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’ve made this recipe many times-I usually double the recipe because it goes fast! I’ve added coconut, frozen raspberries/blueberries and strawberries (not all berries in one loaf) which were fresh and chopped up, and of course choco chips… easy and has become my go-to recipe!
Made this recipe for the first time today, I added pecans, my husband and I loved it!! Will make it again.
This is an excellent recipe!I have made this recipe a few times now. Once I added chocolate chips. This time I added blueberries and it was delicious. This recipe is good plain or with whatever you want. My husband loves it
Delicious & simple. This Recipe is my go to banana bread recipe. I always add 1 cup of roughly chopped walnuts and also semisweet chocolate chips when the mood strikes.
I love your Banana bread recipe it is so nice and moust
I’m 76 years old since I started baking when I was 11 years old I have made many different banana bread recipes this recipe is the very best I love it so much! My daughter took it to Penn State Erie Pennsylvania two weekends ago to a bunch of 22 to 25 year-old college roommates including my grandson and all their girlfriends who went crazy over it! I added tall house morsels and sprinkled a little white sparkling sugar on top the loaves were absolutely beautiful the rants and raves from those young people belong to you❤️
Just out of the oven. Smells good, BUT 350 oven might have been too much. My first loaf looked charred, the second loaf not much better! Hoping they taste better than they look! My oven may have been the culprit! I will let u know how they tasted Added walnuts & taisins..
Simply delicious and on my first ever banana bread…thanks for sharing
This is my go to banana bread! It’s quick easy and delicious!!
Thank you for this recipe! The bread wasn’t too sweet and it looks beautiful and tastes amazing! I wish I could post a picture!
I used organic oat flour, also used a mini loaf pan. They turned out great. Thank you, I will continue to use this recipe.
I made this bread today April 30th 2024. This was the best banana bread ever. I used very very ripe bananas. My sugar was brown sugar. And it Rose so high it had to bake for an hour and 10 minutes.
Love banana bread and would love to try your recipe. Can you advise the equivalent of 2 cups all purpose flour in ounces or gms please ?
Thank you so much.
Very good,I love banana bread
I just made your recipe again for another sick friend. I live in an apt complex but we have our own doors and doorbells.
This time I added walnuts & truvia brown sugar. I use my white granulated sugar for the hummingbirds. I only had salted butter,so I skipped the salt.My oven, baking without burning, took 1 hour and 10 mins.Good thing cause I ran out of foil this am. It’s good but not too sweet
I had to cut off the ends to fit it in a rectangle plastic container. I can’t remember which one I liked the best. I’m sure I’ll be making it again. I wish I had this recipe when I was baking for my children in the 1970’s. They are now 52 and 47.One’s wife is an amazing baker & cook.My other son does most of the cooking.