No Sugar Added Banana Bread

It’s amazing to see how easily you can make this banana bread without any eggs, dairy, or butter. I’ve made dozens of different versions from Spelt Banana Bread, Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Oatmeal Banana Bread, or Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread. It only requires simple ingredients and ripe bananas to add a natural sweet banana flavor to your bread. You don’t need any egg replacer, not even a flax egg. The bananas bind the banana bread batter so well on their own. They also add a natural sweetness to the bread without added sugar.

What Is No-Added-Sugar Banana Bread?

No-sugar-added banana bread is a vegan banana bread recipe naturally sweetened from banana puree. There’s no sugar added, not even refined sugar-free sweeteners like maple syrup or coconut sugar. As a result, it’s a low-sugar banana bread that is perfect if you are trying to decrease added sugar in your day.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You don’t need sugar to make banana bread, and no, you don’t need overripe bananas ever. Any yellow bananas can create the most delicious banana bread. The darker the bananas, the sweeter the bread will be. But, if you crave moist banana bread, and your bananas are simply yellow, the recipe works like a charm. All you need to start with this sugar-free banana bread are:

Ripe Bananas – Or yellow bananas. As mentioned above, the darker spots on their skins, the sweeter the banana bread will be. However, if you only have yellow bananas, you can achieve decent results with another recipe. It won’t be as sweet, but the texture will be as amazing. All-Purpose Flour or white whole wheat flour to add fiber and make a healthier banana bread recipe. Baking Powder and Baking Soda – to give them the soft and airy texture you like. Melted Coconut Oil, light olive oil, or avocado oil. Vanilla Extract – for flavor. Cinnamon – for flavor.

Optional Add-Ons

If you like adding nuts and seeds to your bread, you can fold in 1/2 cup of:

Chopped walnuts or pecans Shredded coconut Sunflower seeds or hemp seeds for protein

Stir them until well incorporated.

How To Make No-Sugar-Added Banana Bread

Variations

You can add some flavors and texture to this recipe by stirring some of the below in the batter:

1/2 cup of chopped nuts or seeds – the best are walnuts, almonds, pecans, or sunflower seeds. 1/2 cup of shredded vegetables – like carrots or drained zucchini. Sugar-free chocolate chips or cocoa nibs.

You can also add some toppings on top of the banana bread batter, just before baking. I like to sometimes peel a ripe banana, slice in half lengthwise and add both halves on top of the brad. Press it to seal it in the batter. After being baked, the banana caramelizes, adding moisture and extra sweetness to the bread. You can also sprinkle sliced almonds, chopped pecans, or unsweetened desiccated coconut on top of the bread. These deliver crunch and a lovely roasted nutty flavor on top of your bread.

Storage Instructions

This no-sugar-added banana bread recipe is stored for up to one week in an airtight container, preferably in the fridge. You can also freeze the bread on its own or in slices. Make sure you place the banana bread in an airtight container or Ziploc bag before placing it in the freezer. Thaw the frozen banana bread at room temperature the day before.

Serving

This banana bread is lightly sweet, and if you want to keep the recipe sugar free, I recommend you serve the slice with:

Nut Butter – Spread some peanut butter or almond butter on top of the bread slice. No Sugar Added Chia Seed Jam – my baby jam made entirely from fruits and chia seeds for a low-carb sugar-free jam. Sugar-Free Syrup – Some natural sugar-free syrup made from Monk fruit tastes amazing on this bread.

Allergy Swaps

Below are some ingredients substitutions ideas if you needed. Keep in mind that this banana bread is already naturally nut-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.

Gluten-Free – I didn’t try all-purpose gluten-free flour in this recipe, but it should work well. However, since it’s an egg-free banana bread, you might notice a denser, gummier texture when using gluten-free flour. Oil-Free – You can replace the oil with nut butter like peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter. Since these options are less moist, you will need an extra 2-3 tablespoons of dairy-free milk, or the bread come out dry.

Here are my answers to your common questions about baking this banana bread without added sugar.