A delicious sugar-free banana bread recipe without any artificial sweeteners, this Honey-sweetened, high-fibre banana bread is a delicious breakfast recipe your whole family will love – and it tastes just like the sugar-filled version we all loved as kids!

Banana Bread Recipe

This sugar-free banana bread recipe was hard-won.

After five attempts to make the perfect banana bread without sugar, I finally struck upon a version that tastes just like the banana bread recipe that my mom used to make – without the generous amount of sneaky sugar that most banana bread recipes contain.

It’s funny – I’ve had several friends say to me that the one recipe that they will never give-up or attempt to make sugar-free is their banana bread recipe. Maybe it’s a comfort food thing, but people are not willing to compromise on the taste of their banana bread – and I guarantee you, this recipe is no compromise.

Unlike some sugar-free recipes, where you do have to accept a bit of a flavour change (or flavour loss), this sugar-free banana bread recipe tastes just like recipes made with sugar, thanks to the sweetness of the overripe bananas, cinnamon, and the addition of a (small amount of) honey. (You may need to adjust the amount of honey slightly to find your own “sweet spot.”)

The secret ingredient that made everything come together was flax seed meal. It is the most expensive ingredient in this recipe, but it is essential in getting a light, fluffy texture rather than a tough, dense bread. (However, it is really affordable through the Amazon link provided – my local grocery store is two times that price!) One bag is enough for about 6 loaves of this banana bread recipe – plus a couple smoothies – so you’ll definitely get good use out of it.

Flax seed meal is often used as an egg replacement in vegan recipes and it is a great source of protein. I find just two slices of this sugar-free banana bread recipe is really filling and satisfying (especially if served warm with a generous spread of butter on top). I have not attempted to make this recipe with “homemade flax meal” made by grinding up your own flax seeds, but if you give it a try, please let me know how it goes! (Here is a quick tutorial from A Little Insanity on how to make your own flax meal in a blender.)

This recipe is super easy and still works wonderfully if you have the children help (with all of the inevitable spills and tastes) – and if you watch the video below, you’ll see that my daughter mostly made this recipe by herself (she just wanted me to take over for the part where the batter had to be poured into the loaf pan).

We usually double the recipe because the first loaf always seems to disappear within a couple hours of baking.

Keep in mind that because it is made without any sugar, you will want to keep the loaf in the fridge if your family won’t be finishing it in a couple of days.

Is banana bread healthy? Usually, not really – but this banana bread is healthy! It has plenty of fibre, minerals (such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc) and vitamins (such as vitamin b6, vitamin C, potassium, niacin and riboflavin). The honey in this recipe also helps your body absorb the potassium in the bananas. 

Can you freeze this banana bread? Yes! Wrap the banana bread and then store in airtight freezer containers or freezer bags for up to 2 months. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.) If you want to freeze each individual portion, you can slice and wrap individually before storing. 

Can I add nuts or dried fruit to this banana bread? Yes! I personally don’t like nuts in my baked goods (unless they are the star of the show, like in my maple pecan pie) so I didn’t add them to my loaf – but that doesn’t mean you can’t! (I have added chocolate chips to this recipe and it was delicious, even if it did incorporate some sugar.)

Can I use maple syrup instead of honey? Yes, though it will slightly change the taste of this banana bread. Use a heavy-grade maple syrup that hasn’t been too refined.

Can this recipe be made gluten-free? Yes, substitute the flour called for in the recipe with a C4C gluten-free flour. Ensure that your flax meal is gluten-free, too.

Can I use a low-carb flour in this recipe? Yes, however if you are using a brand like CarbQuik, you will need to omit the baking powder and baking soda called for in this recipe.

What if my bananas aren’t ripe? This video has some great tips for ripening your bananas quickly so you can use them in this banana bread recipe!

Check out our other Banana Bread recipes:

• Carrot Banana Bread
• Banana Bread with Yogurt
• Banana Bread in a Jar

Check out our quick recipe video to see how easy this sugar-free banana bread recipe is to make, and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe:

Ingredients for Healthy Banana Bread

• Bananas, overripe and mashed <– use bananas that have started to develop black “age spots”
• Flour
• Baking powder
• Flax meal<– a great source of protein and helps give the bread it’s awesome texture
• Egg
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Vanilla
• Honey <– there’s no need to use your pricey raw honey for this recipe
• Milk
• Cinnamon, optional or to taste <– cinnamon adds sweetness and flavor to this recipe

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: if using whole wheat flour, I find that only 1 1/2 cups is needed in this recipe.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful:

• Loaf pan
• Wooden Spoon
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Measuring cups and spoons

How to Make Sugar-free Banana Bread

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Peel and mash your bananas until all fibers appear to be broken down.

Stir in your egg, vanilla, honey, and milk, and set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together.

Slowly add the dry ingredients, 1 cup at a time, to the wet ingredients, being careful to fully incorporate so that you don’t get chunks of uncooked banana mixture in your final banana bread.

Grease and flour a loaf pan and fill it 2/3 of the way full with your banana bread batter.

Bake 40-50 minutes until loaf has a dark brown crust and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Due to the nature of the ingredients we’re using, the cooking time can vary based on the humidity at the time that you’re making the recipe. Trust your eye more than the timer.

Remove from oven, let rest for two minutes in the loaf pan before turning out to cool on a baking rack. Serve warm with your favourite toppings.

Pin this delicious, sugar-free banana bread recipe made with flax meal:

Grab your free printable recipe card for our sugar-free banana bread recipe:

This sugar-free banana bread recipe is one of my family’s favorites and I hope your kids love it, too!

For more delicious sugar-free childhood classics, check out our Sugar-free Black Bean Brownies or our Sugar-free Blueberry Pie recipe.

Check out our other Breakfast Recipes here:

Original Image from August 2015: