My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe using Einkorn Flour

This is my favorite banana bread recipe and I’ll tell you why. Not only is it super easy to make, but it makes a perfectly moist loaf that tastes amazing, and dare I say it’s on the “semi-healthy” side, too?! This recipe is easily dairy free and uses einkorn flour, coconut sugar, and just a couple chocolate chips. If I’m really feeling sneaky, sometimes I even add hemp hearts and flax seed, but don’t tell the kids. They’ll never know!

I first started making this banana bread recipe a couple years ago when the world shut down and everyone was stuck at home with overripe bananas. (Seriously, what happened with that? Did everyone just grossly overestimate their banana consumption?)

Well, I was no exception. I hopped on the banana bread band wagon, tried a bunch of different recipes and came up with this one after about 50 loaves. And let me tell you a little secret….absolutely no one gets mad when you offer them a loaf of fresh baked banana bread. So go ahead, double the batch and share some with a friend.

One thing I love about this banana bread is that the bread itself is not super sweet, especially since we’re using coconut sugar. So, I don’t feel too bad about eating this for breakfast, along side a banana blueberry smoothie, a slice of veggie frittata, or some fruit salad.

On the other hand, there are chocolate chips in this recipe, so it’s perfect as a sweet treat or pick me up in the middle of the day. Either way, you can’t lose!

Want a bit more instruction for this Einkorn Banana Bread Recipe?

To watch the full step-by-step instructions, check out this video:

What is Einkorn flour and why should I use it?

Einkorn flour is produced from the grains of an ancient species of wheat. It is easier to digest, packed with vitamins and minerals, and has less exposure to dangerous chemicals than traditional, modern day wheat. Many folks who have a bad reaction with conventional wheat, are able to better tolerate baked goods that are made with einkorn flour instead. (I snagged most of this info from the Jovial website, which is the brand I use. You can read more here.)

Tips for making great banana bread:

• It’s up to you how much to mash the bananas. More mashed = a smoother bread with less banana chunks. Less mashed = a more textured bread with pockets of soft, sweet bananas.
• If your bananas aren’t super ripe, no problem! Just mash them up a little more. Of course, the riper the bananas, the sweeter the bread.
• Try not to overmix the ingredients. This will make the bread tough and chewy, not light and fluffy like we’re going for.
• This banana bread recipe is super easy to double or triple, depending on how many ripe bananas you have on hand. And trust me, no one will refuse a loaf of fresh baked bread.
• You could easily add chopped walnuts in place of (or in addition to!) the chocolate chips to make Banana Walnut Bread.

Tools you’ll need:

2 or 3 large mixing bowls
Measuring cups & measuring spoons
Loaf pan with parchment paper

Ingredients for banana bread recipe:

• ripe bananas – the riper, the sweeter
• milk – I use whatever I have on hand…organic raw A2 milk, Nut Pods creamer….whatever dairy, or dairy-free milk you’d prefer will work just fine.
• vanilla
• avocado oil – or other flavorless oil. Sometimes I use coconut oil, olive oil, or a combination of those. Feel free to use whatever oil you have on hand.
• coconut sugar – again, whatever sugar you prefer will work just fine. Coconut sugar will make it less sweet, brown sugar or granulated sugar will be sweeter. I haven’t tried pure maple syrup, but I bet it would be tasty. If you try this, let me know how it turns out!
• eggs
• einkorn flour – yes, you can substitute regular all purpose flour. See above comments.
• baking soda
• baking powder
• cinnamon
• cardamom – I love adding this to most of my baked good that I also use cinnamon in. The flavors play really nicely together and add another layer of depth.
• semi sweet chocolate chips (or other flavored chips) – Alternately, (or in addition to!) feel free to add chopped pecans or chopped walnuts… yum!

How do you make banana bread in a healthy way?

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking loaf pan (s) with parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, peel and mash the bananas along with the milk and vanilla until you reach the desired consistency. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set aside
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, and eggs until well combined.
5. Alternate adding dry ingredients and mashed banana mixture to the wet ingredients in 2-3 additions, but be careful not to overmix.
6. Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour batter into lined pan(s) and bake for 30-40 minutes.
8. Try to let it cool completely before cutting…if you can wait that long!

How to store einkorn banana bread:

In the off chance you have any banana bread left over after the first couple hours, this bread stays moist and delicious for about 5 days when sealed air tight in a zip bag or container or up to a week in the fridge.

FAQ

Can I freeze einkorn banana bread?
– Absolutely! This recipe freezes well and keeps for up to 6 months in an air tight bag.

What if I don’t have einkorn flour? Can I substitute regular all purpose flour for einkorn flour?
– Yes you can! The einkorn flour does have a different absorption level than regular all purpose flour, so you would need to adjust the amount of flour. This recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of einkorn flour. If using regular all purpose, you would reduce that to 2 cups.

Will my bread have the same texture if I use regular all purpose flour instead of einkorn?
– It will be a little different. The regular all purpose flour will give you more rise on the bread and a bit more fluff. Einkorn flour naturally contains less gluten, and therefore has a tighter crumb.

If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram
@leedsstreetcollective with your delicious creation.

Thanks so much for checking out the Collective!
– Sarah