Description
A moist, chocolatey banana bread that’s surprisingly healthy—oil-free, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened with bananas and a sugar-free sweetener.
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas (about 12 oz/360 g total)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup (60 g) nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew, or sunflower seed butter)
- ⅓ cup (70 g) granular sweetener (e.g. monk fruit, brown sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅙ tsp sea salt
- 1½ cups (150 g) oat flour (or substitute preferred flour)
- ½ cup (50 g) cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup (40 g) chocolate chips
- Optional (high‑protein): ½ cup (50 g) protein powder replacing ½ cup flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 20 cm (8‑inch) loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Add nut butter and eggs, mixing until combined.
- Stir in the granulated sweetener, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk for about 2 minutes until well blended.
- Add oat flour (and protein powder if using), cocoa powder, and baking powder. Stir until the batter is smooth, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with extra chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake for 30–40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- You can replace eggs with flax or chia “eggs” for a vegan version.
- Up to ½ cup of the flour can be swapped with protein powder—vegan or casein helps maintain moistness; avoid whey.
- Use ripe bananas with brown spots—they add natural sweetness and moisture.
- Over‑mixing can lead to a dense texture; stir just until ingredients are combined.
- The bread tastes even better the next day after resting in the fridge.
- Store cooled loaf in an airtight container: room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerated up to 5, or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 142 kcal
- Sugar: 4.4 g
- Sodium: 117.6 mg
- Fat: 5.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: —
- Trans Fat: 0.003 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.8 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
