When the highlight of your day is running the dishwasher three times, a truly great banana bread feels like a small miracle.
I bake a lot with bananas. Maybe “a lot” is an understatement. Banana quick breads and muffins are among my favorite snacks — easy to make, easy to eat, and they sit perfectly in that comforting middle ground between dessert and everyday treat. Banana bread is a snack you can feel good about enjoying any time of day.
It’s nostalgic for me, too. Growing up, banana bread was a bakery of comfort at home. When my mom made it, we devoured the loaf in minutes. The smell, the texture, the warm slices — it all felt like a small celebration.
Over the years I’ve experimented with banana in just about every form: cakes, cupcakes, muffins, cookies, oatmeal — you name it. Sometimes I’ve gone wild (bacon and peanut butter banana bread, anyone?), and sometimes I keep it classic. I’ll try banana bread ten different ways and still want more.
This particular loaf swaps butter for coconut oil, which keeps it incredibly moist and tender. The crumb is soft and dense in the best way; thick slices are recommended. But the real star here is the coconut-cinnamon streusel on top. It adds a crunchy, buttery contrast that takes the bread from everyday to unforgettable. I might be ruined for plain banana bread after this.
If you’re not a coconut fan, don’t worry. The loaf itself doesn’t contain coconut flakes and the coconut oil has a neutral flavor when refined. You can omit the coconut extract from the batter and skip the coconut in the streusel if you prefer. For those who enjoy coconut flavor but dislike its texture, try unsweetened flaked coconut — it’s less stringy than sweetened shredded coconut and blends nicely into toppings and baked goods.
This recipe uses whole wheat pastry flour for a bit of nuttiness and extra texture, while the coconut milk and coconut oil keep the loaf decadently moist without dairy. Brown sugar adds depth and a hint of caramel, and a touch of cinnamon in both the batter and streusel ties everything together. The streusel is the finishing touch — brown sugar, flour, shredded and flaked coconut, cinnamon and cold butter combined until the mixture is evenly moistened, then scattered over the top before baking.
Whole Wheat Coconut Banana Bread with Coconut Streusel
1
(9×5) loaf
15 mins
1 hr 20 mins
1 hr 35 mins
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 4 bananas, mashed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
Streusel
- 2/3 cups brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Spray a 9×5 loaf pan well with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and brown sugar until smooth. Add the coconut milk and melted coconut oil and whisk to combine. Stir in the mashed bananas, vanilla and coconut extracts. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
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Make the streusel by combining brown sugar, flour, flaked and shredded coconut, cinnamon and cold butter. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is evenly moistened and crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake 75–85 minutes, until the center is set. If the streusel browns too quickly, tent the loaf loosely with foil.
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Remove from the oven and let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
In short: this loaf is moist, tender and richly flavored, with a crunchy, coconut-cinnamon streusel that elevates every bite. It’s easy to make, comforting to serve and worth baking any day you need something a little sweet and wholly satisfying. Also, I’m officially streuseling everything from now on — yes, streusel is now a verb.