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When I actually have ripe bananas on my counter, I all the time crave this moist banana bread recipe made healthier with applesauce instead of butter.

Best Banana Bread Recipe

With overripe bananas, applesauce, and vanilla extract, this classic banana bread is soft, flavorful, and incredibly moist. I tested this recipe a dozen times to make the very best banana bread with amazing banana flavor and only a bit of fat. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a newbie, this is ideal for any occasion, comparable to breakfast, back-to-school snacks, or at the same time as a sweet gift. For more healthy banana bread recipes, try my Banana Nut Bread, this Blueberry version, and this Gluten-Free Banana Nut Bread.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

• Healthy: I swap the oil or butter for applesauce, making this loaf much lighter than most banana bread recipes.
• Easy: This quick bread is quick and simple! You don’t should wait for it to rise. Just mix the ingredients and bake.
• Make It Ahead: Banana bread is ideal for meal prep. It’ll last all week in your fridge or freezer.
• Dairy-Free: I used coconut oil as an alternative of butter to maintain it allergy-friendly.

Ingredients

• Bananas: Mash three large, ripe bananas for 1 1/3 cups (11 ounces) of mashed bananas.
• Flour: You’ll need 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda cause the bread to rise and makes it more tender.
• Salt improves the flavour and texture and balances the sweetness.
• Coconut Oil: Just two tablespoons of coconut oil adds some moisture while keeping the bread light.
• Brown Sugar: I used Lakanto monkfruit for a healthier option, but light brown sugar can even work.
• Egg: You’ll need one large egg.
• Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce replaces the oil.
• Vanilla Extract for flavor

Tips on how to Make Banana Bread

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease an 8×5-inch loaf pan with baking spray.
2. Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. Wet Ingredients: Cream the coconut oil, applesauce, and sugar with a stand or hand mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down the edges of the bowl.
4. Mix: Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Pour within the remaining flour mixture and the mashed bananas and mix on low, ensuring you don’t overmix.
5. Bake: Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake on the middle rack for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean but moist.
6. Serve: Let the pan cool for not less than 10 minutes, then turn it over to remove the loaf from the pan. The bread needs to be at room temperature before slicing to make sure it doesn’t crumble.

Variations

• Whole Wheat Flour: Swap out half the all purpose flour for whole wheat.
• Chocolate Chip Bread: Add ¾ cups of normal or mini chocolate chips.
• Spices: Add cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice.
• Banana Nut Bread: Do this recipe if you happen to prefer your bread with walnuts or pecans.
• Peanut Butter: Swirl in some peanut butter to the batter before baking.
• Double the recipe to gift one to a friend or freeze for later.
• Banana Muffins: Pour the batter right into a muffin tin and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, checking with a toothpick to verify they’re ready.

How To Ripen Bananas Quicker

Place bananas in a paper bag and leave them in a warm area for quicker ripening. When the peels get spotted and blacken barely, and change into soft they can be ready.

Tips on how to Store Banana Bread

Once the bread cools, store it in an airtight container for someday on the counter after which within the fridge for as much as every week.

FAQs

What’s the very best stage of bananas for bread?

The riper the bananas, the higher for baking. Ripe bananas with numerous brown and black spots taste sweeter than yellow ones.

What happens if you put an excessive amount of banana in banana bread?

When you put an excessive amount of banana in your bread, it should be very dense and will not bake all the way in which in the center. Since bananas are different sizes, measuring them before adding them to the batter is important. When you mash them, measure 1 1/3 cups or weigh them on a kitchen scale.

Why do you place baking soda in banana bread?

Baking soda reacts with the acidic ingredients (brown sugar and bananas) to make the bread rise.

How do you be sure that banana bread is cooked all the way in which?

Insert a toothpick into the middle of the loaf. If it comes out wet or with loads of crumbs on it, keep baking it. When it is prepared, it needs to be fairly clean.

Why is my banana bread dry and never moist?

Don’t overmix the batter. Fully mix the wet ingredients before gently folding within the dry. Stir barely enough to mix every thing without overdoing it.

Don’t overbake. Check your bread on the 45-minute mark with a toothpick and even a number of minutes early in case your oven runs hot.

Do you wrap up banana bread when it’s hot or wait for it to chill down?

Wait for the loaf to chill completely before wrapping it up.

Does banana bread freeze well?

Yes, I really like to freeze baked breads for quick breakfasts or snacks. Here’s how I do it:
Let the bread cool. Slice the loaf and wrap each bit in foil or plastic wrap.
Store the slices in a zip-locked bag, label the bag with the name and date, and freeze for up to 3 months. To eat, thaw it within the fridge beforehand or microwave it straight from frozen until warm.

More Bread Recipes You’ll Love

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

cooling time: 10 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Yield: 12 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 8×5 inch loaf pan with baking spray.

• In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Put aside.

• In a big bowl cream coconut oil, apple sauce and sugar with an electrical mixer or stand mixer. Add egg and vanilla, and beat at medium speed until thick.

• Scrape down sides of the bowl.

• Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix at low speed until combined, add remaining 1/2 of the dry ingredients and the mashed bananas and mix at low speed until batter is combined. Don’t over mix.

• Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake on the middle rack for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, but moist.

• Let the pan cool not less than 10 minutes, bread needs to be room temperature before slicing.

Last Step:

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Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 123 kcal, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 15.5 mg, Sodium: 165 mg, Fiber: 1.5 g, Sugar: 4 g