This is the best Banana Bread recipe you’ll find! It’s moist, easy to make, and you can whip it up in one bowl! Perfect with your morning cup of coffee or as a mid-day snack!
If you like a classic Banana Bread, you will love this recipe! It is perfectly soft, moist, and has so much flavor!
Using just a few basic ingredients (that you probably already have at home), you can make a delicious treat for your whole family!
I love to have a slice (or two) of this hearty banana bread with my morning coffee. It’s also great as a mid-day snack, dessert, or even a picnic treat.
Like my One Bowl Brownies, you can make this recipe quick and easy, without dirtying lots of dishes. Just mix everything together, put it in the oven, and you can enjoy this tasty classic bread in an hour.
Why this recipe works
This is a great basic recipe for a classic banana bread.
It is all about the texture! Thanks to ripe and mashed bananas and melted butter, you will have a perfect moist bread with delicious buttery flavor. A good balance of wet and dry ingredients makes it soft and hearty.
What Bananas to choose
If you have some overly ripe bananas at home that no one wants to eat, they will be perfect for this recipe!
You want them to have deep yellow skin with lots of brown spots. The main reason is when bananas get brown and ripen, the sugars inside starts to break down, making them sweeter and releasing delicious aroma. That will help us to build the most flavor!
So don’t be afraid to use soft and dark brown bananas, they will make the best bread!
How to make it
I love this recipe because it’s super easy to make in one bowl in just a few minutes.
But before we start, let’s preheat the oven to 350°F, grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan, and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl mash 3 large (or 4 small) overripe bananas. You can do it with a fork or a potato masher (Photos 1-2).
Then add melted butter and whisk until combined (Photos 3-4).
Add sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again (Photos 5-8).
Add dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt). Using a spatula, fold it in (Photos 9-12).
Pour the batter in a pre-greased loaf pan.
Bake at 350°F for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Take it out of the oven and let sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Tips for best results
Bananas. For the best results, use overripe bananas. They will provide more sweetness and will make the bread moist.
Don’t overmix! Like in any other baking recipe, it’s important not to overmix the batter. Otherwise it will be tough and rubbery.
Options and Substitutions
Sugar. If you don’t want to use granulated sugar, you can easily substitute it with raw or coconut sugar. But don’t use maple syrup as it will have too much liquid and will make the bread damp and heavy.
Flavors. This recipe is a perfect base for a classic Banana Bread. You can easily add more flavor to it by adding:
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- Chocolate chips
- Dried fruits and berries (like cranberries or blueberries)
- Shredded and squeezed zucchini
Frequently Asked Questions
How to store? You can put it in a zip-lock bag or an air tight container. It will stay fresh on a counter for a couple of days and in the fridge for a week.
Can I freeze it? Yes! The best way to freeze it is to slice it first, put in a zip-lock bag, and put it in the freezer. This way, when you want a slice or two, you can just take it out and enjoy. They will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2-3 moths.
How to keep it moist? When you use ripe mashed bananas and melted butter, they provide enough moisture to keep the bread perfectly soft and moist. After you slice it, make sure to put in an air-tight container or a bag to keep from drying out.
Can I make this Banana Bread into muffins? Yes, but I already have a great recipe for Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins that you will love!
Did you make this recipe?!? I’d love to know how it turned out! leave a comment and a rating below👇 thank you!
One Bowl Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas (or 4 small bananas)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan, and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl mash 3 large (or 4 small) overripe bananas. You can do it with a fork or a potato masher.
- Then add ½ cup melted butter and whisk until combined.
- Add ⅔ cup sugar, 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract and whisk again.
- Add dry ingredients (2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp salt). Using a spatula, fold it in.
- Pour the batter in a pre-greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- Bake at 350°F for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Take it out of the oven and let sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
- Chocolate chips
- Dried fruits and berries (like cranberries or blueberries)
- Shredded and squeezed zucchini
i have been making your recipe for a very long time and its a huge hit with everyone…im wondering if oil could but substituted for the butter…again thank you for an amazing recipe
Hi Betty-Anne! I’m so happy you love this recipe! Unfortunately, I never tested it with oil, so I cannot say if it will work or not…
Ive made it with oil just as good
Veronica, this is the BEST banana bread recipe ever! Thank you for posting it
Thank you so much, Dee! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 😉
The best Banana bread ever. Perfect as is. My only add in was walnuts. Big family hit. It disappears overnight! Thank you.
Thank you so much, Pauline! So happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe! Walnuts and chocolate chips are always a great addition for banana bread 😉
Very easy to make and delicious.
Thank you, Mickey! Glad you liked it 😉
I’ve just made this banana bread recipe and yay it’s the only banana bread recipe that doesn’t flop.
I added some spoonfuls of Nutella in the centre
Hi Rasheeqa! I’m so happy you loved the recipe! Also, it’s a great idea to add some Nutella to it 😉
HI VERONIKA!
YOUR ONE BOWL BANANA BREAD SOUNDS YUMMY! TWO QUESTIONS THOUGH. . .YOU SAY TO GREASE A 9 X 5″ PAN.
DO YOU ALSO FLOUR THE PAN AFTER GREASING OR NOT?
I DIDN’T SEE THAT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR RECIPE.
THANKS MUCH!
Hi! I only use a good amount of butter to grease the pan, it never failed me before 😉 After the bread is baked, let it sit on the counter in the pan for 5 minutes and then flip the pan, so the bread will easily get released from the pan. Hope that helps 😉
Made this before it was so yummy!! I want to make it again but only have 2 bananas is that okay?
Hi Sheila! 2 bananas will work just fine 😉
I can tell you that with a different one-bowl banana bread recipe I tried, I used 3 large bananas which only yielded 1 1/4 cups when mashed. The recipe called for 3 large bananas which was supposed to amount to 2 cups mashed. So using only 2 bananas could be risky (?)
This is such an easy recipe, being all in one bowl. It’s quick to make and hardly any cleanup. I made the recipe exactly how it’s written except I didn’t measure the cinnamon because well… cinnamon. 🙂 I set the timer on the oven for 56 minutes instead of an hour but I should have checked it a little bit sooner. It got a little darker than I would have liked. However it is still quite moist and it’s delicious. I cut a thick slice off the end, warmed it in the microwave and put a little butter on it. Oh my goodness!!! This is my forever recipe for banana bread now. Can’t wait to try it with some add-ins. Thank you so much for sharing this!!
Thank you so much, Patti! I’m so happy you enjoyed this banana bread 😉
Hi from Mauritius, I made your banana bread as a gift for some friends this morning. It was amazing! Moist, soft, tasty, not too sweet, this will be a staple at my home now. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much Jenifer! So happy you enjoyed it 😉
I tried it! It came out surprisingly good! i mean it’s the best recipe ever and I’m gonna keep it! i didn’t change a thing in the recipe that’s why I’m telling you it’s so yummy!
Thank you so much, Jill! So happy you liked it 😉
This recipe turned out so yummy, thank you! I added walnuts but kept everything else the same. My only complaint is that my loaf didn’t rise to be as fluffy as yours. Any idea why this could be?
Also, I think my oven temperature settings are off, because I only baked the loaf for 50 minutes and the crust was still a little overdone.
Hi Rachel, I’m glad you liked the bread 😉 The rising issues could be caused by different factors, like using expired baking soda/ powder, opening the oven door too often, overmixing the batter.
made this recipe a few times into wee muffins with wee banana slices on top—absolutely perfect every time!
Thank you so much, Sarah! I also love making muffins out of this banana bread 😉
Great recipe. Will make again. I added apple (shredded) chocolate chip cookies + almonds.
Thank you so much, Ivana! I love the flavors you added to the recipe 😉
I think that it’s an amazing recipe! Easy to understand and everything.
Thank you, Eden! Hope you enjoyed it 😉
To make it even easier, I make this in my blender! The recipe is so yummy and quick! I’ve made it several times! Thanks!!
This is a great idea to use blender! I’m sure it make everything to much easier 😉