Mouthwatering Dairy Free Banana Bread

I didn’t grow up eating banana bread without butter or milk—those were staples in our kitchen. But when my son developed a dairy sensitivity a few years back, I had to figure out how to make our favorite treats work for him. Turns out, banana bread is actually better without dairy.

The bananas and oil keep everything moist, and nobody misses the butter. I’ve made this recipe at least twenty times now, tweaking it until it was just right. The spelt flour gives it a slightly nutty taste that regular all-purpose flour just doesn’t have, and the walnuts add a nice crunch against the soft bread. Even my husband, who swore he could always tell when something was “missing” dairy, couldn’t tell the difference.

What Kind of Bananas Should I Use?

The key to great banana bread is using bananas that are super ripe – we’re talking brown and spotty, the kind you might think are past their prime. These overripe bananas are naturally sweeter and mash up much easier, which means better flavor and moisture in your bread. If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough yet, you can speed up the process by leaving them out on the counter for a few days, or pop them in a paper bag to trap the ethylene gas they release. In a pinch, you can even roast unpeeled bananas in a 300°F oven for about 15-20 minutes to soften them up, though the flavor won’t be quite as developed as naturally ripened ones.

Options for Substitutions

This banana bread recipe is already pretty adaptable, but here are some swaps you can make:

• Spelt flour: All-purpose flour works perfectly as a 1:1 substitute. You can also try whole wheat flour, though it’ll make the bread a bit denser. For a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free all-purpose baking blend.
• Cane sugar: Regular white sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar all work well here. Brown sugar will give you a slightly richer flavor and moister texture.
• Oil: Any neutral oil like vegetable, canola, or melted coconut oil will do the job. You can even use melted dairy-free butter if you prefer.
• Almond milk: Any plant-based milk works – oat, soy, coconut, or cashew milk are all good choices. Regular dairy milk is fine too if you’re not keeping it dairy-free.
• Walnuts: Pecans are a great swap, or you can use any nut you like. Not a fan of nuts? Just leave them out or add extra chocolate chips instead.
• Chocolate chips: Use dairy-free chips to keep it vegan, or regular chocolate chips work fine. You can also swap for dried fruit like raisins or cranberries for a different twist.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making banana bread is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which develops too much gluten and creates a dense, tough loaf – mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated and you still see a few streaks of flour.

Using bananas that aren’t ripe enough is another common error, so make sure your bananas are heavily spotted or even completely black for the best flavor and natural sweetness.

To avoid a gummy center, resist the urge to open the oven door during the first 40 minutes of baking, as the temperature drop can cause the bread to sink in the middle, and always check doneness with a toothpick in the very center of the loaf.

For extra moist banana bread, try adding an extra tablespoon of oil if your batter looks too thick, and let the bread cool completely in the pan before slicing to prevent it from crumbling apart.

What to Serve With Banana Bread?

Banana bread is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, and I love serving it with a hot cup of coffee or tea. You can also spread some almond butter or peanut butter on a warm slice for extra protein and richness. For a more dessert-like treat, try toasting a slice and topping it with dairy-free vanilla ice cream or coconut whipped cream. If you’re serving it for brunch, it pairs nicely with fresh fruit like berries or sliced strawberries on the side.

Storage Instructions

Store: This banana bread stays moist and delicious for days! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If your kitchen is really warm, you can pop it in the fridge where it’ll last about a week.

Freeze: Banana bread is one of those things that freezes really well. Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then put them in a freezer bag. It’ll keep for up to 3 months, which is great when you have overripe bananas and want to bake ahead.

Serve: Let frozen slices thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or overnight in the fridge if you’re planning ahead. I love warming up a slice in the toaster or microwave for about 15 seconds to get that fresh-baked feel again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2300
• Protein: 32-36 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 310-340 g

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

• 2 cups spelt flour (I always use King Arthur for a consistent bake)
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the wet ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oil (I prefer avocado oil for its neutral flavor)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 bananas (mashed until smooth with some small lumps)
• 1/4 cup almond milk

For the mix-ins:

• 2/3 cup walnuts (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces for even distribution)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life for a truly dairy-free treat)

Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Oven

• Oil for greasing pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or similar size with oil, making sure to coat the bottom and all sides to prevent sticking.

This gives you time to prepare the batter while the oven reaches temperature.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups spelt flour
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Whisking these together distributes the leavening agents evenly throughout the flour, ensuring your banana bread rises consistently and has uniform texture.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients and Bananas

• 4 bananas
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, avocado oil, and vanilla.

Mash the bananas until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps remaining—this creates the best texture for banana bread, giving it moisture while maintaining some structure.

I find that overly smooth banana batter can make the bread too dense, so those small lumps are your friend.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 1/4 cup almond milk

Pour the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the wet banana mixture from Step 3, and stir gently until just combined—do not overmix.

A few streaks of flour are fine; overmixing develops gluten and results in a tough, dense loaf.

Add the almond milk if the batter seems too thick; it should be thick but pourable, like cake batter.

Step 5: Add Mix-ins and Fill Pan

• 2/3 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Fold the chopped walnuts and dairy-free chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula, stirring just until distributed.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan from Step 1, smoothing the top with a spatula so it bakes evenly.

Step 6: Bake Until Golden

Bake in your preheated 350°F oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

The banana bread should be golden brown on top.

If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil halfway through baking.

Step 7: Cool and Serve

Remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes—this allows the structure to set so it won’t crumble when you remove it.

Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

I always wait until it’s completely cool before cutting into it, as warm banana bread can fall apart.

Mouthwatering Dairy Free Banana Bread

Delicious Mouthwatering Dairy Free Banana Bread recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 7 minutes mins

Servings 9 slices

Calories 2200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dry ingredients::

• 2 cups spelt flour (I always use King Arthur for a consistent bake)
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the wet ingredients::

• 1/2 cup oil (I prefer avocado oil for its neutral flavor)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 bananas (mashed until smooth with some small lumps)
• 1/4 cup almond milk

For the mix-ins::

• 2/3 cup walnuts (chopped into 1/4-inch pieces for even distribution)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life for a truly dairy-free treat)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan or similar size with oil, making sure to coat the bottom and all sides to prevent sticking. This gives you time to prepare the batter while the oven reaches temperature.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Whisking these together distributes the leavening agents evenly throughout the flour, ensuring your banana bread rises consistently and has uniform texture.
• In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, avocado oil, and vanilla. Mash the bananas until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps remaining—this creates the best texture for banana bread, giving it moisture while maintaining some structure. I find that overly smooth banana batter can make the bread too dense, so those small lumps are your friend.
• Pour the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the wet banana mixture from Step 3, and stir gently until just combined—do not overmix. A few streaks of flour are fine; overmixing develops gluten and results in a tough, dense loaf. Add the almond milk if the batter seems too thick; it should be thick but pourable, like cake batter.
• Fold the chopped walnuts and dairy-free chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula, stirring just until distributed. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan from Step 1, smoothing the top with a spatula so it bakes evenly.
• Bake in your preheated 350°F oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The banana bread should be golden brown on top. If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil halfway through baking.
• Remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes—this allows the structure to set so it won't crumble when you remove it. Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. I always wait until it's completely cool before cutting into it, as warm banana bread can fall apart.