Protein Banana Bread
This protein banana bread is a healthy snack that is so easy to make. With protein from greek yogurt, eggs and protein powder, this simple gluten free banana bread is perfect to meal prep for the week!
I’ve been so in love with my protein banana muffins lately so I had to make a bread version! This protein banana bread is so soft and tender, gluten free and has over 10 grams of protein per serving, compared to 2-3 in traditional banana bread.
All you need is one bowl, about 10 minutes of prep time and a few simple, pantry staple ingredients to make this recipe.
It’s perfect for a quick on the go breakfast, post-workout snack or even a healthy dessert. It requires no fancy equipment, just one bowl and a whisk! If you love this recipe, try my chocolate protein cake, breakfast cookies or chickpea cookie dough next!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy- made in one bowl!
- Gluten free
- Dairy free friendly
- 12 grams protein per slice
How to make protein banana bread
Whisk wet ingredients. Whisk together all wet ingredients until smooth. Be sure to puree your banana first, then measure out 1 1/2 cups worth.
Whisk in dry ingredients. Whisk in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flours and protein powder, don’t scoop right from the bag.
Add mix-ins. Add in any optional mix ins. I used chocolate chips for this recipe, but you can used chopped walnuts or just leave it plain!
Bake. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. If you notice the top browning too much, tent it with some foil.
Cool and serve. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing to prevent any crumbling. Enjoy and try my protein waffles or marbled banana bread next!
Key ingredients & substitutions
Banana. Very ripe and spotty brown bananas are what you need for this recipe. The riper the better, which means your bananas will be very sweet.
Greek Yogurt. The greek yogurt will add a lot of moisture to the bread as well as add a lot of protein. You can use dairy free or regular. I do not recommend non-greek yogurt as it is much more watery.
Eggs. You need three large eggs for this recipe, which will add a lot of protein and help this healthy banana bread rise. They also add a really fluffy texture and prevent the bread from getting dense.
Protein powder. Any protein powder you like will work, but I recommend one that is vanilla flavored and ideally stevia sweetened. I used pea protein but you can also use whey protein.
Sugar. I used light brown sugar, but any kind of granulated sugar will do. You can use white sugar to keep it simple, or coconut sugar for a refined sugar free version. If you use coconut sugar this protein banana bread will be much darker than pictured.
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Flour. You need a mix of blanched almond flour and gluten free all purpose flour. If you are not gluten free, you can use regular all purpose flour, but still use the almond flour.
This recipe calls for 1 cup of almond flour, but you can likely sub with equal parts oat flour for a nut free option. I have not tested this protein banana bread without almond flour, but oat flour is generally a safe bet!
Butter or oil. I recommend butter (either dairy free or regular) or coconut oil. To avoid any coconut flavor, be sure to use refined coconut oil.
Can I make it vegan?
Unfortunately, since this recipe calls for 3 whole eggs, I do not recommend subbing for flax eggs or any other egg substitute.
The eggs are really important for the overall texture and structure of the bread, so for best results, please follow the recipe as written! For a vegan option, try my chocolate chip banana bread instead!
How to store
I always find that any recipe made with a lot of banana or apple sauce can get quite mushy if left out at room temperature for too long.
Banana bread can definitely be left at room temperature, but I prefer to store it in the fridge.
Be sure to let it cool completely, then slice and add to a container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can eat it cold, or warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds so it’s good as new!
Can you use protein powder instead of flour in baked goods?
You can do this in some recipes, but gluten free baking is so tricky that I recommend sticking with a recipe that already calls for protein powder.
Oftentimes you can sub 1/3 cup for every 1 cup of flour for protein powder, but it’s so much easier following a recipe that already calls for it. Same with my banana bread protein cookies!
Protein powder acts similarly to flour in baked goods and helps absorb excess moisture. I don’t find that it gives a grainy texture at all, this banana bread is very soft and fluffy!
How to keep banana bread moist
I promise you will have no issues keeping this bread moist! Be sure you don’t over-bake it as that can easily dry it out. Also make sure you measure the flour properly to prevent a dry loaf.
If you scoop right from the bag, you may end up with more flour than you need, which can lead to dry bread.
More recipes you’ll love!
- Banana Protein Pancakes
- Vegan Banana Bread
- Banana Waffles
- Protein Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Almond Flour Banana Muffins
If you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list! As always, be sure to tag me on instagram so I can see your creation. Leave a comment and rating below if you try this recipe!
Protein Banana Bread
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet
- 1 ½ cups banana puree about 3 large, ripe banans
- ⅓ cup melted butter or coconut oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar of choice light brown, coconut or white all work
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry
- 1 cup gluten free all purpose baking flour can sub regular AP flour
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spray and line a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside.
- Puree the bananas and measure out 1 1/2 cups and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk in all remaining wet ingredients until smooth.
- Whisk in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flours, don’t scoop right from the bag.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Fold in the chocolate chips if using, you can also used chopped walnuts.
- Transfer to your prepared loaf pan and top with additional chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Because of the nature of almond flour, you may notice the top browning before the center is done. I usually just leave as is, but you can tent the top with foil if desired.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully lift out from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
- Slice and enjoy as is or with melted butter or nut butter.
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