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This banana apple bread bakes up moist and tender with the perfect balance of warm spice, sweet banana, and juicy apple bites. It’s completely foolproof, made with simple, wholesome ingredients, and freezes beautifully so you can always have a cozy slice ready whenever you need it!
Why This Recipe Works
I do a lot of baking in the fall! It’s seriously my favorite way to slow down and make the house smell cozy and inviting. While my pumpkin banana bread is a tried-and-true classic, apples definitely deserve their moment in the spotlight too! Enter this banana apple bread!
As a pediatric dietitian (and a busy parent!), I’m always looking for ways to make every bite count, and this bread does just that. It’s naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and honey or maple syrup, filled with fresh apples for fiber, and made extra tender and protein-rich thanks to the yogurt.
Add in the walnuts for healthy fats, and you’ve got a balanced, nourishing bread that’s soft, cinnamon-spiced, and just sweet enough to feel like a treat. My kids absolutely adore it, and I love knowing it fuels them well for breakfast, snack time, or lunchboxes.
If you love this flavor combo, you’ll also want to try these banana apple muffins. They have the same cozy sweetness and wholesome ingredients, baked into perfectly portable little bites.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Bananas – The riper, the better! Overripe bananas (the spotty kind) add natural sweetness and moisture, which means you can use less added sugar. Mash them well so they blend smoothly into the batter.
- Apples – Fresh apples give little bursts of juicy sweetness in every bite. I usually reach for Honeycrisp or Fuji, but honestly, any variety you’ve got will work just fine.
- Greek yogurt – My secret to soft, moist banana bread every time. It adds protein and richness without needing a lot of butter. Plain Greek yogurt will work best but you can also use regular yogurt.
- Maple syrup – Adds just the right touch of sweetness and that cozy fall flavor that pairs so well with banana and apple. You can swap it with honey if you prefer.
- White whole wheat flour – All the nutrition of whole wheat, but with a lighter texture. It’s one of my favorite ways to add in a little extra fiber without making baked goods too dense.
- Cinnamon – Adds warmth and that cozy baked-good flavor that ties everything together. Feel free to bump it up a bit if you love cinnamon.
- Walnuts – Totally optional but highly recommended for crunch, flavor, and healthy fats. If you’re baking for little ones, you can finely chop them or leave them out entirely.
Substitutions
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how flexible it is. If you’re missing something or want to switch things up, here are a few easy swaps that work beautifully:
- No ripe bananas? Pop them (peel on!) in the oven at 300°F for about 15 minutes. They’ll turn soft, sweet, and perfect for mashing.
- Out of apples? Try diced pears, shredded carrots, or even blueberries for a fun twist.
- No Greek yogurt? Regular yogurt or non-dairy alternative.
- White whole wheat flour – Use all purpose flour or half all-purpose and half regular whole wheat flour.
- Want to make it gluten-free? Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (like King Arthur Measure for Measure or Bob’s Red Mill). These work great in quick breads. No extra adjustments needed!
Step-by-Step Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe card with all the exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, yogurt, melted butter, honey/maple syrup, and vanilla until well combined.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 3: Fold in apples and walnuts until evenly distributed.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Expert Tips
- For extra apple flavor, try using a mix of sweet and tart apples.
- Peel or leave the apple skin — either works, but peeling gives a softer bite.
- Fold gently when combining wet and dry ingredients to avoid a dense loaf.
- Double the recipe and freeze one loaf for a no-prep snack later in the week.
- Line your loaf pan. A parchment paper sling makes it so much easier to lift the bread out once it’s cooled (and saves on cleanup!).
- Let it cool before slicing. It’s hard to wait, I know, but cooling helps the bread set and makes slicing much cleaner.
Variations
Once you’ve got the base recipe down, you can have a little fun with the mix-ins and flavors. Here are some of my favorite twists to try:
- Apple Cinnamon Swirl – Mix an extra teaspoon of cinnamon with a tablespoon of maple syrup and swirl it through the batter before baking for a cozy, bakery-style vibe.
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread – Because chocolate makes everything better. Stir in ½ cup mini chocolate chips (or dark chocolate chunks if you want to go bold). If you can’t resist the banana-chocolate combo, try my banana chocolate chunk muffins.
- Cranberry Walnut Bread – Add ½ cup chopped walnuts and ½ cup dried cranberries for a festive, tart-sweet combo. If you’re a cranberry fan, you’ll also love my easy cranberry banana bread.
- Carrot Banana Bread – Replace half the diced apples with shredded carrot for a slightly earthy, naturally sweet twist (plus extra veggies for the win!). If that combo sounds good to you, don’t miss my healthy banana carrot muffins.
Storage
Once the loaf has completely cooled, wrap it tightly or place slices in an airtight container lined with paper towel. It’ll keep well at room temperature for about a day. Because the cooked apples make the bread extra moist, it can spoil more quickly if left out too long.
For a little extra shelf life, store it in the fridge for up to a week. I like to warm up a slice for 10–15 seconds in the microwave before serving. It brings back that fresh-from-the-oven taste.
This banana apple bread freezes beautifully! Slice it first, then wrap the pieces individually or layer parchment between slices before sealing in a freezer bag. It’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw a slice at room temperature or pop it straight into the toaster oven.
Bonus tip – If you’re making this for lunchboxes or quick breakfasts, freeze individual slices so you can grab one on busy mornings. It’ll be perfectly defrosted by snack time.
More Bread Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Banana Apple Bread
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed bananas (240g), about 2 large bananas
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (115g)
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour (225g), see note
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir-ins
- 1 cup diced apples (120g)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional but highly recommend)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease or line an 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. It’s okay if they’re not completely smooth. Whisk in the rest of the wet ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in apples and walnuts until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Flour – you can use all purpose flour, equal parts whole wheat flour and all purpose flour for some fiber, or gluten free baking flour.
- Use a mix of sweet and tart apples for extra flavor.
- Peel for a softer bite or leave skins on. Your choice!
- Fold gently to keep the loaf light and fluffy.
- Double and freeze one for an easy snack later.
- Line the pan with parchment for easy removal and cleanup.
- Cool completely before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Absolutely delicious! My toddler loved it too, can’t wait to make it again. Thank you.
Our whole family loved this! Thank you ☺️
Also for the tip re ripening up bananas. I used this to make this recipe and it worked a treat 🙌
Can these be made as muffins instead of bread?
Haven’t tried so can’t be for certain but I imagine it would work! Start checking for donesness around 18 minutes or so. I also just shared a banana apple muffin recipe if you want to check that one out too!
Hi, thanks for this delicious recipe, can we use oat or almond flour instead of wheat flour and what will be the substitute amount? Thanks
Hi! Yes you can use oat flour or 1:1 gluten free baking flour. Same amount!
Thank you for your knowledgeable feedback about whole wheat flour. We are eating your bread just now for breakfast, and we love it!
Aww yay!!! So happy to hear that!! Enjoy!
Is there a substitute for butter? Or xan we remove? My little one doesn’t have butter yet. Thanks
You can substitute with olive or avocado oil!
What is the note about the flour?
Sorry about that! Just added!
Hi Min,
Please share your opinion about the benefits of using whole wheat flour rather than white or bread flour.
Hi Doreen! Whole wheat flour has some wonderful benefits, especially for growing little ones (and us adults too!). Unlike white or bread flour, which are made from only the starchy part of the grain, whole wheat flour uses the entire wheat kernel — the bran, germ, and endosperm. That means it naturally contains more fiber, iron, B vitamins, and healthy fats, all of which help support digestion, energy, and steady blood sugar levels.
From a dietitian’s perspective, I love that the extra fiber in whole wheat flour helps kids (and parents!) stay fuller longer and promotes healthy gut bacteria. It also gives baked goods a heartier texture and a mild nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with ingredients like bananas, apples, or carrots. If you prefer a lighter taste, white whole wheat flour is a wonderful alternative — same benefits, just softer in flavor and texture.