Banana Bread Without Butter

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Making banana bread without butter is extremely easy and you won't even miss it! This easy recipe is delicious, healthy, and quick to whip up on a Saturday morning.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Full Disclosure Policy for more information.

A loaf of banana bread without butter, sliced. A piece is in the foreground of the photo and a dish of nuts, banana slices, plates, glass of milk, and beige linen are in the background.

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
How to Make Banana Bread Without Butter
Variations & Substitutions
Pro Tips
Storing & Serving
Recipe FAQ
Other Recipes You May Like
Rate & Review
Banana Bread Without Butter Recipe

Why You'll Love This Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Homemade banana bread is super easy to make (and enjoy). This recipe is healthier than any classic banana bread recipe because it uses olive oil instead of butter or coconut oil, and uses a more natural sugar (although still sugar!) with the pure maple syrup or honey.

An overhead shot of banana bread without butter with a dish of walnuts and cinnamon sticks to the left, a knife and banana slices to the right, a plate in the bottom left, and plates and a glass of milk in the top right corner.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl (at least 5-quart) - I start out combining the wet ingredients in a large bowl, and then add the dry ingredients to it. So you want enough space for the batter!
Small mixing bowl - to combine the dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients!
Whisk - I like to mix the ingredients with a whisk for even mixing.
Potato masher - my favorite tool to mash bananas with! You can also use the back of a fork.
9x5" loaf pan - to give it that classic banana bread shape.

Ingredients

Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Mashed bananas - you can't make banana bread without bananas! They add moisture to the bread, plus contain some fiber and nutrients. Overripe bananas are key to any good banana bread because they're softer and sweeter. As bananas ripen, the resistant starch in them turns into sugar, causing them to turn brown and become sweeter!
Olive oil (or any neutral oil: avocado oil, walnut oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil) - I am a big fan of using olive oil in lieu of butter or coconut oil because it contains more unsaturated fatty acids than saturated (which coconut oil and butter do). Any neutral oil won't contribute much flavor (be sure to use regular olive oil, not extra virgin as this will have a stronger flavor) but serve the purpose of making the bread nice and soft!
Real maple syrup (or honey) - like with olive oil, I love using pure maple syrup or honey as a sweetener because although they're still sugar at the end of the day, they're a little more natural than granulated white sugar or even brown sugar! Be sure to use pure maple syrup and not the fake stuff - the ingredients label should just have "pure maple syrup" listed!
Eggs - eggs contribute protein and help to keep the bread light and fluffy. I haven't tried this recipe using an egg substitute of any kind (like flax eggs) so let me know in the comments below if you try it!
Pure vanilla extract - a staple in almost any baked good!
White whole wheat flour - I love using white whole wheat flour in baking because it adds some fiber and nutrients to baked goods without the heavy taste that whole wheat pastry flour often has. You can absolutely use whole wheat flour or all-purpose white flour instead! I have not tried using oat flour or gluten-free flour in this recipe.
Almond flour - the combination of white whole wheat flour and almond flour gives this quick bread a delicious moisture.
Spices - ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cardamom combine to make a warm, addicting banana bread you can't get enough of!
Salt - this simply balances out the sweetness from the bananas and maple syrup.
Baking soda - baking soda helps to darken the crust as it bakes, giving it that classic banana bread look.
Baking powder - baking powder helps the batter to rise as it bakes, making it light and fluffy.
Blackstrap molasses (optional) - this ingredient is optional, but I love the subtle molasses flavor in this recipe. It compliments the banana flavor so well!
Optional mix-ins/toppings - chopped nuts, milk/white/dark chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc. are fantastic either mixed into the batter or sprinkled on top!

How to Make Banana Bread Without Butter

Dry ingredients for banana bread without butter.

1: Combine dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until mixed and set aside.

Wet ingredients for banana bread without butter

2: In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas with a potato masher or back of a fork. Add remaining wet ingredients to mashed bananas and whisk until combined.

3: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Be careful to not overmix! You want to mix until there are minimal clumps (no large clumps but small ones are okay).

Fold in any mix-ins you want using a rubber spatula.

Banana bread without butter batter, sprinkled with chopped walnuts in a prepared loaf pan.

4: Pour banana bread batter into a prepared bread pan.

A freshly baked loaf of banana bread without butter.

5: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Variations & Substitutions

You could make this banana bread vegan by using pure maple syrup and flax eggs. I haven't tried the recipe with flax eggs so if you do, let me know how it turns out in the comments below!
You could sprinkle coarse turbinado sugar or coconut sugar on top of the batter before baking for a sweet crunch!
Swirling natural peanut butter or almond butter into the batter after it's in the loaf pan is a delicious way to switch up traditional banana bread.

Pro Tips

If you add an extra banana or two, be sure to increase the baking time. It will depend on your oven, but I would add time in 5-minute increments and do the toothpick test. Poke a toothpick in the center of the loaf and continue baking until it comes out clean!
If you have an extra banana you want or need to use up, I love slicing it in half longways and putting the two halves on top of the batter before baking! It's a fun way to use the banana and "decorate" this healthy banana bread recipe.
Use overripe bananas! They're sweeter and softer than greener/less ripe bananas, making them perfect for banana bread.
I don't recommend using all almond flour in this recipe. Almond flour is a lot moister than regular flours, so the banana bread won't fully bake in the center without burning on the edges/top.

A straight-on shot of a loaf of banana bread without butter that has been sliced. It's sitting on parchment paper on top of a cooling rack. Sliced bananas and a jug of milk in the background.

Storing & Serving

Storing

I recommend storing this banana bread without butter recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 7.
This healthy banana bread freezes really well! I suggest slicing it while it's fresh and wrapping each piece in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil, then putting the slices in a gallon freezer bag in the freezer. I also recommend writing the date you made it on the bag in permanent marker so you can keep track of when it was made!

Serving

This delicious bread is honestly fantastic by itself and doesn't really need much else, but I love spreading vanilla Greek yogurt on top of the bread for a balanced breakfast or snack!

An angle shot of sliced banana bread without butter topped with walnuts. A slice of bread on a plate is in the bottom left corner and a knife is to the right of the loaf. Sliced bananas are in a bowl and walnuts are in a bowl on either side of the bread. Plates and a linen are in the background.

Recipe FAQ

Is banana bread considered healthy?

Banana bread can be part of a great breakfast, snack, or dessert. Common recipes include butter and processed sugars, giving banana bread a bad rap. However, this recipe uses white whole wheat flour, less sugar, and avocado oil to improve the nutrient content!

With that being said, you still want to be mindful of how much you're consuming and watch portion sizes 🙂

Can I use bread flour for banana bread?

I haven't tried using bread flour for banana bread but I imagine it may result in a tougher banana bread. Bread flour can give bread a tougher, bread-like texture. For most sweeter breads, like this banana bread recipe, you want a softer, more cake-like texture.

My bananas aren't very ripe, how can I ripen them quickly?

My go-to trick to ripen bananas quickly is to place them in a brown paper bag with a few apples and seal the bag with clothespins or chip clips. Let them sit in there for a day or two and the bananas should turn brown faster than if they were just sitting on the counter!

My banana bread isn't cooked all the way through in the middle - what should I do?

I would continue baking it in 5- or even 10-minute increments (I'd go 10 minutes if it's really not done in the center) and retest with a toothpick! Adding extra bananas to the batter as a mix-in can increase the baking time because of the moisture.

Can I make this recipe into muffins?

Yes! Portion batter out into a prepared muffin tin (I like to use either a ¼ or ⅓ measuring cup) and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Check out my banana nut protein muffins for a protein-rich banana muffin!

Other Recipes You May Like

Rate & Review

Want more healthy recipes like this delivered straight to your inbox? Click here to join The Perfect Pear newsletter!

If you give this recipe a try, please rate and review it below! I would love to hear your feedback. Also snap a photo and tag me on Insta @theperfectpearr so I can see your creation!