Best Banana Bread Recipe is so easy to make and super soft and moist! The very best way to use up overripe bananas this bread is tender and packed full of flavor!
Since I have already shared with you my family’s favorite Chocolate Chip Banana Bread it was time to give you my very best classic recipe as well! If you love all things banana, then make up these Banana Nut Muffins too, one bowl, so easy, so GOOD!
What Is The Best Banana Bread Recipe?
To make the very best banana bread that comes out super moist, it is important to start out with those ugly, overripe bananas! In the picture below you can see the bananas that I used for this recipe post. These bananas are just ripe enough to work with. They need to be a dark yellow with lots of browning. You can use bananas that are even darker than this! The riper the bananas, the more moist your bread will be and the more banana flavor it will have!
How Do You Keep Banana Bread Moist?
The best way to keep banana bread moist for days is to wrap it tightly! Once your bread is baked and cooled, I recommend wrapping tightly in plastic wrap. Then, take a second step and store it in a large zip top freezer bag or a plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Stored this way on the counter, your bread will last up to 3 days. If you’d like, you can store it wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
How to Make Banana Bread:
This recipe makes one loaf of banana bread. The first step is to preheat your oven and prepare a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter.
- Next, take a large bowl as seen below and whisk together your dry ingredients. This will include the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl melt your butter in the microwave, then add in the bananas and mash until mostly smooth.
- Add your eggs and vanilla to your mashed banana mixer and use your fork to combine everything really well, until you no longer see any streaks of eggs.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula just until combined. Don’t overmix.
- Now, you are ready to pour your batter into your prepared pan and bake!
**NOTE: You can also mash your bananas with the melted butter in your stand mixer if preferred.
Can you Freeze Banana Bread?
Yes! If you’d like to freeze this then allow it to cool completely at room temperature on a plate or wire rack once it comes out of the oven. Once cool, wrap the bread in plastic wrap, then wrap in foil. Freeze the bread for up to 2 months for best results.
To thaw the bread, remove from the freezer and allow it to come to room temperature, covered on the counter. This will take about 24 hours.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Best Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Stick (1/2 Cup) Butter
- 3 Large Ripe Bananas
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside.
- Add the stick of butter to a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute, or until melted.
- Add the bananas to the same bowl and mash with a fork.
- Add the vanilla extract and egg to the bowl and use the same fork to mash and stir until no yellow streaks of egg remain.
- In a second large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula just until combined.
- Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yep. This is definitely a go to kind of banana bread. Idk why, but I’ve microwaved and stove top heated the butter, in the skillet is sooo much better. More banana flavor in every bite. But microwave is good too, plus it’s much quicker and less clean up.
Best banana bread recipe!! Been using this recipe for over a year and it’s still a hit! Only thing I changed was the sugar, instead of 1 cup of white sugar, I use 1/4 cup of white sugar and 2/4 (1/2) cup of brown sugar. I do also add pecans and 70% dark chocolate, no exact measurements just following the heart. But yeah honestly if you haven’t tried this recipe, it’s a must!!!
I do have a question though, if anyone can help. Has anyone tried using frozen bananas? Of course thawing them and then mashing them according to the recipe. I have quite a few bags of frozen bananas and would like to use them up
This is my go to recipe! I make large ones and mini ones for gifts it’s the best!!
This is by far the best BB recipe I have used. It’s been a few years now that I retired and took on more homebased tasks, but everyone raves about this recipe. And while I give full credit to “the Salty Marshmallow” (this recipe lives in my Book Marks), it makes me feel great inside that my baking is appreciated. I have also created a “Tropical” version wherein I mix in sweetened coconut flakes, canned pineapple bits (1/2 of a 12 oz/378ml can per loaf) to the batter and a liberal dose of sweetened chocolate chips.
Who says a seasoned fellow like myself can’t learn new tricks! As I enter my 60th year of life; whether servicing our vehicles, cooking soup (I made a savory creamy bacon, potato, corn and prawn chowder for tonight’s dinner), doing laundry (my folding is still subpar I’m told), a big thank you to sites like this one who have given me the courage and knowledge to cook healthy home made meals and treats for friends and family.
Is the butter salted or unsalted? Thanks! Can’t wait to make it!
I use salted
I love making this recipe for Banana bread. I add chocolate chips and walnuts to my batter. Family,friends and coworkers love it!
This recipe was a hit the first time last week, 2nd time baking this recipe. My husband is very particular about banana bread and I got a thumbs up on this one. It’s so moist and delicious. It’s a keeper ❤️
This is The Best Banana Bread recipe ever! I kept looking & baking different recipes on what tasted like my mom’s banana bread. Tried this one & 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Viola !! there it was Thank you for bringing back my what tastes like my mom’s. My whole family down to my father in law whom is picky when it comes to old school homemade recipes.So thanks for sharing ❤️❤️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you for writing this in the way that a novice baker can follow along and not “mess up”. This is our family’s favorite recipe for banana bread. We do usually leave out the cinnamon due to personal preference, however, it is wonderful with it as well! Thank you!!
Allergy-friendly version of this tastes awesome! I made a Gluten Free & Dairy Free version of this by swapping out (1:1) the flour for Bob’s Red Mill’s GF Flour (also nut free) and the butter for Miyoko’s Vegan Butter. It tasted AMAZING! So moist and flavorful and we couldn’t tell it was GF/Dairy free at all. Bake time took about 10 min longer. 10/10 will make this again!