This easy banana bread recipe has been a go-to and favorite for years. It's buttery, has an incredibly soft crumb, is not too sweet, and stays moist for days. Made with 5 very ripe bananas and a handful of basic kitchen ingredients- this is truly the best banana bread you'll ever have!
In This Post
This is my absolute favorite banana bread recipe, and I've been making it for years. It's super easy, coming together in just one bowl, and the result is always an incredibly flavorful and moist banana bread. Unlike most recipes that use 2 or 3 bananas, this one uses 5 bananas- that's over 2 cups of bananas!
Even if you already have a favorite banana bread recipe, I highly recommend giving this one a try. It might just become your new go-to!
Why You'll Love This Easy Banana Bread Recipe
- Tons of banana flavor- made with 5 bananas!
- Buttery, moist, melt-in-your-mouth texture
- Comes together easily- it's a 1 bowl recipe
- Not too sweet, letting the sweetness of the bananas shine through
- Freezes wonderfully
- Can be made plain or with add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips
Key Ingredients You Need
- Bananas: The clear star of the show in this banana bread- the bananas. This recipe uses 5 very ripe bananas- not only does it add moisture and flavor, it also helps sweeten the bread naturally.
- Butter: The melted butter instead of oil adds more flavor. You can swap for avocado oil or coconut oil if needed.
- Brown Sugar: Using brown sugar adds moisture and adds more flavor instead of granulated sugar because of the molasses.
- Eggs: Eggs help provide structure to the bread.
- Yogurt: This yogurt not only adds moisture, it also works with the baking soda to help the bread rise. You can substitute with sour cream if needed.
- Cinnamon & Salt: Flavor!
- Baking Soda: Helps the banana bread rise.
Overview: How to Make Banana Bread (1 Bowl Recipe!)
This is a 1 bowl recipe- the full printable recipe is below, but let's walk through it real quick.
- Whisk together the melted butter and sugar until no lumps remain. Then, whisk in the remaining wet ingredients until combined- eggs, yogurt, mashed bananas, and vanilla.
- Whisk in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until no pockets remain. Be careful to not overmix.
- Pour into a 9x5-inch loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, loosely covering the bread with aluminum foil at the 30 minute mark to prevent the top from browning too much.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then, slice and serve!
How to Freeze Banana Bread
I often make a double batch of banana bread that way I have extra in the freezer when I need it. Here's the best way to freeze it.
- Allow the baked banana bread cool completely. This is important otherwise the banana bread won't freeze properly.
- Tightly wrap the loaf or slices (I normally do a few in each batch) in 3 layers of plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped banana bread in large freezer storage bag.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Can I Use Frozen Bananas?
Absolutely! I do this often. You can thaw the bananas overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a couple hours.As the bananas thaw, they release a lot of liquid, which will alter the recipe. Remember to drain as much of the excess liquid before mashing and measuring for this recipe. I typically take the bananas out of the container and sit them in a strainer, then I pat dry with paper towels.
FAQ About Banana Bread
Yes, I do this often so that no bananas go to waste! You can thaw the bananas overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a couple hours. As the bananas thaw, they will release liquid, which will alter the recipe if not drained. I typically take the bananas out of the container and sit them in a strainer, then I pat dry with paper towels.
Most banana bread recipes will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
The trick to keeping banana bread moist is a combination of ingredients- enough fat (butter or oil), bananas, yogurt or sour cream. I find adding MORE bananas yields the best results.
Absolutely, I do this all the time! You want to make sure the banana bread has cooled completely- this is important otherwise it won't freeze properly. Tightly wrap the loaf or slices in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap, then place the bread into a large freezer-safe bag.
More Breakfast Recipes
- Favorite Blueberry Muffins
- Easy Cream Cheese Danish (20 minutes!)
- Cinnamon Bread
- Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls (Easy Cinnamon Rolls)
My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe
Description
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, melted and slightly cooled
- ⅔ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 ¼ cups mashed bananas, about 5 large
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- optional add-ins: ¾ cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar until no lumps remain. Then, whisk in the eggs, yogurt, mashed bananas and vanilla until combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Whisk together until no flour pockets remain. Be careful to not overmix. Fold in the add-ins, if using.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil at the 30 minute mark to prevent the top from browning too much. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove the bread from the pan and cool directly on the wire rack until ready to serve.
- Slice and serve. Cover and store the bread at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The banana bread will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week stored in a bag or container.
- Freezing Instructions: The banana bread can be frozen for up to 3 months store in a freezer-safe bag or container. I love to wrap slices that way I can thaw individual servings.
- Bananas: You can use thawed frozen bananas in this recipe. Since thawed bananas are extra wet, make sure you strain as much liquid as possible and pat dry before mashing.
- Yogurt: I find that full-fat Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla) or sour cream yields the best results in texture, but you can also use regular yogurt.
- Brown Sugar: The recipe calls for ⅔ cup brown sugar. You can use half brown sugar and half granulated sugar or use all granulated sugar. Feel free to reduce the sugar to ½ cup, if desired.
- Add-Ins: You can use chocolate chips, walnuts, chopped chocolate, etc.
- Want Banana Muffins? You can use this banana bread recipe to make 15-17 muffins. Spoon the batter into a lined or greased muffin pan, filling each to the top with batter. Bake for 5 minutes at 425ºF, then keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF. Bake for an additional 14-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The total bake time for the muffins is 19-21 minutes. Or, you can try my banana muffin recipe!
- Need These Gluten-Free? I've made these gluten free using King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour.
Barb says
Taste great! I loved how moist and flavorful it was!