Whole Wheat Banana Bread
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This whole wheat banana bread is the kind of feel-good treat you’ll actually crave—it’s the perfect balance of sweet and nourishing.
Adapted from the Ovenly coobook, this whole wheat banana bread is made with wholesome ingredients like flax meal, whole wheat flour, and maple syrup. It has a subtle, earthy flavor, just the right amount of sweetness, and a nice boost of fiber. It’s great warm from the oven, but it also keeps well on the counter for a few days. If you’re after a healthier banana bread that still tastes like a treat, this one strikes the perfect balance.
In the mood to switch things up? Try one of my other banana bread favorites: classic banana bread, marbled banana bread, chai-spiced banana bread, and chocolate banana bread. All tried-and-true favorites!
“My absolute favorite recipe for banana bread!”
What You’ll Need To Make Whole Wheat Banana Bread
- All-purpose flour, whole wheat flour & flaxseed meal: This trio gives the bread the perfect balance of structure, fiber, and flavor. The all-purpose flour keeps it from getting too dense, the whole wheat adds a wholesome, nutty taste, and the flax boosts nutrition with a mild, earthy flavor.
- Baking powder + baking soda: Help the bread rise so it bakes up light and tender.
- Mashed bananas: Gives the bread a sweet, moist, and classic banana flavor. Be sure to use soft, spotty bananas for the best taste and texture.
- Maple syrup + light brown sugar: Provide just the right amount of sweetness. The maple adds depth and flavor, while the brown sugar brings a touch of molasses and extra moisture.
- Eggs + vegetable oil: Bind the ingredients and keep the bread soft and rich.
- Eggs, vegetable oil & sour cream: This trio binds the batter and keeps the bread rich, moist, and tender.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances all the flavors and adds warm, bakery-style aroma.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2. Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the maple syrup, eggs, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the sour cream and mashed banana until smooth.
Step 4. Combine wet and dry. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir until just combined.
Step 5. Pour and prep for baking. Pour the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and smooth the top.
Pro Tip: Give the pan a few firm taps on the counter after filling to release any big air pockets and help the top bake evenly.
Step 6. Bake and cool. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. The bread keeps well for several days at room temp or can be frozen for longer storage.
Pro Tips for Better Banana Bread
- Freeze bananas for later: Got overripe bananas but no time to bake? Just mash them and freeze in a zip-top bag (flattened for quicker thawing). They’ll be ready to go when baking fits into your schedule. Just make sure to strain off the excess liquid they give off while thawing.
- Want a little texture? Add a handful of chopped dates or raisins. Chopped walnuts or pecans also work great.
- Smart freezer storage: Freeze slices individually wrapped in parchment or wax paper, then store in a freezer bag. That way, you can grab one at a time—no need to defrost the whole loaf.
- Easy sour cream swap: Plain Greek yogurt works just as well. You’d never know the difference.
- Bananas not ripe enough? If they’re a bit underripe, roast them (in the peel) at 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes to soften and concentrate the flavor. Let them cool slightly before using.
More Quick Breads to Bake
Whole Wheat Banana Bread
This tender, better-for-you banana bread gets its nutty flavor from whole wheat flour and flax, with just enough sweetness to make it feel like a treat.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¼ cup flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup maple syrup (see note)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sour cream (preferably full-fat)
- 1 cup mashed bananas, from 2 to 3 brown, spotty bananas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack to the middle position. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, eggs, oil, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Add the sour cream and mashed banana, and whisk until smooth.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
- This is best served slightly warm from the oven, when the crust is crisp and the bread is tender, but it keeps wrapped in foil on the countertop for a few days. 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.
- Note: The original recipe calls for ½ cup maple syrup. My family prefers it a bit sweeter, but for a less-sweet banana bread, use the original amount.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 216
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 266 mg
- Cholesterol: 34 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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This was delicious even though my store was out of whole wheat flour. The flaxseed is the secret ingredient for the earthiness! I’m wondering though if there’s a way to sub out the oil with something healthier like milk?
Glad you enjoyed it, Val! I wouldn’t recommend swapping the oil out for milk – sorry!
Thanks for another great recipe. As usual I made these into muffins. I left out the sugar and used 1/2 cup maple syrup. I also used buttermilk which I needed to finish rather than opening up a tub of sour cream. Was sweet enough for us. It was moist the next day but still great.
Thank you so much for letting us know about Ovenly. Couldn’t find their cookbook anywhere in Australia so bought it on Kindle. I think they’re reissuing an updated version in 2021…hopefully that’s still in the cards! And thanks for your incredible recipes, photos, writing. I’ve never written a review for you before but want you to know your recipes are used in our home regularly and they always turn out perfectly.
❤️
I have a deadly allergy to eggs. I am going to replace the eggs with yogurt and see how that works. Any other suggestions for a replacer?
Hi Elaine, Two of the best substitutes I’ve heard about (I haven’t personally tried either of them) are a combination of water, oil and baking powder and carbonated water. Scroll down to the bottom of this article for more information about both. I would assume many baking recipes would also work with some kind of store-bought egg substitute. Please LMK how it turns out! 🙂
Hi Jenn,Can I use 100% whole wheat flour?I don’t want to use white flour.Thanks.
Hi Eileen, I’ve never tried this with all whole wheat flour. I suppose you could, but it will definitely make the texture different (it will be denser). PLease LMK how it turns out if you try it this way!
I’ve made it with all whole wheat flour and it came out fine. I also substituted chocolate chips for the maple syrup 🙂
I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of white flour. It was yummy! The best banana bread ever!
Thank you! In a sea of banana bread recipes, I’ll count this one as “essential”. I changed a few things to suit our taste and pantry – only 1/3 cup of maple syrup, eliminated the brown sugar, MCT oil for the vegetable oil, Bob’s Red Mill Paleo flour substituted for the white flour and Odlums Coarse Wholemeal used for the wheat flour. Came out plenty sweet, moist, and with great texture. Agree that the crustiness out of the oven trumped the softened version a few hours later but still great.
Flavor, texture, and color were great however I messed up the recipe and it didn’t rise! I substituted chia seeds for ground flax and spelt flour (since there’s no whole wheat flour to be had in Portland, OR ! :). My theory is that’s why it didn’t rise-Jenn, do you think that’s the case? Should I not have used either ingredient?
ps. I love your recipes, have been making them for years!!
Glad you like the recipes! Yes, I do think that your substitutions are what had an impact on the rise — sorry!
Hi Jen
I don’t have flax meal on hand but have flax seed. Wondering if I could ground it in a food processor and If it will be the same as flax meal.? Your recipes are wonderful. I have made so many if them and had great success of every single one I’ve made. They are all delicious. Keep them coming. Thanks for all you do Jen!! Greatly appreciated!
Thank you
Hi Janelle, You can definitely use ground flax seed. So glad you enjoy the recipes! ❤️
Hello Jennifer,
The recipe sounds wonderful. Unfortunately, I don’t have sour cream. Any suggestion on a substitute?
Hi Anne, Plain yogurt would work in place of the sour cream. Buttermilk will also work, but may give the bread a slightly different texture. Hope that helps!
Sounds wonderful. Is ground flax seed the same as flax meal?
Hi Debby, Yes 🙂
Hi Jenn, I do not have flax meal on hand. Is there a suitable substitution or can that be omitted somehow? Thank you!
Hi Iliana, I’d replace it with equal parts whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour (so two tablespoons each). Hope that helps!
Thank you! I am only now seeing your reply, and in the meantime, I made your classic banana bread, which was devoured in no time. Your recipes are magical and have been keeping my whole household beyond happy during these times. We bought your cookbook, too. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating and sharing such wonderful recipes! You are absolutely the best source for fine-dining creations at home!
Kind regards,
Iliana