Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

This simple greek yogurt banana bread recipe is made extra moist, delicious and healthy thanks to the addition of greek yogurt, brown sugar and just a touch of cinnamon. Bake up a loaf for yourself, or use up an abundance of over-ripe bananas and share with friends and family!

I have always loved banana bread. As a child I remember the excitement of waking up to the smell of a loaf baking in the oven – there’s no denying how wonderful that smell is as it fills the house and makes your mouth water for a warm slice slathered in butter.

My grandmother always made a very traditional banana bread – dark and crumbly – that I loved to cover in peanut butter as an after school snack. This greek yogurt banana bread is extra moist and flavorful, and packed with an extra healthy protein punch thanks to the greek yogurt. It makes a perfectly filling breakfast or deliciously healthy afternoon snack.

Although it’s become a household staple, I came up with this recipe through a series of happy accidents. Occasionally, when our schedules are extra hectic, I will order groceries to save the time it takes to grocery shop for six people.

On one particular winter day I had groceries delivered and received ten quarts of plain greek yogurt that I hadn’t ordered. The store told me to go ahead and keep them, and so I spent the afternoon trying to figure out how to fit all of these containers into my refrigerator.

Once I was sure I’d be able to store all of the yogurt I had to find a way to use it. Don’t get me wrong – I love greek yogurt, but I wasn’t on a smoothie kick at the moment and there was too much yogurt here to use up in simple sauces.

For the next few weeks every dish I made began with one question: what can I replace with some greek yogurt?

Turns out, the answer is: quite a lot. Plain greek yogurt has become a staple substitute in a lot of our dishes, and I’m feeling pretty great about swapping heavier cream based ingredients for healthy, protein packed greek yogurt!

This greek yogurt banana bread is the perfect example. I love a really moist banana bread – the kind that is perfectly sweet when eaten plain and also holds up to being slathered in butter, peanut butter, cream cheese – or even nutella for a special treat.

By adding greek yogurt this banana bread becomes exceptionally moist and flavorful, not to mention extra healthy! Packed full of overripe bananas, creamy greek yogurt, both white and brown sugars and and a touch of cinnamon this greek yogurt banana bread will quickly become a staple recipe in your kitchen!

I’ve made this bread with only white sugar, and you definitely can too – but I really love the flavor you get from doing half white and half brown sugar. If you have some on hand, definitely give it a try this way!

How do you make perfectly moist banana bread?

• The first step is to add greek yogurt!
• Always use overripe bananas – mash them first, and then measure them.
• Don’t over bake your bread. Always check using a toothpick. Greek Yogurt Banana Bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. If batter is sticking to it, you’ll need to bake a bit longer.
• Store your bread properly. Banana bread will last on the counter for a few days. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container to keep it moist and fresh.
• If freezing, wrap extra Greek Yogurt Banana Bread in saran wrap, then in aluminium foil and then place in a freezer safe bag. Your banana bread will taste like it was just baked once you defrost it!

This recipe makes one loaf, but I recommend doubling it to share with a friend, or to freeze a loaf – you never know when a delicious loaf of banana bread is going to come in handy!

You can mix this entire recipe by hand, although I really love using my KitchenAid mixer and my favorite ceramic baking pans for this greek yogurt banana bread recipe.

Ready to get baking? Let me know what you think of this greek yogurt banana bread in the comments, or tag @bearhugsandblanketforts in Instagram to be featured in the community!

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Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

This simple greek yogurt banana bread recipe is made extra moist, delicious and healthy thanks to the addition of greek yogurt, brown sugar and a touch of cinnamon. If you love banana bread you will fall for the over-the-top sweet banana flavor of this greek yogurt banana bread!

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword greek yogurt banana bread, healthy banana bread, moist banana bread recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 8

Author Diana Natal

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Butter Softened
• 1/2 Cup White Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs Beaten
• 1 1/2 Cups Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Cup Mashed Banana about 3 bananas, mash and then measure
• 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl or mixer cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add the beaten eggs and mix well.

4. In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda and salt cinnamon.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined.

6. Add the mashed bananas, greek yogurt and vanilla extract. Mix well.

7. Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan. The pan should be about 3/4 of the way full. 

8. Bake for 50 – 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean.

9. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn the bread out onto a rack to continue cooling.

10. To store, cool completely and wrap bread in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container on the counter. You do not need to refrigerate banana bread.