Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Bread (Healthy Recipe)

Name: Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Bread (Healthy Recipe)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; ½ tsp cinnamon; ¼ tsp salt; 1 ½ cup mashed ripe banana; ½ cup natural peanut butter (the drippy or pourable kind); ½ cup maple syrup; ½ cup plant-based milk (I used oat milk); ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice); peanuts or chocolate chips (optional, for garnishing)

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This vegan peanut butter banana bread is easy to make and loaded with rich, nutty and sweet flavors. Also made healthier without any refined oil or sugar and kids absolutely love it. Perfect wholesome breakfast or add a handful of vegan chocolate chips to turn it into a delicious dessert!

View on a sliced loaf of healthy peanut butter banana bread on a cutting board.

I don't think we will ever get tired of homemade banana bread!

Especially this customizable 5-ingredient vegan banana bread that has been a favorite for a while. But also this easy and delicious spelt flour banana bread that's generously studded with chocolate, a treat my kids always ask for.

Other than making vegan brownies with bananas, banana bread is my go-to recipe I like to make when my bananas are overripe. So, I like to try different ways to make a vegan banana loaf to keep things interesting.

And since banana + peanut butter are a match made in heaven, I decided to try making a vegan banana bread recipe with peanut butter! And wow, it was a huge success!

The naturally high-fat content from peanut butter makes the texture of the banana bread super rich, fluffy and moist while flavoring the loaf with a mild nutty taste. So, no need to add more refined fats to get a great texture.

Also, the ripe bananas are already naturally higher in sugar, making this bread perfectly sweet without having to add too much extra sweetener.

This banana loaf is higher in protein than other banana bread recipes, thanks to the protein-packed peanut butter, making each slice of loaf more filling and satisfying.

This recipe is great for making ahead and enjoying as a quick breakfast during a busy week. It is also super easy to prepare, perfect for the baking amateur!

Let me know if you gave it a try! ❤️

Close up on one of the slice of a healthy peanut butter banana bread.

Why you will love this recipe

Easy recipe using simple ingredients
Super soft and moist
Healthy and made without processed oil (no olive oil or vegan butter!)
High-protein banana bread recipe
No refined white sugar
Kid-approved!
Great for a hearty breakfast, afternoon snack or healthy dessert
Nicely sweetened, but also not too sweet... just perfect!
Fully vegan, dairy-free, egg-free and plant-based. Plus, easy to make gluten-free.

Ingredients you will need

Dry ingredients

Flour: I used unbleached all-purpose flour (or plain flour) to make it. If you want to add more fiber to this recipe, then you might be able to swap up to 50% of the amount of flour for whole wheat flour (or spelt flour). Use a 1:1 certified gluten-free flour if needed.
Baking powder and Baking soda: leavening agents. Check on their expiration dates to ensure it is fresh and still active.
Cinnamon: you won't add enough to actually taste it much, but just a little pinch will round up the flavor of the loaf.
Salt: just a little salt to boost the natural sweetness.

Wet ingredients

Ripe bananas: you will need 1 + ½ cup of mashed overripe bananas, which is about 3 large bananas. The bread will be much better both in texture and flavor if using super ripe bananas. You are looking to use spotty bananas that are soft and filled with black specks on their skins.
Plant-based milk: I used oat milk from Oatly to make it, although you can use any other kind of plant milk you like, such as almond milk or soy milk. I prefer using unsweetened so the loaf has great flavor and isn't too sweet, especially if enjoyed for breakfast.
Maple syrup: sweetener of choice for this recipe. It adds a great flavor that's almost caramel-like and makes the loaf super moist. You can probably swap for agave nectar or brown rice syrup, but do not use granulated sugar.
Apple cider vinegar: completely taste-free in this loaf, but adding some vinegar helps the baking soda act more efficiently, which makes the banana bread rise properly. You can swap for lemon juice or other kinds of vinegar.
Peanut butter: you will need a pourable and natural peanut butter. Do NOT use the more processed and sweetened kind that's "no stir", the dough won't have the right texture.

How to make a vegan peanut butter banana bread

Making this banana bread is so easy! Start by preheating the oven to 350º and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Make the batter

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Mash the bananas and measure the 1 + ½ cup that you need. Transfer the mashed bananas to a medium bowl and add the milk, peanut butter, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar.

Stir well until completely combined, which can take a few seconds to fully blend in the peanut butter. I like using a whisk for that.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour and stir until just combined. Do not overmix!

Garnish and bake

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and then garnish with peanuts or chocolate chips, if you wish.

Bake for 50-60 minutes in the middle rack of your oven. The loaf is done when a toothpick comes out clean!

Cool down and serve

Once the loaf is done, then let it cool down in the loaf pan for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack for 15-20 more minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

In process picture: combine the dry ingredients.

In process picture: combine the wet ingredients.

View on the top portion of a peanut butter banana loaf on a baking dish.

Baking tips

You will need a natural kind of peanut butter that's drippy and runny for this recipe. I made it with a super drippy store-bought jarred peanut butter, but also, I tried it with the homemade in-store peanut butter (the one at Whole Foods Market) that was pourable too, but denser. They both worked out very well and gave me the exact same textured loaf. So I think there is a little room in which kind of peanut butter you can use, as long as it is NOT the no-stir PB that's scoopable.
Mash the bananas to a super smooth consistency for the best moist texture and to help distribute the flavor within the loaf more evenly.
Try not to overmix the batter! If you do, then the loaf can end up tough and more dense. Simply combine until there are no apparent clumps of dry flour and then stop!
Be patient once the bread is done baking. If you slice the loaf right when it comes out of the oven, then the bread will be too crumbly. It is best to slice the loaf when the loaf is all cooled down.
Every oven is different, so check for doneness after about 50 minutes and keep cooking until done all the way through in the middle (use the toothpick test!). Also, allowing it to cool down in the pan will help it to finish cooking.

Over head view on a half sliced loaf of vegan banana bread made with peanut butter.

Serving suggestions

We love this bread a little warm so we usually heat it up just for a few minutes in our mini toaster oven before serving. You can spread some peanut butter or chia jam over your slice of banana bread and top with sliced bananas. Makes for such a filling and delicious start to your day and is great with a cup of hot coffee.

This banana bread also would be great with a cup of peanut butter coffee, you should try it out! Or whenever I have it, I serve it with my homemade 5-min hemp chocolate milk for my kids.

If you want to serve it as a dessert, then you can garnish it with a sweet sauce or a spread. Here are a few ideas:

Slice of peanut butter banana bread with slices of banana of the side.

Variations to the recipe

You can add a personal touch to this recipe and also include one or two of these ingredients when mixing the batter:

Vegan chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Chopped walnuts
More spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin spice mix, chai mix, etc)
Vanilla extract (mix in the wet ingredients first)
Shredded coconut
Raw cacao nibs
Pumpkin seeds

Also, it can be fun to garnish the loaf with fun ingredients before baking for added flavor and texture or simply just for decorating. Try garnishing with:

Chocolate chips
Peanuts
Sliced bananas
Shredded coconut
Chia seeds

Close up on a slice of peanut butter banana bread to show moist texture.

Storage tips

This banana bread stores pretty well for a few days. Let it cool down completely first, then slice and store at room temperature for about 2 days. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container or the bread will dry out.

If storing for more than 2 days, then transfer into the fridge. It can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

You can also freeze it for longer storage! This is a great way to meal prep if you have a lot of ripe bananas: make 2 loaves, bake them at the same time and freeze the second one for later.

When you freeze the bread, pre-slice it completely so you can grab one piece at a time. To do so, try to separate the slices with a small piece of parchment paper so they don't stick together.

Thaw overnight in the fridge or speed up the process using the microwave or a mini toaster oven.

FAQs

Can I make this recipe nut-free?

Yes you can! In that case, swap the peanut butter for pumpkin seed butter or sunflower seed butter and also, make sure to use soy milk or oat milk.

Can I make peanut butter banana muffins using this recipe?

Yes, I would think so. Fill up each muffin tin to about ¾ up to the top line and bake for about 20-25 minutes (make sure to check for doneness using a toothpick).

Can I use frozen bananas to make it?

Yes you can. Thawed frozen bananas are usually more moist, but it should work fine. Let the bananas thaw until they are at room temperature before using.

Chunky vs creamy peanut butter, which one should I use?

I used smooth peanut butter, but both kinds should work just fine (with the chunky PB giving you more texture in the loaf).

How can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Simply use a 1:1 GF flour to make it completely GF. I do not recommend using other kinds of naturally GF flour to make it, such as almond flour or oat flour.

Close up on a pieces of vegan banana bread with a bite taken off to show texture.

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I hope you like this vegan peanut butter banana bread recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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