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Dairy-free Banana Bread

This Dairy-Free Banana Bread is better for you and doesn’t sacrifice one ounce of flavor! It’s incredibly moist, packed with banana flavor, and, best of all, it’s completely dairy-free!

A loaf of dairy-free banana bread with chocolate chips in a glass baking dish.
This Dairy-Free Banana Bread is incredibly moist and better for you without compromising on flavor!

Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe

Dairy free Banana Bread   Chew Out Loud

Why This Recipe Stands Out

If you’re a fan of moist flavorful breads, you’re in for a treat. This dairy-free banana bread recipe is a game-changer. Here’s why it’s worth trying:

  • Healthier: This recipe replaces ingredients such as butter, milk, and sugar with healthier alternatives like olive oil, honey, and coconut milk, just like our Healthy Pumpkin Bread.
  • Supremely Moist: The healthier ingredients don’t come at the cost of texture or flavor at all. It’s a supremely moist bread that’s just as good as traditional banana bread, if not better!
  • Versatile: You can add dark mini chocolate chips, nuts, or dried blueberries to customize the bread to your liking.

Key Recipe Ingredients

Overhead shot of igredients for dairy-free banana on a black table.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil – We use extra virgin olive oil to grease the pan and add a rich, fruity flavor to the recipe. Don’t worry; your bread will not taste like olives.
  • Raw, Unfiltered Honey –This is our natural sweetener of choice, adding a touch of sweetness without refined sugar.
  • Ripe Bananas – The star of the show, ripe bananas add natural sweetness and moisture to the recipe. Plus, they’re packed with nutrients!
  • Coconut Milk – We use coconut milk to add a creamy, tropical twist to the recipe.
  • Ground Flaxseed Meal – This is a great source of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, and it also helps to bind the ingredients together.
  • Ground Cinnamon – A teaspoon of ground cinnamon adds a warm, spicy note that compliments the sweetness of the bananas and honey.
  • White Whole Wheat Flour – We use white whole wheat flour for its nutritional benefits and its ability to give the recipe a light, fluffy texture.
  • Optional: Dark Mini Chocolate Chips, Nuts or Dried Blueberries – Feel free to add these in for extra flavor and texture. They work well with the other ingredients and make the recipe even more delicious.

Substitutions And Variations

This dairy-free banana bread is as versatile as it is delicious. With a base of ripe bananas and whole wheat flour, the possibilities for mix-ins and flavor additions are almost endless. Take a look at some of our favorite substitutions and variations:

  • Sweetener: Swap the honey with maple syrup or agave nectar if you prefer a different kind of sweetness.
  • Vegan: If you’re vegan, you can replace the eggs with flax eggs (1 tbsp of flaxseed meal with 2.5 tbsp of water for each egg).
  • Flour: If preferred, you can use all purpose flour or whole wheat flour. Note that whole wheat flour will result in somewhat of a more “textured” bread than the white-whole-wheat.
  • Milk: You can also substitute the coconut milk with almond milk, soy milk, or any other non-dairy milk of your choice like we do in our Vegan Ice Cream.
  • Extract: For a fun flavor variation, try using almond extract, coconut extract, or even butter extract like we do in our Poppy Seed Bread.
  • Add-ins: Feel free to get creative with add-ins. Dark mini chocolate chips, nuts, or dried blueberries would all work beautifully in this banana bread.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix oil, honey, eggs, bananas, and coconut milk.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients, except flour, and mix gently.
  1. Fold in the flour and chocolate chips, if using.
  2. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake for about 50 minutes. Allow bread cool before removing from the pan and slicing.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

This dairy-free banana bread is already a snap to make, but we have a few additional tips to make it even easier. Take a look at our best prep-ahead tips for this recipe:

  • Dry Ingredients: All dry ingredients can be measured and combined several days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.
  • Make and Freeze: The easiest way to enjoy this dairy-free banana bread is to make it ahead of time and freeze it. Make sure you cover it with plastic wrap. Simply pop it in the microwave, and it’ll be ready to enjoy!
Sliced dairy-free banana bread with chocolate chips.
Supremely moist dairy-free banana bread with ingredients that are actually good for you!

Commonly Asked Questions

What type of honey should I use for this dairy-free banana bread?

For this recipe, we recommend using raw, unfiltered honey but you can use any other honey you may have on hand as well.

What type of oil should I use to grease the pan?

We recommend using extra virgin olive oil to grease the pan. It’s a healthier option and it won’t alter the flavor of your banana bread.

How do I know when the banana bread is done?

The banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few tender crumbs attached. It should take about 50 minutes at 350F.

How long does dairy-free banana bread keep?

This dairy-free banana bread will keep for about 2-3 days at room temperature. If you want to extend its shelf life, you can refrigerate it for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months. Just make sure to wrap it well to prevent it from drying out.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

Sliced dairy-free banana bread with chocolate chips.

Dairy-Free Banana Bread

5 from 37 ratings
This Dairy-Free Banana Bread is better for you and doesn’t sacrifice one ounce of flavor! It's incredibly moist, packed with banana flavor, and, best of all, it's completely dairy-free!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Lightly grease 9×5 inch loaf pan with your choice of oil. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add oil, honey, eggs, bananas, and coconut milk. Stir with a hand-whisk until fully incorporated. Add remaining ingredients except for flour. Gently whisk to combine well.
  • Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the flour; fold repeatedly until flour is just combined, with some small lumps remaining (do not over mix the flour.) Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
  • Use rubber spatula to completely transfer batter into the greased loaf pan. Bake about 50 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few tender crumbs attached.
  • Let bread cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Run a thin, sharp knife along edges carefully and remove bread from pan to slice.

Notes

  • When choosing your bananas for this dairy-free banana bread recipe, make sure they are very ripe. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
  • To guarantee that your banana bread is moist, don’t over-mix the batter. Over-mixing can lead to a dense, dry loaf. Just fold in the flour until it’s combined, leaving some small lumps.
  • Don’t forget to preheat your oven. This ensures that your banana bread will rise properly and cook evenly.
  • Feel free to customize your banana bread with add-ins like dark mini chocolate chips, nuts, or dried blueberries. 
  • Always let your banana bread cool completely before slicing. This helps it retain moisture. 
  • Remember to lightly grease your loaf pan with extra virgin olive oil. This prevents the bread from sticking to the pan and makes it easier to remove once baked..
  • We prefer mini chocolate chips, as they “melt” into the bread really well.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We ❤️ hearing from you! 
 
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Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Lactose, Vegetarian
Method: Bake

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Recipe Rating




47 comments

    • Jacki
    • 5 stars

    My grand daughter and I tried this recipe. It was easy and sooo good. We used olive oil and dairy free mini chocolate chips. It’s a keeper

      • Amy Dong

      Aww, Jacki, that makes me so happy to hear! 🙂

    • Jodie
    • 5 stars

    I was looking for healthier baking options but I wasn’t sure about EVOO instead of butter…delicious! I also like the white whole wheat flour (I didn’t miss all purpose flour at all). Added both mini chocolate chips and chopped walnuts, and skim milk which is what I have. Time in the oven took about 65 minutes. Next time I’d like to try dates as other commenters used. This banana bread will be my go-to. Thank you for the recipe.

      • Amy Dong

      You’re so very welcome, Jodie!!

    • Clarence McLean
    • 5 stars

    Best banana bread.

      • Amy Dong

      Aww, thank you!!

    • ANGELA
    • 5 stars

    Delicious moist recipe I was looking for. thank you

      • Amy Dong

      So happy you liked this, Angela!

    • Mel F
    • 5 stars

    Oh man, I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out, but Amy – dang! My partner really wanted to have banana bread so I tried this recipe and he ate almost half of it in the first sitting and is already asking me to make it again! Squidgy and tasty – perfect. AND healthy!
    I used all purpose flour and used half the amount of honey and added about 6-7 dates and threw in a few tablespoons of chopped hazelnuts in the mix and on top. Also used the olive oil and almond milk rather than the coconut oil/milk.
    Needed to cook it a bit longer, about an hour and 15mins in the end but kept foil on top and was patient with it. Will be my go-to recipe now! Thanks so much 🙂

      • Amy Dong

      Awww, that really makes me so happy, Mel! 🙂 🙂

    • Elizabeth Italiano

    Hi.Can I substitute The flaxseed Meal for flax oil by any chance?
    Cheers Lizzie

      • chewoutloud

      You can sub with ground chia seeds or applesauce. Enjoy!

    • Ali
    • 5 stars

    I have made this countless times, sometimes adding walnuts or (toasted) pecans, or both.. Delicious every single bake!!

      • chewoutloud

      So happy to hear it, Ali!! 🙂

    • AJ

    This is by far the best banana bread recipe I have ever used! I added dates and walnuts and cut down on the amount of honey to balance. Delicious!

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, soooo happy you liked this bread, AJ! Yum, your dates and walnuts sound like a fantastic boost of goodness 🙂

    • Lindz

    I just made the banana bread but outside is burnt and the inside isn’t fully baked. Any ideas? Thanks!

      • chewoutloud

      Hi, Lindz! I do have one suggestion: if your bread is browning too quickly (ovens definitely vary)… loosely tent the bread with a large piece of foil once you see it’s starting to brown and let it continue to bake until center is “just done.” Hope that helps! Enjoy, and thanks for being here today! 🙂

    • Anshul Gupta

    Your presentation and detailed post is fantastic. I am tempted to try this recipe for sure.

    • Kylie wenn (cre8tone)

    banana bread looks like just fine and nice and healthy for a meal.. especially breakfast..

    • kumamonjeng

    Not sure which one to make as there are too many options. May be I start with banana and chocolate. It doesnt look that difficult so may give it a try before Chinese new year. Just nice for relatives to try out.

    • diana

    Omg, this seems so delicious with banana! I’m gonna give it a try tomorrow evening. Can’t wait!

    • Nausheen

    I just love cakes & baking . All recipes are yummilicious…Will try it soon !!

    • Sian Lifts Weights

    I love banana bread and this recipe looks so good! I cant believe its one bowl either, i always end up with loads of washing up normally

    • Lisa Rios

    YUM, I’m practically drooling over the pictures. I need something like this now!

    • Anna

    Such a handy recipe. my best friend would love it, passing it to her now.

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