Quick and easy healthy banana bread made with butternut squash! This whole-wheat butternut squash banana bread is the perfect compliment to a breakfast or a satisfying snack!
The coziest banana bread for fall and winter is heeeeeere! Move over pumpkin because butternut squash is having a moment. I mean why should pumpkin get all the fall fun anyway?
You guys are going to LOVE this recipe. It’s got all that caramelized banana flavor you love in banana bread AND it packs in a powerful nutrition punch with the addition of butternut squash.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Notes on Ingredients:
Butternut squash puree: You can find this canned in the grocery store or you can make your own puree by roasting butternut squash cubes in the oven, transferring to a food processor and blending until smooth.
Coconut oil: You can substitute with softened butter instead if that’s what you have on hand.
White whole-wheat flour: You can substitute with all purpose flour if preferred
Pumpkin pie spice: If you don’t have this on hand, you can make your own blend with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
How to Make Butternut Squash Banana Bread
Making this banana bread is pretty simple, especially if you can find canned butternut squash puree! If you can’t, you’ll have to roast your own squash first and then puree it using a food processor.
Then, you mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl. I like to add the ripe bananas first so that I can use a fork and just mash them right in the bowl so I don’t have to dirty another dish.
Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. And then you’ll add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. This is important – do not overmix!
Transfer the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 55-65 minutes. I always check if the bread is done by inserting a toothpick into the center and when it comes out clean, it’s done!
Expert Tip:
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until JUST combined. If you over mix, more gluten will develop, causing a tough, rubbery texture.
Banana Bread FAQs
What can I use in place of coconut oil?
You can use softened butter instead!
Can I use canned pumpkin instead?
Absolutely!
What if I don’t have pumpkin pie spice?
Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice. If you can’t find pumpkin pie spice, I’d suggest using 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ginger instead.
What is the nutrition of butternut squash?
Butternut squash is packed with vitamins A and C, fiber, potassium, and magnesium.
Why white whole-wheat flour?
White whole-wheat flour packs in extra fiber and nutrients while maintaining a similar texture and color to all-purpose flour. But if you don’t have white whole-wheat flour on hand, you could always use all purpose flour!
For more quick bread inspiration, check out my recipes below!
- Eggnog Pull Apart Bread
- Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- Instant Pot Whole Wheat Bread (No Knead!)
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
If you like this recipe, please be sure to give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!
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Butternut Squash Banana Bread
(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Quick and easy healthy banana bread made with butternut squash! This whole-wheat butternut squash banana bread is the perfect compliment to a breakfast or a satisfying snack!
Ingredients
- 2–3 ripe bananas (1 cup mashed banana)
- 1 cup butternut squash puree*
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut oil plus extra for greasing pan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups white whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5 bread pan with coconut oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk mashed banana, squash puree, eggs, oil, and vanilla until combined.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 cup walnuts.
- Transfer wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
- Pour batter into loaf pan and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup walnuts over top. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean, about 55-65 minutes.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes in pan and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- You can buy canned butternut squash puree or make your own puree by cutting a butternut squash in half lengthwise, removing seeds, brushing with olive oil and roasting at 400 degrees F, flesh side up, until tender, about 25-35 minutes. Then scoop out the flesh of the squash and transfer to a food processor or high speed blender to puree. Or, roast precut butternut squash cubes tossed with 1 tablespoon olive oil at 375 degrees F until tender, about 35-40 minutes. Then transfer roasted cubes to a food processor or blender to puree.
- To toast walnuts, bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or cook on stovetop over medium heat until fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
- Do not over mix the batter! Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined.
- If you can’t find pumpkin pie spice, I’d suggest using 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ginger instead.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Fall
Made this recipe this afternoon, came out perfect. Used toasted pecans instead of the walnuts. Definitely will make again!
Hi Jessica, thank you and I’m so happy to hear that you’ll make it again! 🙂
Could you sub almond flour for the whole wheat flour?
Yes you can but you likely will have to adjust the amount of flour used. Almond flour is more moist so you may have to add more flour if the batter seems too wet.
Made this this morning, and I couldn’t get it cooked all the way through! Even after an hour and 20 minutes it was quite raw in the middle. So now I’m slicing it and sticking the pieces in the toaster oven to dry out the middle and finish cooking. It tastes great tho!! I think it would be easier to get it baked through as muffins… doing that next time.
Oh bummer! Sorry the baking time was off for you but glad it still tasted good! Baking times are always estimates as all ovens are different but I’ll retest this to see if the baking time needs to be adjusted.
Hi Rachel – just a follow-up that we retested this recipe and felt the baking time and temperature did not need to be adjusted. Sorry again that it didn’t seem to work for you!
Just baked this bread and it is DELICIOUS! I always use overripe bananas so I cut the sugar, and I only had a little leftover butternut squash so here is my adjustment: 1 1/2 cups banana, 1/2 cup butternut squash, 4 TBS light brown sugar, 4 TBS honey. Mine didn’t rise much but it usually doesn’t. It is really moist, even the edges are moist, just a little “crunch” and tastes like the brown sugar. Thanks for the inspiration!
So glad you loved it, Melanie! Thanks for sharing your adjustments!
Do I have to use wants I want to make a friend for christmas but she can,t eat nuts .Gene Reams
Hi Gene – you can definitely make this without the nuts!
What do you think about using maple syrup instead of coconut sugar?
You might just need to add a little more dry ingredients to balance out the extra wet ingredient. Let me know if you try it how it turns out!
Just made this but as muffins instead of bread– so yummy!! (Just bake at 400 for 20-25 min). Also I didn’t have quite enough butternut squash so I added some applesauce and Greek yogurt to make up the difference. They are so delicious!! I’m glad I took a gamble and doubled the recipe!!!
Thank you so much! I’m really glad you loved it!
I’m in! Sounds heavenly!
Thanks, Lauren!
Yum! I love adding sweet potato to quick breads, so I can imagine how nice and moist butternut squash makes this bread.
Yes! So moist and delicious!
I made this loaf last night and it is so delicious! I used a stick of butter (melted) instead of oil and 1/2 cup of spelt flour with 1 cup of whole wheat flour. It is incredibly moist and not too sweet…..would highly recommend !
Thanks for sharing, Tamara! SO glad you enjoyed it! Can’t wait to make it again soon now that fall is here!
Hi I’m d Donna and I made Butternut squash hash sparyed skillet with spray add chopped squash and brown a little add a little bit of butter Splenda brown sugar sugar free pancake syrup and some pumpkin pie spice cook a little and add 1 can mixed vegies. very good
Glad you enjoyed, Donna!
This bread was gobbled up by my whole family! I doubled the recipe, used a cup of coconut sugar and I found it to be sweet enough. Also used 1/2 sprouted spelt and 1/2 sprouted whole wheat flour. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Nice! It’s one of my favorite recipes too. So glad your whole family enjoyed, Alina!
how can you or has anyone made this vegan with no eggs adding maybe flax
I haven’t tried making this vegan but would suggest testing it out with flax eggs. 2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water in the fridge for 15 minutes to thicken. Let me know how it turns out!
What an awesome combo! These pictures are all so beautiful and the texture of the bread looks amazing!
Thanks so much, Sonali!
haha, yess, I can totally relate to be the kid who was in charge of making banana bread any time there was rotten bananas around. Totally agree banana bread is the best bread, and squash banana bread is probably even better and healthier!!
Haha yes! I love it. Thanks!
This looks incredibly moist and delicious! Very clever idea to combine bananas and butternut squash — sounds like a winning combo!
It definitely was a winning combo! Can’t wait to make it again!
Butternut and banana bread? count me in! sounds delicious!!!
You’re in! Thanks 🙂