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
Thank you for the recipe! I tried it for the first time and my family loved it…
Delicious moist bread…we loved it.
Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much, Mary!
Hi,
I have made this recipe quite a few times and it’s the bast banana bread ever! I add mini chocolate chips and walnuts and my family loves it!
Last time I made this however it got very brown on the outside but my middle wasn’t fully done. I used an aluminum pan instead of a glass pan and weirdly feel that is what the problem was, but am not sure.
I wanted to try this as muffins next time, but wasn’t sure how long I should bake them for?
Thanks!
Hi Katie, Was the batter too wet when you baked it in the aluminum pan? It’s hard to say what happened without seeing or knowing all the details.
This recipe will work great for muffins. I usually bake the muffins for about 22 minutes at 350F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Love the recipe and it all being inside one bowl. Totally made my clean up a breeze. This was my first attempt at banana bread. I’m a huge bourbon guy so I decided to add that to your ingredients listed. I also wanted one main bread for my home and then two additional mini versions for gifts for Mother’s Day. So I double all the measurements listed. It turned out amazing just as you described in this post. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you so much, Jay! I love the addition of bourbon in this recipe 😉
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try! Can this be made in a Bundt pan? If so, would it be the same bake time?
Hi Christi. Unfortunately, I never tested this recipe in a bundt pan, so I don’t know if it will work.
I double the recipe and bake in Bundt pan, same amount of baking time.
Moist and oven time spot on.
Thank you so much!
I’ve baked this numerous times. My mother loves it. She is in her 90s and has list her appetite on occasion, but she nibbles on this until she back to normal eating habits. It has sustained her in hospital stays as well. The good thing is we all like it and serve it to our guests. It makes a great gift too.
Thank you so much, Patty! I’m so happy your mom enjoys this banana bread! Hope she is doing well 😉
use this recipe exclusively. love it.
c
if you are short one banana can you substitute applesauce?
Hi Myrna! I never tested this recipe with applesauce but sure it should work as well 😉
I used applesauce in all the baking I did. My son had ADHD,the Doctor said no sugar. I used applesauce in every bread I made. It came out fine. He’s 52 now,outgrew ADHD during puberty. Applesauce I used in banana bread &every dessert that called for sugar. They were always moist and delicious.
Prettiest n Yummiest thing I’ve ever baked!!
With everything being so damn expensive what could be cheaper than bananas??!! This w only the addition of walnuts I followed every step! Easy fast easy to clean n best best all it was abso delish!!! Wishing I had whipped cream cheese for it but butter was yummmmmmers! Thank you for this big hit w the whole family! Made me look like if slaved all day! Perfection!
Can I use almond flour?
Love it, specially when I am trying to cut down sugars from my diet.
Thank you, Kinnari!
This was the best easy tasting banana bread Ive ever tasted. This will be my families dessert!
Thank you so much, Crystal!
Wow this is the best banana bread I’ve ever made! I used brown sugar instead and a mix of oil and butter. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you, Mariana! I’m glad that these changes worked for you 😉
Just mixed this together and it’s in the oven as I type this up. Such an easy recipe to follow. Can’t wait to try a piece.
Than you, Gil! Hope you enjoy it 😉
I was looking for an easy banana loaf recipe and when I saw your name was also Veronika I knew this would be an easy website to remember. I made this for the first time last weekend and we devoured it in two days. Sooo good ! I can’t eat gluten so substituted with 1-1 baking flour and it came out perfect. I added chocolate chips and walnuts for some extra crunch too! New go to recipe !
Thank you so much, Veronica! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! I’m glad this recipe worked with gluten-free flour 😉
This is my go-to recipe now. I’ve made this multiple times, always a hit! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Laura! So glad you enjoy the recipe 😉