Banana Bread – road to hana, hawaiian style
A tropical twist on a classic recipe, inspired by the sweet, scenic roads of Maui
If you’ve ever driven the Road to Hana in Maui, you know it’s more than just a scenic drive — it’s a journey for the senses. Towering waterfalls, lush jungle views, winding cliffside roads, and the warm scent of banana bread drifting from roadside stands make it an unforgettable adventure.
On a recent trip to Maui, I did what every hungry traveler should do: I pulled over for banana bread. All the Road to Hana itineraries mention getting banana bread en-route. There are several different stands that I passed – one at the Halfway to Hana point, Aunt Sandy’s (probably the most famous one), and a few other little stands.
It’s a tradition to get a loaf of banana bread on the Road to Hana. If you had to get up especially early to do the route, as many people do, it is a welcome breakfast along the way. Early in the day you also buy those loaves warm straight from the oven, so it tastes even more delicious!
I loved that banana bread so much I wanted to recreate it back home. So I searched around for the hawaiian style banana bread recipe. I was prepared to do a lot of research to see if I could recreate the authentic recipe!
Learn all about the Road to Hana Tour here!
What Makes Hawaiian Banana Bread Special?
Hawaiian banana bread is different to ‘regular’ banana bread in that it uses some different ingredients. Depending on who you talk to, and what you read, there are different views as to what ingredients make Hawaiian banana bread so different and special.
Bananas: My tour guide told us that one of the stands at least, uses apple bananas instead of regular bananas. These small, creamy bananas are native to Hawaii. They’re firmer, denser, and naturally sweeter with hints of apple and vanilla.
Greek Yogurt. Many bakers use Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk. This does seem to be the case in many Hawaiian banana bread recipes.
Coconut Oil: Many Hawaiian versions use coconut oil for extra moisture and a light tropical note. It isn’t as greasy as regular oil, and it has more fat than butter.
Nuts. Many Hawaiian versions also use either Macadamia nuts or pecans. Aunt Sandy’s banana bread does not use nuts.
Shredded coconut is sometimes added to Hawaiian banana bread to add more tropical flavor.
Margarine. One traveler told me he was told the secret is to use margarine, not butter.
Pineapple. Some bakers fold in chopped or crushed pineapple to their loaves.
Aunt Sandy’s states very simply what makes great banana bread:
Texture: The crust should be just a little crisp on the outside, while the inside stays soft, springy, and never gummy.
Flavor: Deep banana flavor with balanced sweetness—ideally made from overripe apple bananas. Bonus points for cinnamon or vanilla notes.
Moisture: It should be moist but not wet. Dry banana bread is a crime.
Freshness: Warm is ideal. Same-day is essential. Day-old? Eh. Freeze it and toast it later.
Great banana bread in Hawaii hits all of these marks. But truly the best has one intangible ingredient: aloha. You can taste it when someone put love into the loaf, and you’ll know it when it hits.
the most authentic road to hana banana bread
The ingredients clearly differ in banana bread found in Maui.
The rumors that the banana bread use apple bananas is confirmed by Aunt Sandy’s – probably the best known banana bread on the Road to Hana. They state that “Hawaii has a climate that banana trees love—moist, warm, and tropical. But not just any bananas. The islands grow apple bananas, a variety that’s smaller, sweeter, and tangier than your average grocery store Cavendish. These little guys are packed with flavor, and when they’re mashed into a batter with just the right ratio of sugar and butter? Magic”
So there you have it – from the mouth of Aunt Sandy herself – it is a different type of banana that is used in Hawaiian banana bread. The smaller, sweeter apple banana. Obviously if you can get apple bananas that will be more authentic to the Road to Hana banana bread, but if you only can get regular bananas – just use some honey in your recipe to replicate that sweetness.
There is debate as to whether you should use really ripe bananas, or bananas with just some brown spotting on them. Aunt Sandy’s themselves state that “the most perfect bananas for banana bread are those spotty, overripe ones that look like they’ve seen better days. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
Many banana bread recipes also use buttermilk, but using Greek yogurt makes a much thicker batter, which turns out a much better loaf, and is used in many Hawaiian banana bread recipes.
Instead of butter, it seems that most recipes for Hawaiian banana bread use coconut oil. Athough Aunt Sandy’s states that they use butter. I don’t think that the advice I was given to use margarine is correct! Butter is clearly better for baking than margarine, and coconut oil is better than butter, as oil contains more fat per ounce than butter. Regular oil can make your loaf too greasy, but coconut oil won’t do that.
recipes for hawaiian banana bread
This recipe from Aloha Dreams really does create a banana bread that is just like what I ate on the Road to Hana. This uses coconut oil and Greek yogurt, and also states to use bananas that are not too ripe. I like this recipe, but I leave the nuts out – as the banana bread I had in Maui did not contain nuts (Aunt Sandy’s banana bread does not have nuts).
Aunt Sandy’s, home of perhaps the most famous banana bread on the Road to Hana, doesn’t have a recipe on their website, but they do give some guidance on how to make their banana bread here. They do actually sell a banana bread mix – which is probably why they won’t give the exact recipe! Which is of course a great idea if you want it to be as authentic as possible. Their website states that their banana bread is very simple – “Just bananas, butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and the kind of love you can’t bottle”
Final Thoughts
This banana bread takes me right back to mile marker stops on the Road to Hana, where the air smelled like plumeria, the views were jaw-dropping, and life slowed down just long enough to enjoy a slice of something homemade and heartfelt.
Now, every time I bake this, I feel like I’m back in Maui — just for a moment.
Have you tried banana bread in Hawaii? Let me know in the comments, or tag me on Instagram @abiteabroad if you bake this — I’d love to see your tropical twist!