"This was a huge hit with my family and friends. My 5-year-old wanted to take it and share with his entire class. My neighbor was like, just give me the entire loaf. The bread was moist and the flavors were great together. I'm not usually a fan of coconut, but it worked in this. We'll definitely be making it again. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe."
Richa
Jump to:
- Inspiration behind this recipe... my trip to Hawaii
- What is Hawaiian Banana Bread with Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia Nuts?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Step by Step Instructions - How to make Hawaiian Banana Bread with Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia Nuts
- Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Banana Bread Recipes!
- Recipe Card
Inspiration behind this recipe... my trip to Hawaii
Hawaii has some of the best food I've ever eaten in my life. From the fancy restaurants to the road shacks, the food there is indescribably good.
On a recent trip to Hawaii, I had some of the Best Grilled Banana Bread of my life at Kahuku Farms. For a list of all the delicious foods I ate in Hawaii, check out the 15 Best Things I Ate in 2022.
Every store, restaurant, and shack I visited served up some kind of pineapple and coconut dish. From Pineapple Fried Rice to Coconut Shrimp to Coconut Cocktails to garnishing every cocktail with pineapple, it was a no-brainer that I had to make Pineapple Coconut Banana Bread.
And once I visited Tropical Farms where the star ingredient was macadamia nut, I knew that would be my choice of nut in my Banana Bread because you can't possibly make Banana Bread without nuts. Right? Well, I don't know about you, but I love my nuts.
I knew once I reached home, I was gonna make a Hawaiian-inspired Banana Bread, one that represents Hawaii. And that's how this Hawaiian Banana Bread recipe came to life.
What is Hawaiian Banana Bread with Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia Nuts?
Hawaiian Banana Bread is a variation of the traditional banana bread recipe that incorporates the flavors of Hawaii, in this case, pineapple, coconut, and macadamia nuts. These are the three most popular fruits and nuts I enjoyed on the island.
Just a note: if you do visit the island of Maui, make sure you indulge in Maui's Banana Bread which is apparently quite famous. When I do take my Maui vacation - someday, I plan on going to Aunty Sandy's Banana Bread which is supposedly the best banana bread on the island.
Alternate Names for this Recipe
This recipe can go by various names - Coconut Pineapple Loaf Cake, Hawaiian Banana Cake Recipe, Kona Banana Bread, Hawaiian Banana Macadamia Nut Bread, Coconut Pineapple Banana Bread, Banana Coconut Bread, and Pineapple Coconut Bread.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ambrosial & Delicious
- It's a Tropical Treat
- Easy to Make
- Banana Bread is always a good idea
- Perfect with a Cup of Coffee
- Soft & Moist
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free option available - see FAQ below
- Perfect Combination for Spring or Summer
Ingredients
- Banana: You need to use ripe to overripe bananas in this recipe.
- Pineapple: I used canned Dole Crushed Pineapple with juice. You don't need to use fresh pineapple in this recipe since the crushed pineapple has sweetness and lots of juice.
- Coconut: I like using unsweetened coconut flakes in this recipe as there is already enough sugar. Feel free to toast the coconut for a more intense coconut flavor.
- Macadamia Nuts: Dry roast the nuts and then chop them up.
- All-Purpose White Flour: You'll need regular ol' white flour for this recipe.
- Sugar: I like regular white or cane sugar.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda - Leaveners used in baked goods.
- Salt - Salt is a required ingredient in baking since it really brings out the flavor of the baked item.
- Eggs - You'll need 2 eggs for this recipe.
- Pure Vanilla Extract - Use really vanilla extract, not the imitation stuff.
- Sunflower Oil: I use organic sunflower oil, you can use any tasteless oil. You can also use vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil provided it doesn't have a strong flavor.
Step by Step Instructions - How to make Hawaiian Banana Bread with Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia Nuts
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease your 8.5" loaf pan (9" or 10" works too).
3. Dry roast your macadamia nuts for a few minutes until slightly browned.
4. Once they cool, chop them up. Set aside.
5. Combine your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl - all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix and set aside.
6. Combine your wet ingredients in another large bowl - eggs, vanilla extract, mashed banana, and crushed pineapple with juice, and oil.
7. Mix the wet ingredients well.
8. Add your dry ingredients to the wet. Mix well, but don't overmix the batter.
9. Add the chopped macadamia nuts and unsweetened coconut flakes.
10. Fold the nuts and coconut into the batter. Again, do not overmix.
11. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Into the oven for 55-65 minutes at 350 degrees.
12. Use a clean knife to make sure the banana bread is not sticky on the inside. Allow your banana bread to cool completely and come to room temperature before cutting.
Serving Suggestions
This Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread gives you 10 slices, you can slice them even further and end up with 20 smaller slices.
- Enjoy this delicious banana bread for breakfast with a cup of coffee/tea.
- You can also enjoy it as an afternoon snack/dessert - any time of the day!
- It's perfect for weekend brunch.
Expert Tips
- Dry roast the macadamia nuts. This only takes a few minutes so don't over-roast them else they will burn.
- Make sure your bananas are very ripe with brown spots for the best results.
- Feel free to toast the coconut flakes for a more intense coconut flavor.
- Mix your dry ingredients and set them aside. Mix your wet ingredients and set them aside.
- Do not overmix the batter, or else you'll end up with slightly tough banana bread.
- Use a loaf pan. I recommend using a standard size with dimensions 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75, however 9x5 works too.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a knife comes out clean after being inserted into the baked banana bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a vegan option, you can omit the eggs and replace them with a flax egg.
For Flax Egg - mix 1 tablespoon ground flax meal + 3 tablespoons water until it thickens. This ratio is equal to 1 egg. For this recipe, you need 2 eggs.
Yes! Simply replace all-purpose white flour with gluten-free white flour. It's a 1:1 substitute. Also, make sure to use gluten-free baking powder.
Yes! If you have a nut allergy or don't like nuts, just skip them.
Sugar in this recipe will help with the texture of the banana bread. You can certainly replace the sugar amount with honey or coconut sugar, but that'll certainly change the texture of this bread, not to mention, the color too.
If you want to cut down on sugar, feel free to omit the sugar completely since the banana and crushed pineapple already have a good amount of sugar. Again, by omitting sugar, the texture will be affected.
5. Can I turn this Hawaiian Banana Bread into Hawaiian Muffins?
Yes. Absolutely. Just note, the muffins' bake time won't be 55 minutes. You definitely want to check the muffins at 20 minutes and every 5 minutes after that. To check if the muffins are done, perform a toothpick test.
Absolutely! That would be a great gift idea for Easter or Spring. Again, note the mini loaves' bake time won't be 55 minutes, but more like 20 minutes, hence start checking the mini loaves at the 20-minute mark and every 5 minutes thereafter.
More Banana Bread Recipes!
Tried this recipe? If so, please leave a comment & rate this recipe. That would mean so much to me. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I'm happy to share and mention you. Thank you!
Recipe Card
Hawaiian Banana Bread with Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia Nuts
Dairy-free, Gluten-Free optionEquipment
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose white flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
wet ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups ripe bananas
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice, I like Dole
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp organic sunflower oil or any tasteless oil
add-ins
- ½ cup macadamia nuts dry roasted & chopped
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease your loaf pan.
- Dry roast your macadamia nuts for a few minutes until slightly browned.
- Once they cool, chop them up. Set aside.
- Combine your dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix and set aside.
- Combine your wet ingredients - eggs, vanilla extract, banana, and crushed pineapple with juice, and oil.
- Mix the wet ingredients well.
- Add your dry ingredients to the wet. Mix well, but don't overmix the batter.
- Add the chopped macadamia nuts and unsweetened coconut flakes.
- Fold the nuts and coconut into the batter. Again, do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Into the oven for 55-65 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Use a clean knife to make sure the banana bread is not sticky on the inside. Allow your banana bread to cool completely before cutting.
MarionMenning says
I had lost my original recipe and this looks close. I use regular walnuts rough chop. We like it that away. I highly recommend this recipe, it absolutely DELISH!!!
Nisha says
HI Marion. Thank you for trying my recipe and I'm SO GLAD to hear that you loved it. Walnuts are a great addition in this recipe too. Thank you for sharing your comment. 🙂
Diana says
What a beautiful change from a regular banana bread recipe. This recipe turned out super moist and so delicious. I actually made two loaves one using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Flour and the other with regular flour. This was a massive hit in our house. I will definitely be making this again.
Michelle says
Is this a 8X4 or 9X5 pan? Thanks - Michelle in Portland
honeywhatscooking says
HI Michelle - Dimensions are 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75.
I'll go ahead and add this.
Georgianne says
Do you use salted or unsalted macadamia nuts?
honeywhatscooking says
Hi, Definitely use UNSALTED nuts. 🙂
Sheema says
This bread turned out absoultely amazing! I love the Hawaiian flavors! It's super moist and decadent! Thanks Nisha for the recipe!
Richa says
This was a huge hit with my family and friends. My 5 year old wanted to take it and share with his entire class. My neighbor was like, just give me the entire loaf.
The bread was moist and the flavors were great together. I'm not usually a fan of coconut, but it worked in this.
We'll definitely be making it again. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
honeywhatscooking says
Thanks so much for your sweet comment Richa. I'm so glad you liked it. So sweet. xoxo