Oat flour banana bread with just a few simple ingredients and an extra-sweet cinnamon date topping! Oil-free and coconut sugar sweetened.
It’s about time there was a banana bread recipe around here!
There is no lack of bananas on FF. They have served many uses…
– The base of a snack bowl
– The sliced-not-split filling of a pie
– The chewiness of a snack bar
– The center of a cookie or cupcake
– Hidden in a muffin
– The crazy fruitiness in fudge
– Surrounded by peanut butter chewiness
– The “milk” in a latte
– And of course nicecream galore!
(What would we do without bananas??)
But they’ve never been in the spotlight. A recipe all to their own. With their name in the title. Overshadowed by nothing but the word “Bread”. So that’s happening right now…
Sweet-Topped Oat Flour Banana Bread
Of course I couldn’t make just plain banana bread. I had to add a special sweet topping. A dollop of date paste. A spoon-handle swirl. A sprinkling of oats. And banana slices laid out connect-the-dot style.
Yes, yes it’s gluten-free, oil-free, vegan, high carb low fat, etc. But rather than focus on all it’s free of, let’s focus on all it’s full of: soft crumbly texture, potassium packed fruity-ness, lots of blender-blitzed oat flour, and my add-to-everything spice: cinnamon.
And if you’ve never tried it before, I highly recommend making a banana bread nicecream sundae for breakfast. Warm slice of banana bread, cold creamy banana ice cream, maple syrup, fruit, a sprinkling of nuts–it’s heaven <3
Sweet-Topped Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups oat flour
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- Topping
- 6 medjool dates
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 sliced banana
- Sprinkling of oats and cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Mash the bananas with a fork.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, banana mash, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and non-dairy milk. It’s okay if it’s a little lumpy.
- Pour into a 9×5 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
- Topping: Blend the dates and water together.
- Dollop the date paste on top of the banana batter. Swirl.
- Lay on the sliced bananas. Sprinkle on the oats and cinnamon.
- Bake for 50 mins at 325F. The center should bounce back when it’s done.
- Cool. Then remove from the pan, slice, and devour!
Aw, giving the banana more glory than it needs 😉 That’s okay, banana bread is the bomb! The good old days when my mom would make banana bread from the Pilsbury box mix….my load! That was so good! The gooey top was the best and when I would bring it for snack at school, my one friend would always make me pack an extra piece for her! SO good! I love banana bread and have only made it like 2 or 3 times since my diet changed years ago 😛 Sadness. Also weird, I was just (like .5 seconds ago, reading an article on banana bread….) The banana Gods are mocking me.
B.A.N.A.N.A.S. <— thank you Gwen Stafani for helping me learn how to spell Banana, as I sing that in my head every time. So many As and Ns!
Nope just the right amount of glory 😉 The banana gods are just trying to show you all the gooey-topped goodness you are missing out on. This one has an extra gooey top, you would love it <3 My mom didn't make banana bread much, we were a zucchini bread family, but it's still a classic! And you were such a nice friend...I never shared my zuc bread!
I totally remember that song!!!! I haven't though about it in forever! Did you ever learn the Apples and Bananas song where you sing it weirdly with each different vowel? "I like to eat, eat, eat, Opples and Bononos" Weird song...but I still remember my vowels I guess 😀 haha
OMG!!! YES!!!!! When I was an assistant in this YMCA kiddie gymnastics class, the instructor would always play that for the kids as they went around the circuits! I would go crazy and it would get stuck in my head!….now it’s stuck in my head….thanks a lot Natalie! Hahahahahaha xoxoxo
Hahahahaha! But at least that song includes one of your favorite fruits too 😉 xoxoxo
What a clever use of dates. Sounds delicious!
Thanks Linda! Just a little extra special something 🙂
I think bananas are your middle name, haha! This is a beautiful loaf Natalie!! I love baking with oat flour!
Lol 😀 Yup, Natalie Banana Thomas, how did you know? My parents were very creative 😉 haha
There are so many good things going on in this recipe! I love the oats and bananas combo! And the date topping mixture is so creative!
I know right, so many favorite foods! Thanks Heather 🙂
This looks amazing!! I love to have banana bread in the morning with my coffee, it’s such a cozy way to start the day 🙂
Oooh that sounds perfect! Especially when it’s a little chilly outside…like not now 😀 haha But in a few months, yes!
I adore bananas – we ran out of them today and I was devastated. A day without a banana…I don’t know anymore what that is 😀 Good thing I have some frozen banana left…I love your banana bread and also your focus on what is actually IN it and not what it’s free from. Sometimes, when I read recipes that have like 10 “free from this” stated, I wonder, what IS actually in there? 😉
Hahahaha! I worry about that with my Everything-Free recipes too! There is actually some edible things in there 😀 Wouldn’t it be cool if we started labeling every recipe by what it is full of instead? I think that might be a hard motion to initiate though. But yes, I totally agree, bananas are a daily must! Gotta bring in those frozen back up nanas some days, but they’re just not as easy to snack on. Bread form…totally snackable 🙂
I’ve been looking for a healthy banana bread recipe!! Thank you SO much for this:)!
Perfect timing then! I’m so happy you like the recipe Jess, enjoy 🙂
This banana bread is too good! I was supposed to have sweet potato fries for dinner but I ended up eating half of the loaf of bread. Btw my non-vegan parents love the banana bread too. Next time I have to try it with the date sauce (my mom hates the taste of dates so I decided not to use it) 🙂
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That is so wonderful to hear Fiona, your comment totally made my day <3 Getting the thumbs up from non-vegan parents is about the highest praise there is! I'm so glad you guys liked it. My mom's picky too, so I often have to adjust recipes just to get her to try them, but definitely try it with the dates next time it's so tasty! And nothing wrong with banana bread for dinner 😉
Banana bread is my favorite quick bread of all and you took it to the next level with the date sauce. YUM! I will be making this for sure 🙂
Banana bread is the best! I’ll trade you this one for that delicious one you posted a while back with the strawberry sauce 😉
Bananas most definitely deserve their spot in the lime light — I don’t know how we’d survive without them 😉 I don’t think a day goes by when I don’t use them in something… And banana bread is definitely one of my favorite baked goods to make, but unfortunately… ready for it?… my husband runs away even at the smell of banana bread batter. I’m married to a banana hater of the worst kind >.< which makes it very difficult to enjoy a slice…
Those banana slices on top of your bread look so good though… And I love the date paste topping. This sounds amazing!
Oh no!!! You need to build yourself a little hut outside in the backyard for any and all banana baking needs! I can’t imagine going without banana bread…to me it’s one of the best smells all caramel-y and sweet while it’s baking <3 I take it he's not a nice cream fan either...so many good things are based on bananas! The date paste topping is my favorite part, that concept is probably going to make another appearance in the future 😉
I just tried this and it came out gummy. :c tried baking it for longer but the edges started burning so I took it out and hoped that after it cooled it would be good to go. Smells wonderful, very gooey in the middle. :c anybody know what went wrong?
That’s so strange, I’ve never had that issue with this recipe. Here are a few things you can try next time:
1) Less banana. Since bananas vary in size, my 3 bananas might be much less volume than your 3. So next time try only 2 if they are very large. And if the batter is too dry make up for it with a little extra milk. The banana keeps it moist, but too much banana can make it gummy.
2) Bake it in a cake pan rather than a loaf. A larger pan will make for a thinner bread that will cook through much easier.
3) Bake it for longer at a lower temp. Maybe try 300F for an hour or until the center no longer feels mushy when pressed. The lower temp will keep the outside from becoming over done.
I hope that helps!
I just made this today and mine was super gummy in the middle too 🙁 Still tasted delicious but mine was more of a pudding than a bread, hahaha
Hi Ellie! So sorry to hear the texture didn’t come out well, usually that is caused by over mixing, did you mix by hand of in a blender/food processor? Also if your bananas were super ripe or the batter was just too moist those are other potential causes. Let me know if any of those sound like they could be it, otherwise I am happy to help the and troubleshoot further😊
Do you think i can skip the sugar? Will it change the strukture? Bananas usually give the sweetness i like
Hi Carolina! I can’t say for certain since I haven’t tried it without the sugar, but I do believe it will be just fine 🙂
If I don’t want to use coconut sugar? Should I add more flour?
You may need a little extra oat flour (about 1/4 cup or so), but actually leaving out the sugar won’t affect the wet-dry ingredient balance very much at all. Should be just fine!
It tasted like baking powder! Are you sure 1.5 TBSP is the right amount? I thought it seemed like a lot but wanted to follow the recipe exactly.
It should be 1 tbsp. Just fixed it, I am so very sorry for the confusion!
This bread is so delicious !
I am so happy you like it! Thanks for the feedback and enjoy the rest of the loaf Tracy 🙂
HI, Can I use water instead of plant based milk?
Yes that will be fine 🙂
Oh LORD YES! IT was AMAZING! I loved this Banana Bread so much! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
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YAYYY!! I am so happy to hear it 🙂 Enjoy the rest, and I hope there are many more delicious batches to come!
Hi, can I substitute coconut sugar with dates? And how much dates do I need? Thank you🌸
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This recipe isn’t designed for dates and the extra moisture will make it too moist/mushy. Maybe try this banana bread recipe instead that’s sweetened with just banana: https://www.feastingonfruit.com/chocolate-chip-banana-bread/
Natalie! I’m so happy I found you through YouTube. I love all your recipes, they’re the best! Please never stop what you’re doing.
This is my favorite banana bread recipe. Best banana bread ever. I make it all the time. Sending lots of love😊💕💕
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YAY!! I am so happy you love this one🤗 Thank you for the kind words and all the support❤️
Do you think this recipe (including cooking time) would work using a 9in round pan? Im trying to make a neapolitan cake and wanted to use this for the banana layer 😊 thanks!
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Yes I do! Although the bake time will be less, probably around 35-40 minutes. Hope your cake turns out amazing, it sounds delicious😋
can I use honey instead of the coconut sugar? If so, what amount do you recommend?
Honey would add a lot more moisture and change the texture of the bread, so I don’t recommend swapping it here. You could use a different granulated sweetener though–same amount!
Would substituting Date Sugar work in place of Coconut sugar, or would that be too much moisture as well?
That should be fine! Those two are usually interchangeable 🙂
Thank you, I will try it soon then
It turned out beautiful and tasted amazing definitely a keeper
YES!! I am so happy you enjoyed it, Julia🤗
Could I use cassava flour with the same amount to substitute the oat flour? Thank you!
Hmm haven’t tried it, but I think it could work! Love cassava flour actually, now I’m curious to try it 😀
Even though mine didn’t come out perfect, this is still a 5 star recipe. I underestimated the need for sugar in this recipe. I thought the ripeness of the bananas would sweeten it up; not quite. Without the sugar, the baking soda taste is overpowering. Lol but the bread was so soft and moist. I will most definitely be making this recipe again, with the advised amount of sugar.
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Thank you for the lovely feedback despite a not QUITE perfect first batch, Renae! You could try decreasing the baking soda but it might be less fluffy, in general I prefer my banana bread with at least a little it of added sweetness🙌 I hope the next time around it even better😋😋
Hi! I love your recipes, and you’re always my go to for WFPB baked goods. I have a question about this recipe though, is there any way you know the exact weight or volume of mashed banana needed? I’m worried bananas may be too big and I’m making this recipe for someone else so I care if it gets messed up lol. Also will walnuts work well in the bread?
Hmm this is an older recipe so I didn’t do weight measurements when I made it, so I don’t know the exact weight. If you have really large bananas though, maybe just use two instead of three 🙂 And yes walnuts would be amazing in here!
Thank you for getting back to me! And okay I’ll try it and see how it goes. I’m toasting the walnuts now!
Let me know how it turns out🤗🤗
Used plantains in this instead of bananas Bc I had a bunch of super ripe ones and didn’t want to eat them the usual way. Came out soooo good. Thanks !
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Oh that’s such a good idea, I wanna try that now🤗 So happy you liked it!
Ya only thing is that I used a food processor and I had to bake it for like 75 min and it’s still gooey but crispy on outside. But I’m happy Bc that’s how I like it 😉
I have been going around this blog saving everything like a crazy person I love love love ur stuff 😍😍😍
Quick question, how much less sugar do u think I can get away with removing before I ruin it all? Lol
That makes me so so happy to hear🤗 Can’t wait for you to start trying some! In this recipe I wouldn’t go much below 1/4 cup otherwise it will just taste kind of bland and cardboard-y. Happy baking!
I LOVE this recipe – I make it every week! I find it’s better for me without any milk. Do you know if it’s freezable?
I am SO happy you love this one Julia🤗 And yes freezes quite well!
Love the recipe! Do you think using maple syrup instead of the coconut sugar would work?
Thanks!
Should work yes! You might need to reduce the milk amount to make up for the extra liquid ingredients though, try just 1/4 cup almond milk 🙂