Best Banana Bread Recipe

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This is the best banana bread ever! It is easy to make in one bowl, moist, perfectly sweet, and bursting with banana flavor. This is sure to become your go-to banana bread recipe.

4 slices of banana bread cut out of a loaf


 I’m a firm believer that everyone needs an amazing banana bread recipe in their repertoire! So today I’m sharing our family’s favorite, go-to recipe for the best banana bread ever.

It’s buttery, moist, and loaded with banana flavor. Plus it’s easy to make and most definitely the best way to use overripe bananas.

It took me many years and lots of testing and tweaking to finally be able to say I created the best banana bread recipe ever. It only takes a handful of simple ingredients and a few minutes to make, and I promise you will love it as much as we do.

4 slices of banana bread

The Best Banana Bread: Ingredients & Substitutions 

Let’s take a minute to chat about the ingredients used in this best banana bread recipe, and possible substitutions.

overhead view of the ingredients in this Banana Bread Recipe
  • Overripe Bananas. Buy some extra bananas and let them get extra brown just to make this recipe. If you use yellow/green bananas your bread will lack moisture and sweetness.  If using frozen, overripe bananas, let them thaw to room temperature and mix them together (including any water that is released in thawing) before proceeding with the recipe.
  • Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, ghee, coconut oil and vegan butter all work well in this recipe. You can substitute up to half of the butter (1/4 cup) with canola oil or applesauce if you would like.
  • Granulated sugar. Use organic cane sugar or white sugar.
  • Brown Sugar. This recipe calls for light brown sugar, but if you want a richer molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar.
  • All-purpose flour. For the best results I recommend using all-purpose flour. However bread flour also works well in this banana bread recipe. You can substitute up to ¾ cup of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour. For a gluten-free version, use 1:1 all purpose gluten-free baking flour. 

Looking for a different banana bread recipe? Then try my beloved Paleo Banana Bread or this Double Chocolate Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread. This healthy banana bread is so good. Or try pumpkin banana bread & peanut butter banana bread!

side view of 3 slices of banana bread

How to Make Banana Bread

This banana bread recipe is easy to make, but lets walk through the process step-by-step so that you all end up with perfect banana bread every single time! And don’t forget to watch the video.

The very first step in this banana bread recipe is to mash the bananas.

Add the bananas to a large mixing bowl and use a fork or a potato masher to mash them.

two photos showing bananas before and after mashing in a glass bowl to make banana bread

Next, add the wet ingredients to the mashed bananas. Be sure the butter is melted and the eggs are room temperature for the best results.

To quickly make a cold egg room temperature, submerge it in warm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

two photos showing how to make banana bread - adding the wet ingredients to the mashed banana in a glass bowl

Next, add the white and brown sugar and stir the mixture thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved and there are no lumps. 

two photos showing how to make banana bread - adding white and brown sugar

The next step in this banana bread recipe is adding the dry ingredients. You can mix them together in a separate bowl and then add them to the wet ingredients, however that just makes one more dish to clean.

So I just add the dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir them a little bit on the surface before combining. Stir until there are no lumps of unmixed dry ingredients.

two photos showing how to make banana bread - combining wet and dry ingredients

Mix ins

If you want to add some mix-ins to this banana bread recipe, this is the place in the process when you would do that.  You can add up to 1 cup of the following:

  • Chocolate Chips 
  • Walnuts
  • Pecans
  • Cinnamon chips
  • White chocolate chips
  • Blueberries
  • Dried fruit (cranberries, rasins, etc.)
  • Swirl of peanut butter or Nutella 
how to make banana bread- final batter.

Bake the Banana Bread

Next pour your well-mixed batter into a greased loaf pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan. Then pop the pan into the preheated oven and wait. 

Note: It’s very important to grease your loaf pan well to ensure easy removal. I use a non-stick spray. However you can rub the sides with butter or shortening if desired.

banana bread batter in a loaf pan before baking

Let the banana bread cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

banana bread in a loaf pan after baking cooling on a wire cooling rack

To remove the banana bread from the pan, take a knife or a thin spatula and gently separate the bread from the sides of the loaf pan. Shake the pan to see if you have released the sides. 

Once the bread is released from the pan, turn it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. 

a loaf of banana bread cooling on a wire cooling rack

Serving suggestions

Since this is absolutely the best banana bread ever, it tastes amazing served plain. However, here are a few of our favorite toppings that we like to slather on our warm banana bread:

5 slices of banana bread cut from the loaf

Store/Freeze

Store this moist banana bread in an airtight container or plastic bag to ensure it does not dry out. Store it at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Or, freeze the banana bread for up to 2 months. I suggest slicing it into individual slices, wrapping them with plastic wrap and storing them in an airtight container in the freezer.

a stack of 4 pieces of banana bread, the top one has a bite taken out of it

Banana Bread Recipe FAQs

Are my bananas ripe enough to make banana bread? 

Make sure you use overripe, brown bananas. They have the best flavor, maximum sweetness, and are the easiest to mash. They should be very dark brown or almost black and soft to the touch.

What can I add to banana bread?

If you’re looking to add some mix-ins to this banana bread recipe, this is the place in the process when you would do that. You can add up to 1 cup of the following with great results.
Chocolate Chips 
Walnuts
Pecans
Cinnamon chips
White chocolate chips
Blueberries
Dried fruit (cranberries, rasins, etc.)
Swirl of peanut butter or Nutella 

How do you know when banana bread is done? 

This easy banana bread recipe is done when the following occurs: 
The top is golden-brown and set (not jiggly). 
The sides of the bread start to slightly pull away from the loaf pan. 
A cake tester inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean or with very few crumbs. 

Can you freeze banana bread? 

Yes. I recommend freezing this banana bread in slices in an airtight container. That way you can pull out a slice at a time to enjoy.

How do you keep banana bread moist after baking? 

The key to keeping this easy banana bread super moist after it has baked is storing it in an airtight container or plastic bag as soon as it is cut into. Don’t leave the cut loaf sitting out, exposed to the air, for longer than necessary.

two slices of banana bread, one with a  bite taken out of it

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Best Banana Bread Recipe

Laura
This is the best banana bread ever! It is easy to make in one bowl, moist, perfectly sweet, and bursting with banana flavor. This is sure to become your go-to banana bread recipe.
4.96 from 47 votes
Course bread, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 10 slices
Calories 275
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Cooling time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Grease or butter a 9×5" loaf pan, set aside. You can also line the loaf pan with parchment paper then grease.
  • Mash the bananas together in a large bowl.
  • Then, add melted butter, eggs and vanilla to the mashed bananas and stir to combine.
  • Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to the banana mixture. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Next, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon and stir until combined.
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
  • Bake the banana bread on the lower rack in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Let the banana bread cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
  • Use a knife to release the sides of the bread from the pan.
  • Remove the banana bread from the loaf pan and transfer it to a cooling rack to let it cool completely.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions
  • Overripe bananas. If using frozen, overripe bananas, let them thaw to room temperature and mix them together (including any water that is released in thawing) before proceeding with the recipe.
  • Salted Butter. Unsalted butter, canola oil, coconut oil, ghee, vegan butter, etc. all work well in this recipe. You can substitute up to half of the butter (1/4 cup) with canola oil or applesauce. 
  • Granulated sugar. Use organic cane sugar or white sugar.
  • Light Brown Sugar. If you want a richer molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar instead.
  • All-purpose flour. For the best results I recommend using all-purpose flour. However bread flour also works well. You can substitute up to ¾ cup of the flour with whole wheat pastry flour. For a gluten-free version, use 1:1 all purpose gluten-free baking flour. 
Mix-in options: 
Add up to 1 cup of the following (if desired):
  • Chocolate Chips 
  • Walnuts
  • Pecans
  • Cinnamon chips
  • White chocolate chips
  • Blueberries
  • Dried fruit (cranberries, rasins, etc.)
  • Swirl of peanut butter or Nutella 
Store
Store this moist banana bread in an airtight container or plastic bag to ensure it does not dry out. Store it at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze
To freeze, individually wrap slices in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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46 Comments

  1. Question, I’ve heard of banana bread recipes incorporating condensed milk into it. Do you know how it would impact the recipe? Would it make it sweeter and more moist?