High-Protein Banana Bread (Printable)

Moist banana loaf with Greek yogurt, whey protein, and optional nuts or chocolate chips for extra flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or fat-free)
04 - 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
05 - 1/4 cup light olive oil or melted coconut oil
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
08 - 1/2 cup vanilla or unflavored whey protein powder
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Optional Add-ins

13 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
14 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, Greek yogurt, honey or maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb structure.
05 - Gently fold in walnuts, pecans, or dark chocolate chips if using, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top surface with a spatula for even baking.
07 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it.
08 - Allow bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely moist and tender despite the healthy swaps, which honestly surprised me the first time I made it.
  • Nine grams of protein per slice means you can eat two without feeling like you're derailing anything.
  • The prep is so straightforward that even on chaotic mornings, this gets done before coffee cools down.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the most common mistake—it activates gluten and makes the bread tough and dense instead of tender, so really do stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears.
  • Cold or room-temperature ingredients make a noticeable difference in how smoothly everything combines and how evenly the bread bakes.
  • A toothpick test is your best friend; banana bread can look baked on top while staying gummy inside, so don't rely on color alone.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts lightly in a dry skillet before folding them in—it wakes up their flavor and makes them taste way more interesting in the finished bread.
  • If your protein powder is vanilla flavored and you're worried about too much vanilla, reduce the vanilla extract to half a teaspoon so the flavors stay balanced.
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