This Vegan Banana Bread delivers all the moist, tender texture and rich banana flavor you crave without any dairy or eggs. Our foolproof Vegan Banana Bread recipe transforms overripe bananas into a perfectly spiced loaf that’s so delicious, even non-vegans will be asking for seconds.
SERVES: 4 | PREP: 15 MIN | COOK: 55 MIN | TOTAL: 70 MIN
Ingredients for Perfect Vegan Banana Bread
Dry Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1¾ cups |
| Baking soda | 1 teaspoon |
| Salt | ½ teaspoon |
| Ground cinnamon | 1 teaspoon |
| Coconut sugar | ¾ cup |
Wet Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Overripe bananas | 3 large (about 1½ cups mashed) |
| Coconut oil | ⅓ cup (melted) |
| Unsweetened applesauce | ¼ cup |
| Vanilla extract | 2 teaspoons |
| Non-dairy milk | 2 tablespoons |
Optional Add-ins
- Chopped walnuts: ½ cup
- Dairy-free chocolate chips: ⅓ cup
Step-by-Step Vegan Banana Bread Instructions
Phase 1: Kitchen Setup and Prep (8 minutes)
1. Preheat Your Oven Properly Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and wait for the preheat indicator light to turn off. This usually takes 10-15 minutes. The correct temperature is crucial for Vegan Banana Bread – too hot and the outside burns before the center cooks, too cool and you’ll get dense, gummy bread.
2. Prepare Your Loaf Pan Like a Pro Take a 9×5-inch loaf pan and coat it thoroughly with coconut oil using a pastry brush or paper towel. Make sure to get into all the corners. Alternatively, line with parchment paper, leaving 2-inch overhangs on the long sides – these act as handles for easy removal later. This step prevents your Vegan Banana Bread from sticking.
3. Melt Coconut Oil Correctly Place ⅓ cup coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted but not hot. This should take 40-60 seconds total. Set aside to cool while you prepare other ingredients. Hot oil will create lumps in your batter.
4. Choose and Prepare Your Bananas Select bananas that are heavily spotted with brown or even slightly black skin – these are perfect for Vegan Banana Bread. The darker the peel, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. If your bananas are too firm, you can ripen them quickly by placing them in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes until the peels are black.
Phase 2: Mixing Wet Ingredients (7 minutes)
5. Mash Bananas to the Right Texture Place your 3 large bananas in a large mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash them by pressing down and dragging across the banana pieces. Continue until you have a chunky puree – some small lumps are perfect and add nice texture to your Vegan Banana Bread. You should have about 1½ cups of mashed banana.
6. Test Your Coconut Oil Temperature Touch the melted coconut oil with your finger – it should feel warm, not hot. If it’s still too hot, wait another 2 minutes. Hot oil can scramble when mixed with other ingredients, creating an uneven texture.
7. Combine All Wet Ingredients Add the melted coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla extract, and non-dairy milk to your mashed bananas. Using a whisk, stir everything together until the mixture looks creamy and unified. The color should be light brown with no streaks of oil visible.
8. Let the Mixture Rest Allow this wet mixture to sit for 3-4 minutes. This resting time lets the coconut oil cool completely and allows the flavors to meld together. During this time, you can prepare your dry ingredients.
Phase 3: Preparing Dry Ingredients (5 minutes)
9. Measure Flour Correctly Using a spoon, lightly scoop all-purpose flour into your measuring cup without packing it down. Level off the top with a knife edge. This method prevents adding too much flour, which creates dense Vegan Banana Bread. Properly measured, 1¾ cups should feel light in the cup.
10. Whisk Dry Ingredients Thoroughly In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and coconut sugar. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to ensure even distribution and break up any coconut sugar clumps. The mixture should look uniform in color with no white streaks from the flour.
11. Create a Mixing Well Using a spoon, make a deep well (like a crater) in the center of your dry ingredients. This well should reach almost to the bottom of the bowl. This technique helps prevent overmixing when you combine wet and dry ingredients.
Phase 4: Final Mixing and Baking (60 minutes)
12. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients Pour all of your wet banana mixture directly into the well you created in the dry ingredients. Don’t pour around the edges – aim for the center of the well.
13. Mix with the Folding Technique Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, start at the bottom of the well and fold the dry ingredients over the wet mixture. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Continue this folding motion just until you can’t see any dry flour streaks. This should take 8-12 gentle folds total. Critical tip: Stop mixing the moment you don’t see dry flour – overmixing creates tough, dense Vegan Banana Bread.
14. Add Optional Ingredients If using nuts or chocolate chips, sprinkle them over the batter and fold in with just 2-3 more gentle turns. Don’t overmix – uneven distribution is better than tough bread.
15. Transfer Batter Properly Scrape all the batter into your prepared loaf pan using a rubber spatula. Gently shake the pan side to side to level the batter, then use the spatula to smooth the top lightly. Don’t press down hard – just level the surface.
16. Bake with Precision Place the pan in the center of your preheated oven. Set a timer for 50 minutes – don’t open the oven door before this time, as temperature fluctuations can cause your Vegan Banana Bread to sink in the center.
17. Test for Doneness After 50 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs attached – not wet batter, but not completely clean either. If the toothpick comes out with wet batter, bake for 5-8 more minutes and test again.
18. Check Visual Cues Your finished Vegan Banana Bread should be golden brown on top and spring back lightly when you gently press the center. The edges should be pulling slightly away from the sides of the pan.
19. Cool in Stages Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire cooling rack. Let it cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes – this allows the structure to set. After 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges to loosen, then turn the loaf out onto the wire rack.
20. Complete the Cooling Process Allow your Vegan Banana Bread to cool completely on the wire rack before slicing – this takes about 45 minutes. Cutting too early will result in gummy, falling-apart slices. The wait is worth it for perfect texture.
Chef’s Notes for Vegan Banana Bread Success
• Banana Ripeness Matters: The best Vegan Banana Bread comes from bananas that are heavily spotted or even slightly black. These contain more natural sugars and create better flavor and moisture.
• Oil Temperature Trick: Always let melted coconut oil cool before mixing. Hot oil can create an uneven texture and may cause other ingredients to clump in your finished bread.
• Flour Measuring: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level off. Scooping directly can pack too much flour, making dense Vegan Banana Bread instead of light, tender loaves.
• Doneness Test: Your Vegan Banana Bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 200°F on an instant-read thermometer, or when a toothpick comes out with just moist crumbs.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 285
- Protein: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fat: 8g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 24g
Delicious Vegan Banana Bread Variations
Chocolate Chip Vegan Banana Bread
Fold in ⅓ cup dairy-free chocolate chips for an indulgent twist. Mini chips distribute more evenly than regular-sized ones throughout your Vegan Banana Bread.
Nutty Banana Bread
Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch and healthy fats. Toast the nuts first for deeper flavor that complements the banana perfectly.
Tropical Banana Bread
Mix in ¼ cup shredded coconut and 2 tablespoons chopped dried pineapple for a vacation-inspired treat that transforms ordinary Vegan Banana Bread.
Spiced Banana Bread
Enhance the warm spices by adding ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves to create a more complex flavor profile, similar to our vegan pancake spice blend.
Storage and Reheating Your Vegan Banana Bread
Room Temperature: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Your Vegan Banana Bread will stay moist and delicious.
Refrigerator: Extends freshness to 1 week when properly wrapped. The cool temperature helps maintain the perfect texture.
Freezer: Slice and wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Warm slices in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes or toast lightly for the best texture that brings back that fresh-baked taste.
Troubleshooting Common Vegan Banana Bread Problems
Problem: Dense, Heavy Bread
Solution: You likely overmixed the batter or used too much flour. Measure flour by spooning and leveling, and mix just until combined for light, fluffy Vegan Banana Bread.
Problem: Gummy Center
Solution: Your bananas may have been too wet, or the bread needs more baking time. Test doneness with a toothpick – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
Problem: Dry, Crumbly Texture
Solution: Your bananas weren’t ripe enough, or you measured too much flour. Next time, use bananas that are very spotted and soft for moist Vegan Banana Bread.
Problem: Sunken Center
Solution: Opening the oven door too early caused temperature fluctuations. Don’t check until at least 45 minutes of baking time for perfect Vegan Banana Bread.
Problem: Burnt Top, Raw Center
Solution: Your oven runs hot. Cover with foil after 40 minutes and reduce temperature to 325°F for the remaining baking time.
Equipment Essentials
- 9×5-inch loaf pan (metal bakes more evenly than glass)
- Large mixing bowls (2)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Fork for mashing bananas
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
- Wire cooling rack
- Instant-read thermometer (optional but helpful)
Shopping List
Baking Aisle
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Coconut sugar
- Vanilla extract
Produce Section
- Overripe bananas (3 large)
Health Food/Natural Section
- Coconut oil
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Non-dairy milk
- Walnuts (optional)
- Dairy-free chocolate chips (optional)
Success Secrets for Perfect Vegan Banana Bread
1. Use a kitchen scale if you have one. 1¾ cups flour should weigh about 220 grams for perfect Vegan Banana Bread results every time.
2. Room temperature ingredients blend more easily. Take your non-dairy milk out 30 minutes before baking for the smoothest batter.
3. Don’t skip the cooling time. Hot Vegan Banana Bread falls apart when sliced. Patience creates perfect slices that showcase your beautiful baking.
4. Freeze overripe bananas when you can’t bake immediately. Thaw completely and drain excess liquid before using in your Vegan Banana Bread.
5. Line your pan with parchment for foolproof removal. Leave 2-inch overhangs to create handles for lifting out the finished loaf without breaking.
This Vegan Banana Bread recipe proves that plant-based baking doesn’t mean compromising on taste or texture. Each slice delivers the perfect balance of sweetness and spice, just like the comfort food classics you remember. Pair a warm slice with your morning coffee or pack it for an afternoon snack that pairs wonderfully with dishes like our vegan pasta salad – either way, you’ll have a treat that satisfies without any animal products.
