is my new favorite flavor combination. And I think it possibly will become your new favorite too. I know you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Need some more fall-inspired recipes? These are some of my favorites:

One-Bowl Healthy Banana Bread

Healthy Apple Crisp Muffins

Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Easy Pumpkin Spice Granola

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Maple Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

Soft, sweet and swirled with autumn flavors of maple and cinnamon, this maple cinnamon swirl banana bread will soon become your new favorite healthy breakfast! Not only is this banana bread absolutely delicious and reminiscent of fall, but it's also healthy for you, made with 100% whole wheat flour and 1/2 the sugar of traditional banana bread recipes!

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 12 slices

Calories 130 kcal

Ingredients

  

Banana Bread Batter

• 1 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas about 3 large bananas
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp maple extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Swirl Layer

• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350 °F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, brown sugar, eggs and maple extract. To the banana mixture add the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir together until a thick batter forms.
• To make the cinnamon sugar swirl, in a small bowl stir together 3 tbsp brown sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon. Set aside.
• Pour half of the banana bread batter into your prepared pan, then sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the batter. Pour the rest of the batter on top of the cinnamon sugar layer and gently spread until the cinnamon/sugar is covered with batter. Top with walnuts if desired.
• Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Notes

*Leftover banana bread keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. After 3 days, place banana bread in the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.

**If you don’t have brown sugar, you can substitute with white granulated sugar instead

***All-purpose flour can be substituted for the whole wheat flour if you wish

Keyword autumn, banana, banana bread, breakfast, cinnamon, maple