This one-bowl easy banana bread recipe is perfectly sweet, super moist, and ready in 1 hour. It is everybody’s favorite way to use up spotted brown bananas instead of letting them go bad sitting on the counter!
My family goes in spurts of eating so many bananas that I’m always having to go to the store for more, or completely ignoring them so I end up with a bunch of overripe, spotted bananas sitting on the counter. When that happens, the first thing I think to make is homemade banana bread!
Banana bread is as delicious as it smells and my tried-and-true version will have your tastebuds salivating while it’s still baking in the oven. A slice of moist, warm banana bread fresh from the oven with a little butter or jam makes a great snack, breakfast food, or treat.
If you have lots of overripe bananas, this bread is a winner! Or try our delicious Banana Bars or Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting.
Why you’ll love this classic banana bread recipe!
It can be made by hand in one bowl with one spoon in under 10 minutes. Kids love to help with this one by peeling and mashing the soft bananas, measuring, and stirring. And it’s easily customizable by throwing in chocolate chips, walnuts, or cinnamon chips.
If you need any more convincing, just read the dozens of 5-star reviews after the recipe. Once you have tried this easy banana bread recipe you will never go back to any other.
What You’ll Need
Gather your ingredients before you start baking for a streamlined, stress-free process. You can find the full measurements for each ingredient in the printable recipe card.
- All-purpose flour: I like regular unbleached flour, but have also done ⅓ whole wheat flour with 2/3 all-purpose flour.
- Spotted bananas: As bananas ripen they develop more natural sugars, making them naturally sweeter.
- Salted butter: If you only have unsalted butter on hand, you can just add an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt to the recipe below.
- Sugar: I like to use granulated sugar for the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon: It’s a small amount meant just to add depth and warmth while still letting the real banana flavor shine through without being overpowered.
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla: These common baking ingredients give the loaf lift and balanced flavor.
- Egg: Adds richness and contributes to the proper texture of the crumb of this quick loaf.
- Mix-ins: You can use whatever mix-ins you like best or enjoy the loaf plain. Chocolate chips or walnuts are my personal favorite.
How to Make Banana Bread
This is a step-by-step overview of the process with photos so you can know how the banana bread batter is supposed to come together. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Mash the bananas: Peel the bananas and add them to a large mixing bowl. Mash them with a fork until only small chunks remain, but don’t worry about it being perfectly smooth.
- Add butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs: No need to break out a mixer for this. Just stir everything together by hand with a sturdy spoon until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Over the top of your batter, sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and flour so that they are all evenly distributed, then stir by hand just until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
- Add mix-ins: If you are adding chocolate chips or walnuts, stir them in at the end. It’s important not to overmix the batter with quick breads so the loaf doesn’t turn out dense and dry. You just don’t want pockets of dry ingredients or streaks of flour showing up.
- Bake: Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Remove the bread from oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes before turning the bread carefully out onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling before slicing and serving.
How old can bananas be for banana bread?
The best banana bread is made with overly ripe bananas. You can tell bananas are overripe when they turn deep yellow and get brown giraffe spots all over them. Even almost completely black bananas are still good for banana bread.
You can speed up the banana ripening process by placing several bananas and an apple inside of a brown paper bag, closing the top and letting them sit on the counter for a day or two. The gases released will speed up the banana ripening process using this method.
Or if you don’t already happen to have ripe bananas on hand and can’t wait for your underripe bananas to ripen fully, you can help the process along by sticking the bananas in the oven for a little bit. Just place them whole (with peel intact) on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for about 20 minutes, then cool, peel, and use in this recipe as normal.
Amy’s Recipe Tips
- Bake until a skewer comes out clean. A toothpick really isn’t long enough to accurately test a loaf of banana bread. A wooden skewer or sharp knife is a better testing tool to tell whether the banana bread is done all the way through.
- Make it your own! Feel free to add your favorite mix-ins or sprinkle the top of your banana bread with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a streusel before baking to change things up.
- You can freeze your overripe bananas. Got brown bananas but can’t make your banana bread just now? Peel them and throw them in the freezer in a ziploc bag. They will look terrible when you eventually remember to take them out, but they will work just great when you thaw them!
Can you freeze banana bread?
Yes! You can freeze banana bread! You can either slice it first and freeze the slices individually so you can easily enjoy banana bread whenever you want, or you can freeze entire loaves for later consumption.
To freeze a loaf of banana bread, let it cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container or freezer-safe ziploc bag, then stick it in your freezer. That’s it!
To freeze individual slices of banana bread (something I like to do because it makes it easy to stick into school lunches or give the kids for breakfast on busy days), lay individual slices flat on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 1-2 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe ziploc bag and stick them back in the freezer.
For best quality, enjoy it within 2 to 3 months, although honestly I’ve dug a loaf out of the freezer 6 months down the road and it’s still pretty darn good.
How to Make Banana Bread FAQs
One cup of mashed bananas is usually about 2 medium bananas. Ultimately you want about 2 cups of mashed banana for this recipe, which is usually 3 big or 4 medium bananas, but it’s a pretty forgiving recipe and I have made this recipe dozens of times for years without measuring the exact amount of bananas.
Sure, if you have bread flour that you want to use for banana bread you are welcome to use it and the recipe will turn out just fine without any modifications.
My banana bread recipe cooks in 50-60 minutes for a loaf made in an 8×4-inch pan. Slightly different pan dimensions might require a slight time adjustment, but generally speaking it will take about an hour to bake a loaf of banana bread.
More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Best Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 ripe bananas (about 2 cups mashed)
- 1/3 cup salted butter melted
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (212g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips, plus extra for topping if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (177℃). Lightly grease and flour an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan or spray with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas with the melted butter, then add the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir well with a large wooden spoon.3-4 ripe bananas, ⅓ cup salted butter, ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt over the banana mixture. Stir to combine.1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Add flour and walnuts or chocolate chips (if desired), and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.1 ½ cups (212g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup chopped walnuts
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slice into 10 thick slices and serve.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store your banana bread in a ziploc bag or in another airtight container on the counter for a few days. Refrigerating it will help it last a day or two longer. But after about 5 days banana bread starts tasting stale, even if it has been wrapped tightly or kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Baking time: If your bread pans are larger or smaller than mine, your bake time might be on the shorter or longer side, respectively.
- Muffins: This banana bread recipe can also be made as muffins. Just divide between the cups of a muffin tin and bake for 20-24 minutes until muffins are done and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- This recipe can be found on page 50 of my cookbook, House of Nash Eats Everyday!
I have been using this recipe to make banana bread about 2 times a month for the past few years. It is my kids absolute favorite! We always add chocolate chips
How much butter don’t understand 0.67 ?
Hmmm not sure where you are getting 0.67? In the recipe card at the end of the post it says to use 1/3 cup of butter. At the top of the page there is a “jump to recipe” button that will take you straight to the recipe. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Its for doubling the recipe, so just use 2/3 cups!
I love this recipe and have been using it for over a year. It’s my only go to for banana bread and more frequently banana muffins. I love the one bowl for saving on dishes. It comes out great every time. I use lots of different add-ins like candied ginger, coconut, chocolate chips, and blueberries (not all at once usually 😄). I also try different spices like ginger and cardamom. Thanks!
This is the absolute best and easiest banana bread I’ve ever made! Both my boys devoured it! Thank you so much!!!
Make your banana bread all the time !! Excellent recipe, easy, one pan, done !! Thank you for the recipe. 😁😋
Great! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Just made this yesterday. Super simple and so yummy!!!!!!
My go-to banana bread recipe! Everyone I’ve ever made it for loves it! Sometimes I add applesauce to increase moisture.
THIS is the ONLY recipe I will ever use. That is written in stone far as I am concerned.
Delicious! It was perfect at 50 minutes, glad I did not leave in longer. Using 4 overripe bananas was good too, I don’t think 3 would be enough. I used a full cup of walnuts, chopped roughly.
Making this Banana Bread recipe for the second time in two weeks. So quick, easy and delicious.
I’d like to try it in small pans. Do you think the recipe would make three loaves?
So glad you love it! Yes, you can definitely do smaller loaf pans and get three loaves.
I’ve made this recipe several times since discovering it!! I use slightly frozen bananas 4 usually and it results in my batter being super cold. Would this affect the bake time? I end up baking around 68 minutes.
It will affect the bake time a little bit and sometimes it’s best to mix with room temperature ingredients because the ingredients will mix better. But it sounds like using the frozen bananas has worked out just fine for you!
I make this bread all the time for my family and friends we love it.
I gotta say I was a little skeptical. I don’t really know why-maybe with it all getting dumped into one bowl. It was delicious! Perfectly moist, tender crumb. Saving this recipe for sure.
It so much easier dumping it all together in one bowl! I am glad you liked it! Thank you!
I see both pan and pans referenced. Does the original recipe make 1 or 2 loafs? Thank you!
It makes 1 loaf.
Can I use the Country Crock plant butter with avocado oil instead of butter? Trying to make this recipe dairy free for my son. Thank you!
I haven’t tried it, but if you have used it to bake other things I’m guessing you will be okay! I think you could also just use oil instead of butter.
This is my go-to recipe for banana bread. So quick, easy, & perfect every time!
My go to recipe when my bananas are over ripe. Comes together so quick and ours kids love it. Ive made it atleast a handful of times
This has to be the worst banana bread ever. The problem is not with the ingredients, it’s with the assembly. Why would baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon be sprinkled over the banana mixture? It should have been mixed with the flour. I followed the instructions and ended up with bits of baking soda and baking powder throughout the loaf. If I use this recipe again (and I doubt I will), I’ll combine the dry ingredients and then mix them with the wet ingredients.
Hmm I am sorry this didn’t work for you. Stirring more may help mix in the baking soda and baking powder better. But feel free to customize the recipe any way you want! Honestly though, I have hundreds of 5 star reviews and over 8 million page views of this recipe so it must be working for most people.
I use this recipe all the time because of how simple it is and delicious. My kids absolutely love it and when I have taken it and shared with other relatives it’s eaten up super fast. I have never had this issue adding them as directed. Perhaps that’s because I am using my stand mixer? I could see if mixing it by hand it could easily be not mixed in well enough.
This is a very good recipe and I make it often. I follow the recipe on my IPad so I wish when you post recipes you would list the ingredients like you do but then in the instructions you say “add the butter, sugar and egg” instead of saying add 5 tbsp of butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 egg. Otherwise a person has to keep looking back at the start of the recipe to see the amounts of each ingredient. If a person were to write down or print each recipe it would be fine but I don’t think most people do that nowadays. And I notice it’s all on line recipes that are like this. I’m certainly not singling out yours. I just wonder why on line recipes are like this. Makes cooking and baking take way longer than it should.
2nd time I’ve made this an hope it taste as awesome as the 1st time I made it..im just wonfmdering how I should store it this time I need to leave an its still hot should I leave it on the counter till I get back? It would b very cool by then but I must go to physical therapy 4 my recovering broken shoulder an hooe i don’t leave it out to ling b4 I can wrap it up an should I put it in plastic wrap then an airtight bowl? Idk but it smells heavenly! Thank u for this recipe my fiance loves the last one I made an it was done in 45 mins. Udk what size pan i used as I can’t read the bottom of pan no matter how hard I try so I went with 45 mins. An viola it was done! Thanx again im sure well enjoy it!!
Are you storing just the batter? Or after it’s baked? You can just cover the bowl and stick the batter in the fridge. It probably would be fine on the counter for bit since there is no refrigerated dairy in it. The only thing that would probably have been refrigerated would be the egg. But just to be on the safe side I would stick it in the fridge if you are leaving for a while.
I left a big comment but ut didn’t show up idk think its my fone dang thing it was delicious tho
I just made this receipt and it is yummy! I substituted 12 cup of whole wheat flour for white. I might add a hand cup of applesauce next time to make it a little more moist. Definitely a recipe that I will use again😁
Love this recipe for the flavour and how easy it is to make it, our favourite!
It is absolutely delicious
I use this recipe EVERY time now. So easy, so good!!
Love love LOVE this recipe!! I mean, what could be better than just using one bowl and then having it come out so incredibly delicious?! My only go to banana bread recipe❤️
I recently discovered that when readers access from other countries, it automagically converts the recipe to metric if that’s what they use. So .67 might be referring to grams.
Great recipe! Super easy and delicious. The whole family was drooling while it was baking it smelled incredible.
This is my favorite banana bread recipe! My 3 yr old grandson loves to help peel the bananas and stir the mix.
This was without a doubt the easiest bread to make with the least amount of dirty dishes to wash. I gave it 4 stars only because it was a little too sweet for my taste preferences. In my opinion the sweetness overpowered the banana flavor. Next time I will use less sugar.
Love this recipe!! I did cut sugar to 1/2 cup and put the dry ingredients thru strainer over the wet ingredients and made a dozen fluffy muffins. Will be my go-to for bananas. Thank you!
This is such an easy and delicious recipe. Anytime I am making banana bread, I use this one. Always comes out moist and doesn’t last long in my house. Made two batches today (one with chocolate chips and the other with walnuts and chocolate chips). Each batch made 24 mini muffins and half a bread pan. House smells so good 😁
The best smell in the world! I also love freezing the muffins and my kids can pop it in the microwave whenever they need a quick snack!
Hi! this is the best and easiest banana bread recipe ever! never going back to anything else. Question though…Do i need to add more flour if i ommit adding the last step ( walnuts or chocolate chips)?
Nope you should be fine. The walnuts or chocolate chips are optional.
Made this recipe yesterday adding blueberries. So easy and delicious I will make it again, hopefully soon!
Oooh blueberries would be delicious! Great idea!
This needs buttermilk which is why baking soda is in most recipes for banana bread. Very good and even yummy-er…pecand are also a great addition as they’re not as bitter as walnuts can be. The idea of banana bread is fabulous though, thanks so much😇
Sandra W
I absolutely love this recipe. I’ve been making it for a long time and every time it’s on point.
I always add a good spoonful of molasses to my banana bread, so that’s a small adjustment I make for personal preference but delish and easy. Love it!
A spoonful of molasses would be a fun addition. Thanks for using this recipe!
Tasted nice, but it was NOT banana bread texture at all. It has a weird and overly chewy texture. But, if you want chewy banana bread, then go for this recipe…..
Really disappointing
I just made this recipe for the first time (delicious) and wanted to thank you. Your recipe is the first one I ever ever found that is written for how I cook/bake. I never gather my supplies ahead of time (too organized) so having you repeating the quantities of the ingredients in the directions is fantastic! Thank you☺️
I made this and shared with some of my neighbors. They loved it and one asked for the recipe. It was so good and since I shared it and not much was left I made another one. The second one I ran low on walnuts so I used the rest of them and added some mini chocolate chips. That was great as well. I used less sugar and it was still sweet enough. I’ll be making this many times over. Thanks
This is by far the BEST banana bread recipe!! I make it atleast 3 times a month. My family devours it! I don’t change a thing with the recipe. It’s perfection!
Thank you!
I’m in the middle of combining all ingredients, so I can’t speak to how the recipe turned out! 😂 Ha! But I CAN say how much I vastly appreciate the small but significant detail of putting the measurements for the ingredients with the instructions. That may seem small to some folks, but obviously the author understands me, hahaha! Thank you!
Yay! I’m glad you find that helpful! It’s a new feature that I am just starting to implement so it’s not on all recipes yet, but I’m working to get to each of them because I think it’s really helpful too! I appreciate the positive feedback because I’m always trying to make my site as easy to use for everybody as I can! I hope you enjoy that banana bread!
You have not included the specified amounts of the ingredients for this banana bread
At the top of the post there is a button that says “jump to recipe” that will take you straight to the recipe with ingredients, measurements, and instructions. I will always include the recipe at the end of the post.
Delicious and so easy to make!
Loved it
Super delish and easy! I sub olive oil for butter all the time and use all four bananas. Made this 5x, so good💕
Thank you so much for making it!
Easy recipe
It is delicious, moist and goes well with coffee
It is a favorite for my guest whenever they come over for for dinner . I like pecans added
Best banana bread recipe. Love it!!!
Nice recipe! Easy, moist,delicious!!
Thank you!
This banana bread was moist and delicious. Can’t wait until the next batch of bananas gets too ripe! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Thank you so much for making it!
Always our go-to! Making this for the millionth time it seems, doubling recipe, and husband has requested one with chocolate chips + one with chocolate + PB chips (we’ve added PB to the mixture before and it was a hit!). Thanks for sharing!
Yum! Sounds like great additions with the PB and chocolate chips. There is nothing better than fresh banana bread!