The Best Vegan Banana Bread (Whole Wheat + Delicious)

This vegan Banana Bread is quite possibly the first baked good I veganized almost 15 years ago, when I first became a vegan. And I promise you it's the best banana bread you will ever eat.

This is also one of my family's favorite recipes. It's the dessert Desi most requests and Jay, my son, adores it as well, so it's very kid-friendly. I love it not just because it's delicious and slices well, but it's filled with so many good things that make it good enough for breakfast or a snack between meals.

This banana bread is all whole wheat. That's right. It has no artificial sweeteners, and it doesn't have a whole lot of oil. But what it does have is lots of fruit (bananas and applesauce), flaxmeal, and walnuts (or pecans, take your pick).

This recipe has lived on my blog since Dec. 2007, and I am bringing it back to the top for those of you who are newer here, and also because I want to add a few tips and tricks I've learned over the years that make this vegan Banana Bread more amazing than ever. I've also added new photos for you.

Nearly every kitchen has overripe bananas sitting around, and this is the perfect way to use them up. Let's get baking!

Why you'll love this vegan banana bread

• It's delicious. It's packed with fresh, banana flavor and it has a soft, tender, moist crumb.
• It's so good for you. There's very little sugar in this recipe and so much goodness from the whole wheat and bananas--and nuts, if you use them.
• It's super kid-friendly. It makes the best lunchbox or after-school snack.
• It is foolproof. This is a super easy recipe. You can blend the wet ingredients in a blender and add them to the dry. After that mix, pour into an oiled loaf pan and bake.

Vegan banana bread: Expert tips

• There's no reason to make your banana bread with white flour. Whole wheat banana bread is even more delicious and I use whole wheat pastry flour in mine. It is easily found in stores and online and is a great substitute for white flour in many, many desserts. It adds a wonderful, nutty flavor to this vegan banana bread and the texture remains soft and fluffy.
• If you can't find whole wheat pastry flour, use a half-and-half mix of whole wheat flour and unbleached all purpose flour.
• You don't need artificial sweeteners in your banana bread. In fact, sugars like coconut sugar, turbinado, coconut palm syrup and maple syrup are more desirable in banana bread because they add wonderful richness. I use any of these, or a combination. You can also add in a tablespoonful of molasses for really amazing flavor, because molasses and banana go perfectly together. This bread is perfectly sweet and not cloyingly so, with rich banana flavor, as it should be.
• I use applesauce to add more moistness to this bread, without bumping up the amount of oil. You can use vegan yogurt instead if you like. The applesauce adds a tiny bit more sweetness, so you won't get that with yogurt. In that case, add a teaspoon or so of sugar more, or don't -- you'll still have an incredibly delicious and perfectly sweet banana bread.
• If you want nuts in your banana bread -- I love some here -- you have a choice of walnuts or pecans. Both work really well, and I don't have a preference. Do toast the nuts lightly and chop them before adding them to the batter. You can also add chocolate chips to the batter.
• Pro tip: Make cleanup easier by using a blender to mix your wet ingredients. You can throw in the bananas first, blend them, then add all the other wet ingredients and blend them for a few seconds before adding to the dry ingredients.

Ingredients

• Whole wheat pastry flour (or a mix of regular whole wheat flour and unbleached all purpose flour). I love this bread best with whole wheat pastry flour, which keeps the bread fluffy and soft and also makes it healthier. But all purpose flour, or a half-half mix of APF and whole wheat flour will do as well.
• Baking soda and baking powder. For leavening the banana bread.
• Vegetable oil. Use any kind. I used avocado oil but coconut oil works as well.
• Coconut sugar (or turbinado or coconut palm syrup or maple syrup). Use any sugar of your choice, but an unrefined sugar keeps the bread healthier.
• Molasses (optional). You don't absolutely need molasses, but I love it especially in banana bread. It adds a wonderful sweetness and richness. You need just a tiny bit.
• Flaxmeal. This adds more nutrition and, along with the bananas, serves as a binder.
• Apple cider vinegar. To give more rise and fluffiness to the bread.
• Applesauce (or vegan yogurt). You won't taste the applesauce here, the bananas are a strong enough flavor. You can even just add half a banana more to the recipe instead of applesauce. Vegan yogurt makes this bread more tender, and I love it here.
• Bananas. Make sure that the bananas you use are as ripe as you can get them, which means they will be extremely sweet and perfect for the bread.
• Walnuts (or pecans, optional). A little crunch with the soft, tender banana bread crumb is wonderful. You can skip the nuts if you are nut-free.

Optional add-ins

• Chocolate chips. Use ¾ths of a cup, instead of the nuts.
• Spices: A teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger or a mix of both is delicious here.
• Pure vanilla extract. You don't need it here, but it adds a nice boost of sweetness. Use no more than a teaspoon.

FAQs

Can I make this vegan banana bread gluten-free?
Yes, absolutely. Replace the flour with the same quantity of gf all purpose flour.
Can I use this recipe to make muffins?
You can divide the batter into 8-10 muffin cups and bake them up for 18 minutes. But I do have a scrumptious vegan banana muffins recipe on the blog and you might just want to follow that instead.
How long can I store the bread?
You can refrigerate the bread for three days, and freeze for longer storage. Wrap the bread tightly in freezer wrap or place in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Thaw before eating.

Related recipes

• Vegan Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
• Vegan Banana Crumb Muffins
• Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
• Vegan Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
• Vegan Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Streusel
• Banana Dosa

Vegan Banana Bread Recipe

I've spent years perfecting my vegan banana bread recipe, and I am so proud to share it with you. This is truly the best loaf: it is free of eggs and dairy, of course, but it has a tender, cakey, moist crumb and it tastes amazing. And it's so easy to make: the wet ingredients can be mixed in the blender and you just add them to the dry ingredients, mix and bake. Anyone you feed it to -- vegan or not -- will love it, guaranteed. But this vegan banana bread is also secretly healthy because it's made with whole wheat flour, has no artificial sweeteners, and needs very little sugar. If you have children, this is the perfect snack to satisfy their sweet tooth. So go on, make it. Every kitchen has a few ripe bananas sitting around, and there's never been a better reason to get the oven fired up. This is also a soy-free recipe and it can be nut-free.

5 from 17 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Baking, Can be nut-free, Soy-free, Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Vegan Banana Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 186kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 ⅓ cups whole wheat pastry flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 5 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ ⅔ cup coconut sugar (or turbinado or coconut palm syrup or maple syrup)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon molasses (optional. You don't need this with the unrefined sugars, but do add if using cane sugar or any refined sugar)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon flaxmeal (whisked with 6 tablespoon water to make flax "eggs")
• ▢ 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ¼ cup applesauce (or vegan yogurt)
• ▢ 3 very ripe bananas (mashed)
• ▢ ¾ cup walnuts (or pecans, lightly toasted, then chopped)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a 8 ½-inch by 4 ½-inch loaf pan.
• Mix the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl.
• In another bowl, mix the oil, sugar, molasses, if using, flax eggs, apple cider vinegar, applesauce or yogurt, and mashed bananas.
• Add the banana-sugar mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well until just combined and you don't have any dry flour in the bowl.
• Fold in the chopped nuts.
• Pour the batter into the loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake about 50-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
• Place on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes and then unmold and let cool completely, still on the rack.

Notes

• Try and use the whole wheat pastry flour if possible. It is easily found in stores and online and is a great substitute for white flour in many, many desserts. It adds a wonderful, nutty flavor to this vegan banana bread. If you can't find whole wheat pastry flour, use a half-and-half mix of whole wheat flour and unbleached all purpose flour.
• Sugars like coconut sugar, turbinado, coconut palm syrup and maple syrup are more desirable in banana bread because they add wonderful richness. I use any of these, or a combination. You can also add in a tablespoonful of molasses for really amazing flavor, because molasses and banana go nicely together. This bread is perfectly sweet and not cloyingly so, with rich banana flavor.
• I use applesauce to add more moistness to this bread, without bumping up the amount of oil. You can use vegan yogurt instead if you like, which will make the crumb really silky and tender. 
• If you want nuts in your banana bread -- I love some here -- you have a choice of walnuts or pecans. Both work really well, and I don't have a preference. Toast the nuts lightly and chop them before adding them to the batter. You can also add chocolate chips to the batter.
• Pro tip: Make cleanup easier by using a blender to mix your wet ingredients. You can throw in the bananas first, blend them, then add all the other wet ingredients and blend them for a few seconds before adding to the dry ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Leave a comment and rating below or tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan. Be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.