Introduction
Craving a sweet treat without the guilt of added sugar? This oatmeal, cocoa, and banana loaf is the answer! It’s incredibly easy to make, relying on the natural sweetness of ripe bananas for its flavor. If you love moist, chocolatey, and wholesome desserts, you’re going to adore this. It’s a perfect quick bread for breakfast, a post-workout snack, or a simple dessert for the whole family, proving that healthy eating can still be delicious and satisfying.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
What You’ll Need
- Rolled Oats — 1.5 cups (135g)
- Ripe Bananas — 3 large or 4 medium (about 360g, mashed)
- Eggs — 2 large
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder — 1/4 cup (25g)
- Baking Powder — 1 teaspoon
- Optional Topping — 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or peanuts (and a drizzle of melted unsweetened chocolate for garnish)
How to Make No-Sugar Chocolate Oatmeal Banana Loaf
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start with the simple base step — Preheat your oven to $350^\circ\text{F}$ ($175^\circ\text{C}$). Grease and line a standard loaf pan ($9 \times 5$ inches) with parchment paper.
- Heating / mixing / processing step — In a blender or food processor, combine the rolled oats, ripe bananas, eggs, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and looks like a thick batter. Alternatively, you can mash the bananas and mix everything vigorously in a bowl.
- Additional step — Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. If using chopped nuts for the topping, sprinkle them evenly over the top of the batter.
- How to finish or set the recipe — Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. If the top starts browning too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
- Any optional step — Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, you can drizzle it with melted unsweetened chocolate or a simple caramel sauce, as shown in the picture.
Tips & Variations
Helpful Notes
- Use Ripe Bananas: The riper the bananas (the more black spots they have), the sweeter and more moist your loaf will be, which is crucial since there is no added sugar.
- Add Protein: Stir in 1 scoop of your favorite chocolate or vanilla protein powder before blending for an added boost. You may need to add a splash of milk to maintain a pourable batter.
- Different Textures: For a chunkier texture, only blend half of the oats and stir the remaining half into the batter with a spoon.
Storage & Serving Suggestions
Store the cooled loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, slice the loaf and freeze the individual slices for up to 2 months. The loaf is best served slightly warm, perhaps with a smear of peanut butter or a dollop of Greek yogurt for a truly satisfying, protein-packed dessert or breakfast.
Conclusion
This incredibly simple, no-sugar, healthy chocolate loaf is proof that you don’t need a complex ingredient list to create something truly delicious. Try it today and share this easy recipe with a friend who’s looking for a guilt-free way to satisfy their sweet tooth!
Would you like me to find a recipe for the chocolate drizzle or suggest other healthy no-sugar desserts?
