Healthy Banana Bread with Dates and Walnuts
Hold on to your whisks my friends, I’m about to rock your kitchen with this Healthy Banana Bread recipe made with whole-grain flour and no refined sugar. It is sweetened with dates and maple syrup.
I originally shared this healthy banana bread with dates and walnuts here on March 16th, 2016. I have updated some of the text and photography.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe
I love how easy quick bread recipes are. I mean the name says it all… quick bread! Right?? But ironically, as was the case with this zucchini bread, perfecting the recipe for this healthy banana bread recipe didn’t come easy. In fact this is the e7 version of the recipe. {Yeah, it has been through its paces! And it has come out the other side moister than I could have hoped for in a whole-grain and refined sugar-free recipe.}
I’m convinced that it’s in part because I used chopped Medjool dates to sweeten it and add extra moisture. Plus I used some of our own homemade maple syrup. Maple is hygroscopic (which means it attracts and holds moisture), so it makes it even moister than white refined sugar would have.
You all will love this healthy and moist banana date bread with walnuts and it is so simple to put together! It’s great all on its own for a snack or serve it on a brunch buffet with cultured butter or Whipped Maple Cream Cheese.
How to Make Banana Date Bread
This is such a simple banana bread recipe, and it’s packed with good-for-you ingredients. Get your oven hot and then you are ready to get going on mixing it together. Here’s how I make this healthy banana bread:
- The Dry Mix — As with most baking recipes, you first need to mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in separate bowls. I used mostly white whole wheat flour. It’s fine to use plain whole-wheat flour. I prefer the white variety because it is milder in flavor. I also have some all-purpose flour in there to help give the bread a little bit more soft structure and keep it from becoming too dense.
- The Wet Mix- Mashed bananas act as one of the wet ingredients. You can mash them with a mashed potato masher or simply a fork. Then you’ll want to measure out what you have. You need a cup of banana. I got a cup from two large bananas. This recipe also has avocado oil, or organic canola oil. You can also use sunflower oil or walnut oil if you have that on hand. Also in the wet mix is the maple syrup (only 1/4 cup needed) and two eggs (they help the bread rise and hold together.)
- Combine the ingredients — Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine. I use a silicone spatula to do this. It may seem like the batter is slightly moister than some quick bread batters, but remember this one has whole-wheat flour in it. The bran in whole-wheat flour will absorb some of that moisture, so it would dry out too much if you didn’t have a slightly loose batter.
- Add the Walnuts and Dates– Next, fold in the chopped walnuts and pitted and chopped dates, saving some nuts to sprinkle on top of the banana bread.
- Pour Into The Pan — By this point, your oven should be hot. Scrape the batter into your prepare glass loaf pan smooth it out and sprinkle the remaining nuts on top before it goes into the oven.
- Bake the bread — You’ll know when the healthy banana bread is finished baking when it’s a deep golden brown on top and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out with only moist crumbs on it.
How to Store or Freeze Banana Date Bread
You can keep this banana date bread on your countertop in a sealed bag or wrapped with foil for a few days, or you can freeze it for later. To freeze the entire loaf of banana bread, wrap it two or three times in plastic wrap, making sure no parts of the bread are left uncovered. Then wrap it a final time in aluminum foil and freeze.
When you’re ready to eat the loaf of banana bread, set it out on your counter to thaw. To freeze slices of banana bread, lay them out on a baking sheet and freeze for 45 minutes to an hour. This will allow the tender slices to firm up enough so that they won’t stick together when they’re frozen. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe ziplock bag.
More Healthy Bread Recipes:
- In the fall you’ll have to make this Apple Cinnamon Bread. The smell as it bakes is so cozy!
- This one is great around the holidays and uses fresh cranberries: Cranberry Almond Quick Bread
- Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, one of my most popular breads!
- Healthy Blueberry Lemon Bread, you have to try this one!
- Healthy Zucchini Oat Bread, lower in sugar- but still kid approved!
- Gluten Free Banana Bread, here’s a classic banana bread but without gluten!
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
PrintHealthy Banana Bread with Dates and Walnuts
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices 1x
Description
This whole-grain healthy banana bread is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and dates. Bonus: it’s refined sugar-free!
Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting pan
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed bananas
- 1 cup chopped pitted soft dates
- 1/2 cup organic canola oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, dark or amber
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8 ½-inch Pyrex or ceramic loaf pan with cooking spray and dust with flour. Tap out excess flour and set aside.
- Whisk white whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir eggs, bananas, dates, oil, maple syrup and vanilla in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add ½ cup walnuts and stir to combine. Spread batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup walnuts over the top.
- Bake bread until domed and deeply browned and a wooden skewer comes out with moist crumbs attached, 48 to 55 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Turn out of pan and let cool on wire rack until slightly warm or room temp before slicing and serving. Store wrapped at room temperature.
Notes
Once it is cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it moist.
This bread will be good stored at room temperature up to 3 days.
The bread can be frozen whole up to 3 months. Slices can be frozen for one month.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10th loaf
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
delicious.
I made this banana bread today and it will be my go to receipe from now on.
I had to use white flour due to lack of any WW on hand and bananas at a must use now state!
I compensated the flour by using a scant 1/4 cup more.
The loaf had nice height to it and very moist.
I’ll be passing this on to family and friends.
Thank you for sharing this receipe.
I’m glad you found it and that it came out well. Thank you.
This is incredible. Thank you. I make it and freeze them in slices for my partner for after-dinner treats….. he eats it straight from the freezer!
I make this recipe every week as it stops me from eating chocolate (terrible sweet tooth) every week i think it tastes better!
I had to convert it in to grams and ml but that’s okay!
delicious!
I am so glad to hear you liked it too! Thank you!
IVE MADE THIS TWICE…ITS THE BESTIST ..I PUT WHOLE ALMONDS ON TOP TO DECORATE…ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY LOVE IT
Loved this recipes changed slightly 2nd time added coconut oil, sugar free maple syrup and bran instead of white flour also added a few chia seeds. Great for on the go breakfast
This recipe was absolutely the best banana nut bread I have ever made or eaten. I even had to substitute with spelt flour. Ready to make a double recipe again. Thank you
I’m blushing! Thank you so much Suzann. I really appreciate the review and five star rating. That is so helpful for my website. So thank you!
This bread tastes absolutely delicious and is crumbly, yet moist. I’m by no means a brilliant cook, but it came out perfect. Purely owing to a lack of ingredients I used all plain white flour, and I substituted honey for the maple syrup, as I had none of that. And I did find that it needed an extra 10mins in the oven. Apart from that, it was as written. I will definitely make it again, and will try the maple syrup, as I do love it.
I think your subs sound great. I have had to do that a lot lately because I am only shopping once a week these days. I am so glad you liked it so much and I really appreicate the five star rating! Woohoo!
This turned out so good. I followed the recipe exactly except I added about 3 T dark chocolate chips. It is heaven. I wanted to use up some dates I’d had hanging around, and I like this better than any white or brown sugar recipe i’ve tried – and I fancy myself a banana bread connoisseur. Thank you for the recipe.
I am so glad to hear you liked it so much and I LOVE the idea of adding in a little chocolate! Yay!
I prepared the banana/date loaf in muffin tins (which I usually do rather than a loaf pan) for 25 minutes.
Very tasty, moist light – airy. As I was out of walnuts I placed slivered almonds on top.
Delicious and a recipe I will prepare again and again. Thank you.
Good to know the timing for muffins. Thank you for reporting back Ingrid!
I made this recipe substituting 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour for 2 tablespoons of cocoa and made into mini loaves so that I could easily share and/or freeze. Pre-heated oven at 335 degrees and baked six mini loaves for 25 minutes. Very tasty.
I love the idea of using some cocoa in this bread. I will have to try that!
Trying to consume dates in my last few weeks of pregnancy, and dont like the taste of dates plain. Decided to give this recipe I try, tastes great!!! Love how the banana bread flavor takes over! Added a handful of chocolate chips and about 1/4 cup of coconut as well. Used almond/coconut flour instead and used coconut oil/applesauce instead as well! Delicious
So glad to hear you liked the bread. Congrats on your pregnancy. Best of luck to you!
Hi, can I use all purpose flour all the way? Don’t have the whole wheat one! The bread looks lovely!
Hi Mariam. That should work fine. Let me know how it goes!
This recipe rocked my socks. I whipped it up yesterday, with a couple of modifications – I really wanted to add oats, so I swapped them + pumpkin seeds in, in place of the walnuts. And like Maram mentioned, I used coconut oil. It turned out wonderfully. I loved the dark colour, and the subtle maple flavour. Now, to pace myself through the batch!! Thank you for sharing your ideas.
Love this Amber! Thank you so much! I appreciate that you came back over to review it! It is so helpful!
I’ve been a chef 15 years but I am not a baker. I was craving banana bread but I don’t eat refined sugar or white flour. I made this with wholemeal flour, and I added dark chocolate drops. This bread is sooooo good.
My small family ate it in two days and is begging for more. Thank you for posting the only banana bread recipe I’ll even need.
Hi Celeste! I am so happy you found this recipe. That’s so great! Thank you for coming back to review and rate. Yippee!