Healthy Oatmeal Banana Bread

Oatmeal banana bread might just become your family’s new favorite snack!

It has all the comfort of warm, freshly baked bread. But it doesn’t take nearly as much time. 

This recipe combines two fan-favorites: oats and bananas. As it bakes, this bread will make your kitchen smell fantastic.

And luckily, it looks and tastes as fabulous as it smells. 

The combo of ingredients creates a wonderful experience for any lover of baked goods. 

It’s easy for busy moms and home cooks to make without wasting too much time. So let’s get baking this oatmeal banana bread recipe!

Oatmeal Banana Bread

I’ve loved banana bread since I was a little kid.

However, I didn’t discover oatmeal banana bread until well into adulthood. I’m so thankful I did because it is phenomenal. 

For sweet, on-the-go breakfasts, oatmeal banana bread is hard to beat. It’s tender, moist, and delicious. Plus, it’s convenient to cut a slice and hit the road. 

Luckily, it’s also yummy enough to indulge in for dessert or a midday snack.

I make mine with the optional raisins for contrast. I love their tart tanginess against the bread’s sweetness.

And while it contains some sugar, it’s much healthier than many other desserts. After all, bananas are a great source of potassium and vitamin C. T

hey have plenty of antioxidants, too!

Give this recipe a try the next time you find yourself with overripe bananas. 

Ingredients 

Mostly, you’ll need standard baking ingredients for this recipe. There are a few extras thrown in, though. Let’s check out the ingredient list: 

• Bananas- Bananas are the star of this show. They sweeten the bread and give it its incredible banana flavor. Use overripe, mashed bananas for this recipe. 
  • The riper they are, the sweeter your bread will be. 
• White sugar– For extra sweetness. Other sugars would work in a pinch, but using them might change the bread texture. 
• Shortening- Shortening adds some much-needed fat to the bread. Fat keeps it moist and gives it its tender bite. 
• Eggs- In this recipe, eggs act as a binding agent. They keep everything together during the baking process. Plus, they add extra protein, flavor, and rise.
• Vanilla extract- The vanilla extract gives the bread a hint of sweet, vanilla flavor. 
• Flour- Stick to all-purpose. It’s inexpensive and easiest to work with in most recipes. 
• Quick-cooking oats- I cannot stress this enough: Stick to quick-cooking oats. They cook along with the bread and don’t require any additional cooking. They provide flavor and texture.
• Baking soda- This will help the bread rise. 
• Salt- Salt acts as a flavor enhancer in this recipe.
• Ground cinnamon- Brings warmth and fragrant spice to the bread. 
• Milk- Use whole milk for the best flavor. You may need to add a little extra if your batter is too thick. 

Those are the only ingredients you need. However, you could also add raisins for more flavor and texture. Other possibilities include chocolate chips, walnuts, etc. 

How to Make Oatmeal Banana Bread 

Here’s an overview of the steps for making this scrumptious bread. For the complete recipe, please see the recipe card below. 

1. Prepare. 

Mash your bananas, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, grease your loaf pan. 

2. Mix the batter. 

Start by combining the sugar and shortening in a large bowl. Next, add the eggs and vanilla. Keep mixing the batter until it becomes fluffy. 

Next, sift together the dry ingredients. (Flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.) Add 1/3 dry mixture, 1/3 mashed bananas, and 1/3 of the milk to the batter.

It doesn’t have to be exact.

Keep adding by turns until all of your ingredients are incorporated into the batter. Pour that batter into the greased loaf pan. 

3. Bake. 

The bread will need 50 to 60 minutes to bake. Once it’s ready, take it out of the oven. Let it sit, covered, for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Finally, slice, serve, and enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Banana Bread 

Keep these tips and tricks in mind when preparing and baking your bread: 

• Toast the oats if you have time. Doing so will provide an even greater depth of flavor and make the bread irresistible. Eight to 10 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees will suffice.
• Don’t overmix the batter. You want your ingredients to be well-mixed but don’t overdo it. The bread won’t rise properly and will be tough if you do. 
• Don’t over-bake the bread. Be sure you don’t over-bake the bread, either. If you do, the bread will lose moisture and dry out.
• Experiment with add-ins for flavor and presentation. Adding things to the top of the batter gives the bread a prettier look.
  • Mixing add-ins in the batter can also change the texture and overall flavor of the recipe. Some examples include chocolate chips, toffee bits, your favorite nuts, raisins, banana slices, coconut, etc.
• Find the perfect balance with your ripe bananas. You want them overripe but not spoiled. Black spots are fine, but the whole banana shouldn’t be black.
  • Don’t use the fruit if you notice any mold (or if it smells strange). 
• Use foil if necessary. Cover the bread in aluminum foil if you notice the top is browning too quickly. That will slow the browning and give the bread more time to cook without burning. 
• Use natural sweeteners instead of sugar. Use maple syrup or honey if you don’t want to add white sugar. Just be sure you check the ratios for swapping out those ingredients for sugar. 
• Let the bread rest and cool before you move and slice it. Otherwise, it may crumble and falling apart on you. 

How to Store & Freeze 

Unlike other types of bread, oatmeal banana bread doesn’t need to stay at room temperature. Instead, refrigerate it. You can also freeze it for lengthier storage. 

Here’s how to do both:

Storage– Wrap the bread in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. (A Ziploc bag with the air removed would also suffice.)

Store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. 

Freezing. Allow the bread to cool completely. Then, slice it into individual servings. Place the slices in a Ziploc bag with parchment paper separating them. 

Press out as much air as possible before sealing the bags. Then freeze for up to 6 months. 

You can thaw the bread in the refrigerator overnight or in the microwave when you want to serve it.