We love banana bread in this kitchen. I checked and there are three different banana bread recipes here, and I often tweak the recipe a little each time I bake. For this version I swapped Greek yogurt for sour cream, used coconut oil instead of butter, and replaced regular white flour with white whole wheat flour. I also reduced the sugar slightly. Eventually I may try maple syrup or honey in place of refined sugar — small steps toward a healthier loaf. That’s why I call this recipe “healthier.”
My family didn’t notice any difference in flavor compared with the older version—they were literally asking for pieces while I was photographing the loaves. I had to keep shooing them away like pigeons. Banana bread is great because it works for breakfast or dessert and comes together quickly. Using an all-in-one mini loaf pan makes baking much easier than juggling four separate pans in and out of the oven.
All four mini loaves disappeared within 24 hours. Someone even shed a few tears when the last slice was eaten without offering to split it. I now intentionally buy extra bananas and let them darken so there’s always a reason to bake.
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Healthier Banana Bread
5 from 4 reviews
- Author: Julie
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 mini loaves
- Category: Bread
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our favorite banana bread made with Greek yogurt, coconut oil, and white whole wheat flour. It’s moist, tender, and slightly lighter than traditional banana bread thanks to the yogurt and coconut oil swap.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (liquid)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 cup banana pulp (about three ripe bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup crushed sliced almonds*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray four mini loaf pans** with nonstick spray.
- In a mixer bowl, cream the liquid coconut oil and sugar on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the Greek yogurt, mashed banana pulp, and vanilla extract; mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet batter until just combined.
- Fold in the crushed sliced almonds until distributed evenly.
- Divide the batter among the prepared mini loaf pans, filling each about halfway.
- Bake for 30–33 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before removing from pans.
Notes
*I like the texture sliced almonds provide — I crush them in their bag before opening to create a delicate crunch. **My mini loaf pans measure 3″ wide x 5 1/2″ long x 1 3/4″ deep. This batter also makes about 18 muffins; reduce baking time to roughly 20 minutes for muffins.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini loaf
- Calories: 854
- Sugar: 63g
- Sodium: 490mg
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 25g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 104g
- Fiber: 9.7g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Disclaimer: the links in this post for the mini loaf pan are Amazon affiliate links.