This sugar-free banana bread recipe has all the soft, moist texture and bold banana flavor of traditional banana bread with none of the added sugar or butter. Made with eight simple, nutritious ingredients and ready in under an hour, it’s the perfect sweet breakfast, afternoon snack, or dessert!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Sugar Free Banana Bread Recipe
- Is Sugar Free Banana Bread Still Sweet?
- No Sugar Banana Bread Ingredients & Notes
- How to Make Sugar Free Banana Bread
- Sugar Free Banana Bread Recipe Variations
- Expert Tips
- How to Store Sugar Free Banana Bread
- Banana Bread (No Sugar) FAQs
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Why You’ll Love This Sugar Free Banana Bread Recipe
Don’t let the brown bananas on your counter go to waste! Use them up in this sugar free banana bread recipe instead. It’s the perfect solution for those times when you bought a bushel of bananas fully intending to eat them and just never actually got around to it.
A healthier version of traditional recipes, this less sugar banana bread comes together with just a handful of ingredients you probably already have on hand. Plus, it’s quick to prepare, easy to make, and stores well. I love to serve mine topped with cashew butter, but it’s just as tasty on its own. Honestly, no matter how you serve it, you really can’t go wrong!
Recipe characteristics
- Gluten free and dairy free
- Lower in saturated fat than traditional recipes
- Free from refined sugar
- Ready in less than an hour
- Studded with small chunks of banana for extra texture and flavor
Is Sugar Free Banana Bread Still Sweet?
Yes! The key is to use overripe bananas which are even sweeter than those bright firm bananas you find in the store. As bananas ripen, the starches in the banana are converted to sugar which is why you should never throw those spotty brown bananas away. This no sugar added banana bread is calling your name!
No Sugar Banana Bread Ingredients & Notes
- Bananas - Slightly brown and soft is best. Try to avoid using green/light yellow bananas as they will be a little stiff and won't provide the sweet flavor or moisture needed.
- Eggs - Large eggs are crucial to creating a rich flavor, retaining moisture, and helping the bread hold its shape.
- Peanut butter - I use creamy peanut butter, but any other nut or seed butter like almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter will work.
- Vanilla - Use high-quality pure vanilla extract.
- Almond flour + coconut flour - This combination of gluten free flours provides the perfect amount of fluffiness, lift, and structure to keep this sugar free banana bread soft without falling apart.
- Baking powder - Make sure it’s fresh!
- Chopped pecans - Feel free to use any other chopped nuts you prefer.
How to Ripen Bananas Fast
If your bananas are still bright yellow and the banana bread craving has hit, lucky for you there are a few ways you can expedite the ripening process:
- Add the bananas to a paper bag, and close it tightly. This traps the ethylene inside the bag which is what ripens the bananas. You can also throw in an apple or avocado as they help speed up the process too.
- For even faster results, preheat the oven to 300 F. Add the bananas (peel on) to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until the peels have turned black. They will look weird but trust me, they make for a great banana bread.
- If time is really the issue, you can also ripen bananas in the microwave. Simply poke a few holes in the peel of the bananas, and place them on a plate (be careful not to overcrowd). Heat in the microwave in 30-second increments until the bananas are soft and mushy.
How to Make Sugar Free Banana Bread
One of the easiest banana bread variations you’ll ever make, this recipe comes together with just a few minutes of prep time. All you’ll need is a bowl or plate, a hand mixer or stand mixer and a loaf pan, and you’ll be in and out of the kitchen in no time!
Step 1: Smash the banana. Use a fork to mash the bananas in a bowl or on a plate until no large chunks remain.
Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the mashed bananas, and mix to incorporate.
Step 3: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the almond flour, coconut flour, and baking powder to the bowl of wet ingredients. Fold until no flour clumps remain.
Step 4: Bake the banana bread. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan, and sprinkle chopped pecans on top, if desired. Transfer the pan to a preheated oven, and bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick can be inserted into the center and comes out clean.
Step 5: Enjoy! Allow the bread to cool slightly in the pan. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely, slice, and serve.
Sugar Free Banana Bread Recipe Variations
- Swap the chopped pecans with slivered almonds.
- Add dried fruit like golden raisins or cranberries to the batter.
- Sprinkle in ½ cup grated carrots for a carrot cake twist.
- Fold in some blueberries or strawberries into the batter for a pop of fruity flavor.
- Add ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon clove, ¼ teaspoon ginger, and ¼ teaspoon cardamom for a chai-style flavor.
Expert Tips
- Use soft and mushy overripe bananas for best results. These are the sweetest types of bananas and are best for this banana bread recipe. See the section above about how to ripen bananas fast if needed.
- Leave small chunks of banana in the batter. This is the good stuff once the bread is baked!
- Don’t over-mix. Even though we are using gluten free flours in this recipe, overmixing causes dry banana bread.
- Grease the loaf pan well. and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
How to Store Sugar Free Banana Bread
You can store the banana bread sliced or unsliced. It’s important, however, to remove it from the pan in which it was baked. This is because as the banana bread cools down, it can “sweat” in the pan and create condensation which can lead to an overly moist banana bread. Instead, remove the loaf once it’s warm enough to touch, and let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container or bag. If you want, you can also clean out the loaf pan and place the bread back in it once it’s cooled.
The bread will keep for up to a week when stored at room temperature and for up to 10 days in the fridge. You can also freeze individual slices, and they will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy!
Banana Bread (No Sugar) FAQs
Your banana bread batter should be slightly thick with little pieces of banana bread throughout. If the batter is too thick, the bread will probably be too soft and underdone in the center. On the other hand, if it’s too runny, the bread may be dry once baked.
This depends on your definition of “healthy”. But I would consider this sugar free banana bread on the healthier side as it uses natural ingredients.
This can happen if you leave the banana bread in the pan for too long once it’s baked. The bread will “sweat” as it cools down and creates condensation which can get in the bread. You should remove the bread from the pan once it’s warm enough to touch and let it cool completely out of the pan.
Due to the softness of this banana bread and the fact that it contains no added sugars or artificial ingredients, it’s one of the best treats to share with your little ones once they are able to enjoy solid foods. However, this recipe does contain nuts, nut flours, and eggs. So, it’s not safe for children with nut or egg allergies.
Although those soft, squishy, and brown bananas may not look pleasant sitting there on your countertop, they actually make the perfect bananas for banana bread. If you don’t believe me, I challenge you to give them a little sniff. They smell sweet. Whereas if you sniff a bright yellow banana, you don’t get as much sweetness. This is because as bananas ripen, the starch turns into sugar.
Because we add no additional sugar to this banana bread recipe, it’s even more important to use very overripe bananas.
For more banana bread-inspired recipes, check out my banana bread doughnuts and banana bread protein smoothie, too!
for more banana bread recipes, check out my:
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Recipe
Banana Bread Recipe (No Sugar)
Equipment
- 1 Small Bowl or Plate
- 1 Stand Mixer or Hander Mixer
Ingredients
- 3 overripe bananas
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup peanut butter - any nut or seed butter will work
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoon coconut flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup chopped pecans - to garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a bowl or on a plate, mash up the bananas with the back of a fork. There should be no large chunks left.3 overripe bananas
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add the mashed bananas and mix to incorporate. There may be small little clumps of banana in the batter which is okay.3 eggs, ½ cup peanut butter - any nut or seed butter will work, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the almond flour, coconut flour, and baking powder to the bowl and fold until no flour clumps remain.1 cup almond flour, 3 tablespoon coconut flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder
- Pour the batter into a lined 8 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle some chopped pecans over top, if desired, and bake for 40 - 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and you can insert a toothpick into the center of the bread and it comes out clean.½ cup chopped pecans
- Let cool before cutting into slices and enjoy!
Can I use AP flour instead?
I haven't tried this will all purpose flour so I can't say for certain.