Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Raisin Banana Bread

In our household, we like to (pretend to) be healthy. But we also have a major sweet tooth. I came up with this Whole Wheat Banana Bread recipe during one of our “no-sweets diets”. It’s great to satiate your cravings while also fulfilling your healthy choice dessert option. And believe it or not, this banana bread is SUGAR-FREE! I use honey instead of sugar along with the natural sweetness of the bananas. Another great thing about this recipe is that it’s quick and easy to put together. I literally make this banana bread about once a week due to its simplicity. 

A great tip to share with you is that it’s smart to freeze your bananas as soon as they ripen so that you can pull them out whenever you’re ready to get started. Peel and chop your bananas before freezing them. Then put them in small sandwich bags tightly sealed. Make sure to label how many bananas are in each bag. Once ready to use, I usually thaw in the microwave for about one to two minutes and then mash with a fork. Make sure to drain any excess water to prevent sogginess in the finished product.  

To keep with the healthy theme, I like to use whole wheat flour and unsweetened almond milk. It makes for great texture and flavor. Now, for those of you who need a little chocolate in your life, that’s where the chocolate chips come in to play. I ALWAYS make this banana bread with chocolate chips. It’s really a matter of perception because some people think chocolate is healthy while others do not. I’ll let you guys decide. 

For me personally, I’ll add about 2/3 cups raisins and 2/3 cups chocolate chips (give or take). However, keep in mind that this banana bread is still very satisfying without these extra additions. You can choose to leave toppings out completely or you can opt for just the raisins. OR add almonds, walnuts, and anything else you can think of. Feel free to get creative with this part. There’s really so many different ways you can play around with the toppings for this banana bread depending on your preference. For me, it’s always going to be my trusted chocolate chips and raisins!

  This Whole Wheat Banana Bread is one of the first recipes I’ve perfected on my own and I’m so happy to finally be sharing it with you all. Please give it a try and let me know how it turns out! ​

SAVE THESE OTHER SWEET BREAD RECIPES FOR NEXT TIME!

1. Double Chocolate Banana Bread
2. Cranberry Orange Bread
3. Vegan Banana Bread

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Raisin Banana Bread

Course: Breakfast, DessertDifficulty: Easy

Makes

8

slices

Prep time

10

minutes

Bake time

1

hour 

Calories

421

kcal

This Whole Wheat Banana Bread is a healthier option with no added sugar and oats in the batter! Honey and ripe bananas give this bread all its sweetness!

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• ½ cup honey or maple syrup

• 2 eggs

• 2-3 ripe, mashed bananas

• ¼ cup Almond milk (or any other milk of your choice)

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 ¾ cup wheat flour

• 1/3 cup oats

• 2/3 cups raisins

• 2/3 cups chocolate chips

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper (this helps the bread to come out clean after baking) and then grease loaf pan with oil or cooking spray
• Beat oil and honey first. Then mix in eggs. Beat on low until well blended
• Mix in mashed bananas, milk, baking soda, vanilla, and cinnamon. Blend on low speed
• Add flour and oats. Blend with mixer on low-medium speed
• Add *optional* goodies! I always use chocolate chips and raisins. Mix with large spoon until well combined
• Pour the batter into the loaf pan and spread evenly with a spoon
• Place in oven (middle shelf) and bake for 60 minutes. Make sure toothpick comes out clean when inserted into bread
• Let cool completely before removing from pan

Notes

• Store in an air-tight container at room temperature OR in the refrigerator for longer lasting bread Please note: if you do plan on storing in the refrigerator, make sure bread is COMPLETELY cool before placing in there. Otherwise it will become soggy.
• Calories & Nutritional Info may vary based on different brands and ingredients used. Nutritional Info below was calculated using Very Fit Well’s Nutrition Calculator.