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Banana Bread with Coconut and Pecans

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Bananas and coconut are a natural combination; this banana bread is a great way to enjoy them.

Banana Bread with Coconut and Pecans

Banana and coconut are a natural combination and this quick bread is a great way to enjoy them. Like most banana breads, it’s easy to throw together: you can whip up the batter in twenty minutes, and then just let the oven do its work. Enjoy warm out of the oven or toasted for breakfast the next day.

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Banana Bread with Coconut & Pecans

Bananas and coconut are a natural combination; this banana bread is a great way to enjoy them.

Servings: One 9 x 5-inch loaf
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth (from about 3 bananas)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped (see note below)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the melted butter and sugar until just combined. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix. Gently stir in the coconut and nuts (the batter will look lumpy).
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center is relatively clean (tester should not be totally dry; the bananas keep it moist) and the top is golden brown. Do not overcook. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then turn out onto rack. Slice while still warm or store in an airtight container. Toast individual slices for best results.
  5. Note: Toasting the pecans is optional but enhances their flavor. Simply spread the pecans on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant.
  6. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (12 servings)
  • Serving size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 282
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Saturated fat: 7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 37 g
  • Sugar: 19 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Sodium: 109 mg
  • Cholesterol: 51 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • This is the best banana bread I have ever made. I added dried cranberries and they added a nice tartness to the mix. Great flavor and texture. Yum

    • — Susan on March 2, 2024
    • Reply
  • I was wondering if you could use sweetened coconut and cut down on the sugar to make up. for it?

    • — Andrea on January 21, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Andrea, Sure, I’d cut the sugar back by about 2 tablespoons. Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on January 22, 2024
      • Reply
  • I used egg replacement and made fully vegan, delicious:)

    • — Anne on January 13, 2024
    • Reply
  • Omg!
    I just made these and used date syrup in lieu of sugar. Absolutely delicious!!

    • — Stacy Higgins on November 28, 2023
    • Reply
  • I made this today and it’s delicious! I had everything on hand except pecans so I left those out. I’ll definitely make this again!

    • — Cindi U. on November 27, 2023
    • Reply
  • Delicious! Made this for myself. It was so yummy that I made a couple to give to some new neighbors as a “Welcome to the Neighborhood” gift.

    • — Patti Burns on September 8, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn…this looks tasty and I’m sure my wife would love it. Any suggestions for making this at high altitude (5,500 ft) ?

    • — Steve on March 26, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Steve, I wish I could be more helpful, but I don’t have any experience with high-altitude baking. You might check out these suggestions from King Arthur Flour.

      • — Jenn on March 28, 2023
      • Reply
  • Made 2 of these for a family brunch, one with sugar and one without. Both were successful! Definitely a keeper!

    • — Maura on February 20, 2023
    • Reply
  • I’m not normally a fan of banana bread but had three really ripe ones that wanted to use. I baked this bread for the 55 minutes, checking at 50 minutes to make sure it was done but not dry (other reviewers commented on this). It is a full bodied bread with the coconut and pecans and I added a handful of chocolate chips. The crust is so good and the bread itself is not overly sweet since the coconut isn’t sweetened.

    I cut a piece to taste and now I’m on my second piece so for someone who isn’t a fan of banana bread you could say this is a pretty good indication of just how good this bread is.

    I’m looking forward to morning coffee and a slice of this bread.

    • — Marilyn S on February 9, 2023
    • Reply
  • I used fresh coconut meat because I had it on hand, pulverized as finely as possible in the food processor, probably about 3/4 – 1 cup total. Out of laziness, I added the rest of the ingredients directly to the food processor: wet, then sifted dry, and no pecans. It came out great, with a subtle coconut flavor and crunch. Would consider using unrefined coconut oil and/or a few drops of coconut extract next time.

    • — Peter W. on January 29, 2023
    • Reply
  • Delicious, moist, a fave in our family!

    • — Melou on January 6, 2023
    • Reply
  • You are my go to person, one request if you added the ingredients also in oz or grams as in baking it can make a big differences, Thanks

    • — Barbara Hallett Wegner on December 23, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Barbara, The great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!

      • — Jenn on December 23, 2022
      • Reply
  • Was very good- I cooked it 45 minutes and kept it in the pan to keep cooking. Was extremely moist but I gave it 4 starts because it was a bit too sweet-use less sugar and then it is spot on.

    • — Astoria on September 25, 2022
    • Reply
  • Made this yesterday. I had 2 cups of bananas so doubled the recipe and made a bundt cake. Came out great. Baked for 1hour at 350. May add some chocolate chips too next time.

    • — Barb on September 16, 2022
    • Reply
  • Love this one! Probably my favorite banana bread recipe I’ve ever made. I used coconut oil instead of butter and added a small handful of white chocolate chips. So good.

    • — Bethany on August 17, 2022
    • Reply
  • Excellent with a nice cup of coffee. I also added 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips.

    • — Sophie L. on June 9, 2022
    • Reply
  • I omitted the pecans, nut allergy. I added a bit of extra coconut and it was delicious!

    • — Anna on May 27, 2022
    • Reply
  • I made this with all purpose and it was wonderful! Has anyone made this with gluten free all purpose flour? I have a bunch I need to use up before expiration date this month but am not sure if amounts of ingredients would be the same.

    • — Donna on April 7, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Donna, I haven’t made this with gluten-free flour, but I think it should work. And the amount of flour you’d need should be the same unless the package specifies otherwise. I’d love to hear how it turns out! 🙂

      • — Jenn on April 7, 2022
      • Reply
      • I used 1/2 White Spelt flour and 1/2 regular flour and it was great.
        Next time I will try, 1/2 White Spelt and 1/2 Almond flour to see how it works.

        • — Stacy Higgins on November 28, 2023
        • Reply
  • This recipe is amazing. I baked mine for only 40 minutes and let it sit for 10 and it came out so moist and perfect with a crisp outer layer and a moist and fluffy inner layer. This recipe is also not too overly sweet which I love!!

  • I used thawed frozen bananas and doubled the amount of pecans, because we like lots of nuts. I divided the batter between two 3×8 pans and baked them at 350 degrees for 45+ minutes. Delicious! I’ll make this recipe again!

    I also like the marbled chocolate banana bread and Jen’s standard banana bread recipe. The cranberry bread recipe is another winner! Thank you, Jen!

  • Excellent banana bread. Thank You!

  • The recipe is delicious! I added a bit extra toasted coconut flakes walnut and pecans, so I decided to add 1/4 cup of milk and it came out perfect! It was nice and moist and exactly the way I like it. Thank you for the recipe.

    • — Sandra in Jackson, NJ
    • Reply
  • Like the rest of the world, I have been making lots of different banana breads, muffins, etc the past year and a half. This is a delicious recipe and a keeper! I decided to take a little inspiration from seven layer bars and add butterscotch and dark chocolate chips to this recipe. YUM!

  • Best banana bread EVER! I didn’t change a thing, except I may have over-filled the coconut while measuring a tad…but not enough to note. This is definitely a keeper and one that I will be proud to share in gift baskets!

  • I made this recipe, instead of banana bread I made banana muffins. Like another viewer I added 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Baked for 25 minutes at 350.
    They were delicious!!!!!
    I like to put the muffins in a freezer bag for my hubby. He likes to pop one out in the morning for breakfast.

  • Excellent recipe! Moist and flavorful. Will definitely make again!

  • My first batch of this banana bread looked just like the online picture and the taste was fabulous. I used walnuts instead of pecans and it was just delicious. The coconut was moist and the texture was perfect! Love, love, love this recipe and will make this again.

  • I made this recipe into 12 muffins today because I didn’t want to use my large oven…baked 1/2 dozen at a time and they turned out just fine from my toaster oven…Thanks again for this wonderful recipe

  • Had numerous bananas, enough for two cups. Doubled the recipe, and my only addition was a bout a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. DELISH!

    • — ASTRID STEVENS
    • Reply
  • I just made this followed your recipe exactly and it turned out perfect! Thank you for sharing it!

  • I just made this and it was delicious! Moist, light, and just the right amount of sweetness. I’ll be making it again for sure. Sometimes my banana breads are darker in colour and gummy. This one was perfect.

  • Very dry. Couldn’t taste the coconut at all. Recipe not a keeper for me.

  • Delicious!! I subbed 3/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips for the pecans but followed rest of the recipe to the letter. It went fast! Thank you for the recipe.

    • Made two loaves today and it’s delicious! Didn’t change a thing. My husband and I say it’s definitely a keeper. Thank you Jenn!

  • I made four loaves of this bread. I did not alter the recipe at all. They were all beautiful and delicious. Also froze nicely!

  • I made this today and it tastes wonderful. I used 2/3 cup sugar and it’s perfect

  • THIS is our favorite banana bread of all time! The coconut and toasted pecans really make this special. The first time I made it, my spouse said “You can make that again, please.” Thank you for the wonderful, simple recipe. It is now our go to when we have over-ripe bananas.

    Side note: I’ve just made two batches, one full loaf, and four mini loaves. I used half whole wheat flour and half white flour for both as I just wanted to use up the wheat flour that I had on hand. I also used sweetened coconut and omitted one tablespoon of sugar. It came out perfectly.

  • I am a big fan of yours, Jenn. But this recipe turned out dry. I did not overmix the batter, just gently folded it in. Maybe the cooking time was too long?

    I did reduce the amount of sugar to 2/3 cup. Would that be the cause?

    In any case, I am still a huge fan of yours. Thank you.

    • Hi Lucy, Sorry to hear this came out dry for you! While sugar does add moisture, I don’t think you reduced it enough that it would have a big impact. Dryness is usually caused by measuring the flour incorrectly. Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Even a few extra ounces can make a big difference. This article/video explains it nicely.

  • I CANNOT wait to try this. I’ve always thought coconut would be great to add to banana bread but never actually went through with it, I guess fear of ruining a perfectly good batch of banana bread kept me on the safe side. Now that I see your recipe, I’m definitely going to try. Like tomorrow. ASAP. Thank you!

  • When I first read this recipe and saw coconut as an ingredient, I was ready to return to my old and weary banana bread recipe. But then I thought, why not try this! And now, this is the only banana bread recipe I’ll make. Houseguests tend to gobble up a loaf in no time which gives me little choice but to make another. Even toasted it’s yummy! The coconut is not the least overbearing, but rather is complimentary by being the perfect twist to result in a far better banana bread than what I was baking years ago.

  • I made this at Christmas for gifts, now it’s on the rotation. Freeze it for breakfast & I also toast it, cube it, for salad croutons.

  • Is it possible to make this banana bread without the pecans?

    • Sure, Sharon – that’s fine! 🙂

  • One of many of my family favorite recipes!

  • This banana bread is amazing. I think the coconut makes the difference. I made it with GF flour for my daughter in law, it’s her favorite. I appreciate all the wonderful recipes you share. I think it’s time to make another loaf of banana bread. ♥️

    • — Barbara Thomas
    • Reply
  • I’ve made this several times and it’s my favorite banana bread recipe. My oven is awful tho so I always have to cook it longer….like 10-15 min longer to get the clean toothpick which then makes the crust a little browner than I’d prefer. I’ll keep playing with it. My husband loves it!

    • — Colorado Baker
    • Reply
    • Hello from another Colorado baker. I recently reset my oven temp as it was 20 degrees off. If you happen to have a GE oven, resetting is super easy to do.

  • Really delicious! Followed recipe as written and it was amazing and moist. Was looking for a different kind of banana bread and this wasn’t too overpowering.

  • Please fix the bake time instructions since “bake 4-5 minutes” is wrong.

    • Hi Beth, I think you’re looking at the instructions for toasting the nuts. The bake time for the bread is 50-55 min.

  • Best ever bread I’ve done! I wasn’t actually expecting such an amazing result. This is the first recipe I do from your blog and now I can’t wait to try them all!!!

  • I made this bread and loved it! I’m notorious for letting bananas go bad and then throwing them away until I learned I could freeze them. When I thawed them to put in this recipe, they looked pretty gross, dark, and were a bit liquidy, but I used them anyway. I also used sweet coconut and toasted it with the pecans. One more note… I don’t have a mixer with a paddle attachment, I used my hand held mixer with beaters but, only when I mixed the butter, sugar, eggs, and then folded in the other ingredients with a whisk. Delicious!

    • Delicious! Used 1 c oat flour, 3/4 c coconut flour, and added a small handful of dark choc chunks! Only took 30 min to cook.

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