Soft and moist, this healthy banana date bread is perfect for babies, toddlers, and adults! It's super EASY to make with minimal, nutritious ingredients. Enjoy for breakfast, snack, dessert, or even as a first birthday cake!

three slices of banana date bread stacked on a wooden board

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Ingredients
Step By Step Instructions
Tips on How to Make the Perfect Banana Bread
Serving Suggestions for Babies
Storage Suggestions
More Baby-Friendly Finger Foods
Banana Date Bread

I first developed this flourless banana bread when we started our baby led weaning journey. I did a lot of baking and coming up with all kinds of nutritious finger foods for my baby that he could easily grab and hopefully eat! The beginning stage is so rough, no?

Since then, I must’ve made this bread…let’s just say A LOT! I’ve made it for my close friends and family, playdates, women’s group meetings, birthday parties, etc., and now it’s achieved the "you MUST bring it to every gathering" status.

I don’t mind because it’s SUPER easy to whip up with ingredients that I always have on hand ;).

You may also be interested in: 2 Ingredient Date Syrup

Ingredients

Just want to highlight the main ingredients:

Bananas: the more ripe they are, the sweeter and more moist the bread will be. And of course, it will taste more banana-y, which is what you want in a banana bread, right? ;).

But if you want the bread to be less sweet, then you can choose less yellow/brown or spotted ones. I wouldn't recommend ones that have ANY hint of green though.

If the bananas are ready before you're ready to bake, just peel and toss into the freezer so they will be there when you need them! You seriously have to try these eggless banana muffins next ;).

Here's a fun infographic I thought you might enjoy! For more, check out my Instagram page @kidfriendly.meals.

infographic with 3 bananas showing the difference between green, yellow, and brown ones

Dates: I recommend using medjool dates. They are larger, more moist, and sweeter than the other varieties. But any will work. I like to purchase in bulk and keep them in my freezer to enjoy as a quick snack or add to baked goods as an alternative to refined sugar.

Note: if you want the bread to be less sweet, then you can add less.

Oats: I LOVE to use them in place of flour. They're a great source of essential nutrients for babies and toddlers, including soluble fiber, iron, and zinc. They also lend a soft and fluffy texture to baked goods.

If you're confused about all the different types of oats that are out there, check out my 3 ingredient banana cookies post!

Walnuts. This is optional but HIGHLY recommended. It's a great way to add healthy fats and additional protein to the bread as well as texture. And now you've got yourself a banana nut bread!

Be sure to finely chop them for babies.

Step By Step Instructions

process shots on the left all the ingredients in a blender and on the right after blending with walnuts stirred in

1. Add the oats first into the food processor/blender followed by the rest of the ingredients, minus the walnuts. Blend until smooth.

2. Stir in walnuts, if adding.

process shots with uncooked bread batter in a pan and on the right cooked bread in a pan

3. Pour into a greased or lined loaf pan.

4. Bake!

Tips on How to Make the Perfect Banana Bread

loaf of banana date bread with three slices laid flat with a toddler hand reaching for one

I like to describe this delicious treat as a cross between cake and bread. If you want it to be more bread-y, perhaps you can try adding more oats or other types of flour. But try this recipe as is first!
Soak the dates in warm water for at least 30 minutes before adding to the blender! It'll result in a smoother consistency.
I highly recommend greasing the loaf pan with butter for a clean release after baking and for flavor! Yum!
To check for doneness, insert a toothpick in the middle and make sure it comes out clean.
Don't let it cool in the pan for too long as the bread will continue to cook and get soggy. Wait at least 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool COMPLETELY. Then slice. You can of course nibble on the end pieces while you wait, which is the hardest part of all this! ;).

Serving Suggestions for Babies

This banana date bread is such a delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert for the entire family, including your baby.

If you wish to cut back on the sweetness you can use less dates. But be sure you're using pretty ripe bananas to ensure that the bread will still be moist or add less oats.

It's delicious as is but for an added boost of nutrition, top with nut/seed butter, Greek yogurt, butter, cream cheese...

Here are some actual examples of how I served this bread to my son when he was a baby. I was able to find examples with pretty much the same ingredients but served in an age-appropriate way.

two bear suction plates with banana date bread, roasted beets, scrambled eggs, and zucchini sliced in different ways

On the left (@ 8 months): banana bread topped with mashed avocado. Cut into finger strips

On the right (@10 months): bread topped with almond butter and chia seeds. Once he developed his pincer grasp, I started cutting his food into smaller pieces.

Here's more information on how to serve the right food size and texture depending on your baby's age.

Storage Suggestions

On the counter: Slice and transfer to a ziploc bag or an airtight container for 1-2 days.

In the refrigerator: up to 5 days. You can enjoy cold or warm in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

In the freezer: you can slice and freeze individually. I like to use the flash freeze method. You can also freeze the entire loaf of banana bread. To do so, let it cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap, and then place in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Into the freezer it goes!

So many people have made this for their child's first birthday as well!

May be interested in: Healthy First Birthday Cake without Sugar

More Baby-Friendly Finger Foods

I originally shared this healthy banana bread recipe in my first e-cookbook. And just seeing how SO many of you guys are loving it and have used the recipe as your first birthday smash cake (topped with Greek yogurt), I wanted to share it here on my blog as well.

If you and your baby love this recipe, hope you check out my Baby Led Weaning Beginner Bites. You'll find 29 more baby-friendly, easy, and nutritious, veggie-forward finger foods to try!

Here are some examples from the cookbook:

a collage of six images of baby friendly finger foods from my first ecookbook

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!