Best Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

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The BEST and Easiest homemade Banana bread recipe. Everyone loves this no-yeast bread – it’s simple, moist, and SO delicious Perfect to make with over-ripe bananas!

Banana bread is probably the most common quick bread (no yeast) recipe we make. If it’s not banana bread, though, then it’s probably zucchini bread, amish bread, or lemon bread!

Best Banana Bread Recipe (1)

SO “M” word + SO GOOD!

Banana bread is one of those bread recipes we’ve enjoyed our entire lives. We have tried so many different versions over the years, but today’s easy banana bread recipe is, by far, our favorite.

It’s SO moist (M word), SO simple and SO delicious.

We love that this quick bread is prepped in just about 5-10 minutes and then popped into the oven. It’s also topped with cinnamon and sugar which makes it even better!

When we first made it, it was gone in about .2 seconds and we knew that that we were in love. We now use this recipe any time we have over-ripe bananas sitting on the counter, which happens more than I care to admit.

We know you’ll love it too!

Best Banana Bread Recipe (2)

How to make Banana Bread

As I mentioned, making this recipe is SO EASY! We always have these ingredients on hand too, which means we make it ALL. THE. TIME! Here are the ingredients needed to make this recipe:

  • all purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • bananas, mashed
  • sugar
  • brown sugar
  • egg
  • butter, melted
  • cinnamon + sugar

DRY INGREDIENTS. In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

WET INGREDIENTS. In a separate bowl, mix together bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter.

MIX. Fold in flour mixture, and stir until smooth. Scoop batter into a lightly greased bread loaf pan.. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

BAKE. Bake at 325 for 55 to 60 minutes.

Banana Bread Baking Tips:

  • Line your bread pan with parchment paper. Leave a couple inches to fold over the top of the pan. Once the bread has been cooked use the parchment paper to easily lift the bread out of the pan. Cool and serve.
  • Use an electric mixer to smash your bananas. Break each ripened banana into a few large pieces. Begin mixing at low speed gradually increasing the speed as the bananas begin to mash.
Best Banana Bread Recipe (3)

FAQ

What if my bananas aren’t ripe enough?

There are a few ways to be sure you’re bananas are ripe enough when you are ready to make banana bread.

  • Oven: Place the UNpeeled bananas on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes or until the peels have browned. Once they have cooled slice open the peels and scoop out the ripened center.
  • Brown Paper Bag: If you can wait a day or two, then use the brown bag method. (this also works to ripen other fruits such as peaches and pears) Place the bananas in a brown paper bag and fold over the top. Ethylene will build up and circulate within the bag which speeds up the ripening process.

Keep a stash in the freezer: Place the UNpeeled bananas in a freezer safe ziploc bag. Remove any excess air. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use thaw the bananas and remove the peel.

Do you have to use over-ripe bananas for this recipe? Overripe bananas work best because they’re easier to mash and are sweeter.

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How long To Bake?

Keep these tips in mind for how to bake based on what the batter is being baked in.

  • Regular size muffins: bake 325 degrees F for 16-18 minutes
  • Mini Muffins bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.
  • Mini loaf pans (5.73 x 3 inches): Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes
  • Bundt cake pan: bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes
  • Note: insert a toothpick to test for doneness. If it comes out clean remove pan from the oven. If it does not, then cook longer, checking at 5 minute intervals, until done.
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How to store banana bread?

Remove bread from the pan as soon as it is done baking and allow the bread to completely cool before storing.

  • Countertop: Place in an airtight container and store for 3-4 days at room temperature.
  • Fridge: Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 7 days
  • Freezer: Wrap the bread with plastic wrap then place in a large resealable plastic freezer bag. Label the contents. Freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw at room temperature before warming to your liking.

Fresh out of the oven, a warm slice of banana bread really can’t get any better (unless you maybe added the chocolate chips or cinnamon/sugar mix on top OR you tried our Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread Recipe).

We hope you love this recipe as much as we did. If you have any questions or suggestions, let us know. We’d love to add to our tips list for making this easy banana bread recipe.

Best Banana Bread Recipe (6)

For more banana bread recipes:

  • Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread
  • Peanut Butter Banana Bread
  • Chocolate Banana Bread

Best Banana Bread Recipe (7)

5 from 41 votes

Best Banana Bread Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna

The BESThomemade Banana bread recipe that is moist, simple, and so delicious. Everyone loves this no-yeast recipe that is easy and perfect to make with over-ripe bananas

Servings: 1 loaf

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 55 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large overripe bananas mashed
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture (Optional)

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 5-x-9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

  • Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a medium bowl. Set aside.

  • In a separate bowl, mix together bananas, sugars, egg, and melted butter.

  • Fold in flour mixture and stir until smooth. Scoop batter into the prepared pan.

  • For the cinnamon-sugar mixture, mix sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the batter.

  • Bake for 55–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. NOTE: If not adding cinnamon-sugar mixture, cover with foil for the last 20 minutes.

Notes

Make Ahead: Place in a large resealable plastic bag and store at room temperature for 3–4 days or in the refrigerator for 7 days. This bread also freezes well.Wrap each loaf in plastic wrap, then place in a resealable plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw at room temperature before warming to your liking.

Need to Ripen Your Bananas Quickly? Just place bananas in their peels on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until they are browned.

BANANA BREAD MUFFINS To make Banana Bread Muffins, use the recipe above but divide the batter among the wells of a lined 12-cup muffin tin. Fill each well two-thirds full and bake at 325 degrees F for 16–18 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Nutrition

Serving: 1loaf, Calories: 2318kcal, Carbohydrates: 446g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 53g, Saturated Fat: 31g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 284mg, Sodium: 2369mg, Potassium: 2099mg, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 262g, Vitamin A: 1867IU, Vitamin C: 31mg, Calcium: 360mg, Iron: 12mg

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

Additional Info

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Making this recipe? Tag us!

Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

And turn it into a cute gift by wrapping in cellophane and adding a tag (GO HERE FOR FREE TAGS)

**This recipe was updated on 4/2/22 – made it even easier and yummier!

Categorized as: American Recipes, Bread, Cuisines, Recipes

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

More About Kristyn

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Best Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist bread? ›

Fortunately, one of the most glaring baking problems has an easy solution: ensuring your bread stays moist. The key is twofold: use quality ingredients and let the dough stand overnight. If you're using storebought flour, opt for “bread flour,” which will hold better in heat and help create a more tender crumb.

Is oil or butter better for banana bread? ›

Butter and oil: I experimented with using melted butter vs. oil in banana bread and found an even mixture of both led to the best results. You get the rich flavor from the butter, but the sensation of moistness from the vegetable oil.

Can you put too much banana in banana bread? ›

Fight the urge to use more banana than called for in your recipe. Using too much banana could make your bread heavy and damp in the center, causing it to appear undercooked and unappealing. If you have bananas leftover, you can always freeze them for later use.

Why use mushy bananas for banana bread? ›

Ripe bananas are not only softer and easier to mash and blend into a batter, but they are also sweeter, which is why baking recipes specifically call for ripe bananas in ingredient lists.

What makes bread extra soft and fluffy? ›

Milk powder.

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

How do bakeries get their bread so soft? ›

How Do Bakeries Achieve That Perfect Softness?
  1. Consistency: Bakeries often use machines to ensure consistent kneading and proofing times. ...
  2. Special Ingredients: Many bakeries use dough conditioners or enhancers, which improve the texture and extend the bread's shelf life.
Sep 26, 2023

Is baking soda or powder better for banana bread? ›

Baking soda works best in conjunction with an acidic ingredient. In the case of banana bread, this may be buttermilk, brown sugar, molasses or the bananas themselves. Recipes generally include just enough baking soda to balance the acidity in the batter.

Should I grease loaf pan for banana bread? ›

Grease Your Pan

For a picture-worthy loaf of banana bread, don't go overboard with greasing your loaf pan. Grease the bottom of the pan just ½ inch up the sides for a uniform loaf with a slightly rounded top. If you grease all the way up the sides of the pan, the loaf can sink, resulting in a flat top.

How many bananas are in 2 cups? ›

3 bananas: 2 cups chopped | 1-1/2 cups mashed. 4 bananas: 2-2/3 cups chopped | 2 cups mashed.

What happens if you add an extra egg to banana bread? ›

Adding more eggs makes for a spongy, less flavorful banana bread. Doubling the number of eggs I was using resulted in a spongy cake with a moist texture. While the banana flavor was present, it wasn't as prominent as it was in other loaves. This had more of a hint of flavor.

At what point should you not use bananas for banana bread? ›

As it sits at room temperature, starches convert to sugars, making the fruit sweeter and softer. These brown spots, often seen as a sign of spoilage, are actually a dead giveaway of peak banana bread potential. But, there is a limit. Black bananas or rotten bananas are a no-go.

What else can you add to banana bread? ›

Banana bread is one of our favorite loaf pan recipes. Customize your creation by adding canned pumpkin, cinnamon sugar apples, dried cranberries or baker-approved chocolate chips. Revisit tried-and-true classics or test out delicious new favorites you'll want to bake on repeat.

How black is too black for banana bread? ›

The best bananas for banana bread aren't yellow; they're black. Or they're at least streaked with black/brown, with just the barest hint of green at the stem. And again, the darker the better: there's no such thing as a too-ripe banana when you're making banana bread.

Why does my banana bread taste bland? ›

Skimping on the sugar can dry out a loaf of banana bread and leave it flavorless. It turns out, sugar does more than just make things sweeter. When it comes to banana bread, cutting back on sugar will leave you with a dry loaf totally devoid of any distinguishable flavor.

Can dogs eat bananas? ›

Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. They're high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dog's main diet.

What makes bread tender and moist? ›

Usually it's gluten (a product of the protein in flour) that determines bread's texture. Bread where gluten plays a prominent role will be chewier. When the gluten level is lower, or when gluten is tamed by the addition of “softeners” like milk, butter, eggs, or oil, the bread will be more tender.

What ingredient makes bread softer? ›

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

Does butter or oil make bread more moist? ›

If you want delicate, soft, and tender baked goods, I recommend using oil vs. butter. Butter will result in a denser crumb and not be as moist.

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