Looking for a healthy treat to make with those old bananas? Skinny banana bread with walnuts is a lightened-up spin on the classic sweet treat. I love eating this banana bread as-is, or toasted with butter. It’s sweet and delicious, and lightened up just enough that it tastes just like the original.
What makes this banana bread “skinny?”
This banana bread recipe is just lightened up a touch from a classic banana bread; let me explain how. It mostly has to do with the sugar and butter components.
Traditional banana bread doesn’t involve much, aside from really ripe bananas, sugar, flour, and some other basic ingredients to make this dense, cake-like treat. Since the basis for banana bread is so simple, I didn’t find it very hard to “lighten-up” without sacrificing the flavor or traditional texture and overall experience of banana bread.
Banana bread is such a wholesome, crowd-pleasing dish, and it’s so perfect for using up overripened bananas, which we all usually have laying around!
How I lightened up this recipe
What I did with the sugar
- I do not use any sugar replacements here.
- This recipe uses real sugar, just less of it.
- I stretch the sugar by using unsweetened applesauce. The natural sweetness from the apples adds sweetness to this recipe without using more sugar.
How I incorporated butter
- I use light butter (I use this one from Land ‘o Lakes) which is essentially like a margarine.
Can I make any substitutions?
You can use sugar replacements if you wish, and the macros and points would change for this recipe. I have not tested this recipe with almond flour or other gluten free flour varieties, but will update if I do! If you do not like bananas, this recipe is not for you, sorry!
How to serve skinny banana bread with walnuts
This banana bread is a delicious sweet treat. You can either serve it on its own as a delicious breakfast alongside some eggs and fruit, or you can serve it as a snack or dessert. My favorite way to eat this banana bread is toasted with some butter. You can also warm up a slice of bread and serve it alongside some ice cream, berries and whipped cream for a super delicious dessert or sweet treat.
If you love the taste of bananas in baked goods, you might also enjoy these chocolate banana muffins. They use overripe bananas as well, mixed in with high protein chocolate pancake mix. They also make a delicious snack or dessert.
What will I need to make skinny banana bread with walnuts?
- super overripe bananas
- It is really important for your bananas to be extremely overripe for this recipe. Mashing overripe bananas allows them to release the wet consistency we are looking for to bring this banana bread together. Overripe bananas are also really sweet and give lots of that banana flavor to this bread.
- You can store overripe bananas in the freezer, and then pull them out for whenever you want to make a treat like this one!
- light butter
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- vanilla extract
- egg
- sugar
- unsweetened applesauce
- The only ingredients in unsweetened applesauce are apples. This is also sometimes branded as “no sugar added” applesauce.
- all purpose flour
- I have not tested this recipe with other flours (almond, gluten free) but plan to! I will keep you posted on how they work out!
- walnuts
- I use chopped walnuts here. You can use other nuts if you prefer, or you can omit the nuts all together. But, the combination of bananas and walnuts is absolutely delicious. The walnuts also offer a great crunch and texture to this otherwise very soft and chewy bread.
How to make skinny banana bread with walnuts
This recipe is so simple to make! Start off by preheating the oven to 350F and spraying a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
To make the batter, mash the bananas and get rid of most of the clumps. You can even use a potato masher for this, or a beater to get the lumps out. Melt the butter and pour it into the bananas. Add the baking soda, vanilla extract, kosher salt, egg, sugar, and applesauce. Combine all of the ingredients.
Next, add the flour and mix well until the mixture forms into a batter. It should be thick. Then, chop the walnuts and add them in.
Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan, and then bake for 45 minutes to an hour. A toothpick should come out clean when it’s done.
This banana bread makes 12 slices for the stats noted below. You can cut it into larger slices, just make sure to adjust your stats accordingly.
Skinny Banana Bread with Walnuts
Equipment
- loaf pan
Ingredients
- 3 bananas, medium, extremely overripe, mashed, equivalent to 1.5 cups
- 1/4 cup light butter
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Mash the bananas with a fork in a mixing bowl.
- Melt the butter. Add the melted butter, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, egg, sugar, and applesauce to the bowl.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the flour. Combine thoroughly.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Spray the loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes or until set up.
- Allow to cool. and slice into 12 slices.
- To store: wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. To serve, eat plain or toasted with butter.
Notes
- 4 WW points per slice (all plans)
Debbie Wieczorek says
Hi there in the beginning it says it makes 12 slices but in the recipe it says to cut into 10 slices I’m wondering if it’s 10 or 12 thank you
Steph says
sorry! it’s 12. adjusted
K P says
Really…just slice the bread…you control how thin or thick slices are…I could probably make more slices then recommended.
Kerry says
Hi-
I’m dying to try this recipe! Do you know if I can use something other than light butter? I’m hoping to avoid purchasing it as I already keep regular butter and “I can’t believe its not butter” spread in the house.
Thank you!
Joyce says
What size loaf pan did you use ? Thank you
Sandie says
Oh my goodness! These are great! I baked mine in my Individual brownie pan. Made 12 using a heaping 1/4 cup of batter. It only took about 20 minutes to bake! I wish I could post a picture. They turned out perfect.
Temple says
What a great idea!!! Thanks for posting
Lisa T says
This bread was fantastic! I can’t even begin to guess how many different recipes I have tried over the years and this one baked up nice and light. Not heavy like some. This has become my new favorite go to banana bread.
It tastes great warm from the oven or toasted the next day with a little light butter.
Tiffany says
I love the taste but the texture was very chewy. I am wondering if that’s normal or if I did something wrong.
Cassie says
Just made this banana bread and OH MY GOSH it’s delicious. Highly recommend 🙂
Cari says
This was so good! I didn’t have walnuts on hand but will definitely include them next time. Steph, your recipes are always great!
Dawn Lacey says
Very easy to make, and the bread is so tasty and not dry at all! Haven’t tried a Steph recipe yet that isn’t excellent!😀
Sandra Ventling says
Delicious. Made last week into a loaf. Lasted 2 days. This week making into 12 muffins. Added chocolate chips to 6 muffins for my daughter along with the walnuts for all. And 6 for me without chocolate chips. Yummy 😋
Jolie Brown says
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Is the word to describe this Skinny Banana Bread with Walnuts. I just spread a little Land O Lakes light butter on it and WOW. So worth 4 points. Highly recommend trying this. Thank you Steph for a wonderful treat.
Kathy P says
Delicious!! Loved the walnuts, too !
Brittany Buettner says
This is absolutely delicious and doesn’t even taste “light” to me. I have been looking for a healthier alternative for banana bread and have tried a few that just don’t taste the same. This is excellent and will now be my new go-to banana bread recipe! I haven’t met a recipe of Steph’s I haven’t liked yet!!
Jean says
Not sure if I did something wrong or what. I made this this week, but after it cooled and cut into slices they were small – nothing like the picture and the middle – even though I baked for an hour, was still a little chewy or ‘moist’. It’s good and I put it in the toaster to heat up
Christina Winkelman says
I just made this bread today and all I can say is OMG! It is so moist and sweet tasting. Only 1 question, best way to store it? It’s just me
Dena says
I only had 2 bananas but it still tasted great!! Thank you! I love trying your recipes!! So far I haven’t been disappointed ☺️
Kathy W says
Another 5 star recipe! Easy, delicious, and family approved! Thanks Steph!
Ivy says
They were delicious! I added 1/2tsp. Rum extract, made them into 12 muffins and sprinkled bakers sugar on top😀
Maria Hanson says
I subbed whole-wheat flour and Splenda foe dietary reasons and added one more egg, Delicious, the walnuts were just the right amount.
Karen Martin says
This is seriously sooo good! I had to have a piece as soon as I could cut it and it was delicious! Will definitely be toasting it and using a little spray butter on it! Yum!
Donna says
Best Banana Bread I’ve ever made 😋
Jamie Gilbert says
Steph, you are my go to always! Everything is great!
Kathy O says
This came out perfect even though I think I made a mistake. I mixed all of the ingredients and then by mistake added self- rising flour to the mix. At that point, I thought I had ruined it, but thought I would bake it anyways. It was great. I did not have walnuts so skipped that ingredient, but it is still delicious. Great snack. I think it is as good as a banana bread I would get at a bakery. Sometimes I toast it and spread greek cream cheese on top. Thanks for another great recipe.
Maureen says
Steph this is delicious. I have already made it twice this weekend. Used chopped Almonds, since I did not have walnuts in the house.
Sliced, wrapped & put in freezer.
Love all your recipes.
Thank you.
Brooke says
This has become our family’s go-to banana bread recipe!
Christina says
Made this for the first time and it was amazing! Sprinkled the top with cinnamon sugar and it was a great addition!