This vegan banana bread is the one I make when the bunch on the counter has gone past the point of no return, the skins freckled and sweet enough to smell from across the kitchen. It comes out exactly the way banana bread should, deeply golden outside, tender and moist in the middle, with a cinnamon sugar crust that cracks when you slice into it. You won’t need eggs or dairy to get there, ripe bananas and a quick flaxseed binder do all the work.
The biggest mistake people make with vegan banana bread is overmixing the batter. Stir until the flour just disappears and no further, because overworked gluten turns a soft loaf into a dry, tunneling one. The other half of the equation is ripeness, bananas with green shoulders won’t give you the sweetness or moisture you need, so wait for the freckles.
This loaf keeps on the counter for a few days and freezes beautifully in slices, so it’s a good thing to have around for a busy week. It’s also genuinely hard to get wrong, which makes it a solid first bake if you’re new to vegan baking. I use walnuts here, but it’s just as good plain or with vegan chocolate chips folded through.
I like it best warm with a little vegan butter spread on top, and it’s a natural fit on a weekend brunch table next to my vegan overnight oats or a stack of homemade vegan bacon. On a cold afternoon I’ll reach for a slice alongside a bowl of my vegan lentil soup, and the same batter also makes a dozen muffins with a shorter bake.
Vegan Banana Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides so you can lift the finished loaf out easily.
- In a small bowl, whisk the ground flaxseed with the warm water and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until it thickens into a gel. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few lumps left.
- Stir the melted vegan butter, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract into the mashed bananas until evenly combined, then stir in the flaxseed gel. The sugar won't fully dissolve, and that's fine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix, a few small streaks of flour are better than a tough loaf.
- Fold in the walnuts or chocolate chips if using, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping evenly over the surface.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly, tent the pan loosely with foil after about 40 minutes.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. It slices much cleaner when fully cool.
Notes
Tips for the best vegan banana bread
- Wait for the bananas to be properly ripe, freckled and soft. Green or just-yellow bananas don’t mash into enough sweetness or moisture, and the loaf will come out drier no matter what else you do.
- Mix the dry into the wet only until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes the loaf dense and tough, so stop as soon as the batter comes together even if you see a streak or two.
- Let the flaxseed gel sit the full 5 minutes before adding it. It needs that time to thicken, and the thickened gel is what gives the loaf its structure and lift.
- Tent with foil if the top darkens before the center is done. After 40 minutes check the color, and if the crust is already deep golden, cover it loosely until the toothpick test passes.
- Cool the loaf completely on a wire rack before slicing. Warm banana bread crumbles at the edges, and waiting the extra twenty minutes gives you clean slices.
Storage
This vegan banana bread keeps at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in foil for three to four days. It also freezes well for up to three months, so I usually slice the loaf first, wrap the slices individually, and pull one out as I need it. To refresh a frozen slice, just toast it straight from the freezer and the crust crisps right back up.
Ways to change it up
The base batter is forgiving, so it’s easy to point it in a different direction once you’ve made it once.
- Fold in 1/2 cup of vegan chocolate chips and a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a chocolate banana bread, and skip the cinnamon topping or keep it, both work.
- Add a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries instead of the walnuts for a berry version that turns the crumb slightly pink in places.
- Use 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour in place of half the all-purpose flour for a heartier loaf with a slightly nuttier flavor.
- Turn the batter into muffins, divide it among a 12-cup muffin tin and bake at the same temperature for 22 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
FAQ
What replaces the eggs in vegan banana bread?
A flaxseed gel made from ground flaxseed and warm water does the job here. When it sits for a few minutes it thickens into a gel that binds the batter the same way an egg would. Ripe bananas add a lot of moisture on their own, which is why the flax binder is all this loaf needs.
Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes, and many people think frozen bananas make even better banana bread because they turn extra sweet and soft as they thaw. Let them thaw completely, drain off the excess liquid, and mash them before using. Squeezing out a little of the extra water keeps the loaf from turning out heavy.
Why is my banana bread dry or dense?
It’s almost always one of two things. Either the bananas weren’t ripe enough, so the batter lacked moisture, or the batter was overmixed, which developed the gluten and made the crumb tough. Measuring the flour by spooning and leveling rather than scooping helps too, since too much flour dries the loaf out.
Can I make it gluten-free?
You can, with a cup-for-cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that contains a binder like xanthan gum. Keep everything else the same and check for doneness a few minutes early, since gluten-free batters can sometimes bake faster. The crumb will be a bit more delicate, but it still slices and holds together well.
