This Date Banana Bread is a delicious, moist, and naturally sweetened loaf that’s perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a simple dessert. Made with ripe bananas, dates, oat flour, and almond flour, it has a tender texture and a lovely banana flavor with hints of cinnamon and vanilla.
The dates add natural sweetness and help keep the bread moist, while yogurt gives it a soft texture. With no refined sugar, this banana bread is an easy way to enjoy a homemade treat using simple ingredients.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Naturally sweetened: Ripe bananas and dates provide the sweetness, with no refined sugar added.
- Moist and tender: Mashed bananas, yogurt, and date paste help create a soft, moist crumb.
- Made with oat and almond flour: These flours give the bread a pleasant texture and a slightly nutty flavor.
- Easy to make: Simply blend the dates into a paste, mix the ingredients, and bake.
- Perfect for any time of day: Enjoy a slice for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or alongside your favorite cup of coffee or tea.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ripe bananas: Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
- Dates: These provide sweetness and help keep the bread moist. Soft, pitted dates work best.
- Oat flour: Gives the bread a tender texture and mild flavor.
- Almond flour: Adds moisture and a subtle nutty taste.
- Eggs: Help bind the ingredients and give the loaf structure.
- Butter and oil: Add richness and help keep the bread moist.
- Yogurt: Adds moisture and tenderness. Plain Greek yogurt or regular plain yogurt can work.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help the bread rise.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract: Add warmth and complement the banana and date flavors.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
How to Make Date Banana Oatmeal Bread
- Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas. Place the ripe bananas in a medium bowl and mash them with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the oat flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- Make the date paste. Add the pitted dates and boiling water to a food processor. Process until a smooth paste forms.
- Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk or beat the eggs with the date paste, melted butter, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the bananas. Mix the mashed bananas into the wet ingredients.
- Finish the batter. Gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
- Cool and slice. Let the bread cool completely in the pan or on a wire rack before slicing. For neater slices, refrigerate the cooled loaf before cutting.
Enjoy it plain or with a little Greek yogurt.
Tips for the Best Banana Bread
- Use ripe bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your loaf will be.
- Make a smooth date paste. If your dates are firm, soak them in the boiling water for 5–10 minutes before blending.
- Measure the flours carefully. Too much flour can make the bread dense or dry. Weighing the ingredients gives the most consistent results.
- Check the center before removing the bread. If the top is golden but the center is still wet, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.
- Let it cool completely. This bread is delicate while warm. Cooling helps the crumb set and makes slicing easier.
How to Store Banana Bread
At room temperature: Because this loaf contains mashed bananas and yogurt, refrigerating it is the safer option for longer storage. If you keep it at room temperature for a short period, store it covered in a cool place.
In the refrigerator: Store the completely cooled bread in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
In the freezer: Slice the cooled loaf and freeze the slices in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Separate the slices with parchment paper so you can take out just what you need. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this banana bread free of refined sugar?
Yes. This recipe uses dates and ripe bananas for sweetness instead of white or brown sugar. Dates still contain naturally occurring sugars, so the bread is not sugar-free.
Can I use regular flour instead of oat flour?
You may be able to replace the oat flour with all-purpose flour, but the texture will change. Because the recipe also contains almond flour, substitutions may require adjustments to the amount of flour or liquid.
Can I make my own oat flour?
Yes. Blend rolled oats in a food processor or blender until they form a fine flour. For a gluten-free loaf, use certified gluten-free oats.
Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes. Thaw the bananas completely and drain away any excess liquid before mashing them. Frozen bananas can release more moisture than fresh ones.
How do I know when the banana bread is done?
Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. If the top is browning too quickly, cover it with foil and continue baking.
Why does my banana bread crumble when sliced?
It may have been sliced while still warm, or the flour-to-moisture ratio may have been off. Let the loaf cool completely before cutting, and measure the flours carefully.
Can I freeze date banana bread?
Yes. Slice it before freezing for easy portions. Store the slices in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
More No-Refined-Sugar Recipes
If you enjoy naturally sweetened treats, here are a few more banana recipes you may like to try:
- Cottage Cheese Banana Bread – A soft and moist banana bread made with cottage cheese and naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup.
- Banana Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins – Soft, moist muffins made with bananas and zucchini, with chocolate chips in every bite.
- Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies – Easy banana oatmeal cookies that make a simple breakfast or snack.
- Healthy Chocolate Banana Bread – A moist chocolate banana bread that combines rich cocoa flavor with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas.
- Banana Raspberry Yogurt Cheesecake – A creamy yogurt cheesecake with sweet bananas and tangy raspberries.
- Banana Oatmeal Pancakes – Fluffy banana pancakes made with oats for an easy breakfast.
- Healthy Gluten-Free Banana Bread – A tender banana bread made with gluten-free ingredients, perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
If you make this Date Banana Oatmeal Bread, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and rating below, and share a photo on Instagram and tag me so I can see your creation.
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Video
Date Banana Bread – No Refined Sugar, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 4 oz (120g) soft dates , seedless
- ¼ cup (50g) boiling water
- 1 ¾ cup (175g) oat flour
- 1/2 cup (50g) almond flour
- 1/2 tsp (3g) baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp (6g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (3g) cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp (40g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp (30g) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60g) yogurt
- 10 oz (300g) bananas, about 3 ripe bananas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- Place the bananas in a medium bowl and mash with a fork.
- In a medium bowl, combine oat flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
- Add dates and boiling water to a food processor.
- Process until it turns into a paste.
- In a large bowl, using a whisk or an electric hand mixer, cream together the eggs with date paste, butter and oil.
- Add yogurt and vanilla extract and mix until well incorporated.
- Gently incorporate the flour mixture.
- Mix in the mashed bananas.
- Pour the banana batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Spread it evenly.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the bread browns too fast, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
- Let bread cool completely and refrigerate before slicing. This step ensures a clean, easy cut. Serve as is, or top with Greek yogurt and dust with cinnamon.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @homecookingadventure on Instagram and hashtag it #homecookingadventure.
