Can I add protein powder to this recipe?

I haven’t personally tried that but I’m quite sure it would still turn out great and make this bread even higher in protein! I’d recommend 2-3 scoops for an extra protein boost. I'm partial to the brand Orgain for protein powder !

What if I don't have hemp hearts?

Hemp hearts act as sort of a 'nutrition booster' for this recipe. They can easily be left out without affecting the integrity of the recipe.

Can I use almond flour?

At your own risk. I haven’t tested this recipe with almond flour. The final product will be more dense but I feel confident it would still be yummy. If you use almond flour , increase the flour measurement to 2½ cups.

Can I make these into banana muffins?

Yes! Bake in a muffin tin at 325 degrees for 20-22 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

How do I make these gluten-free?

My top suggestion would be to use an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour blend but you can also follow the above instructions on how to use almond flour .

Can I decrease the total fat in this recipe?

The purpose of fat in baking is for moisture and flavor. I would argue that this recipe has a modest amount of fat appropriate for one loaf of bread. If you do reduce the amount of oil or replace it with something like applesauce or pumpkin, it will affect the moisture and flavor of the loaf, so do so at your discretion.

Can I make this vegan?

Instead of trying to "vegan-ize" this recipe I'd recommend this yummy vegan banana bread!

How should I store and reheat this banana bread?

I store the loaf whole (don’t pre-slice it!) in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice (hello easy breakfast or afternoon snack) use a bread knife to cut a slice and warm it in the microwave or toaster oven for 15-30 seconds.

Soft & Tender Cottage Cheese Banana Bread

Description

This banana bread is tender, moist, sweet and simply drool-worthy. It has an extra boost of protein from cottage cheese and hemp hearts and hope it makes it on your list for the next time you’re in a baking mood!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 heaping cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 small to medium bananas)
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar or pure maple syrup
1/3 cup avocado oil
2 eggs
2/3 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup hemp hearts (completely optional, these are just for a boost of protein and nutrition!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mix-ins of choice like walnuts, chocolate chunks, pecans, pumpkin seeds, coconut or dried cranberries

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark while cooking this recipe!

Instructions

Pan prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan (standard size) with butter or nonstick baking spray and a sprinkling of flour, tapping out any excess flour. Set aside the prepared pan. I prefer a metal loaf pan vs a glass loaf pan- keep in mind that if you use glass your bake time will be longer.
Wet ingredients: In a large bowl mash the bananas until “liquid-y”- there will be a few lumps and that’s okay. Whisk in the brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs, cottage cheese, hemp hearts and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined.
Dry ingredients: To that same bowl add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Use a silicone spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet- mix until JUST combined. Over-mixing results in a more dense, tougher loaf. Fold in any mix-ins.
Bake: Pour the batter in the prepared pan. To the top of the loaf you can add a handful of chocolate chunks or slice a banana lengthwise and gently press it in. Bake for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick entered into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool: Let cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then run a knife along the perimeter of the loaf to loosen it from the pan. Remove loaf and let it cool a few more minutes on a cooling rack (impossible, I know).
Enjoy: Slice and serve! My favorite is slathered in peanut butter but butter, almond butter, a drizzle of honey or just STRAIGHT UP are all amazing.

Notes

Muffins: pour batter into greased muffin tin and bake for 20-22 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. You can also use muffin liners but I would still give them a spray with nonstick spray.

There is a LOT of information on substitution suggestions and ingredient variations in the above blog post so make sure to read through the post for frequently asked questions!

Update 2/20/26: I’ve updated the baking temp to be 350°F instead of 325°F. I’ve baked this bread countless times and in different ovens. The oven at my new house is really finnicky and I have better results at the slightly higher temperature.

Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary slightly.

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Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 248
Sugar: 13.3 g
Sodium: 305.6 mg
Fat: 11.1 g
Carbohydrates: 32.5 g
Fiber: 3.2 g
Protein: 7.1 g
Cholesterol: 39 mg