This Slow Cooker Banana Bread is the tastiest way to use up those overripe bananas sitting on your counter. Soft, moist, and swirled with gooey chocolate chips, it's a blend of cozy banana bread vibes with a boost of protein to make it more than just dessert. And since it cooks right in the slow cooker, it’s an easy, hands-off treat that’s perfect for holidays..
"I tried your banana bread today in a slow cooker and never thought that actually can be good. But it's super good and delicious like all your recipes.!!" -Greta
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 3 hours 5 minutes
- 👪Serves: 8
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 285 kcals and 19 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Bananas, gluten-free baking flour, eggs, Collagen powder, cane sugar, and almond milk.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, high-protein.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This slow cooker banana bread is ultra-moist, protein-packed, and hands-off to make. Perfect for holidays, meal prep, or anytime oven space is limited while still delivering classic banana bread comfort.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Use up those overripe bananas and spend way less time in the kitchen with this crock pot banana bread. It bakes up moist, soft, and surprisingly filling thanks to the collagen powder (learn more about what is collagen powder), and the best part is that the slow cooker does all the work. I love being able to set it and walk away, just like with this slow cooker breakfast casserole without cheese.
As a mom, low-mess and no-fuss recipes like this high-protein banana bread are everything. It’s perfect for Christmas morning or busy holidays when oven space is limited, and you still want something special. Of course, this single serve banana bread is great as a backup for hard cravings too. If you’re new to slow cooking, it also helps to learn how to choose the best slow cooker for your family (and how to use it!) so recipes like this feel effortless.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Allergy-friendly: This protein banana bread is dairy-free and gluten-free, making it perfect for dietary restrictions.
Easy to make: Mix it up, pour it into the slow cooker, and let it do its thing. No major kitchen skills means this one is great for everyone in the kitchen.
Kid-approved: The banana bread is sweet but not too sweet, making it great for kids.
Versatile: Thanks to the high-protein content, it's great for breakfast, dessert, or a mid-afternoon snack.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- 1:1 Gluten-free baking flour: Every gluten-free flour is slightly unique and can result in a different texture. I stick to Bob's Red Mills personally. Make sure to use baking flour and not all-purpose.
- Ripe bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the bread, so use up all the old ones on the counter! If you have extra, these healthy banana cookies are great too!
- Collagen powder: One of the cleanest sources of protein and great for your gut, hair, skin, and nails! Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and check out these collagen powder recipes to get more in.
- Almond flour: You want to use almond flour and not almond meal for this slow cooker banana bread recipe. It will make it have a smoother, less gritty texture. Learn the difference between almond flour and almond meal.
- Cane sugar: Any regular sugar will work for the recipe.
- Non-dairy milk: All dairy-free milks should work except for canned coconut milk. We use my homemade hemp recipe milk the most.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Crunch: Toss some chopped pecans into the mix for added texture.
Extract: Adding vanilla or almond extract gives a subtle switch to the flavor.
Toppings: Once you serve it, offer a drizzle of coconut milk caramel sauce on top.
How To Make Slow Cooker Banana Bread
Step 1: In a large bowl, mash the bananas until few clumps remain. Stir in the eggs, apple cider vinegar, and milk.
Step 2: One by one add in the remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips) and mix.
Step 3: Fold in the chocolate chips and mix again.
Step 4: Line a 7-quart slow cooker with parchment paper and pour the mixture in. Cover the slow cooker with a tea towel and then the lid. Cook on low for 3 hours and remove immediately.
Expert Tips
Banana bread in the slow cooker can be finicky. First off, make sure to line your slow cooker with parchment paper. Not only does this make it easier to remove the high-protein banana bread, but it also makes it so you don’t need to scrape a slow cooker!
Place a thick tea towel over the slow cooker before putting the lid on. This helps absorb the moisture from cooking healthy banana bread. If you don’t do this, you end up with soggy banana bread.
Do not “lock” the lid into place, just place it on top of the tea towel.
Ideally, remove the high-protein banana bread from the slow cooker and let it cool. If you let it hang out in the slow cooker on “warm” the outsides tend to get a bit crispy and the texture changes.
Store leftover banana bread once cooled in an airtight container on the counter for one day or in the fridge for 3-4 days. If it's in the fridge, reheat it briefly before enjoying.
Slow Cooker Banana Bread FAQs
Unfortunately, no. protein powder (especially vegan protein powder) absorbs a lot of liquid. Replacing the collagen with protein will leave you with a big mess.
If it fits, you can use a loaf tin in the slow cooker. However, it may alter cooking times and hasn’t been tried with this banana bread recipe.
No. Cooking the protein banana bread on high will cause the outside of the bread to burn, and the inside of the bread not to cook through.
This slow cooker banana bread is best stored in the fridge. When you want to consume it, heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up. It’s especially delicious topped with some butter or peanut butter!
Because gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid, regular wheat flour can't be used for this protein banana bread recipe.
More Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Slow Cooker Banana Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Slow Cooker Banana Bread (High-Protein)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups 1:1 Gluten-free baking flour
- ½ cup Collagen powder
- ⅓ cup Almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
- 3 Bananas
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ⅓ cup Cane sugar
- 1 cup Almond milk
- ⅓ cup Mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl mash the bananas until few clumps remain. Stir in the eggs, apple cider vinegar, and milk.
- One by one add in the remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips) and mix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and mix again.
- Line a 7-quart slow cooker with parchment paper and pour the mixture in.
- Cover the slow cooker with a thick tea towel and then the lid.
- Cook on low for 3 hours and remove immediately.
Notes
- Place a thick tea towel over the slow cooker before putting the lid on. This helps absorb the moisture from cooking the banana bread. If you don’t do this, you end up with soggy banana bread.
- Do not “lock” the lid into place, just place it on top of the tea towel.
- Don’t overmix your banana bread! Mix until combined and then leave it.
- Ideally, remove the high-protein banana bread from the slow cooker at three hours and let it cool. If you let it hang out in the slow cooker on “warm” the outsides tend to get a bit crispy and the texture changes.
- You cannot sub in whey protein powder for collagen in this recipe (especially not vegan protein powder). However, if you don't have almond flour you can skip it and just cut the dairy-free milk in half. Keep an eye though as cooking times may vary.
- This protein banana bread recipe was made in a 7-quart slow cooker and set to “low”. If your slow cooker is smaller, cooking times may be different.
- Makes roughly 8 squares.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Any says
I am impressed with the idea of using a slow cooker! I am going to try this soon!!
fitasamamabear says
It intrigued me as well. Then I messed it up about 6 times and we ate too much banana bread haha but we love the final version!
Katie Jacques says
This slow cooker banana bread is the perfect easy weeknight dinner!
Jess Selensky says
So delicious and moist
fitasamamabear says
Glad you enjoyed it!
tianna says
love the addition of protein in this recipe.
fitasamamabear says
Nice way to boost intake a bit!
Judith says
I didn’t realise you could bake loaves in a slow cooker. This looks great!
fitasamamabear says
Me neither until I tried and now we're obsessed.
Ksenia says
I made this with my last black bananas, and it was perfect! Felt so virtuous and yummy.
fitasamamabear says
Haha the hardcore black bananas are the best ones!
GRETA says
I tried your banana bread today in a slow cooker and never thought that actually can be good. But it's super good and delicious like all your recipes.
fitasamamabear says
Thank you so much! I'm glad it worked out for you!
Sonia says
I never thought of using my slow cooker for baking, but this recipe changed everything! I made this, and it was sooooo good! It is so easy, and delicious! thanks for sharing!
fitasamamabear says
It's definitely a nice swap to have when your ovens are in use!
Brooke says
Never in a million years would I have ever dreamed of making bread of any kind in my Crock Pot! This, like all of your other recipes was easy, delicious and healthy! Sincerely, your biggest fan!
fitasamamabear says
You are the BEST! The darn banana bread took like 8 tries to get it right. We were all so sick of banana bread haha but now we're also obsessed!
Mandy Applegate says
I'd never thought of cooking banana bread in the slow cooker, let alone high-protein banana bread - what a discovery - thank you!
fitasamamabear says
Haha right?! But now that I've done it, I'm obsessed lol