This BEST Protein Banana Bread is everything banana bread should be: incredibly moist, tender, warmly spiced, and packed with sweet banana flavor. You'd never guess there's protein powder in it! I started with a traditional banana bread recipe and made a few simple swaps, using Greek yogurt, oat flour, and whey protein powder to create a high protein banana bread that still tastes like the real thing.
Recipe Summary: BEST Protein Banana Bread
- ✅ Recipe Name: BEST Protein Banana Bread
- 🧑🍳 Equipment Needed: loaf pan (8 ½ in x 4.5 in x 2.5 in)
- 🕒 Ready In: 1 hour (only 10 minutes prep time)
- 👪 Serves: 8
- 🍽 Calories: 257 cal per slice
- 💪🏼 Protein: 11g per slice
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Bananas, whey protein powder, oat flour, coconut sugar
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, contains dairy and nuts
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Moist, easy, and full of classic banana bread flavor, with added protein you'd never know was there!
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Made with simple ingredients, this easy protein banana bread is perfect for breakfast or a satisfying protein snack. Add walnuts or pecans for a little crunch, or leave them out. It's gluten free, incredibly moist, and a healthier take on classic banana bread without sacrificing the flavor or texture you want.
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Why This Recipe Works ✅
🍞 Whey protein helps give the loaf structure. As whey protein heats, its proteins set and help reinforce the crumb. Together with the egg and the starches in oat flour, this gives the banana bread enough structure without needing a gluten-containing flour.
🍌 Banana, Greek yogurt, and coconut oil keep it soft and moist. Mashed ripe bananas and Greek yogurt bring plenty of moisture, while coconut oil adds richness and helps create that soft, tender banana bread texture.
🌴 Coconut sugar adds more than sweetness. It complements the caramel-like flavor of ripe bananas and helps keep the crumb soft.
Key Ingredients
For exact quantities and the products I recommend, scroll to the recipe card below.
Whey protein powder - This banana bread recipe was specifically designed for whey protein powder. I recommend using unflavored whey concentrate rather than whey isolate because it has a better baked texture. You can certainly use vanilla whey protein powder (or other flavors), but you will likely taste it in the baked banana bread.
Since different types of protein powder bake very differently, I would not recommend other types of protein powder in this protein banana nut bread recipe. The texture is perfect with whey protein concentrate, and wouldn't be good with other types of protein powder.
In particular, casein or a whey/casein blend in this whey protein banana bread recipe would make the banana bread tough and dry. Plant-based protein powder would likely make this recipe wet and dense.
See the best protein powders for baking for more info on how different protein powders bake.
Oat Flour - I would not try using other flours to replace the oat flour. Flours with gluten (including all purpose flour) will make the banana bread too tough. Flours like almond flour or coconut flour bake differently than oat flour, and are not recommended in this recipe.
Coconut Oil - I used refined coconut oil in this recipe, but light-tasting olive oil would also be a great choice. Any light-tasting oil that works for baking would be fine here.
Coconut Sugar - Using coconut sugar in this recipe is what makes it taste comparable to classic banana bread. I tried using erythritol in its place, and it tasted noticeably different.
Since coconut sugar is low glycemic, it does not have the same effect on blood sugar as refined sugar. If coconut sugar is something you can incorporate into your diet, definitely use it here!
Chopped Nuts - I love pecans, so I've used them here. Walnuts and macadamia nuts would also be great choices for this healthy banana bread recipe!
Variations
To make chocolate chip protein banana bread, replace the chopped nuts with sugar free chocolate chips. Or if you'd like to include both chocolate chips and nuts (YUM!), I'd recommend ¼ cup of each.
To make chocolate protein banana bread, use chocolate protein powder (whey) and swap ¼ cup cocoa powder in for ¼ cup of the oat flour (reducing the amount of oat flour to ¾ cup).
We have similar protein quick bread recipes for Protein Zucchini Bread and Protein Pumpkin Bread. They are just as moist and delicious!
How to Make Protein Banana Bread
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325F (163C).
Step 2: Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, mix bananas, yogurt, coconut sugar, and vanilla until combined.
Step 4: Add coconut oil and egg. Mix well.
Step 5: Add the oat flour, whey protein, baking soda, and cinnamon to the wet ingredients. Mix well.
Step 6: Fold in chopped nuts.
Step 7: Pour the banana bread batter into the loaf pan, using the rubber spatula to get all the batter out of the bowl.
Step 8: Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick or fork inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Step 9: Let it cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then remove the banana bread from the pan and let it cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack.
Step 10: Slice and enjoy!
Expert Tips
For best results, do not sub other types of protein powder or flour, and do not use sugar substitutes.
Use bananas with brown spots (ripe or over-ripe bananas) for the sweetest flavor.
Oat flour can be made from processing rolled oats in a blender.
If you enjoy this recipe, try our protein zucchini bread and protein pumpkin bread!
Protein Banana Bread FAQ
Adding protein powder to banana bread isn't as simple as adding a scoop or two and keeping the rest of the recipe the same. But generally speaking, you could probably safely replace ⅓ of the flour called for in a traditional recipe with whey protein powder or a whey/casein blend. For best results, however, if you want to make banana bread with protein powder, use a recipe (like this one!) that is designed to have protein powder included in the batter. Read more info on baking with protein powder.
This high protein banana bread recipe has 11 grams of protein per ⅛ loaf. Traditional banana bread would have ~3g protein per serving.
Yes! This is a gluten free protein banana bread recipe.
✅ If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below. And tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
Recipe
BEST Protein Banana Bread
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- whisk or fork, to mix the batter
- rubber spatula to get all the batter out of the bowl
- loaf pan - mine is 8 ½ in x 4.5 in x 2.5 in pyrex loaf pan
- parchment paper to keep the banana bread from sticking to the pan
- wire rack for cooling
Ingredients
- 3 (354 g) medium ripe bananas, mashed
- ¼ cup (57 g) non-fat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup (96 g) coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (56 g) coconut oil, melted
- 1 whole (50 g) large egg
- 1 cup (120 g) oat flour
- ¾ cup (60 g) unflavored whey protein powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (36 g) chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F (163C) and spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix bananas, yogurt, coconut sugar, and vanilla until combined.3 (354 g) medium ripe bananas, mashed, ¼ cup (57 g) non-fat Greek yogurt, ½ cup (96 g) coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add coconut oil and egg. Mix well.¼ cup (56 g) coconut oil, melted, 1 whole (50 g) large egg
- Add oat flour, whey protein, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix well.1 cup (120 g) oat flour, ¾ cup (60 g) unflavored whey protein powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Fold in chopped nuts and pour into pan.⅓ cup (36 g) chopped nuts
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely.
- Slice and enjoy! Store refrigerated or frozen.
Andréa Marchese says
So happy you enjoyed it, Amy! And thanks for commenting with your recipe modifications; that'll surely help other readers. :)