One-Bowl Healthy Banana Bread

Sweet, cinnamon-spiced, and perfectly soft, this banana bread tastes anything but healthy! Many banana bread recipes call for white flour, butter, and a full cup of sugar, yet this recipe avoids those unwholesome ingredients, without sacrificing flavor or texture.

The cold, dreary days of winter have officially set in, and, not surprisingly, I’m already eager for the sun to be shining again. I like a little cold weather (as in a week!), and then I’m ready to dig my shorts and sandals out of the closet again. Unfortunately it’ll be a little while before I get to don my summer outfits. But, in the meantime, I’m going to be baking classic, comforting treats, perfect for eating under a cozy blanket beside the fireplace. And what’s better than a warm slice of freshly baked banana bread paired alongside a cup of hot tea? Definitely a comforting breakfast at its best! Even better is that you can enjoy your breakfast knowing that you’re feeding your body wholesome ingredients to power you through yet another winter-y day.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour~ Whole grains boost your fiber intake, which helps you to feel full longer. For optimal nutrition, I recommend using whole-wheat flour, but you can use all-purpose flour if that’s what you prefer.

Baking Powder, Baking Soda & Salt~ All of these ingredients are key to a fluffy, flavorful loaf of bread, so don’t skip them!

Ground Cinnamon~ Cinnamon adds so much flavor to this banana bread! One tablespoon may seem like a lot, but trust me, it’s delicious.

Overripe Bananas~ For banana bread, you’ll want to use bananas that are very spotty and brown. The spottier the banana, the sweeter it is, which means that your banana bread will be sweeter too.

Brown Sugar~ Although the bananas add a lot of natural sweetness, a small amount of sugar is needed to prevent the bread from tasting floury. However, compared to many recipes, I have cut the sugar amount in half!

Eggs~ Eggs help the bread rise, creating a soft, fluffy loaf. I haven’t tried egg substitutes such as flax eggs, but be sure to report back if you experiment.

Vanilla Extract~ Vanilla pairs well with the cinnamon, giving the loaf delicious flavor.

Optional Chopped Nuts or Chocolate Chips~ I opted for chopped pecans, but you could use walnuts, chocolate chips, or just leave the bread plain. Whatever you choose will be delicious!

The Dance

What I love about this recipe is that you only need one large bowl; no more dirtying up several dishes! To make the banana bread, mash your bananas using a potato masher or fork until they are a thick liquid. Whisk together the mashed banana, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Then, to your banana mixture, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir together until just combined before folding in optional nuts or chocolate chips. The batter will be fairly thick. Scoop the batter into a loaf pan and bake until a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. I like to let my bread cool about 10 min in the pan before inverting the loaf onto a kitchen towel to finish cooling. Slice and serve the banana bread warm with a hot cup of tea for best results. 🙂

If you’re looking for more healthy breakfast bread recipes, take a look at these recipes below:

Chocolate Cake for Breakfast!

Blueberry & Cinnamon Crumble Bread

Healthy Cranberry Orange Bread

One-Bowl Banana Bread

Sweet, cinnamon-spiced, and perfectly soft, this banana bread tastes anything but healthy! Many banana bread recipes call for white flour, butter, and a full cup of sugar, yet this recipe avoids those unwholesome ingredients, without sacrificing flavor or texture.

5 from 8 votes

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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

  

• 1 1/2 cups mashed overripe banana about 3 medium bananas
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350 °F and grease a 9×5 in loaf pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl mash your bananas until they are a thick liquid before whisking in the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. To the banana mixture, add the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Stir all the ingredients together until just combined before folding in optional nuts and/or chocolate chips.
• Spread the thick batter into your prepared pan and sprinkle extra nuts or chocolate chips on top if desired. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Notes

*Kcals calculated with 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.

**Store leftover banana bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. After that time, freeze the bread for up to 3 months. Make sure to thaw bread before eating.

Keyword banana, breakfast recipes, healthy, one-bowl