Dairy-Free Banana Bread
A moist dairy-free banana bread made with oil and dairy-free yogurt, with a lightly caramelized top and a muffin version from the same batter.
Recipe by Andrew Tibbs, the Non Dairy Dude in Dairy-Free Side Dishes
Published
- Total
- 1h 15m
- Servings
- 10
- Level
- easy
Banana bread is the best way to use those over-ripe bananas we have sitting around, or we chucked into the freezer a couple months ago. This dairy-free version is as good as the original.
The dairy comes out in two places and neither one costs you anything. Neutral oil replaces the butter, which keeps the crumb soft for days longer than a butter loaf stays good. Dairy-free yogurt stands in for the sour cream or buttermilk most recipes lean on, and it earns its spot: the fat and protein give the crumb something to hold onto. Weigh the bananas if you can, since three of them can vary by a hundred grams and this batter is wet enough that it matters. For more dairy-free baking, try my dairy-free chocolate chip cookies or dairy-free buttermilk pancakes.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 300 gVery ripe banana, mashed (about 1 1/3 cups), thawed if frozen
- ½ cupNeutral oil, such as avocado, canola, or vegetable
- 2 largeLarge eggs
- ⅝ cupLight brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cupGranulated sugar
- ¼ cupPlain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt
- 2 tspVanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1¾ cupsAll-purpose flour
- ½ tspBaking soda
- ½ tspBaking powder
- ¾ tspKosher salt
- 1 tspGround cinnamon
- ⅛ tspGround nutmeg (optional)
Mix-Ins
- ½ cupDairy-free chocolate chips or chopped walnuts (optional)
Finish
- 1 tbspCoarse or turbinado sugar, for the top (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang so you can lift the loaf out later.
- 2
If your bananas are frozen, thaw them completely. Put the softened bananas and any liquid they released into a large mixing bowl and mash until mostly smooth. Weigh them if you can, since banana size varies enough to change the bake.
- 3
Add the oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, dairy-free yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
- 4
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using).
- 5
Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Fold gently with a spatula just until no obvious pockets of dry flour remain. Stop there, because overmixing develops gluten and turns the crumb tough.
- 6
Fold in the chocolate chips or walnuts, if using.
- 7
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.
- 8
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the loaf is deeply golden and the center reaches 200 to 205 F. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Trust the thermometer over the toothpick if you added chocolate chips, since a melted chip reads like raw batter.
- 9
Cool the loaf in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack. Give it at least another 45 minutes before slicing. Cutting it warm tears the crumb and makes it seem gummier than it is.
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How we make it dairy-free
- Butter → Neutral oil, which stays liquid at room temperature, so the crumb stays soft for days instead of firming up the way a butter loaf does.
- Sour cream or buttermilk → Plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt, which brings the tang plus the fat and protein that keep the crumb tender.
- Chocolate chips → Dairy-free chocolate chips, since most standard chips carry milk fat or milk solids even when the bag says dark.
Tips & Variations
Weigh the bananas: Three bananas can swing by a hundred grams depending on size. This batter is wet enough that the difference shows up as a gummy center, so hit 300 g if you have a scale.
Tent it if the top runs ahead: This loaf carries a lot of sugar and bakes for the better part of an hour, so the top can darken well before the center is done. Lay a piece of foil loosely over it around the 40 minute mark if it is already deep brown.
Stop folding early: Mix only until the last streaks of flour disappear. A few lumps are fine and a smooth batter means a tough loaf.
Use a thermometer: The center should read 200 to 205 F. A toothpick is unreliable here because a melted chocolate chip looks exactly like raw batter.
Make it as muffins: Line a 12-cup pan and fill each cup about three quarters full. Bake at 400 F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350 F without opening the door and bake 13 to 17 minutes more, to the same 200 to 205 F. Cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes before moving them to a rack.
Pick one mix-in, not three: The variations all draw on the same optional half cup. Split it half and half for banana nut chocolate chip, or swap the coarse sugar for 2 tablespoons brown sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
Skip the fridge: Quick breads stale fastest when cold, so refrigerating dries this out faster than the counter does, and there is no dairy in it that needs chilling. Counter for 3 days, or freeze wrapped portions for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
How ripe should the bananas be?⌄
Heavily spotted and soft, with the peel going black in places. That is when the starch has converted to sugar, which is where banana flavor actually comes from. A yellow banana with a few freckles will make sweet bread that does not taste like much. If yours are not there yet, leave them on the counter in a paper bag for a day or two.
Can I use frozen bananas?⌄
Yes, and they are often better, since freezing ruptures the cells and releases more liquid and flavor. Thaw them completely and pour the liquid they release into the bowl along with the fruit. Do not drain it. Just weigh after thawing, because that liquid counts toward the 300 g.
Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?⌄
Usually too much banana or pulling it out early. Banana bread batter is wet, and extra fruit pushes it past what the flour can support, so the center rises and then collapses. Weighing the banana fixes the first problem and a thermometer fixes the second. Opening the oven door during the first 40 minutes can do it too.
Can I make this without eggs?⌄
It is workable but not a straight swap. Two flax eggs, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed whisked with 6 tablespoons water and rested 10 minutes, will hold it together, though the loaf comes out denser and needs a few extra minutes in the oven. The eggs are doing real structural work in a batter this wet, so expect a different crumb rather than the same one.
What can I use instead of dairy-free yogurt?⌄
Dairy-free sour cream is the closest match and swaps one for one. In a pinch, 1/4 cup unsweetened oat milk with 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice works, though you lose the fat and protein the yogurt was contributing and the crumb comes out a little looser.
Dairy-Free Banana Bread · https://nondairydude.com/recipes/dairy-free-banana-bread
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