Oatmeal Banana Bread

If you love baked treats but still want to skip sugar highs first thing in the morning, this fluffy oatmeal banana bread recipe is for you. With its golden edges and naturally-sweetened flavor, you would never believe it's made with vegan flours and flax meal. That's just another reason to have a second slice, though! Toasted up, spread with creamy peanut butter, and drizzled with a bit of honey, it's the perfect way to start your day!

Love Adding Oatmeal to Banana Bread

This homemade oatmeal banana bread with hints of honey will make you skip your breakfast stops at the local bakery.

• No processed sugars. This loaf gets its sweetness from lots of bananas, raw honey, and coconut sugar.
• Freezer-friendly. Double the recipe and freeze it so you've got a last-minute breakfast ready to go when you need one.
• Lots of easy variations. You can add chewy cranberries, shredded coconut, a swirl of creamy peanut butter, and many more.

What Makes This Recipe Different?

For this recipe, I decided to go with all plant-based flours and wholesome ingredients like oatmeal and flaxseed meal for a guilt-free breakfast treat. Best of all, it's just as good as bakery-style banana bread but without all the added sugars— that means no sugar-highs.

What You'll Need

A mix of vegan flours and coconut sugar adds natural nuttiness and fruity goodness. The recipe card at the bottom of the post has exact ingredient amounts.

• Plant-based flours – You need almond flour, quinoa flour, oat flour, and coconut flour. There is no swap for them.
• Flaxseed meal – Make your own by blending 1/4 cup whole flax seeds until you get a fine powder.
• Arrowroot starch – Feel free to use cornstarch or tapioca starch.
• Coconut sugar – Dark brown sugar and date sugar are great swaps.
• Baking soda – Sift out any large clumps or break them up with your fingers before adding.
• Salt – Kosher salt is best because it dissolves into the batter easily.
• Banana – I prefer over-ripened bananas because they have a sweeter flavor, but ripe ones work too.
• Eggs – Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily into the batter.
• Raw honey – Go for agave nectar or maple syrup if you prefer.
• Olive oil – You can also use coconut, vegetable, corn, or canola oil.
• Apple cider vinegar – Don't skip it because it's what activates the baking soda so the bread rises.
• Rolled oats – Avoid instant oats because they'll make the batter very rubbery. Stick to rolled or old-fashioned oats for best results.

Tips for the Best Oatmeal Banana Bread

Not opening the oven door and using the right loaf pan will get you far in ensuring this oatmeal banana bread turns out super fluffy. These are my other favorite tips for easy, smooth baking:

• Don't let it sit. Once the batter is ready, don't let it sit on the counter for more than 5-10 minutes before transferring it to the loaf pan and baking it. The flours and oats will absorb more moisture over time, affecting the loaf's final texture, so it's best to get it in the oven quickly.
• Make cupcakes. Line a cupcake tray with muffin liners. Pour batter into them until 3/4s full. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This is great for gatherings and on-the-go snacks.
• Stick to the center rack. The bottom oven rack is hottest, so the bottom of the loaf will burn before the center has had a chance to finish baking. The top one is too cool, which will require a longer baking time. Always stick to the center rack because that's where heat is most evenly distributed.
• Stop opening the oven. Avoid opening the oven too often. Each time you do, the internal temperature drops, affecting the baking time and texture.
• Use the right pan. Stainless steel loaf pans are better than glass ones because they conduct heat faster. That means the batter will start baking right away, unlike with glass pans that take a while to heat up.

Variation Ideas

It's hard to get tired of an oatmeal banana bread that's so versatile you can add matcha, chocolate chips, or peanut butter. Here are some of my favorite flavor combinations:

• Double chocolate. Whisk 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder into the dry ingredients. Prepare the batter as usual and fold in 1 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate at the very end. Bake as usual for an extra chocolatey treat.
• Make it nutty. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup walnuts for some natural crunch. They can also be swapped for almonds, macadamias, or hazelnuts.
• Chocolate chip-banana. Fold 1 cup mini chocolate chips into the batter for a heavenly bite. You can use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate.
• Add-ins galore. The total amount of add-ins shouldn't exceed 1 cup, so mix them up as you please as long as you don't add more than this. I love dried cranberries, shredded toasted coconut, chopped dates, and raisins.
• Matcha detox. Stir 1 tablespoon ground matcha powder and 2 teaspoons spirulina powder into the dry ingredients for a green-tea and superfood variation.
• Add a swirl. Microwave 1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter in 15-second increments until warm and runny. Once the batter is in the loaf pan, gently pour in the heated nut butter. Use a knife to carefully swirl it around, creating your favorite pattern. Bake as usual and enjoy the creamy, nutty twist on this banana bread recipe.

How to Store

This oatmeal banana bread is actually better a day or two after it's made, so use whichever storage method you prefer.

• Counter: Place it in a paper bag or cake dome for up to 2 days. Keep it away from direct heat and sunlight.
• Fridge: Store it in an airtight container or tightly cover the loaf pan with foil. Refrigerate it for up to 7 days. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before digging in.
• Freezer: Wrap it, whole or sliced, with plastic wrap twice. Transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

More Banana Bread Recipes

• Blueberry Banana Bread
• Protein Banana Bread
• Paleo Banana Bread
• Gluten Free Banana Bread Muffins