This healthier Greek Yogurt Banana Bread is made without butter or oil, but so soft and tender that you’d never be able to tell! Naturally sweetened and loaded with banana flavour, it makes a great healthier alternative to a traditional favourite!
I realized an embarrassing thing the other day. Well, two embarrassing things.
The first was that I somehow managed to miss a few patches when I was shaving my right leg. Which wouldn’t have been horrible had I not had someone else point it out to me two days after the fact. Awkward.
The second was that, for how much I adore it, I don’t really have any banana bread recipes here on Spoons. I mean, I do, but I basically posted them as recipes in passing without really giving them the kind of attention they deserved. So it’s time to rectify that mistake…
Banana bread is one of two three sweet treats that hold a special place in my heart — the other two being chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and Black Forest cake. And if you’re wondering what those three things could possibly have in common, the answer is: almost nothing other than the fact that they’re delicious and basically epitomize my childhood. Well, the homemade baked goodie portion of my childhood, anyways.
I’ve been baking for pretty much as long as I can remember, and almost all of those early baking memories involve hanging out in the kitchen and “helping” Mom make one of the aforementioned treats, with cookies being the most common, Black Forest happening for every.single special occasion, and the elusive banana bread making an appearance on the off-chance that we had some ripe bananas lying around… which wasn’t really that often.
I actually remember not believing my mom when she said that we couldn’t make banana bread because the bananas weren’t ripe enough. My little 7 year-old self saw yellow bananas on the counter and couldn’t understand what more my mom wanted from them. Bananas were bananas… weren’t they? It wasn’t until many years later when I realized that there actually was a huge difference in not only the sweetness, but the texture that properly ripe bananas add to whatever you throw them in. Not to mention the increased health benefits.
Anywho, maybe it’s because it was such a rare occurrence, or maybe it’s because it’s just plain delicious, but banana bread secured one of the coveted top 3 spots in my heart, and it continues to hold that spot to this day. Which makes the fact that I couldn’t even remember the last time I had a slice of it that much more embarrassing…
But like I said… it’s been rectified.
I originally posted a slightly modified version of this recipe a couple years ago, but it pretty much got lost in the archives since I wasn’t serious about food blogging at that point, and had no idea about photography, SEO, social media promotion, etc… which is a shame because it’s really kind of amazing. And by “really kind of amazing” I mean it’s easily my favourite recipe for healthy banana bread.
Soft, tender, subtly sweet, and loaded with banana flavour, you’d never be able to tell that this banana bread is made without butter or oil. Instead, it’s got Greek yogurt to keep it moist, with an extra egg and some coconut sugar to help out.
The recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but you’d be fine cutting that down to 1/3 cup if you like your breads a little less sweet. And this is especially true if you were planning on tossing in some chocolate chips. I like my banana bread without any add-ins, so I passed on the chocolate (I know, I know) and played around with the sweetness instead. Both versions were delicious — it really depends on how sweet you like it!
Happy eating!
I’d love to know if you make this recipe! Leave a comment and rating down below to let me know what you think, and subscribe to our mailing list to receive new recipes in your inbox!
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Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 medium-sized ripe bananas (200 g or 1 cup mashed)
- 1/2 cup (115 g) plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
- Optional add-ins: 1/2 cup chocolate chips/raisins/nuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC), and lightly grease a 9 x 5 (23cm x 13cm) loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a smaller mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs until the yolks break apart. Whisk in the mashed bananas, yogurt, maple syrup, and sugar (if using), mixing until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Do not overmix. If you’re adding any mix-ins, fold them in now.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan, spreading it out evenly, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
* You can also use coconut sugar.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
Recipe was edited in March 2020 but reverted to original by popular demand.
Looking for more healthy banana recipes? Try one of these!
Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins
Flourless Banana Bread Muffins
Strawberry Banana Oat Bars
Flourless Vegan Banana Muffins
Flourless Chocolate Banana Bread
I often miss spots while shaving…whoops. Banana bread..so deliciously dangerous. I literally eat over half the load when I make it.
Every time I am at the grocery store and they have the “discount” bananas- aka overly ripe- I ALWAYS buy all they have. I usually get some strange looks .
I do love banana bread, and I am with you about no chocolate chips. Walnuts on the other hand….
This banana bread is perfect – love the low-sugar and the added protein from the Greek yogurt! Now to get the bananas on my counter to quickly ripen…
Hello!! I am so excited to make this banana bread considering I have two perfectly ripe nanners sitting on my counter at the moment 🙂 I was wondering if I could sub whole wheat flour for the white flour or if I would have to adjust the measurements.. Love your blog!
You could probably sub out some of the white flour for whole wheat, but I probably wouldn’t recommend all of it since that might make it too dry and dense. Maybe go for about half? So 3/4.
….there’s people in the world that prefer NOT to have chocolate chips in their banana bread?
Does not compute.
That’s ok, I still love ya 😉
Plain banana bread totally has a top place in my heart as well. Right after plain banana bread topped with nut butter. 🙂
Do pillsbury crescent rolls count as a baked good? Because those are so nostalgic for me! I even filmed myself at 5 years old talking about how much I loved it when my mom made them… There’s home video evidence.
Ermagherd. Please tell me you wore adorable little pig tails <3
I currently run banana bread bakery here in Africa Ghana to b precise , I supply to marts arnd. I’m looking for how to make it last longer than four days. can someone pls help?
Honestly…I just made banana bread tonight but I had no plain sugar. I wondered to myself if you had a banana bread posted but I didnt look at your website and current post until after I made it with brown sugar. It turned out a little too sweet for me. Next time I will definitely try your recipe. It looks yummy!!
I don’t put anything inside the bread, but I pile on the PB when it is warm out of the oven! My childhood favorite is Oatmeal Scotchies. Cinnamon oatmeal cookies with butterscotch chips. Yum!
I remember eating butterscotch chips by the handful when I was little. Those things are SO good.
You know anything with bananas makes my heart happy. My stomach too because those suckers are delicious, so much so I made banana chocolate chip muffins yesterday. Great minds think alike. 🙂
I haven’t had banana bread in forever either and I think I need to change that. This is making my mouth water just thinking about it.
I am adding this to my link love! It sounds utterly delicious Amanda! Once again, I can always count on you for a decadent recipe!
Missing patches while shaving is officially on my list of pet peeves. I never notice until I am too far away from the shower! Grrr.
Thanks much, Julia! Hope you’re having a great day 🙂
Besides this bread looking amazing, I totally miss spots on my legs while shaving and don’t notice it until I am in a certain light and I am like WHOOPS and how did I miss such a big patch??? I actually like my banana bread plain, but then topped with a fancy nut butter. Thanks for sharing this! xoxo
Really wish I had seen this post earlier in the day! I had 3 very ripe bananas so I made some banana oat muffin recipe off All Recipes. FAIL. They are so bad. This would have been much better! Next time 🙂
Banana bread is one of my all time favorites.. I’ve made so many different recipes. Over the winter I think I was making at least 1 a week? Can’t wait to try this one!
I’m jealous that you managed to save up that many ripe bananas during the winter! I couldn’t get mine to ripen fast enough with how cold it was around here…
Yum! I like banana bread plain, or sometimes with a streusel topping when I’m feeling extra fancy 🙂
This looks incredible. I love banana bread and bananas and I love what Greek yogurt does to muffins and quick breads! I will definitely be trying this out soon 🙂 Beer batter bread, my grandma’s zucchini bread, and boxed brownies are the main baked goods that totally remind me of my childhood. It’s been a little too long since I’ve had any of those, though… I should remedy that!
Ohh that reminds me! Boxed chocolate cupcakes were another huge one for me. So much love for those things.
Banana bread always seems like the perfect cure when there are lots of bananas lying around! You totally have me craving one right now.
Drooooooooling over here! Banana bread was such a big part of my childhood as well. Growing up, I had this weird allergy to plain bananas (along with pineapples, they both made my tongue super itchy and red), but could eat banana bread just fine. My mom would bring out that old hand mixer and my sister and I each were allowed to have one of the mixer-things. Ahhh, memories 😉 .
Love that this is lightened up! It looks so fluffy <3
ohhhhhhh yumola! This is just what I needed to see right nw and you know why. Now if only you could deliver…
I like chocolate chips in my banana bread but if not…BUTTER on it.
Hey Amanda! You literally read my mind. I have four ripe bananas and my intention today was to make banana bread! So glad you posted this. Have you tried subbing flour for oat flour??
Not in this recipe, but I have in other banana bread recipes and it does work but it makes things a little more dense. I probably wouldn’t sub out the whole thing, but you’d be fine with 1/2 or 3/4 cup.
There are so many baked goods with memories from my childhood, but I would go with Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, pizelles (spelling?), and rice pudding. Two out of the three to my Mommom. 🙁 <3
I love banana bread with nuts and chocolate chips. I like it really hearty just like my men. HA.
My daughter and I just put a banan bread in the oven. It smells so delicious. But alas, it’s not this healthy. I may have to trade out my recipe for yours with the next batch.
I love that you bake with your daughter! Baking with my mom was one of my favourite things to do when I was little 🙂
Now that is one gorgeous loaf of naner bread! I’m so glad you decided to rectify the problem because this looks way too good to be sitting in the cold, dark archives. 🙂
And I had to laugh at the shaving comment, haha! That happens to me all of the time!
We LOVE banana bread around here! Can’t wait to give your recipe a try!
Loving banana bread… although I usually put chocolate chips in and make it more of a dessert : ) My mom always used to make angel food cake for special occasions. Topped with chocolate sauce and strawberries – so many good memories. Hope you have a fantastic Monday! : )
I love banana bread, but it seems bananas rarely make it to that brown state in this house. I have to hide them from myself, hubby, and toddler if I want to make it.
I had that problem for the longest time, especially in the winter when bananas would ripen at a snail’s pace. Now I just buy way more than I know I’ll eat and just freeze any extras.
Banana bread is one of my fav’s! This looks GREAT!
LOVE banana bread, as does Justin! It’s definitely a household favorite. We just prefer plain banana bread -nothing fancy. I do; however, like toasting it and adding a smear of butter. So yummy!
YUM! Waiting for bananas to ripen can be so frustrating- which is currently what I am doing right now! I’m dying to make banana bread but they seem to be taking for-ever!! I’m glad I’m not the only one who prefers banana bread on the plain side…only way to truly appreciate the deliciousness in its entirety! Although I do sometimes enjoy smearing some nut butter on top! Aside from banana bread, chocolate chip cookies & carrot cake reminds me of my childhood- these were all my mom’s specialities!
Mmmhm and it sounds too simple to use the “I’m too lazy” excuse either so I guess there’s no copping out of this one. The leg-shaving drama had me giggling Amanda…and cringing on your behalf because, eep! It’s the kinda scenario that fits into a good chick lit novel you know.
Also, there is a word in your recipe method that I don’t think should be there. You could of course add it on to the embarrassing repertoire you seem to building 😉 . Honestly come to think about it, I have quite a good compilation myself 😀 !
😆 Omg! Autocorrect… why do you always fail me at the most inopportune times?! Thanks so much, Ms.J <3 Definitely went back and fixed that...
Banana bread is one of my favorites! Overripe bananas are the best 😉 You aren’t the only one who misses spots on their legs when shaving. It is so annoying finding out when you are out somewhere that you missed a spot.
Mmmmm.. I love me some banana bread. I don’t make if often enough! Back to what you first said though, I constantly miss spots when shaving. Like, every time… I don’t know how!
I like my banana bread with chocolate chips and peanut butter, the same way I like everything else 🙂 Your banana bread looks so perfectly sliceable!
I haven’t ever made banana bread – and currently, a neighbor couple doors down is my banana bread dealer! Though – I am so totally digging this butter free one! Look at that texture! Think you wanna be my BB dealer? 😉
If you’ll be my truffle and/or pancake dealer <3
Do these need to be refrigerated?
I would only refrigerate them after 5 days or so. If you need it to last for longer, you could always wrap either the loaf or individual slices up tightly and freeze them.
These looks great! I tried your apple oat greek yogurt muffins last night and they turned out SO good!!! I will definitely be experimenting with your recipes for good breakfast add-ons 🙂
I’m glad you liked them, Andrea! Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
Ahhh this looks so good! It’s amazing how much you can use Greek yogurt for. Riley likes walnuts in his banana bread, but I prefer it plain.
Heck to the yes because I have all of these ingredients!! Woo!
Look at those bananas! The bread looks so delicious, totally craving banana bread now. I’m thinking a gluten free rice flour might work best for gf 🙂
I actually just picked up a bag of rice flour this weekend and I’m hoping to start experimenting with it soon. Hopefully I don’t end up with too many hockey pucks 😆
This looks SO scrummy, I will have to try making a GF version! I think sorghum flour might do the trick here as it’s a slightly better way to go for desserts. Banana bread is something my mom used to make for me too, she barely ever cooked and only baked a few things but mostly it was breads, because she had a fancy breadmaker she went crazy with for awhile around the time I was 10 or so 😉
This look yummy… I wonder what flour would be best if you wanted to make this GF?
I’m honestly not sure! I only started to experiment with GF quick breads, so I can’t really offer any advice just yet. I’d say try a GF all-purpose flour blend (Bob’s Red Mill has a good one), or maybe go with a mix of oat, brown rice, and almond flours. But again, I’m not sure about the ratios 😕
Hi. I bake a lot of GF breads, I personally use a 1 to 1 flour. Cup4cup, Bobs Red Mill 1-to-1, King Arthur has one, There are quite a few out there. I don’t use the regular Bob’s Red Mill GF all purpose flour for anything because it is a “Bean” flour. Chickpeas are main flour, and it makes it taste bitter to me. Not to take you away from this page, but just google up a good GF banana bread, there are plenty of good recipes like this one that can help you with the different types of flour ratios.
Hi – I just made this GF. I used 3/4c Yes You Can brand flour (Australian) and 3/4 buckwheat. Turned out very nicely! Yes you can brand – http://www.saldoce.com.au/
Thanks for this recipe 🙂
How much is the per serving size? Is it per 100grams? Thanks 🙂
I’m not 100% sure what 1 slice comes out to in grams, Bec. But it’s 1 slice out of 12 equal ones.