5-Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread Recipe

Easy 5 ingredient vegan banana bread made with almond butter and spelt flour. Naturally sweetened and oil-free, this loaf is moist, wholesome and highly customisable—perfect for breakfast or a healthy snack.

I always welcome overripe bananas—they make the best banana bread. This vegan version uses extra banana as a binder so there’s no need for eggs, and it keeps the loaf naturally sweet and oil-free. With just five main ingredients, it’s simple to make and loved by vegans and non-vegans alike.

This recipe is a flexible base: swap flours or nut butters, add mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, or adjust spices to suit your taste.

Ingredients you’ll need:

Five simple, wholesome ingredients make this loaf both easy and nutritious:

• Bananas — Very ripe, freckled bananas provide moisture, sweetness and binding in place of eggs.
• Spelt flour — Wholemeal spelt gives a great texture. Whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour work too. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend (see notes).
• Almond butter — Use a natural almond butter (just almonds and salt). If your butter is unsalted, add ½ teaspoon salt. The nut butter adds body and healthy fats so the loaf is oil-free.
• Baking powder — A full tablespoon helps the loaf rise and yields a light crumb.
• Pure maple syrup — Maple syrup blends smoothly into the batter. Agave can be substituted; honey is thicker and less ideal for this vegan version.
• Optional flavour add-ins — Vanilla and cinnamon are lovely; dark chocolate chips, walnuts or pecans are also delicious stirred into the batter.

How To Make 5 ingredient Vegan Banana Bread

This is a one-bowl method: mix, pour and bake.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (160°C fan-forced). Line a loaf pan with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas and stir in the almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla (if using) until mostly smooth.
3. Add the spelt flour, baking powder, cinnamon (if using) and salt. Stir until just combined—do not overmix. A few small banana lumps are fine.
4. Fold in any optional add-ins like chocolate chips or chopped nuts.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Substitutions & variations

This loaf is a great base to adapt. Keep quantities similar when swapping ingredients.

• Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of spelt. Oat flour alone can be gummy; chickpea flour may work but can alter flavour and texture.
• Nut-free: Replace almond butter with tahini or sunflower seed butter.
• Add-ins: Stir in ½ cup chocolate chips or ½ cup finely chopped nuts at the end.
• Flavour boosters: 1 tsp vanilla in the wet ingredients and ½ tsp ground cinnamon with the dry ingredients enhance flavour. A pinch of salt balances sweetness.

A few tips

• Use very ripe bananas: The riper the bananas, the more natural sweetness and flavour they contribute.
• Measure the mashed banana: Mash and then measure by cup or weigh on a scale for best results—too much banana can make the loaf heavy or gummy.
• Don’t overmix: Stir until you no longer see flour streaks. Overmixing develops gluten and can lead to a dense loaf.

Storing & freezing tips

To store: Keep banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze.

To freeze: Slice the loaf and freeze individual slices in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

Other vegan baking recipes to try

Air Fryer Peaches With Oat Crumble

Vegan Zucchini Brownies

Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Donuts

If you try this 5 ingredient vegan banana bread or have questions, please leave a comment and share any tweaks you made—I love hearing how people customise the recipe.

5 Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread

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• Author: Caitlin Rule
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: serves 10