This moist and delicious banana date bread is a great way to use up overripe bananas. It's also the perfect dessert for your next potluck or picnic!
Chopped dates are chewy and bring a pop of extra sweetness, while the nuts and oats add texture and richness to the quick bread recipe. The addition of an extra sliced banana on the loaf gives a rustic homemade look to the banana and date loaf. This is a healthy banana bread recipe you will love preparing and be proud to serve or gift.
How to Make Banana Bread with Dates
Let's make a loaf of this super moist date filled banana bread recipe. Follow along with step-by-step recipe pictures here, or jump down and print the recipe card for the banana date nut bread if you prefer.
Let's make a loaf of this super moist date filled banana bread. Follow along with step-by-step recipe pictures here, or jump down and print recipe card if you prefer.
Recipe makes 1 loaf with approximately 12 servings.
Prep time 20 mins | Baking time 60 mins | Total time 1 hr 20 mins
Supplies needed:
• Loaf pan
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• non-stick baking spray
Ingredients for the Date Banana Bread:
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (approximately 2 medium bananas) + 1 medium whole banana
- 2 cups all purpose flour (swap a ½ cup for whole wheat flour if you like)
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup molasses ***
- ½ cup olive oil or melted unsalted butter
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped dates
- ½ + ⅛ cup chopped walnuts (pecans can be used if preferred)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Preparation of the Banana Date Loaf:
To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dump the oats onto it and spread out evenly over the paper. Bake the oats for 6-8 minutes, or until light golden color. Set aside.
In a medium size bowl, combine sugar, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla.
Mix in oil (if using molasses, stir in now).
Add mashed bananas and mix. Remember, 1 whole banana is reserved.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a separate bowl and whisk together to sift.
Combine the flour mixture into the wet mix.
Chop walnuts and add ½ cup to the banana bread mixture. Reserve ⅛th cup walnuts for topping the bread before baking.
Chop dates. If you bought pitted dates then it's super easy to dice up. Stir the dates into the mixture.
Blend in ½ cup of the toasted oats and reserve ¼ cup for topping the bread before baking.
Prepare loaf pan with parchment paper and oil spray or greasing and flouring pan. Scoop the banana bread batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.
Carefully slice the extra banana lengthwise as thinly as possible without breaking the slice. If it does break, it's ok, it will still work.
Place your banana slices along the top sides of the loaf. Sprinkle the remaining toasted oats and chopped walnuts around the banana slices.
Bake for 60 minutes and start checking at 50 minutes by inserting a cake tester or toothpick into the center of the bread. When it is done, the tester/toothpick will come out clean.
Allow to cool 10 minutes and remove loaf to a wire rack.
Once fully cooled to room temperature, slice and enjoy!
Quick Breads
More delicious quick bread recipes:
- Butternut Squash Bread
- Starbucks Banana Bread
- Cranberry Apple Oatmeal Bread
- Marbled Banana Bread with Chocolate Swirl
- Cassava Flour Bread (savory)
Q&A
You can keep your banana bread fresh by wrapping well with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It can be kept on the counter for up to 2 days, or you can keep it for up to a week in the refrigerator, as long as you store it within a few hours of it cooling from the oven.
Place it in a freezer-safe airtight container or double wrap the loaf. Frozen banana bread with dates will easily last 3 months and perhaps up to six months.
Yes, adding chocolate chips to the recipe is fine. Fold them in along with the nuts and dates.
Banana Date Bread with Walnuts and Oats Recipe
Equipment
- Loaf pan (preferably 9x5 inch)
- baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- nonstick cooking spray
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas approximately 2 medium bananas + 1 medium whole banana
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup molasses ***
- ½ cup olive oil ,avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped dates
- ½ + ⅛ cup chopped walnuts pecans can be used if preferred
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°f. (177°c)
- Spread oats onto a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and bake for 6-8 minutes, or until light golden color. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, combine sugar, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla.
- Mix in oil and molasses (if using).
- Blend in mashed bananas. Remember, 1 whole banana is reserved.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
- Chop walnuts and add ½ cup to the banana mixture. Reserve ⅛th cup walnuts for topping the bread before baking.
- Chop dates. If you bought pitted dates then it's super easy to dice up. Stir the dates into the mixture.
- Blend in ½ cup of the toasted oats and reserve ¼ cup for topping the bread before baking.
- Line pan with parchment paper and oil spray or greasing and flouring pan. Fill your prepared loaf pan with the banana bread mixture.
- Carefully slice banana lengthwise as thin as possible without breaking the slice. If it does break,
- it's ok, it will still work.
- Place your banana slices along the top sides of the loaf. Sprinkle the remaining toasted oats and chopped walnuts around the banana slices.
- Bake for 60 minutes and start checking at 50 minutes by inserting a cake tester or toothpick into the center of the bread. When it is done, the tester/toothpick will come out clean.
- Allow banana bread to cool 10 minutes, then remove loaf to a wire rack to finish cooling.
RITA says
This banana bread was so good. I loved the dates and nuts in it.