Vegan Banana Bread

Moist, fluffy vegan banana bread that is 100% plant based, dairy free, and egg free. ♡

This vegan banana bread is so moist and tender nobody believes there is no butter, milk, or eggs in it. Very ripe bananas are the whole trick, they do the work of 3 ingredients at once. For more ideas, see our Vegan Creamy Cashew Pasta.

100% plant based and dairy free, one bowl, and ready in an hour from start to slice. The best loaf for lazy Sunday baking. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Vegan Banana Bread

• 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed, about 1.5 cups
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, for flax egg
• 3 tbsp warm water, for flax egg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk, soy or almond
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, cooled slightly
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, optional

How to Make Vegan Banana Bread

1. **Prep.** Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment and lightly grease.
2. **Flax.** Whisk ground flax with warm water. Let sit 5 minutes until thick and gelled.
3. **Wet.** In a bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Whisk in flax egg, plant milk, coconut oil, brown sugar, maple, and vanilla.
4. **Dry.** In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
5. **Combine.** Pour wet into dry. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips if using.
6. **Bake.** Pour batter into the loaf pan. Tent loosely with foil. Bake 40 minutes, remove foil, bake 20 more minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then on a rack.

Why This Recipe Works

Using bananas that are almost black is the single biggest factor in moist, sweet vegan banana bread. The starches break down into sugars at that stage, which means you need less added sweetener and you get natural moisture. Pale yellow bananas simply will not bake the same way.

Mashed banana plus a flax egg (ground flax plus warm water) replaces both the eggs and the binder in traditional recipes. The flax gel provides the lift and the binding that eggs would, and bananas contribute the moisture that butter usually carries. This combination is what makes a plant based banana bread that actually tastes like the classic.

Baking at 350F for 60 minutes covered for the first 40 is the final trick. The loose foil tent keeps the top from browning too fast while the center cooks through. Without this step, you get a loaf with a beautiful dark top and a gummy, underbaked middle. For more ideas, see our Vegan Buddha Bowl Tahini Dressing.

Tips

• Use the ripest bananas you can find. Black speckled or fully black is perfect.
• Vegan swap: flax egg and mashed banana replace the eggs here.
• Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
• Reheat slices in the toaster for 30 seconds for warm, just baked texture.
• Let the flax egg sit 5 full minutes to gel properly. Rushed flax egg does not bind.
• Do not overmix the batter. Stir until just combined. Overmixing creates a tough loaf.

Variations

• Fold in vegan chocolate chips or walnuts for bakery style loaf.
• Swirl in cinnamon sugar before baking for a coffee cake vibe.
• Add fresh blueberries for banana blueberry bread.
• Top the batter with a sliced banana and turbinado sugar for bakery presentation.
• Swap regular flour for gluten free 1 to 1 flour for a gluten free vegan loaf.
• Add 1/4 cup tahini or peanut butter to the batter for a nutty twist.

Looking for more vegan ideas? Try our Vegan Chickpea Curry or Vegan Lentil Shepherds Pie next.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using underripe bananas: Bananas must be heavily speckled or black. Yellow bananas make a bland, dry loaf.
• Skipping the flax rest: Let the flax egg rest 5 full minutes. It needs time to form a gel that binds the batter.
• Overmixing the batter: Stir just until no dry flour shows. Overmixing develops gluten and the loaf turns rubbery.
• Not tenting with foil: Tent loosely with foil for the first 40 minutes to protect the top from over browning.

Vegan Banana Bread

Vegan banana bread that is moist and fluffy. 100% plant based and dairy free, one bowl, ready in an hour.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 280

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3 large very ripe bananas mashed, about 1.5 cups
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed for flax egg
• 3 tbsp warm water for flax egg
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk soy or almond
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil cooled slightly
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips optional

Method

 

1. **Prep.** Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment and lightly grease.
2. **Flax.** Whisk ground flax with warm water. Let sit 5 minutes until thick and gelled.
3. **Wet.** In a bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Whisk in flax egg, plant milk, coconut oil, brown sugar, maple, and vanilla.
4. **Dry.** In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
5. **Combine.** Pour wet into dry. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips if using.
6. **Bake.** Pour batter into the loaf pan. Tent loosely with foil. Bake 40 minutes, remove foil, bake 20 more minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then on a rack.

Notes

Use the ripest bananas you can find. Black speckled or fully black is perfect. Vegan swap: flax egg and mashed banana replace the eggs here. Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.

Sources: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition data and Physicians Committee plant based nutrition reference.

FAQ

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