Low-Calorie Banana Bread

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You’ll love this easy recipe for low-calorie banana bread that’s made with simple ingredients that are easy to find and budget friendly. This skinny banana bread recipe is only 74 calories per slice and is also a great low-fat alternative to traditional homemade banana bread.

Banana bread is a classic comfort food recipe that’s enjoyed by both kids and adults. This recipe was developed to have lower calories and fat so you can enjoy a deliciously dense banana bread that’s lightened up without sacrificing on flavor!

How Many Calories Are In Banana Bread?

Traditional banana bread is loaded with butter, flour and sugar. This recipe uses flour and sugar, but the amounts are reduced which lowers both the calorie count and fat content making it a great healthy homemade banana bread. 

• Average Calories In Banana Bread: 420 calories per slice

• Average Calories In This Recipe: 74 calories per slice

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It can be eaten for breakfast, a snack or even as a comforting dessert.
• The calorie count and fat content is far less than what you would find in traditional banana bread.
• It’s homemade from scratch which means it’s free of preservatives and processed ingredients.
• Both kids and adults can enjoy this low calorie treat.
• It stores well and can be frozen for later use making it great for meal prep.
• You can turn it into muffins to make a bite sized snack.
• You can customize it by adding fun ingredients to the batter such as chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
• The ingredients are budget friendly and easy to find in any grocery store.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ripe Bananas – You’ll need ripe bananas to naturally sweeten this bread. The bananas should be dark on the outside, soft and should smell sweet. This recipe will not work without overripe bananas!
• Unsweetened Applesauce – Applesauce helps bind the batter together and offers a natural sweetness from the apples.
• Vanilla Extract – A light vanilla flavor pairs well with the flavors of banana.
• Granulated Sugar – You’ll need a bit of sugar to sweeten the bread but not as much as you would find in a traditional banana bread recipe.
• Salt – Salt will help balance all the flavors in the banana bread.
• Baking Powder – This will help the bread rise and become fluffy.
• Egg – Helps bind the ingredients together while baking and gives the outside it’s crust.
• Skim Milk – Skim milk is one of the wet ingredients in the batter that makes it creamy but also helps reduce the fat content.
• Flour – The fry ingredient in the banana bread that brings all of the ingredients together.

How To Make Low-Calorie Banana Bread

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two mini-baking pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the flour. Gently mix by hand until everything is mixed and the batter is smooth.

3. Add in the flour and stir until combined.

4. Divide the batter between the two baking pans. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

5. Let the bread cool, then cut each loaf into 6 slices.

Helpful Recipe Tips

• Because of the texture of the batter, it’s best to split up this recipe into two mini loaf pans for baking.
• Bananas need to be overripe for best results. If you have under ripe bananas, let them sit for 2-3 days in a paper bag with a piece of citrus fruit to speed up the process.
• It’s important to let the banana bread cool completely before removing from the pan. This will help keep it from crumbling.

Variations & Mix-Ins

Below are some fun ways to customize the flavor of your banana bread!

• Add in chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
• Stir in some cinnamon and nutmeg into the batter.
• Add some shredded coconut.
• Swirl in your favorite chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans.
• Add a ¼ cup cocoa powder to the batter to make a chocolate banana bread.
• Sprinkle in some dried fruit before baking.
• Stir in some orange zest to the batter for a bright citrus flavored banana bread.

Storing & Freezing

• Storing: Wrap banana bread in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or place in an airtight container. The banana bread will last for about 1 to 2 days at normal room temperature, and up to about a week by refrigerating it.
• Freezing: Wrap banana bread tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. The banana bread will maintain best quality for about 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

FAQ

Are bananas healthy? Yes! Bananas are high in potassium, antioxidants and fiber. They are also a great way to get magnesium and vitamins C and B6.

How many calories are in a banana? Depending on the size, the average medium sized banana has 105 calories.

Is banana bread bad for you? This depends on your personal definition of health. Since banana bread typically has a lot of fat and calories, it’s probably not a great idea to consume it all the time. This recipe offers a great alternative to high calorie and high fat banana bread so you can enjoy it more often.

Calories per serving (1 slice): 74

Other Banana Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Healthier Banana Cream Pie