The Best Honey Sweetened Banana Bread (No Refined Sugar!)

Q: Can I freeze the bread for later use?

Banana bread freezes beautifully for up to 3 months . Just ensure it is completely cool before wrapping. Whole Loaf: Wrap tightly in parchment or a reusable wrap. Individual Slices: Slice first and wrap pieces separately—perfect for quick "grab-and-go" breakfasts! To Thaw: Leave it on the counter for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

Jump to Recipe

There is nothing more nostalgic than the smell of fresh banana bread wafting through the house. But most traditional recipes call for a cup (or more!) of refined white or brown sugar. I wanted to create a version that relied entirely on the natural sweetness of ripe bananas and raw honey.

This recipe is moist, and perfectly sweet without the “sugar crash.” It’s become a staple in our house for quick breakfasts or a “Good Stuff” after-school snack. This is also a dairy free banana bread recipe, just be sure to use coconut oil instead of butter!

The Good Stuff Ingredient Swaps

To make this the ultimate “Better Than” banana bread, we are focusing on three key ingredient upgrades:

The Sweetener: We’ve swapped out all refined sugar for raw honey. Honey adds a beautiful depth of flavor and keeps the loaf incredibly moist.
The Flour: Instead of highly processed white flour, I used 250 grams of whole cell crushed wheat. This keeps the nutrients of the grain intact while providing a hearty, rich texture.
The Vanilla: We aren’t using the imitation stuff here! This recipe features my Homemade Vanilla Extract—a simple change that makes a massive difference in the final aroma.
The Optional Touch of Chocolate: If you decide to go for chocolate chips on this one, check out my past chocolate chip simple swap!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep & Mash

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mash your ripe bananas until they are mostly smooth. Using 5 medium bananas ensures the bread stays moist without needing extra oils.

A bowl of freshly mashed bananas, the base for a clean-label mini muffin recipe made without seed oils or processed dyes.

Mixing raw honey, melted butter, and eggs into the mashed banana base for a clean-ingredient batter.

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients

Whisk in your melted butter and honey until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Mixing raw honey, melted butter, and eggs into the mashed banana base for a honey sweetened ingredient batter.

After folding 250g of whole cell crushed wheat into the wet banana mixture, showing a thick and hearty texture.

Step 3: Fold in the Flour

Gently fold in your flour or whole cell crushed wheat (250g).

✨ Good Stuff Tip: Especially when working with whole grain flours, be careful not to over-mix! Stir just until the flour disappears. Over-mixing can lead to a tough loaf, and we want this to stay tender and soft.

Banana Bread batter in a lined loaf pan ready to go into the oven.

Step 4: Bake

Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If you’re bread is browning to quickly, loosely cover with foil. Let it cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different flour?

While I love the 250g of crushed wheat for the nutrient profile, you can easily use white whole wheat flour or a high-quality organic all-purpose flour. The weight (250g) will remain the same!

How do I make this dairy free?

Swap out the butter of coconut oil and you’ll be good to go! If you decide to add in chocolate chips, double check that you are using a dairy free version.

How do I store honey-sweetened bread?

Because honey and bananas hold so much moisture, this bread stays soft for days. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze individual slices for an easy “grab-and-go” breakfast.

Can I freeze the bread for later use?

Banana bread freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Just ensure it is completely cool before wrapping.
Whole Loaf: Wrap tightly in parchment or a reusable wrap.
Individual Slices: Slice first and wrap pieces separately—perfect for quick “grab-and-go” breakfasts!
To Thaw: Leave it on the counter for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

Honey-Sweetened Banana Bread

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

The ultimate 'Good Stuff' banana bread! This moist, dense loaf is sweetened entirely with raw honey and ripe bananas-no refined sugar in sight. This can be made with nutrient-dense whole cell crushed wheat -or flour of your choice- and homemade vanilla, it's a simple, clean-label swap for the classic recipe that your family will reach for again and again.

Ingredients

2 cups (250g) Flour
5 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted or coconut oil for dairy free!
½ cup Honey
1 ¾ cups Mashed ripe banana (approx. 5 medium)
2 Eggs
1 tsp Baking soda
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Homemade vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips-optional
1/2 cup walnuts-optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5 pan and line it with parchment paper.
Mash bananas; whisk in butter, honey, eggs, vanilla, soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Gently fold in flour until just combined.
Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Move to a cooling rack.

Notes

If you're using the chocolate chips and/or nuts, dust them in flour first to help keep them from sinking to the bottom. It make take a few minutes longer to bake.

Find more recipes like this at thegoodstuffbakeshop.com

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 354Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 237mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 7gSugar: 16gProtein: 10g

Nutrition information is calculated automatically as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Accuracy is not guaranteed as values can vary based on specific brands and preparation methods used.