Eggless Banana Bread with Nuts

Treat weekend guests to lower sugar, Eggless Banana Bread today! This easy homemade bread is light and fluffy with a perfect crumb. The banana flavor shines through since it’s not weighed down with extra sweeteners. Makes 2 loafs of bread.

Two slices and a loaf of eggless Banana Bread sit on a white platter with bananas in the background

Bananas are like feast or famine in our house. They’re either gobbled up within minutes of arriving home from the grocery, or they sit on the countertop for days untouched.

There is no in between, and because of this, I’ve been sharpening my banana bread baking skills recently.

This Eggless Banana Bread is fluffy and light and not insanely sweet. My kids adore it, and so does my husband. My neighbor down the street also raved about how wonderful it was.

Other fruit bread recipes you might enjoy, too: Fresh Cherry Quick BreadLemon Blueberry BreadCranberry Walnut BreadFruit-Studded Holiday Bread | Buttermilk Banana Bread

Looking for another breakfast-y baked good, but don’t know where to begin? Check out my Breakfast Recipe Index.

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    Ingredients for the homemade eggless bread are shown from above

    What you need to make this homemade, lower sugar Banana Bread recipe

    Disclaimer: The links below are affiliate links. If you click through and take action, I will receive a small commission. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about the affiliate programs The Speckled Palate participates in.

    Collage of wet ingredients that go into making the bread, including six images showing step by step how to make it

    How to make Eggless Banana Bread

    Preheat the oven, and spray your loaf pans with nonstick baking spray. Yes, this is imperative if you’d like your banana bread to come out of the loaf pans. Also, while we’re on the topic, YES, you need two loaf pans because this bread expands a ton.

    Place the loaf pans on top of a baking sheet. (This is important, too, in case you overfill one of your loaf pans. Ask me how I know…)

    Once your oven is on and the pans are prepped, mash up those bananas with a fork. They don’t need to be completely smooth, but they do need to be mushy. (Check out the photo for reference.)

    Once the bananas are mashed, sprinkle in the sugar. Use a rubber spatula or a hand mixer to beat the ingredients together until smoothish.

    Next up, pour in the oil, apple juice and vanilla. Stir those in, too, until blended well.

    Collage of dry ingredients that go into making the bread, including six images showing step by step how to make it

    In another bowl, add the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk them together to ensure they’ll be spread evenly throughout the banana bread.

    Sprinkle the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with the chopped nuts, if desired. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir them together until just combined.

    Now, pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans as fast as you can. Sprinkle some extra chopped nuts on top of ’em, too, if that’s your jam.

    Why do we want to work fast? The moment the baking soda meets the liquid, the reaction begins, and we want that to happen in the heat of the oven.

    Bake those loafs for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and baked through completely.

    Allow them to cool for 5-15 minutes, then turn the pans over to release the bread and enjoy.

    A loaf of Banana Bread sits on a piece of parchment paper on a white platter, ready for slicing

    Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips and Tricks

    I feel like banana bread is a wonderful brunch bread to offer to guests. (Not sure how to host brunch at home? I wrote a guide to help you out.)

    Banana bread is a lovely thing to bring as a hostess gift, too.

    Here are some fun ways you can use this lower sugar banana bread to show you care:

    • Keep one loaf for yourself and bring another to a friend. Wrap it in wax paper and place it in a plastic bag for transport.
    • Make a double batch of banana bread, and send friends home with a loaf.
    • Bake it the day before, so you don’t have to worry about the fuss of getting it together before guests arrive. This bread is especially delicious when toasted, so bake it in advance and toast it before it’s time to eat.
    A woman grabs a slice of Eggless Banana Bread, close up

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How ripe do my bananas need to be?

    As long as your bananas have a totally yellow peel (instead of one that has some green parts), you should be able to make this recipe with ease.

    This recipe calls for overripe bananas because overripe bananas are extra sweet.

    How can I tell if the bananas are ripe enough?

    Normally, I wait until my bananas have almost completely brown peels before using them in banana bread.

    Can I make this into muffins instead? If so, would the baking time change?

    Yes, this eggless banana bread would make lovely muffins! (Also, I have Vegan Banana Muffins and Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, if you’re in the market for those.)

    The baking time would change. I’d bake them for 15-18 minutes and check before baking for additional time.

    Do I need both baking powder and baking soda, or can I just use one or the other?

    Yes, you need both baking powder and baking soda in this recipe. Bon Apetit has a really great article where they talk about the differences in these two.

    Baking soda requires an acid (like apple juice, in this recipe) and liquid in order to start a reaction.

    Baking powder has acid built into it, so it just needs moisture for it to start fizzing.

    TL;DR: Yes, you need them both. They work together to rise this banana bread high, but also help it brown so beautifully.

    Can I use different nuts in this recipe? Can I skip the nuts?

    YES! You can use whatever nuts you’ve got on hand. Also, you can leave out the nuts if they’re not your jam.

    Two slices and a loaf of eggless Banana Bread sit on a white platter with bananas in the background, with Pinterest text

    Tips and Tricks for the Best Banana Bread

    Banana Bread is hard to beat, right? I’ll go ahead and say that if you like a sweeter banana bread, this one isn’t for you because it’s pretty light on the sugar.

    However, if you’re willing to give this a try, it’s pretty darn versatile.

    Here are some acceptable substitutions for this recipe:

    • No apple juice on hand? Pear juice or another milder tasting fruit juice would work in its place. Do not use orange juice, as that will change the flavor profile of this bread.
    • Use walnuts, pecans, almonds or cashews as the nuts in this bread because whatever you’ve got on hand works! You can also skip the nuts, too.

    Need more banana recipe inspiration? Be sure to check out this Air Fryer Banana Bread, Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and Chocolate Banana “Ice Cream”.

    Close up of a slice of Walnut and Pecan Banana Bread on a red patterned plate

    Lower Sugar, Eggless Banana Bread

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    Lower sugar Nutty Banana Bread is a delicious breakfast or dessert! This egg-free, easy-to-make homemade bread comes together in no time and is well-loved!
    5 from 2 votes
    Servings 16 servings (2 loafs)
    Calories 176 kcal
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 bananas overripe
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • 1 cup apple juice or apple cider
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
    • 2 tablespoons baking powder
    • 1 tablespoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ cup pecans chopped
    • ½ cup walnuts chopped

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    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray two 8" x 4 ½" loaf pans with nonstick baking spray.
    • Mash up the two bananas using a fork in a large bowl. They do not need to be completely smooth.
    • Sprinkle in the sugar to the mashed bananas. Using a rubber spatula or a hand mixer, beat the sugar and bananas together until well-combined.
    • Pour the oil, apple juice and vanilla into the banana/sugar mixture. Stir until blended.
    • Measure the all-purpose flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt into another bowl. Whisk until combined. (This will ensure that the ingredients are evenly spread throughout the bread.)
    • Sprinkle the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Add the chopped nuts, too. Stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle additional chopped nuts to the tops of the loafs, if desired.
    • Place the loaf pans on top of a baking sheet and transfer to the preheated oven.
    • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a dark golden brown and baked through. (To confirm the banana bread has baked through, test with a butter knife or a wooden toothpick.)
    • Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then turn the pans over to release the bread, slice and enjoy!

    Notes

    If you are looking for a sweet banana bread recipe, this one is not for you. I intentionally added less sugar to let the banana sing, so if you'd like a sweeter breakfast, I suggest trying another recipe.
    SUBSTITUIONS:
    • Don't like nuts? Leave them out!
    • No apple juice on hand? Pear juice or another milder tasting fruit juice would work in its place. Do not use orange juice, as that will change the flavor profile of this bread.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 453mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10g
    Keyword banana, banana bread, Breakfast, Brunch, dessert, low sugar banana bread, low sugar bread
    Course Bread
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    The photos and recipe for this Walnut and Pecan Banana Bread recipe were originally published on February 18, 2013. The photographs, along with the text of this blog post, were updated on April 27, 2020.

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    6 Comments

    1. Awww… so sorry to hear you’re allergic to bananas! I love bananas especially in bread form. Thanks for posting the recipe even though you couldn’t have it. I know I’ll be having this when I get my hands on some bananas. Cos I almost always only get bananas to make stuff like this. Love the pairing with walnuts. I haven’t got any allergies that I know of at the moment.

      1. Thanks, girl. It’s disappointing because I always hear awesome things about bananas… and then cannot even give them a shot. I’d love to know what you think about this bread! And count your blessings because you have no food allergies. It’s a pain, and I am always really aware of what I’m eating because I don’t want to put something in my mouth that I’m allergic to…

    2. I’ve been making nothing but banana baked goods lately, so this bread is right up my alley! I’m soooo sad for you, because bananas are one of the best fruits (along with pineapple, which I also saw you cant have!!) — but I can’t have walnuts if that makes you feel any better? Any other nut in the world, just not the one most commonly added to baked goods. Pecans are an easy switch though. No easy switch for bananas 🙁

      1. It’s encouraging to hear that you’ve been all about banana baked goodies recently. 🙂 And I agree: I see recipes ALL THE TIME that call for bananas, and I cannot seem to find a suitable substitute in them. But alas, I generally just try to work around it. Or cook whatever banana deliciousness there is for my husband, who is a huge banana fan.

        That’s really awful about walnuts for you, though! Goodness. I’m glad that you can easily swap them, though. I’ve heard bad things about nut allergies, so I’m sorry you have to deal with that one!

    3. This is the EXACT banana bread ingredient list I was looking for! I have 2 bananas, wanted oats, and low sugar (so that I can add chocolate chips…haha), and both pecans and walnuts! Yay making this today, thank you. 🙂

    4. Ahh, one question. If I don’t have 2 loaf pans can I use a 9×12? How would temps and bake time differ? Thanks.

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