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Hawaiian Banana Bread

Hawaiian banana bread with a golden, tropical crumb loaded with macadamia nuts, shredded coconut, and well-drained crushed pineapple. Moist and fragrant loaf baked until deep golden with a clean toothpick test.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Hawaiian-American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana bread batter
  • 2 ripe bananas Use very ripe bananas for the best sweetness and mashable texture.
  • 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple Drain well so the loaf bakes up moist but not wet.
  • 0.5 cup butter Melt and cool slightly.
  • 0.75 cup sugar Granulated sugar.
  • 2 large eggs Room temperature helps combine smoothly.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Pure vanilla preferred.
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour Spoon into measuring cup and level.
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup sweetened shredded coconut You can use sweetened or lightly sweetened.
  • 0.5 cup macadamia nuts Roughly chop.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and assemble
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, using a visible thin coating so it releases cleanly.
  2. Mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth, then measure 2 cups worth to keep the batter thickness consistent.
  3. Whisk the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the mashed bananas until glossy and evenly mixed.
  4. Stir in the well-drained crushed pineapple until the batter looks speckled and cohesive.
  5. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined, stopping when no dry streaks remain.
  6. Fold in the shredded coconut and roughly chopped macadamia nuts so they’re distributed throughout the batter.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle extra coconut and macadamia nuts on top if desired, so the surface bakes with visible crunch.
Bake
  1. Bake for 60–70 minutes at 350°F until the loaf is a deep golden color and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, with minimal wet crumbs.

Notes

For the most moist Hawaiian banana bread, drain the crushed pineapple very well and avoid overmixing after adding the dry ingredients. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months. For a dairy-light swap, replace the butter with a 1:1 plant-based butter for similar texture.