Seedy Blueberry Banana Bread + Scenes from Blueberry Picking

This Seedy Blueberry Banana Bread recipe is a great way to use up overly ripe bananas and to get a boost of fruit in your diet! It’s less sweet than most banana bread recipes making it an ideal choice for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

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Not sure exactly what it is but it doesn’t take much for me to get the summer bummers. Maybe it’s the expectation that summer is going to be only all day pool parties and caprese salads, but usually by the time July hits I start to crave cooler calm days. We headed up north to visit Wyatt’s parents a few weekends ago and disappoint rung throughout the house, from everyone but me, when rain hit on our boat day. It was merely sprinkling, but that was enough to know that laying out in the sun was not going to be in our cards so I suggested we visit a nearby organic blueberry farm instead.

I was nervous about how Wyatt’s family was going to react to spending their Saturday picking fruit but everyone ended up having a blast (the guys even turned it into a competition)! And wandering around the lush blueberry patch in the warm summer rain drizzle was exactly what I needed to refresh and get me out of my mood.

We picked over 22 pounds (!!!) of blueberries, so I froze half of them and then made this Seedy Blueberry Banana Bread and a pie (recipe coming soon!) with my portion of the berries. What I really love about this blueberry banana bread recipe is that it’s not overly sweet so I don’t feel guilty about enjoying it for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. I think I may even try to cut the sugar down to 1/2 cup the next time I make this (I’ll make sure to update you here when I do).

It’s also pretty hands off to whip up and will only take about 10 minutes to make the batter and the rest of the time will spent letting it bake. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself below…

What’s Needed for Blueberry Banana Bread?

This is actually an olive oil banana bread recipe — I know, what?! Banana bread without butter? Trust me, this recipe is a keeper.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this blueberry banana bread recipe:

• All-purpose flour
• Sesame seeds
• Poppyseeds
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Kosher salt
• Mashed bananas
• Eggs
• Olive oil
• Vanilla extract
• Blueberries
• Coarse sugar

How to Make Blueberry Banana Bread

The steps for making this quick banana bread are simple. I’ve given detailed instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s an overview:

1. Mix together the sesame seeds, poppyseeds, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the mashed bananas, eggs, oil, flour, and vanilla extract. 
3. Mix everything together until just combined.
4. Turn the batter into a parchment paper-lined 8-inch loaf pan.
5. Bake until a toothpick comes out of the center clean and the seeds on the top are toasted.

How Long Does Banana Bread Last?

Homemade banana bread will last about 2 days at room temperature if stored in an airtight container.

Can You Freeze Banana Bread?

Absolutely! Let it cool completely, then seal in a freezer bag OR wrap in a few layers of plastic wrap. To thaw, place on your counter overnight. You can also freeze individual slices of blueberry banana bread.

Tips for Making Blueberry Banana Bread

Make sure your bananas are very ripe before making this recipe. The bananas should be speckled and smell sweet. The sweeter the bananas, the better the bread!

Note that you can use either fresh or frozen blueberries to make this blueberry banana bread recipe. If using frozen berries, add to the batter straight from the freezer and add a couple minutes to the bake time.

I bet you could mix in chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or other ingredients to this olive oil banana bread. Just don’t add so many that the loaf pan overflows!

Want More Banana Recipes?

• Nutmeg Banana Carrot Muffins
• Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Banana Bread Muffins
• Healthy Cardamom Banana Bread Pancakes
• Caramelized Banana Scones