Banana Bread Latte (Naturally Sweetened with Dates)

Name: Banana Bread Latte (Naturally Sweetened with Dates)
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 30 grams ripe banana ( ¼ medium banana); 1 large Medjool date, ( pitted); 180 milliliters milk of choice (¾ cup); ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; Small pinch salt; 30 milliliters espresso (1 shot); Ice (as needed for iced version); Optional topping: froth a little extra milk to spoon on top, or add a small amount of whipped topping if you want more of a coffee-shop finish.

This banana bread latte is a creamy 5-minute coffee made with real banana, a Medjool date, cinnamon, vanilla and espresso. You can make it hot or iced, and unlike many of the versions I kept seeing online, there is no banana syrup or added sugar required.

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Creamy banana bread latte topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, served in a clear glass mug with a yellow-and-white striped straw.

A Quick Look At This Recipe

✅ Recipe Name: Banana Bread Latte (Naturally Sweetened with Dates)

🕒 Ready In: About 5 minutes

👪 Serves: 1 drink

🍽 Nutrition: About 166 calories, 7.1 grams protein, 2.9 grams fiber and 35.6 grams carbohydrates

🥣 Main Ingredients: Banana, Medjool date, milk, cinnamon and espresso

📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian and no added sugar as written with unsweetened milk

⭐ Why You'll Love It: It gives you the cozy banana bread flavor without needing to cook a separate syrup, and you can make it hot or iced.

Banana bread lattes have been trending online and as someone who LOVES banana bread (especially my cottage cheese banana bread), I knew I had to make my own version.

However, as a dietitian I am very aware of how quickly sugar can add up in drinks, especially when you combine flavored syrup with sweetened milk and cold foam. I wanted to get that same banana bread flavor using the fruit itself instead.

If you love banana recipes try my banana cottage cheese muffins or my scrambled oats next!

Jump to:

A Quick Look At This Recipe
Banana Bread Latte Recipe Nutrition Highlights
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Equipment
How To Make This Banana Bread Latte
Video For How To Make A Banana Bread Latte At Home
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
What to Pair This Recipe With
Storage
Banana Bread Latte Recipe FAQs
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Banana Bread Latte Recipe Nutrition Highlights

What I like about this version is that it uses a ripe banana and a Medjool date for sweetness instead of adding a separate sugar syrup.
Using dairy milk, the latte provides about 7 grams of protein, but you can use a different type of milk if you prefer.
You also get just under 3 grams of fiber from the banana and date. That is not a huge amount, but it is more than you would get from a standard flavored syrup.
One important point: no added sugar does not mean sugar-free. This drink still contains around 30 grams of naturally occurring sugar from the fruit and milk. That is not something you need to fear, but it is useful context, especially if you are comparing it with an unsweetened coffee.

Nutrition information was calculated using Cronometer, a nutrition tracking tool that uses the USDA FoodData Central database and verified brand data for accuracy. Estimates are based on the exact ingredients and amounts listed, so your numbers may vary slightly depending on the brands and measurements you use. Food is much more than just numbers though, so use these as a guide rather than a rule.

Nutrition Facts

Banana Bread Latte (Naturally Sweetened with Dates)

Amount per Serving

Calories

166

% Daily Value*

Fat

0.3

Saturated Fat

0.1

Cholesterol

5.5

Sodium

231

Potassium

608

Carbohydrates

35.6

Fiber

2.9

Sugar

Protein

7.1

Calcium

274

Iron

0.3

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Banana: Use a ripe banana with plenty of brown spots. A ripe banana blends more smoothly and gives you a stronger banana flavor and more sweetness. A frozen banana will also work.
Medjool date: One soft Medjool date gives the latte a caramel-like sweetness that works really well with banana and espresso. If your date is firm, soak it in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes before blending.
Milk: I used skim dairy milk for the nutrition calculation, but you can use your preferred milk. If you use a plant milk, choose an unsweetened version if you want to keep the recipe free from added sugar. Oat milk will make the drink slightly creamier, while almond milk will give a lighter result. Soy milk is the best plant based alternative if you are stll hoping to get in some protein.
Espresso: One shot is enough to balance the sweetness without overpowering the banana flavor. If you prefer a stronger coffee taste, you can add a second shot.
Cinnamon and vanilla: These are what move the flavor from "banana coffee" toward banana bread.

Equipment

You will need a blender to get the banana and date completely smooth. I love my Beast Blender for making drinks. A milk frother is helpful for adding extra frothiness or more milk froth on top.

How To Make This Banana Bread Latte

Below are the simple steps for how to make this recipe with visuals I hope are

Add the ripe banana, Medjool date, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
For an iced banana bread latte, fill a glass with ice and pour in the banana-date milk mixture.
Pour the espresso over the top. Stir before drinking if you prefer everything fully combined.
For a hot latte, gently warm the blended banana milk in a small saucepan over low heat until hot but not boiling. Pour it into a mug and add the espresso.

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Video For How To Make A Banana Bread Latte At Home

Below is a video of me making this banana bread latte and serving it over ice. I hope this inspires you to make it too.

Expert Tips for Making This Recipe

Use a very ripe banana. If the banana is still firm and barely yellow, the flavor will be much less noticeable.

Blend for a little longer than you think you need to. Dates can leave tiny pieces behind if the blender stops too soon.

Soak a firm date first. Five to 10 minutes in hot water is usually enough to soften it.

Start with one espresso shot. You can always add another if you want a stronger coffee flavor.

For the hot version, warm the banana milk gently rather than boiling it.

What to Pair This Recipe With

This works well as a mid-morning coffee on its own, but if you are having it as part of breakfast I would pair it with something more substantial.

Try it alongside my High Protein Oatmeal or one of my Oat Breakfast Bars. For an easy make-ahead option, my High Protein Overnight Oats would also work really well with it.

I also just love to have this with a cozy sweet treat. The recipe gives me fall vibes when I make it warm and in this case it works great with my pumpkin protein cookies.

Storage

This latte is best enjoyed fresh. I have never met anyone who preps lattes, but if you do, please let me know in the comments 😂.

Banana Bread Latte Recipe FAQs

Is this banana bread latte sugar-free?

No. It has no added sugar as written with unsweetened milk, but the banana, Medjool date and milk all contain naturally occurring sugars. The main latte contains about 30 grams of total sugar using skim dairy milk.

Can I make this without espresso?

Yes. I have not tested every coffee substitute, but a small amount of strongly brewed coffee should work. Keep the volume fairly concentrated so the latte does not become watery.

Is naturally occurring sugar better than refined sugar?

Naturally occurring sugar and added sugar are still both forms of sugar, and your body ultimately breaks them down into similar building blocks. The difference is the food they come packaged in. The banana and Medjool date in this latte also provide fiber, potassium and other nutrients, while a flavored syrup mostly adds sweetness