Bake up healthy comfort food with this super easy and super delicious lower sugar Banana Bread. It’s so easy, so good, and is a perfect breakfast or snack to share with the kids.
Whenever we need a healthy snack to make at home and I have overripe bananas sitting on the counter, this banana bread is in order.
Quick Look: Lower Sugar Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Serving: 8
- Flavor Profile: Pure ripe banana flavor with cinnamon and vanilla
- Difficulty: Easy, perfect for everyday baking
- Why to Make: It’s a quick, lower sugar way to enjoy classic banana bread
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT
Table of Contents
I love tweaking classic recipes to be a little less sweet so we can taste all of the flavors, not just overt sweetness. We love it slightly warmed up or toasted. YUM.
Why this Recipe Works
This contains ½ cup less sugar than standard Banana Bread Muffins and recipes. This allows the flavor of the bananas to shine through, creates the texture you expect from a banana bread recipe, and reduces the amount of added sugar significantly.
This is a great toddler breakfast, it packs well as travel food, is a perfect postpartum freezer meal, and it’s great for a meal train.
(You may also like my Strawberry Banana Bread, Blueberry Banana Bread, and Protein Banana Bread.)
Your toddler won’t eat? Help is here!
Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent your way!
Ingredients You Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Lower Sugar Banana Bread recipe so you know what to have on hand and ready to go.
- Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled: You can melt this first, then gather the rest of the ingredients so it cools a bit.
- Mashed very ripe bananas: The more brown spots the bananas have, the better the flavor and natural sweetness will be.
- Eggs: Large eggs add structure and tenderness to this quick bread recipe.
- All purpose and whole wheat flour: Using half of each type of flour adds some extra nutrition but keeps the bread light and fluffy.
- Sugar: A modest amount of sugar creates the texture you expect from classic banana bread but allows the banana flavor to shine through.
- Baking soda: Check to make sure your baking soda is fresh as it’s key for the bread cooking through and rising properly.
- Cinnamon, vanilla, and salt: These round out the flavors nicely.
TIP: I like the mix of half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat, but you can use just all-purpose flour if that’s what you have.
Featured Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Every recipe from Amy at Yummy Toddler Food has been a winner. I love how simple they are – one bowl like this recipe and pantry staples. I added walnuts and choc chips and it was yummy. Not too sweet. Loved by adults and the toddlers.” —Tricia
Ingredient Substitutions
- Dairy-free: Use melted coconut oil or plant-based butter in place of the regular butter.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 style of gluten-free baking mix in place of the wheat flours.
- You can use coconut sugar if you prefer.
- Use all whole wheat flour or all all purpose. If you use whole wheat, the Banana Bread may be done a little earlier. If you use all purpose exclusively, it may take a few more minutes.
- Stir in a handful of chocolate chips or sprinkle some on top if you’d like.
How to Make Lower Sugar Banana Bread
Here’s a look at how to make this healthy Banana Bread so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.
Step 1. Melt the butter and mash the bananas.
Step 2. Stir together the wet and dry ingredients.
Step 3. Add the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing so the batter is evenly distributed.
Step 4. Bake under a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
TIP: Melt the butter first so it has a chance to cool while you mash the bananas.
Lower Sugar Banana Bread FAQs
You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for half of the butter. It may take a few more minutes to bake.
Sure, check out my Banana Bread Muffins recipe for the details. (You may also like my Banana Bread Oatmeal).
Sure, add ⅓ cup of either, chopping the walnuts finely.
How to Store
Store any leftover Lower Sugar Banana Bread, once fully cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for 5 days. Or freeze slices, once cooled, and in a zip-top storage bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 6 months.
Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Wrapping the slices in plastic helps retain the moisture, though you can also just store in a container and plan to warm or toast to serve.
Best Tips for Success
- Serve chilled or slightly warmed or toasted. (If it’s been a few days and the bread is getting a little dried out, toast it!)
- Add ½ cup chocolate chips to the batter if desired.
- Mash the bananas very smooth with a fork or a potato masher. (This is a good step for the kids to help with!)
- Cut the bread into slices or cubes for younger kids.
- Spread on some all fruit jam, a thin smear of nut butter, or cream cheese if desired.
More Easy Baked Goods
Muffins
Easy Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Breakfast
Blueberry Yogurt Cake
Breakfast
Easy Strawberry Banana Bread
If you try this recipe, I’d appreciate it so much if you leave a comment and give it a star rating!
Lower Sugar Banana Bread (SO Good!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled; 1 stick)
- 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. (I use classic Pam.)
- Add the melted butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula so it’s even. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan (carefully) and let cool on a wire rack completely.
- Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- Store any leftovers, once fully cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for 5 days. Or freeze slices, once cooled, in a zip-top storage bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
- Serve chilled or slightly warmed or toasted. (If it’s been a few days and the bread is getting a little dried out, toast it!)
- Use all all-purpose flour if desired.
- Add ½ cup chocolate chips to the batter if desired.
- Mash the bananas very smooth with a fork or a potato masher. (This is a good step for the kids to help with!)
- Spread on some all-fruit jam, a thin smear of nut butter, or cream cheese if desired.
Nutrition
This post was first published December 2020.
Can you substitute the sugar for honey?
Yes though I personally think the texture is better with sugar than with honey but enjoy it!
Is it possible to make these into mini muffins? How would that affect the time and bake temp?
I would do 375 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes in a mini muffin pan.
Can you add nuts?
Sure, I recommend you chop them fairly finely so the loaf is still easy to slice.
Kids and mom gave it a 10 out of 10! Delicious!
Wow. I was skeptical when I saw how thick the batter was. But it turned out wonderful! I cooked for 55 mins, I placed some foil on top around 45 mins to prevent overbrowning, and the top even appeared a little dry so I was worried. But as soon as I cut into it I could see it was perfectly moist. It is a little more dense, not as cake-like, but I like that (was not dense + dry; sort of like pound cake). Love that my family is getting a little more nutrients! Thank you for another recipe in our family’s rotation!
Made with my 2 year old and loved it!
I used 6 cups of all purpose for a triple batch and I feel like it’s too much flour, super dense but the flavor was ok
Can I substitute coconut oil for butter?
Sure
My favourite go-to for a yummy snack!
I have a dairy sensitive toddler and this recipe holds up so well with substitutions for both the dairy (olive oil or plant based butter) and for the sugar (maple syrup, honey, brown sugar) and it’s a hit every time. I’ve made this so much I have it memorized! 10/10
I go back to this recipe time and time again! I’m going to use it for my child’s preschool class snack but make non diary substitutions (coconut oil and an Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer) for children with allergies. Most of the time, I follow the recipe as is, and it is wonderful!
So good…worked out really well. I added the chocolate chips….very nice indeed
Soo good! Weve been making this once a month. Always a hit with my son 🙂
Is there 18g of sugar per slice or overall for the loaf? If it’s per slice, could you recommend adjustments for a lower amount of added sugar? Thank you! We’ve made it twice and it’s so delicious.
A keeper! Of course I subbed a few things: no sugar!, half a stick of butter and 4oz of unsweetened applesauce, 4 total bananas (because they were all very ripe), I measured with my heart for cinnamon, as well as nutmeg and cloves, and added walnuts on top. Thanks for the yummy breakfast/snack recipe!
Rave reviews from my husband and son. Super easy!! Thank you!