Say hello to my new favorite banana bread.
It’s tender, moist, absolutely loaded with blueberries and oats, and perfect for snacking on.
It also happens to be totally vegan-friendly since there’s no egg in this recipe!
All you need is 9 simple ingredients, 1 bowl, and about 45 minutes.
Let’s make Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bread!
First, you’ll need some ripe bananas. The spottier, the better.
Next, we’ll reach for some pantry staples like virgin coconut oil, maple syrup, unbleached organic all-purpose flour, quick oats, baking powder, and baking soda.
A splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt add complex flavor, and a big pour of blueberries, straight from the freezer, fill this entire loaf with little pockets of jammy berry goodness.
Go ahead and take a lick of the batter…there’s no egg, so no need to worry!
If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can sprinkle some oats on top of your loaf before baking. Then, all that’s left to do is bake, cool, and eat.
I absolutely love the added texture of oats in this banana bread (there’s actually more oats than flour in this recipe!), as it adds a slightly dense, whole-grain feel to this otherwise all-purpose flour loaf. While I usually opt to bake with whole wheat flour, I found that in this recipe, the flavor of the oats got a bit lost when using whole wheat, and I really, really, want them to shine. So, all-purpose is it. I suspect a gluten-free all purpose blend would work well as a swap here, if you or someone in your family have an allergy!
And, despite being, well, banana bread, I think the blueberries and oats are the real stars here; this loaf isn’t as banana-flavor-forward as a classic loaf of banana bread yet still retains that essential dense, moist, tender texture of the best banana bread.
It’s a pretty magical thing.
If you have a few overripe bananas sitting on your counter, turn them into this quick, easy, vegan-friendly banana bread! I really think you’re going to love it, especially if you’re someone who loves slathering butter and/or peanut butter on your banana bread…this loaf is KILLER with a thick smear of either.
If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bread and share it with me on Instagram. I love seeing my recipes in your kitchen!
- 3 large, overripe bananas (the more brown spots, the better)
- 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup quick or instant oats (or old fashioned rolled oats, pulsed in your food processor or blender for a few seconds to break them up a bit)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup frozen blueberries, not defrosted (fresh work, too!)
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a loaf pan with nonstick baking spray (I used an olive oil spray) or drizzle in a few drops of coconut oil and rub in with a paper towel.
- 2. Peel bananas and place in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to fully mash them. Add coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, and stir with a spoon to combine. Then, add all remaining ingredients, including blueberries, and stir until fully combined.
- 3. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, and sprinkle a big pinch of quick oats on top, if desired. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and cooked through. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing to cool fully on a cooling rack. Slice and serve warm, or room temperature. Leftovers keep well, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.