One-Bowl Vegan Banana Bread

Things to Love About This Easy Vegan Banana Bread

• Mix the batter in one bowl. No matter how much I love to bake, cleaning can be a slog. Most recipes require at least two mixing bowls (one for the dry ingredients and another for the wet ingredients), but not this one. There’s only ONE bowl to clean afterward.
• Cozy banana flavours. I add extra vanilla to my banana bread; it’s not enough to compete with the banana flavor, but just enough to complement it.
• Have fun with mix-ins. If you like, you can add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or cinnamon for a spiced bread, but you can’t go wrong making the recipe without any embellishments either.

Notes on Ingredients

Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions, and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.

• Brown sugar – Alternatively, you can use coconut sugar.
• Coconut oil – I used coconut oil, but feel free to use any oil you have on hand. Note that if you use virgin coconut oil, it will add a hint of coconut flavor.
• Flax eggs – A flax egg replaces a traditional egg in this easy vegan banana bread recipe. Here’s how to make flax eggs. You could also use a chia egg.
• Mashed bananas – Use very ripe bananas, with black skin if possible. You want them so ripe that you would need a spoon to eat them. These make the sweetest and moistest banana bread.
• Almond milk – Or another plant-based milk, like oat, soy, or cashew milk.
• Vanilla extract – You can also use an equal amount of vanilla paste, almond extract, or vegan butter flavouring.
• All-purpose flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe because I know it’s what most of us have on hand. You can easily substitute Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour to make gluten-free banana bread.
• Baking powder and salt – Helps the banana bread rise nicely. Make sure your baking powder isn’t old or expired, or your bread may fall flat.
• Optional add-ins – Cinnamon, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and/or 1/2 cup nuts, like walnuts, pecans, or almonds. You can add just about anything you’d like to your banana bread batter. Dried fruit, shredded coconut, fresh berries, etc. (blueberry or strawberry banana bread is always a delicious change-up!).

Can I Use Frozen Bananas?

Yes! Freezing bananas is a great way to have them on hand for last-minute banana bread cravings. If you’re using frozen bananas in this recipe, make sure they’re fully thawed before you mash them for the banana bread batter.

How to Make Vegan Banana Bread

Ready for the easiest quick bread you’ve ever made? Here’s how to make my one-bowl banana bread recipe. This vegan banana bread is super forgiving, and I’ve included notes and tips along the way to ensure yours turns out perfect!

• Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or oil.
• Mix the wet ingredients. Place the flax eggs, sugar, and coconut oil in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk for 3 minutes on medium speed, then add the bananas, almond milk, and vanilla. Whisk for another minute, then scrape down the sides. 
  

• Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. Mix for another minute on medium speed, or until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and fold in the chocolate chips or nuts, if you’re using them.
• Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle chopped pecans on the top if desired and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. For the last 20 minutes of baking time, tent the banana bread with foil to prevent the top from burning.
• Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the bread from the pan and let it finish cooling on a wire rack before serving.

Tips for the Best Vegan Banana Bread

• Weigh the ingredients. It makes life easier, you don’t have to use all those measuring cups, and your bread is guaranteed to come out perfectly!
• Try not to overmix the batter. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until no streaks of flour are left, but don’t overmix. If you’re folding in add-ins like nuts or chocolate, you can do this even before the flour is 100% incorporated to avoid overworking the batter, which can make the banana bread dense.
• Don’t overbake. Everyone wants their banana bread on the moist side, so don’t keep it in the oven too long. This will come out a little underbaked, but the residual heat will keep baking the loaf even after you pull it out of the oven.
• Make it your own! There are so many ways to customize banana bread. You can use fresh bananas as described above or thawed frozen bananas; swirl in pecan butter, add cocoa powder, or use any of the add-ins listed in the recipe.

How to Store

• Store at room temperature. Wrap your banana bread or put it in a container with the lid slightly open. Store it on the counter at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. It will last up to a week in the fridge, but it’s likely to get dry, so I recommend storing it at room temperature.
• Freeze it. Vegan banana bread freezes beautifully! Wrap it well and pop the loaf in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before serving.

More Quick Bread Recipes

• Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
• Easy Vegan Zucchini Bread
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
• Easy Lemon Blueberry Bread