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This one bowl Fresh Milled Banana Bread is the BEST way to use over-ripened bananas. It’s caramelized on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with soft pockets of banana. The distinct flavor of fresh milled flour makes this recipe truly unforgettable.
P.S. this recipe tastes amazing as muffins too!
And this might sound weird, but we LOVE toasting our banana bread and spreading it with butter and Mixed Fruit Jam. The combination is surprising and yummy. You definitely should give it a try.
For the past few years I have been on a journey to feed my family better, because what they’re spraying on our food and fields is deteriorating our health. We’ve started growing and preserving our own food, we make 90% of our meals at home, and we’re making more at home in general… including milling our own flour for baking. I started simple with pancakes, and once I felt confident I moved on to banana bread.
And let me tell you, this Fresh Milled Banana Bread was worth the learning curve. The outside is crispy, caramelized, and the inside has the most tender, soft crumb. There are pockets of sweet banana throughout, and the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg makes the bananas sing. It’s everything you want banana bread to be, but with that distinct fresh milled flavor you just cannot get from store-bought flour.
What Wheat Berries Are Used In Banana Bread?
Soft white wheat berries are the best variety for Fresh Milled Banana Bread. They are lower in protein and the grain is softer, which means you get a delicate bread that won’t crumble or be too heavy. It also has a mild, slightly sweet and nutty flavor that won’t overpower the banana and spices.
Ingredients in Fresh Milled Banana Bread
Here’s everything you will need to make this recipe and a few important notes too. Keep reading!
- Soft White Wheat Berries: If possible, source your wheat berries local, just make sure they’re organic and non-GMO wheat berries. If you’re in Michigan I use Findlay’s organics, but you can also get them on Amazon.
- Leavening Agents: We’ll use a combination of baking powder and baking soda. Just make sure it’s not expired.
- Salt
- Spices: The best banana bread has cinnamon, of course, but my secret is a pinch of nutmeg.
- Melted Butter: I use unsalted melted, but feel free to use salted. You might want to reduce or omit the added salt so your bread isn’t overly salty.
- Sugar: Use cane sugar or granulated sugar.
- Eggs: Brought to room temperature.
- Whole Milk: Also brought to room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract
- Overripe Bananas: I like mine to be half black and half dark yellow. Keep in mind, the more black they get, the softer and sweeter they get.
How to Make Fresh Milled Banana Bread
1. Whisk and Fold. Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Fold in the fresh milled flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg until just combined.
2. Rest, Add Bananas, And Rest Again. Allow the batter to rest and fresh milled flour to absorb the moisture for 15 minutes. Add the mashed bananas, and fold those in until combined. Let the batter rest for 15 more minutes before pouring into a lightly greased bread pan.
2. Bake and Cool. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick test comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the banana bread to cool before removing it from the pan. It tastes best the next day, so I recommend waiting if you can.
Find the complete recipe instructions with measurements below.
Helpful Recipe Tips
Don’t skip the resting time. With fresh milled flour it’s so important the batter has a proper rest time. This allows the bran and germ to absorb more moisture which improves the flavor and structure. Without this the bread tends to be dry, gritty, and crumbly.
Throw in some extras. This banana bread tastes great with mini chocolate chips, nuts like pecans or walnuts, and even unsweetened shredded coconut.
Make this recipe into muffins instead. Make the batter as normal, but scoop it evenly into a standard muffin pan. Bake them for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick test comes out clean. A quick tip, don’t fill the cavities more than half full and use paper liners to prevent sticking.
Storing and Freezing Information
This Fresh Milled Banana Bread stores really well at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer. At room temperature, wrap it tightly in a beeswax wrap (or plastic wrap) and place somewhere out of direct sunlight for up to 4 days. In the refrigerator, wrap it the same way and it’ll last up to 7 days.
For longer storage, the freezer is a great option. Wrap the whole loaf, a partial loaf, or individual slices tightly in beeswax wrap (or plastic wrap), and then put it in a freezer bag. It’ll keep for up to 3 months. When you want to eat it again, allow it to thaw at room temperature a few hours.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Fresh Milled Banana Bread
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large overripe bananas - mashed
- 3 cups fresh milled flour - soft white wheat berries
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter - melted and slightly cooled
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar - or cane sugar
- 3 eggs - room temperature
- ⅓ cup whole milk - room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Using a grain mill, grind the soft white wheat berries to a fine flour.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the fresh milled flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the slightly cooled melted unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, whole milk, and melted butter.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold until almost all of the flour is absorbed. Allow the batter to sit and rest for 15 minutes.ELIZABETH'S NOTE: Don't skip the rest time. It is important because it allows the bran and germ to absorb moisture which will improve the flavor and structure of this bread.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease or butter a bread pan and set aside.
- Add the mashed bananas and fold until incorporated into the batter. Allow the batter to sit and rest an additional 15 minutes.
- Pour batter into the bread pan and tap a few times on the counter top.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick test comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Allow the Fresh Milled Banana Bread to cool completely before slicing and enjoying. ELIZABETH'S NOTE: This bread tastes best the next day, so if you can, wait until then.
RECIPE NOTES
- I have the Harvest Grain Mill from NutriMill and love it. It takes about 1 minute to mill the wheat berries for this recipe, and it does it so effortlessly.
- Throw in a 1/2 cup of extras like mini chocolate chips, nuts like pecans or walnuts, and even unsweetened shredded coconut.
- I do not recommend using frozen bananas because they have a little too much moisture and can ruin the structure of this banana bread.
- Do not swap the fresh milled flour for all-purpose. It will not turn out.
STORING INFORMATION
- Room temperature, wrapped in beeswax wrap or plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.
- Refrigerator, wrapped, for up to 7 days.
- Frozen whole or in slices, wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
HOW TO MAKE BANANA BREAD MUFFINS
- Make the batter as normal and scoop evenly into a standard muffin pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick test comes out clean.
- Quick tip, don’t fill the cavities more than half full and use paper liners to prevent sticking.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
