Moist Banana Bread With Coconut Oil

Written by
Katie Workman
Award-winning food writer, blogger, and author of two cookbooks. She frequently appears on broadcast media sharing her expertise.
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Katie Workman
Tested by
Carrie Parente Reviewed on 06/17/21 by
Carrie is a freelance food stylist and culinary producer who loves having a table full of guests.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Recipe Testing Panel
Carrie Parente
Updated 06/22/21
Moist Banana Bread With Coconut Oil, loaf of banana bread on a white marble table

The Spruce / Emily Baker
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 9 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
289 Calories
9g Fat
48g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 9
Amount per serving
Calories 289
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 274mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 231mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Coconut oil is a very handy ingredient to use in recipes if you have someone who is lactose intolerant or dairy free in your house. A natural, plant-based source of saturated fat, coconut oil adds flavor, while creating a richer but lighter baked good. The oil is actually solid at room temperature; when used in place of butter, it should be kept solid, and when swapping in for an oil, the coconut oil needs to be melted.

This quick bread is a great use of overripe bananas and can include chocolate chips for a sweeter treat if you like. Quick and easy to put together, it's a perfect recipe for getting the kids involved, from mashing the bananas to measuring the ingredients to mixing up the batter. Serve along with breakfast, as a snack, or even dessert.

Featured Video

"Do you already have a go-to banana bread recipe? If the answer is "No" then this is for you. If the answer is "Yes" then this will be your new go-to. This bread is delicious! My family devoured it in one afternoon. It tastes great, is moist and flavorful, and bakes up beautifully." —Carrie Parente

Banana Bread Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 4 ripe bananas, peeled

  • 1/3 cup coconut oil

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for making moist banana bread with coconut oil

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or spray with cooking spray.

    Greased metal loaf pan on a marble counter

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  3. Place the bananas in a large mixing bowl and mash them with a fork. Add the coconut oil and sugar to the bananas, and beat with a fork or an electric mixer until smooth.

    Bananas mashed with a fork in a clear mixing bowl

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

    Banana and egg mixture in a clear bowl

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

    Glour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a glass bowl

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, using a rubber spatula or fork (or on low speed with the mixer) just until well incorporated. Do not overmix, which will yield a tough banana bread.

    Flour mixture and banana mixture together in a glass bowl

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  7. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.

    Banana bread mixture with chocolate chips in a glass bowl

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  8. Scrape the coconut banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan.

    Banana bread mixture in a bread pan

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

  9. Bake for about 55 minutes until a skewer or a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out the bread and finish cooling upright on the wire rack. Slice and enjoy.

    Moist banana bread with coconut oil on a wire cooling rack

    The Spruce / Emily Baker

Tips

  • When substituting coconut oil for butter in any recipe, use a 1 to 1 ratio of coconut oil for butter.
  • You can use this batter to make 14 to 18 regular muffins. Reduce the cooking time to about 25 minutes and cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Is Banana Bread Healthy?

Because this quick bread features a nutritious fruit as its star ingredient, it can give the impression of being a healthy snack. But it is the sugar and certain fats that make banana bread high in calories and fat. Coconut oil is a healthier type of fat compared to butter, so you can feel better about enjoying this recipe but should still eat it in moderation.