Banana Coconut Bread
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If you’re looking for a fresh twist on classic banana bread, this recipe is it. Coconut and pecans make every slice extra delicious, and the loaf freezes beautifully.
Banana and coconut are a natural pairing, and this moist, tender quick bread is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them together. The shredded coconut adds a subtle sweetness and delicate chew that makes every slice just a little more special than classic banana bread. It’s easy to make—you can have the batter mixed in about 20 minutes, then let the oven do the rest. Enjoy a warm slice fresh from the oven, or toast one for breakfast the next morning.
“Best banana bread EVER! This is definitely a keeper and one that I will be proud to share in gift baskets!”
What You’ll Need To Make Banana Bread With Coconut And Pecans
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the bread. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the bread rise and become fluffy.
- Butter: Adds moisture and richness to the bread.
- Sugar: Sweetens the bread and helps create a tender crumb.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add richness.
- Very Ripe Bananas: Provide moisture, natural sweetness, and big banana flavor. They should be dark yellow with lots of brown spots, or even fully brown. (Pro Tip: To ripen quickly, bake bananas in their peels at 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and blackened. Extra-ripe bananas freeze well too—see my post how to freeze bananas for details on freezing and thawing.)
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the bread with its aromatic richness.
- Shredded Unsweetened Coconut: Adds a subtle tropical flavor and texture.
- Pecans: Contribute crunch and a nutty flavor, especially when toasted.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. Start by whisking together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Whisking them together first ensures the baking powder and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, so you won’t get an occasional bitter or salty bite—and it also means less mixing is needed once the dry ingredients meet the batter.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients. In the mixer bowl, beat together the melted butter and sugar until combined. It’ll look a bit lumpy, and that’s fine. Add the eggs, bananas, and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Step 3: Mix in the dry ingredients and add-ins. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Be careful not to overmix—at this stage, mixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can make the loaf dense and tough instead of tender. Fold in the coconut and pecans by hand.
Step 4: Prepare the pan. Scrape the batter into the greased loaf pan and give it a gentle tap on the counter to settle it and release any air bubbles.
Step 5: Bake and cool. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are fine, since the bananas keep the loaf from ever baking fully dry). The top will crack as it bakes, which is completely normal for a banana bread. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about ten minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack; that short rest lets it firm up enough to hold together as you unmold it.
This loaf keeps very well at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, it freezes beautifully; wrap it well and it’ll keep for a couple of months, ready whenever a banana bread craving hits. Toasting individual slices brings back that just-baked warmth and crisps up the edges a bit, which is my favorite way to serve it after the first day.
More Banana Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Banana Coconut Bread
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth (from about 3 bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped (see note below)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13-cm) loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the melted butter and sugar until just combined. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix. Gently stir in the coconut and the pecans (the batter will look lumpy).
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center is relatively clean (tester should not be totally dry; the bananas keep it moist) and the top is golden brown. Do not overbake. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then turn out onto a wire cooling rack. Slice while still warm. It will keep nicely covered with foil, at room temperature, for 3 to 4 days. Toast individual slices to get the same fresh-baked effect.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi! I would like to make this as muffins, rather than a loaf. It was great as a loaf, but want to try it as muffins. What would you suggest so that it works out? I think it would make the usual dozen muffins, but any suggestions as to temperature, timing, or whatever you think would be helpful? Thanks!
Hi Jane, for muffins, I’d bake them at 350°F; bake time should be approximately 25 minutes, but keep an eye on them. Please LMK how they turn out!
This is delicious!! The crust has a nice crispy texture. Just curious as to why you used melted butter in this recipe and softened butter in your classic banana bread recipe ( which I love as well and have made so many times!) the melted butter feels to make a more airy texture…
Hi Lily, Glad you enjoyed it! Melted butter helps to create a denser bread whereas creaming softened butter introduces more air, giving the bread/cake a lighter texture, so that’s funny that you found this had a airer texture!
Hi Jenn. First – I love this recipe and have made it multiple time. My question: each time I’ve made it (following the recipe with no changes), the middle part of the bread is mushy and undercooked while the outside portions are perfectly cooked and delicious. Can you help me figure out what I’m doing wrong? Despite that, this is my go to banana bread recipe!:)
Sam, glad you like it but I’m sorry you’re stuggling with it baking unevenly. Are you using a glass or dark metal loaf pan?
A dark metal loaf pan
Hi Sam, Dark metal absorbs more heat and can make the edges/outside of baked good brown and cook through before the center is done. If you’re willing to invest in a new loaf pan, you’ll likely get a better result with a light colored metal pan. I really like USA Bakeware pans.
Will try that on my next attempt:) Thanks, Jenn.
Can I leave out the coconut or substitute? Now a fan.
Sure, Cathleen, that’s fine. Enjoy!
I had previously made your chocolate banana bread and loved it so thought I would make this for a change.
I reduced the sugar by 2 tablespoons as I was using desiccated coconut. Wow, this tastes amazing, even more so if left in tinfoil for a day. Your recipes are so good Jenn and I always bake and cook with confidence when I make them, thank you so much. Thanks also for the helpful advice you give too.
Can I add crushed pineapple to this recipe?
Hi Sharon, I don’t recommend adding crushed pineapple as it will make the bread too wet. Sorry!
Jenn’s banana bread arsenal is unrivaled 😆 I regularly make her marbled banana bread(my favorite) and the chai spiced one.
For this coconut and pecan variation, I cut down the sugar to 150g. Perfect! Yet another fabulous Jenn style loaf which will be enjoyed by my family for many years to come.
Hello. I am looking forward to making this, and want to make it as muffins, but I have to replace the butter with oil, due to family health issues. So, can I replace with canola or even avocado oil, and if so, is it a 1:1 replacement? Thanks!
Sure, Jane, either canola or avocado oil will work, and you’ll need the same amount – hope you enjoy!
I’m not a huge fan of banana bread in general, but I’ve made many banana breads in my life as a home baker-mostly to not waste bananas. This was the perfect combination of bananas, coconut, and pecans to give the bread an amazing flavor! From now on, I’ll be making this version. Love all the recipes from you Jen!
Just enjoyed my first loaf of this delicious bread, with only a couple of minor adjustments. Since I only had shredded sweetened coconut, I chopped it a bit finer and reduced the sugar to 2/3 C (minus 2 T). Fresh from the oven, I could hardly wait to slice and share with my lovely neighbors. We all agree this is definitely a keeper. Thanks, Jenn!
Kathy