Hawaiian banana bread with pineapple, coconut and macadamia nuts is a tropical twist on the classic loaf: ripe mashed bananas and crushed pineapple with its juice keep the crumb extra moist, while toasted macadamia nuts and unsweetened coconut flakes add crunch and a buttery, island flavor. It’s made with oil instead of butter, mixed by hand and baked in one loaf pan for 10 slices.
How to make it: Toast and chop the macadamias. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla, mashed bananas, pineapple and oil. Stir the dry ingredients in just until combined, fold in the nuts and coconut, and bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, until a knife comes out clean.
Why You’ll Love It
- Extra moist: bananas, pineapple juice and oil keep it tender for days.
- Tropical flavor: pineapple, coconut and macadamia nuts.
- No mixer: two bowls and a whisk.
- Not too sweet: just 1/2 cup of sugar; the fruit does the rest.
Ingredient Notes
Bananas: 1 1/4 cups mashed, very ripe and spotty for the most flavor and sweetness.
Crushed pineapple: one 8-ounce can, with its juice. The juice is part of the batter’s liquid.
Macadamia nuts: 1/2 cup, dry-roasted in a skillet and chopped. Toasting brings out their buttery flavor.
Coconut flakes: 1/2 cup unsweetened, so the bread doesn’t get too sweet.
Oil: 1/2 cup of sunflower or any neutral oil, plus a little for the pan. Oil keeps the bread moist longer than butter.
Dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Plus 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups ripe bananas, mashed
- 8 oz crushed pineapple with juice (1 can)
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil, for greasing the pan
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, dry roasted and chopped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
How to Make Hawaiian Banana Bread
1. Prepare the pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan with non-stick spray or a light coating of oil.
2. Toast the nuts. Dry roast the macadamia nuts in a skillet for a few minutes until they’re slightly browned, then chop and set aside.
3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
4. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, mashed bananas, crushed pineapple (with juice), and oil until well combined.
5. Combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
6. Fold in nuts and coconut. Gently fold in the chopped macadamia nuts and unsweetened coconut flakes.
7. Fill the pan. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
8. Bake. Bake for 55-65 minutes at 350°F, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Cool. Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
How Do I Keep Banana Bread Moist?
- Use very ripe bananas. Brown-speckled bananas are sweeter and wetter.
- Use oil. Oil stays liquid at room temperature, so oil-based breads feel moister than butter-based ones.
- Keep the pineapple juice. It adds moisture and a gentle tang.
- Don’t overmix. Stir just until no flour shows; overmixing makes a dense, dry loaf.
- Don’t overbake. Start checking at the shortest time; a few moist crumbs on the knife are fine.
- Wrap it once cool. Wrapping the loaf traps moisture overnight.
Why Macadamia Nuts?
Macadamia nuts are rich and buttery, with a softer crunch than walnuts or pecans, and they pair naturally with coconut and pineapple. Toasting them lightly in a dry skillet deepens their flavor. Watch them closely, because their high fat content means they go from golden to burnt quickly. Salted or unsalted both work; if they’re salted, the bread gets a pleasant sweet-salty contrast.
Variations
- Walnuts or pecans: use them if you can’t find macadamias.
- White chocolate chips: fold in a handful with the nuts.
- Coconut topping: sprinkle extra coconut and nuts over the top before baking.
- Muffins: bake in a lined muffin tin until a toothpick comes out clean, checking early.
- Glaze: drizzle with a pineapple-juice and powdered-sugar glaze once cool.
If you like pineapple in baked dishes, try Pineapple and Bread Casserole, a sweet bake with white bread that turns golden.
Storage
Wrap the cooled loaf tightly and keep it at room temperature. For longer storage, slice it, wrap the slices and freeze them; toast a frozen slice for a quick breakfast.
What to Serve With It
Serve slices plain, toasted with butter, or with a cup of coffee for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
More banana and tropical bakes: Hawaiian banana bread (the butter-based loaf without nuts), salted caramel banana bread, chocolate banana bread, banana bread brownies, Hawaiian pineapple coconut fluff and pineapple coconut surprise cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep banana bread moist?
Use very ripe bananas and oil, keep the pineapple juice, don’t overmix and don’t overbake.
Do I drain the pineapple?
No. The juice goes into the batter.
Can I use sweetened coconut?
Yes, but the bread will be sweeter. Consider cutting the sugar a little.
Why is my banana bread gummy in the middle?
It was underbaked or overmixed. Bake until a knife comes out clean from the center.
Can I use a different nut?
Yes. Walnuts or pecans work in the same amount.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Wrap whole loaves or slices tightly and freeze.
Final Notes
Use spotty bananas, keep the pineapple juice and toast the macadamias. If you add white chocolate chips or bake muffins, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Hawaiian Banana Bread with Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia Nuts
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups ripe bananas mashed
- 8 oz crushed pineapple with juice 1 can
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil or any neutral oil
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil or any neutral oil, for greasing the pan
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts dry roasted and chopped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan with non-stick spray or a light coating of oil.
- Dry roast the macadamia nuts in a skillet for a few minutes until they’re slightly browned, then chop and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, mashed bananas, crushed pineapple (with juice), and oil until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Gently fold in the chopped macadamia nuts and unsweetened coconut flakes.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes at 350°F, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
