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!
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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
This is the best banana bread! Doesn’t even taste healthy. My family loves it. Just follow the recipe people, read it carefully and it will turn out perfect every time!
Hi , I really want to bake this cake but every time I read the recipe and comments I get more confused. Can you please delete all convo talking about changes and put one consistent recipe here without talking about the changes you have made to the recipe and create another post for another version so the readers don’t get confused. The recipes should be straightforward not confusing for the readers. Thanks
Rosie, I have been making the recipe just as it has been listed in the original. I do add the chocolate chips in (mini chips). I have been making this exact recipe for years. It is a favorite of my daughter’s and her friends. Many have asked for this recipe. It is perfect just as written. Try it and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Made a double recipe today with vanilla yoghurt and remaining ingredients as suggested with small changes – decreased sugar slightly, added a couple of TBSP of hemp hearts, added 2 apples (1 and 1/2 cubed into recipe and 1/2 sliced as garnish on top of loaves. Excellent recipe and not too sweet. Will make again
Interesting that people are complaining about the recipe. I’m not a great baker, so I really follow instructions. The one thing for this bread that I didn’t follow thought was that I mistakenly added 1/3 cup brown sugar instead of 1/4 cup. The rest was the same. It wasn’t that sweet, it was good. Left for 40 minutes in the oven and voila, great banana bread.
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I think the problem with most of the other commenters is that they are beating the dough and messing with the baking soda and the gluten on the flour. Maybe you should stress that once you join the liquid ingredients with the dry ones, it’s just some gentle movements with a spoon and that’s it.
This has always been my fool proof and go to recipe for years! I always replaced the all purpose flour with Oat flour. I made it for the firs time with all purpose flour and weighed all the ingredients to the exact measurement, and this recipe did not work out at all. it was almost burnt on the outside, and very gooey on the inside. I baked it for 45 minutes… i wasn’t sure how much more to bake it for since the outside was already about to burn. I will not be baking this one again.
This does not work, I am a competent cook and knew the ratio was wrong with flour to baking powder but went on anyway wondering if there is a trick. It is a disaster, doughy and flat. I have never made a cake like this. Also it is way too sweet.
Is there a way to use fermented flour or sourdough starter with this recipe?
Sorry but I’m not sure. I don’t have any experience with either of those.
First, I bake a lot of banana bread, this is a good recipe if you see the author’s comment on recipe changes, using only 1/4 c. Greek yogurt, 1/2c. brown sugar (no maple syrup) and 1 tsp of baking soda. Following the suggested changes + 1 tsp pure vanilla my bread came out just fine, not doughy or mushy and the flavor is good. It is not very sweet but this is supposed to be a more healthy banana bread so I’m very happy with it. Cook time was 45 minutes at 325 on convection setting.
Followed this recipe exactly and it looked great coming out of the oven. But then it totally deflated and when I cut into it it had a weird gummy heavy texture. I bakes it for the full 45 mins and the toothpick had come out clean. It’s heavy and gummy and I think I’ll have to throw it away 🙁
Followed the recipe as listed. Cooked for 55 minutes instead of 50, bread deflated after it cooled down and inside was not fully cooked. Had to throw it away.
Baked this cake second time this week and it always turns out perfect. I don’t use maple syrup but added raisins soaked in rum (without the liquid). It comes out light and fluffy and stayed soft for 3 days in a box. I use wholemeal flour and added a tablespoon of cooking oil and 150g regular yoghurt. The mixing of the dry and wet ingredients is important – too much stirring and beating creates a gummy texture from the flour gluten. I simply use a spatula and mix the dry and wet ingredients by cutting through the mixture and scraping from sides to Center. Should not take more than 4 minutes of mixing before going into the oven.
I’m so glad you like it, Susanne! Thank you for sharing your tips about mixing!
I’ve been making this for a couple weeks now and it’s always been fantastic. I’ve found that adding an extra egg makes it puff up tremendously, and I also add vanilla and semi sweet chocolate chips. I absolutely love that I don’t need oil or butter to make this!
I made this today, adding a few mods based on ingredients to hand. Mixed the first three ingredients as noted in one bowl and then used a large fork to combine 75g brown sugar, 1 egg, and 140g of seriously thick Greek yogurt. Then added the dry ingredients in three parts, mixing them in with the fork. Then I mashed two large bananas and mixed those in. Went in my oven at 170C Fan, used a glass loaf pan and, presto! It was still gummy when I turned it out, so put it back in for 10 mins. Then, once cooled, it was tasty, but very sticky to the touch and much of the banana had sunk to the bottom. Did I over banana it? Seems like I needed maybe more flour?
You needed way less mixing
Now that I read the comments, it makes sense…
I made this a couple weeks ago and started making it again today because it was so good and easy… I kept complaining to my husband that the recipe was different, but it looked so specifically similar! I was so frustrated because I knew it wasn’t right, and the consistency was all wrong. I made some modifications (while I know how to follow a recipe, I’m not a creative baker so I shouldn’t be doing that!), so we’ll see when it’s out of the oven how that turned out… I have a feeling I wasted all my ingredients. Can you please share the other version somehow for those of us who loved it? I was raving to my mom about how easy it was 🙁
Hi Lisa! The only changes to the original recipe (the one that’s currently up) is 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt instead of 1/2, 1/2 cup of coconut sugar (or brown sugar) instead of the maple syrup + sugar, and 1 tsp of baking soda instead of 1/2 tsp. So decrease the yogurt to 1/4 cup, use 1/2 cup of sugar and no maple syrup, and 1 tsp of baking soda. I hope that helps!
Thank you!! Was there something different in mixing, too? When I was making my loaves today I felt like something was different in the process. I could be wrong, because I made something else since then and might be mixing my memories up (accidental baking pun there).
My attempted loaves today turned out ok, by the way, haha. Definitely weren’t correct…but I wouldn’t say it was a waste!
I’m glad to hear they came out okay, Lisa! The only difference in procedure was mixing the wet ingredients first and then adding the dry ingredients after. It shouldn’t really affect the finished product – just means you only have to use one bowl since you don’t need to mix dry + wet separately.
What is the texture of supposed to be like? I followed the recipe but it came out very doughy? Not smooth.
Haven’t really cooked since my children were small. However, I had some really ripe bananas and used greek yoghurt. The cake was perfect and I only cooked for 40 minute! It was very moist & was delicious!
Why was the recipe changed? The original one was foolproof, and now it takes more than an hour to bake through. Did anyone save the original recipe?
I agree… I thankfully have a pic of the original ingredients so I just used those again. It was so odd because I just made it recently with the other recipe ! I would love a copy of the old recipe as well
Hi Rachel! Thanks for your feedback. The reason I modified the original a little bit was because people were saying they were having issues with the recipe so I tried to make it a little more foolproof, but I’ve been getting even more feedback requesting the original recipe so it’s now back. I apologize for the confusion!
Awwwwww what a waste of money, time and effort, while self isolating due to the corriona virus I thought I would bake something healthy, I had to bake the bread for 1hr10mins to get a clean toothpick, even then once it was cooked it was soggy and raw looking, I followed the instructions, double checking as I went, it was cooked at the right te as well, I wish I had looked at the rewiews first, as it looks like I wasn’t the only on that had the same issue, disappointed.
3.5 stars. Made this three days ago, flavour was good but took much longer in the oven (>1 hour) and it was almost too moist and was a strange sticky springy texture.
Came back today and noted that the recipe had quite a few changes: No more maple syrup, changes in baking time and amount of baking soda, addition of vanilla extract etc..
Can’t help but be a bit sceptical of what you term “easily your favourite” since the current recipe was definitely not what it was originally..
Would recommend to give this recipe a pass.
I just finished making this recipe. I couldn’t find my loaf pan so used a 12-count large muffin tin. I substituted light brown sugar for coconut sugar, used three small bananas, and kosher salt instead of sea salt. Personally, I think this is a good recipe – it helped me use up the bananas and Greek yogurt in my refrigerator. I can’t imagine someone thinking it was salty (only 1/4 tsp)- perhaps didn’t mix sufficiently? And as for time to bake, it took 23 minutes in my oven. Each oven varies for baking time. It wasn’t too sweet, which suits me fine! Thanks for a really tasty recipe, Amanda!
Looked like the perfect banana bread recipe. So sad that it didn’t bake very well. It rose and looked great but fell flat after cooling down. It was still raw in the middle. So disappointed. I did everything the recipe told me too.
I made this according to the recipe. Careful not to over mix. Had to bake about 5 minutes longer. Making this again today.
Hi I followed the recipe and it tasted salty and taste soda bicarbonate too
Best banana bread recipe!!
I have made 5 different banana breads in the past month, and this is by far the best banana bread. I subbed 1/2 whole wheat flour; everything else I kept. This will be my go to.
TY!!!
Perfect recipe. No butter and yet the bread came out moist. I used 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour just to add some fiber and it was delicious.
I loved this recipe. I’m definitely going to try it but to be honest I will be replacing some of them, like the eggs and flour as I don’t eat them. I love bananas so this is a fantastic recipe to add to my collection and I’m always making recipes using fruit. I just published a post sharing 16 Inventive Uses For Bananas https://magicallifeoffruit.com/uses-for-bananas/ and I’d love it if you checked it out.
This looks lovely! I don’t have coconut or vegetable oil at the moment, would you recommend olive oil or can I also use butter?
Hi! I thought this recipe looked so good, and most of the comments were good too so I decided to try it out. It says to bake for 35-40 mins and after that time, the toothpick still didn’t come out clean. So I baked it for an extra 10 mins and the toothpick came out clean. After it cooled down it had sunken in, but I cut into it anyways and it was almost completely raw in the center (not enough to make me throw it out, but it still tasted raw). Although the part that was baked tasted delicious, I have no idea why it was still raw after I cooked it 20 mins longer than it said to. Could you please tell me what I may have done wrong?
I literally had the same issue. I had to bake it for 65 minutes and it was still raw in the middle. I followed everything to a T
I always find it amazing how much you can use Greek yogurt for. I think we’ve got some knocking around in the fridge that needs using so will give this a go. Thank you!
Amanda, yet another stellar recipe!! So glad I made it – had to stop myself from eating the whole loaf right after. I used gluten free flour and added 1/4 tsp of organic Kuzu – worked perfectly. Can’t wait for my next batch of bananas to ripen already 😉
Interesting that people are complaining about the recipe. I’m not a great baker, so I really follow instructions. The one thing for this bread that I didn’t follow thought was that I mistakenly added 1/3 cup brown sugar instead of 1/4 cup. The rest was the same. It wasn’t that sweet, it was good. Left for 40 minutes in the oven and voila, great banana bread.
.
I think the problem with most of the other commenters is that they are beating the dough and messing with the baking soda and the gluten on the flour. Maybe you should stress that once you join the liquid ingredients with the dry ones, it’s just some gentle movements with a spoon and that’s it.
Thank you so much for this recipe! My daughter loves banana bread and this was the tastiest healthy version I have made. She is not allowed to take food with chocolate to pre-school, so I made hers without. My son however isn’t a fan of banana bread, but loves muffins, and IS allowed to take chocolate to school. So I made a second batch in muffin tins with choc chips, and he loves them. My husband just wants to eat both. So thank you from our whole family!!
(By the way, I only had vanilla bean yoghurt that doesn’t have much sugar, so I used this and it was amazing)
I’m so glad to hear that they were a hit for you and your family, Belinda! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and let me know 😀
I’ve made this recipe so many times and my family loves it, it’s the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever found and tasted but the past few times I’ve made I the crust on the top and the sides has gotten very dry and hard. Any suggestions?
This is my go-to banana bread recipe and I’ve shared it with friends. I usually mix all the wet ingredients in the blender. This recipe is great as-is, but I have also done some experimenting…
Dairy-free*: replace the Greek yogurt with equal amounts blended soft tofu (same amounts by weight)
Higher fat*: replace the Greek yogurt with equal amounts sour cream
Fruit flavoured*: replace the maple syrup with equal amounts of your favourite jam (use pectin jam if avoiding gelatin)
Whole wheat: replace 80g of the flour with oat flour or whole wheat flour (100% whole wheat works too; I just don’t prefer it)
* As a bonus, these swaps are all cheaper than the original ingredients! Woohoo!
Thanks so much for sharing those tips, Kaya! They sound like awesome substitutions and I’m curious to try some of them myself.
This turned out nicely. I didn’t have maple syrup or brown sugar so added about 1/3 cup white sugar. I thought it could have been a tad sweeter, but rest of the family thought it was perfect. I baked for about 35 min to get it baked through. Thanks for the recipe!
Tasted salty and didnt cook in the middle, not sure what i did wrong.
Hi there amander I am so impressed with your recipe I had it with family latest night thanks heaps XOXO
I like this recipe but I did want to give some feedback – there are SO many ads and photographs on your site that it takes a ridiculous amount of time to load the page (compared to many other sites). Also, for some reason, the “Print” button for a printer-friendly recipe doesn’t seem to work for me from my phone. I print recipes from my phone quite often when scanning Pinterest. Because of all the ads, it is a pain to manually select which pages to print. For instance, this one is 74 pages long and the recipe itself is spread out over a few pages.
BUT, the recipe for this Greek Yogurt Banana Bread is tasty. so thank you!
This is one amazing recipe , i’ve already made it several times 🙂
In love with this bread…