Best Banana Bread
Why make one when you can easily make two? This ridiculously easy, one-bowl basic banana bread recipe is the only recipe you’ll ever need!
Read on for my secret to the moistest and flavorful banana bread.
First of, a quick disclaimer. I try to stay away from claiming any of my recipes the best of the best. Honestly, there can be many variations of THE BEST of anything, right?
Well anyway, this basic banana bread recipe is the best though! Moist and tender, flavorful and nutty! It’s been our family favorite for quite a while now.
So what makes this basic banana bread recipe so special?
Why?
Because defrosted bananas get super mushy and liquidy, and all that flavorful liquid is gold! It makes the bread moist and flavorful.
So, here’s how I deal with frozen bananas.
Ideally, you want to peel and freeze your bananas, when they get dark spots all over. And when you get the craving, they’re ready to go. However, that never happens around here. It seems like those bananas ripen at most inconveniently busy times (read: lazy times) that I simply throw them into the freezer, peels and all! So whenever I’m in banana bread mood, I take those frozen bananas out and hold it under hot tap water to soften a bit, and then peel them and put them in a microwave safe bowl and zip it in a microwave until they’re completely defrosted and practically liquid. Sounds like a lot of work? Nah, it’s not really that bad, and for that amazing banana bread, you won’t even mind it!
Get your bowl and wooden spoon out! Let’s get baking!
Also, this’s just a basic banana bread recipe, which means you get to customize it to your own liking. Chocolate chips or chopped chocolates, dried fruits, different nuts, whatever your heart desires! As you can imagine, I often add chocolate in mine.
Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading.
Best Banana Bread
Yield: 2 loaves
Prep Time:10 min
Cook Time:60 min
Total Time:70 min
Ingredients:
- 8 frozen medium-to-large bananas (or 3.5-4 cups of mashed bananas), thawed
- 1 ½ cups (300gr) sugar
- ½ cup (115gr) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups (375gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1- 1 ½ cups (120-180gr) chopped pecans, optional
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Prepare two 9×5-inch bread pan and spray with non-sticl spray.
- In a large bowl, mash the thawed bananas with a fork or potato masher.
- Add sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract, and mix everything until combined.
- Stir in eggs.
- Then add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add pecans and/or other add-ins, like chocolate chips, dried fruits.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before serving.
- Keep the banana bread in the bread pan, covered tightly, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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All photographs and content on Sweet & Savory by Shinee is copyright protected, unless otherwise noted. Please do not use any of my photos without my authorization. If you would like to share my recipe, you may re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the full directions. Thank you for your cooperation!
This post was originally published on February 13th, 2013.
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Amazing recipe! looks so easy and delicious.
Thank you, Sheenam!
Making now for a bake sale fundraiser!
Julia, hope the banana breads turned out great and sale went well. Thank you for trying my recipe!!
Could I use regular butter and reduce the salt?
Yes, you can, Michelle! Let me know how you like it.
I posted a pic of this Banana nut bread when it came out of oven. Let you know it’s delish, moist and flavorful.
Hi, Patricia. Glad you enjoyed that banana bread. 🙂 Thanks for your feedback.
Your recipe is very good & I have never used frozen bananas until now.I used a 1/4 tsp baking powder for a half recipe which I found your recipe missing.I sift the all purpose flour. Instead of the firmer loaf, it gives a lighter texture I
Hi, Donna. Thank you for your feedback! I’ll try sifting the flour next time and will add baking powder.
Hi shinee, thanks for this great recipe. I just wanted to ask if you have another recipe for banana bread with yogurt. I had one long ago and it was really good and was thinking if it was ok to add yogurt to this one!!!
Hi, Jenny. I didn’t try this recipe with yogurt, so no idea how it’ll turn out. But if you give it a try, let me know.
I’ve made this recipe twice and neither has come out well. I do half the recipe as I live alone and cannot eat 2 loaves. The first time, I followed the directions exactly and baked it for 55 minutes and it was very burnt. The second time I made it, I covered the bread with tin foil halfway through and only cooked it for 50 minutes, but the outside was burnt and the inside was still raw. I weigh out the ingredients, grease the pan, rotate the pan every 15 minutes, and move the bread to a different rack halfway through. Do you have any suggestions on keeping the bread from burning in the future? The parts I have been able to try have been delicious, but I want to enjoy the whole loaf!
Oh no, Lydia. It sounds like your oven may be running a bit hotter than it’s set to. I suggest getting an oven thermometer to check the accuracy. Or maybe try to set the oven to 325°F and see if it’ll help.
I’ll try it at a lower temperature next time!
This seems like very little butter for two loaves…but I have never frozen my bananas in advance..I will have to try that.
Frozen bananas make the best banana bread. Hope you’ll try it. And butter is just right, in my opinion. 🙂
Hi,can I use date syrup instead of sugar,if yes ,how much syrup?
Hi, Manjiri. I’ve never substituted anything for sugar, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
Check the label on your date syrup, they usually have a sugar substitution chart.
Hello. Thank you for this recipe it looks easy and yummy, I am new to baking and I was wondering if there is a difference between brown and white sugar…. Since on the ingredients it’s mentioned sugar.
Hi, Carla. Thanks for reaching out. In this recipe, we’re using white granulated sugar. Hope you’ll love this banana bread. Let me know if you try it. 😉
Thank you so much!! I am freezing the bananas today, will make it tomorrow for my husband’s birthday on Friday 🙂
The easiest And best banana bread that I have ever made. I added some cinnamon . Made a plain loaf and added nuts to the other. Will definitely make this again😁😁😁
Razina, thank you so much for your feedback, AND the photo you had sent! I’m so happy you love this banana bread recipe. 🙂
I have been making this recipe in the last few months and it has been a true pleasure. Not only is the recipe easy to follow, it has not let me down yet. I keep getting requests for this deliciously moist banana bread. A true winning recipe.
Hi, Roberto. Thank you so much for your feedback! I’m so glad you all are enjoying this bread. 🙂
Hi Shinee! One of your followers asked about a carrot cake variation, I believe. I couldn’t read the text. If there is a variation for carrot cake, would you please share with us all? I love moist carrot cake! Thank you for sharing this recipe. 5 years later and I’m just seeing this fabulous post and my bread is in the oven right now.
Hi there! Here’re 2 versions of carrot cake on my site: Mini Carrot Cake with Candied Pecans and Layered Carrot Cake. Hope you enjoyed the banana breads!
I made it and it was delish! I added about 1/2cup of water. It was very moist! Thank you for a great recipe!!
Yay, so glad you made and enjoyed this recipe. May I ask what was additional water for?
Hi my name is Mario. I was wondering if I could make a strudel topping and put it on top of my banana bread in a 13/9 baking pan?
Hi, Marion. Though I never tried making my banana bread in 9×13 pan and with strudel, I don’t see why you couldn’t. Give it a try and let me know.
Yes I actually have made some strudel and put it on my banana bread in a bunt cake and muffins with a powder sugar glaze and they can out delicious!😋
I always make my banana bread with frozen bananas. Just throw ripe bananas into a freezer bag and use as needed. I’ve given my recipe to so many people but they swear I’m holding out a secret ingredient because their’s doesn’t come out the same. I then realized I forgot to tell them about freezing the bananas. I think it has something to do with the sugar after freezing. Seems to give them a caramel taste.
Hi, Vickie. Frozen bananas definitely seem to be the secret. I too never realized that frozen bananas were the key, until I had made with ripe, but unfrozen bananas. Thanks for sharing!
Do you have a nutrition amount like carbs, protein, sugar, etc.?
Not at this time, Wynann. But you can put in the ingredient list into your preferred calorie counting system to calculate the info.
Honey, if you’re making and eating banana bread, nutrition info is redundant.
After a long time I felt like I got something out of a recipe exactly as described and as I expected. I halfed the recipe but used about 6 small frozen bananas and true to what the recipe said, frozen bananas actually made it so much better. I also added 1/4 tsp lemon extract which I plan on increasing to 1/2 tsp next time and i used about 1/4 cup of raisins and 1/4 cups of chopped walnuts for the halfed recipe. So easy and yummy and sure shot recipe!
Mm, thank you so much for your feedback! And I’m happy you enjoyed the banana bread. I’ll have to try with lemon extract next time, sounds interesting!
I’m gonna try this recipe tomorrow and let you know how it turned out…..thanks for sharing!
Hi, Rose. So glad you found this recipe. Hope you enjoyed the banana bread. Let me know how they turned out. 🙂
PS: instead of pecan nuts I used almonds and also I added cinnamon. Dried bananas on top are the perfect garnish
I have tried so many different recipes for banana bread, but this is literally by far the best. Thank you so much for the frozen/ defrosted banana personal tip.Kind regarts, Eicke
Yay, so glad to hear you enjoyed the banana breads. Yeah, the defrosted bananas are life-changing! 🙂 Thank you for your feedback, Eicke.
I have tried following your recipe twice but both times they came out really dry. I am not sure what went wrong. I guess we need to add more butter or perhaps buttermilk?
Hi, Jay. Sorry to hear, yours didn’t turn out well. I’m actually surprised that yours turn out dry, I’ve never had that happen to me. How are you measuring your flour?
This is my go to recipe for the BEST banana bread! I love this recipe!!!
Aww, thank you so much, Terri. So glad you love it!!
why do you freeze the Bananas? What does it do you you? I have “ripe” bananas I was going to use.
Hi, David. I throw my ripe bananas straight to the freezer, because I never seem to be up for baking when they’re on the verge of going bad. Also I feel like thawed bananas yield moister banana bread.
This sounds amazing, can’t wait to make it. I keep mashed bananas in the freezer in 1 cup measurements. How much do you think 1 banana equals?
Oh boy, I personally don’t know. But I just googled it to see if I can find an answer, and found this. Looks like there are 3 bananas in 1 cup. So I think you could go with 3 cups of mashed bananas.
Hi, recipe calls for 8 banana how many cups is that Please? Thankyou Mara T
Hi, Mara. I never measured how many cups 8 frozen bananas measured. But next time I’ll measure and update the recipe accordingly. Thanks!
In her prior reply she said one cup of mashed bananas equal 3 whole bananas, therefore if your recipe requires 8 bananas you would use 2 2/3 cups of mashed bananas.
This was my first time making banana bread. It came out so good!!!!! I added chocolate chips and walnuts. Thanks for posting this awesome recipe. And I took someone’s advice with defrosting the bananas in the microwave whole, I peeled them like peanuts, it was easy!
Yay, so glad you loved it. Chocolate chips and walnuts are wonderful addition! Thank you for your feedback, Heather!
I just made them as cupcakes and omg they r sooo good thx a lot for the recipe. My son loved them a lot I used less sugar and added chocolate chips and a little flax meal. My question is can I freeze them? Thx
Hi, Sally! Chocolate chips are always a great addition. And yes, it freezes really well. Just wrap them good to prevent freezer burn.
Thx for the recipe. Will try it tomorrow but was wondering if i can make it a bit healthier for my toddlers, also trying to cut down on sugar. Do u think using a little honey or grade a maple syrup might work? Which and how? Not trying to change the recipe just wondering if it can be made in a kid friendly way. Will follow the recipe for my own loaf 😉. Thx a lot
Hi, Sally. I wouldn’t recommend replacing sugar with honey or maple syrup, because you won’t get the same texture. If you really want to cut down on sugar you may reduce it by 1/2 cup, but I don’t know how it’ll affect the taste and texture of the final bread.
Try Splenda. Measures equally to sugar cup for cup and you can’t taste the difference. Also, it’s made from bananas.
Thank you so much for the delicious recipe i tried last weekend and it was successful everybody liked and were eaten so quick. i will write down this recipe to my recipe notebook.
Yay, so happy to hear you tried and loved the banana bread. Thank you for your feedback, Munkhuu!
Why does the banana bread have to be kept in the pan and fridge? I understand it’ll go bad quickly, as most home baked goods do, but is it not stable enough to keep in Tupperware?
Thanks. Trying today!
Hi, Gidgette. I feel like the bread stays moist and fresh longer, when kept in the pan. Less area is exposed to air, I guess. But storing in a tupperware is cool too, especially if you’ll eat it quickly.
I have frozen bananas for banana bread for years, and I’m one step lazier than you are. I simply freeze them peels on, then defrost them in a bowl in the microwave still in their peels. Once defrosted I snip off one end with kitchen shears and squeeze the banana and all that good juice right out of its peel. So easy, no mess and no peeling.
I agree, frozen bananas make the best bread!!
Oh how interesting! It never occurred to me to microwave them with peels on! But it makes sense. Totally trying that next time. Thanks for sharing, Denise!
The recipe says to add sugar, butter, eggs & vanilla. Then stir in eggs. When do we add the eggs?
Hi, Mary. Sorry for confusion. Eggs should go in at step 5. I updated the recipe. Thank you for pointing it out.
Looks soooooo good!
Thanks, Marla!
I never would have thought to use frozen banana,but we always have a few in the freezer, so I am making this loaf asap
Let me know you like it, Heather. Thanks for stopping by!
I always have frozen bananas in the fridge!! I think I may have just found banana bread nirvana!
Hi, Kim! Hope you try this recipe! It’s a keeper. 😉
hi. ih goy blog bna. vrgelj zochilj bh bolno, bayrlalaa
Bayarlalaa, Chuka! Blog maani taalagdsand bayartai bn. 🙂
Sain baina uu,iim goy blog medsendee ih bayartai bna.Bi ene talhiig hiij uzeh gesen yum tegsen hemjilten deer ni tolgoi jaahan ergeed bna.end guril 1 1/2 cup gesen bna (190 gr),cupniihaa hemjuuriig harahaar 1 cup 235 gr gesen bhiin yahuu?
Sain, sain bnuu Cheegii? Minii blogoor zochilsond bayarlalaa! Heljuurtei ayagaar 1 ayaga taltai hemjeed hiichih. 235gr gedeg ni ihenhdee shingen yumnii hemjee bdiin. Huurai zuils, boloh guril, sahariin grammin huvid uur uur bdiin. 🙂 Amjilt.
hiij uzlee goy bolson
🙂 Setgegdelee uldeesend bayarlalaa! Taalagdsand bayartai bn.
Sain bna u?
Ene joroor banana bread hiisen chine uneheer goe boldiin bna. Uneheer goe amttai talh bolson. Bayarlalaa! 🙂
Sain, sain baina uu? Setgegdelee huvaaltssand estoi ih bayarlalaa. Mash ih uram avdag shuu. Ene bas minii hamgiin durtai talh. 🙂
Энэ талханд дрож ордоггүй юм уу?
Orohguie. Hunsnii sodoor huuchdug yum. 🙂
bayarlalaa. Bi carrot cakenii chin joroor keksiig ni hiij uzsen. Goyo amttai bolj bna lee. Oven bhgui bydaa agshaagchind hiisen. ovend bur goyo boloh bhdaa. Ene talhiig bas agshaagchind hiij uznee 🙂
Oh tiimuu. Goe bolson bol boljdee. Ene talh bas ih goe boldiin. Amjilt!
Сайн байна уу.
Туршиж үзмээр гоё харагдаж байна. Би энэ аягаар хэмжсэнүүдийг грамм болгож үзсэн нь зөв байна уу та шалгаад өгөөч?
76гр масло
150гр элсэн чихэр
196гр гурил
Бас Baking soda нь Монголд байдаг энгийн хүнсний сода мөн болов уу?
76gr maslo, 170gr elsen chiher, 190gr guril.
Baking soda gej hunsnii sod mun mun. Amjilt. Hiicheed zuragaa huvaaltsaarai!
baking soda bhgui bol baking powder hiivel yadag bol?
Bolohgui bhaa. Er ni sodiig orluulah zuil bdaggui yum. Gehdee turshaad uzehgui yu, sod oldohgui bol.