My go-to banana bread recipe since 2013, and it’s the BEST!! This recipe makes two moistest and most flavorful breads with simple ingredients and just a wooden spoon! The only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need!!
Read on for my secret to the best banana bread.
Table of Contents
- What makes this the best moist banana bread recipe
- The secret to moist banana bread
- Key Ingredient Notes
- How to prepare bananas
- How to make the best banana bread
- Storing Tip
- Does banana bread need to be refrigerated?
- how to keep the banana bread moist
- Can you freeze banana bread?
- Banana Bread FAQs
- Watch Video: The BEST Banana Bread
- Best Banana Bread Recipe
First, a quick disclaimer. I’m guilty of claiming some of my recipes the best of the best. I do realize that it’s quite subjective. But I promise you, I don’t take this term lightly.
This banana bread recipe has been my go-to since 2013! And yes, I tried other recipes too, but I always come back to this one. I wouldn’t be lying if I said I make this quick bread recipe almost weekly and it never lasts more than 3 days!
And more than 3 dozens of readers confirm my claim! (Just scroll through the comments…)
What makes this the best moist banana bread recipe
Extra-moist, not too dense, but not fluffy either, this quick bread is truly the best!
Here’re 3 reasons you’ll love this recipe:
- basic ingredients – sugar, butter, flour, eggs, baking soda and bananas, obvi.
- no mixer required – just grab a large bowl and wooden spoon!
- totally customizable – add whatever add-ins you’d like, chocolate chips, nuts, anything!
The secret to moist banana bread
So, the secret to the moistest bread is frozen bananas!
You may have heard that super ripe bananas are key, and that’s definitely true.
However, over the years, I found that frozen over-ripe bananas turn a good banana bread into i-can’t-stop-eating-it kind!
Why?
Because when thawed, bananas get super mushy and liquid-y. And all that juices are gold! Don’t throw out the liquid, it makes the bread moist and flavorful.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Frozen bananas – are key in this recipe for moistest and most flavorful banana bread. Be sure to freeze ripe or over-ripe bananas. You’ll need about 3.5-4 cups of mashed bananas. Do NOT discard juices from thawed banana, use everything to make the batter.
- Sugar – Use granulated sugar. I don’t recommend reducing the sugar amount any further for proper texture.
- Flour – Use unbleached all-purpose flour for the best texture.
- Baking powder – is the main leavening agent for a tall and fluffy bread
- Baking soda – is added for browning the bread. Without it, the bread comes out pale.
- Add-ins – Feel free to add chopped pecans or walnuts, or even chocolate chips.
How to prepare bananas
When you get nice and ripe bananas with lots of dark spots all over, put them in the freezer. (And yes, black bananas are totally ok to use!)
Ideally, you’d want to peel the bananas before freezing. Call it lazy, but I never do that!
Instead, I just stick a cluster of ripe bananas, peels and all, straight into the freezer.
How to thaw frozen bananas:
- Run hot tap water over the frozen bananas in a sink for 1-2 minutes.
- Peel the skin when it softens and place the peeled bananas in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave until bananas are completely thawed, about 3 minutes.
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!
If you already mashed your bananas before freezing (kuddos to you!), you’ll need about 4 cups of mashed bananas.
How to make the best banana bread
Ok, now that the bananas are ready, let’s get baking!
- Make the batter: mash the bananas, add sugar, butter and vanilla extract, and then stir in eggs. Lastly, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Optional, add chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
- Bake: divide the batter into 2 greased bread pans. I use glass bread pans, but any bread pan would work. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
choose the right bowl
Use a very large bowl to make the batter. I use a 4qt bowl (the largest bowl of this set).
To check the doneness
Insert a long wooden skewer or a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the bread is done!
You can also make this recipe into muffins too!
And if you’d rather make half a batch (just 1 loaf, or 12 muffins), follow my banana muffin recipe instead. It’s the same recipe, but for a half batch.
Storing Tip
Does banana bread need to be refrigerated?
Technically, you don’t have to refrigerate banana breads.
- Cover the bread and keep it on the counter for 1-2 days.
However, I always put them in the fridge. Mostly to keep them out of sight, or they’ll be gone in matter of hours.
how to keep the banana bread moist
Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container.
To serve, I microwave a slice for 30 seconds or so, and it’ll taste like fresh out of oven!
Can you freeze banana bread?
This bread also freezes well.
- Wrap the cooled bread well in plastic and put it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw, transfer the bread into the fridge overnight.
Banana Bread FAQs
About 2 medium bananas make 1 cup of mashed bananas.
Banana bread can last up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Bananas are ready for making a banana bread when they start to soften and small black dots start to appear.
Hope you’ll try this recipe soon. And please snap a photo and share it on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag me @shineshka, so I can see it too!
Thank you!!
Watch Video: The BEST Banana Bread
Best Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 8 frozen medium-to-large bananas Note 1
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1- 1 ½ cups (120-180 g) chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Peel and thaw frozen bananas in a microwave. Reserve all the juices and everything.
- Prepare two 9×5-inch bread pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mash the thawed bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth.
- Add sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Using a wooden spoon, mix everything until combined.
- Then add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine.
- Optional, add chopped 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.
Tips & Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on February 13th, 2013 and it was last updated on May 4th, 2020.
Delicious bread! My friends loved it as well. It is now going to become Christmas gifts 😊.
I was wondering though, can this be made with Almond flour? If so what measurement changes will there be. Thank you.
Hi, Linda. I’m so happy you tried and loved my banana bread recipe!! I haven’t tried this recipe with almond flour. Since almond flour and all purpose flour are not interchangeable, it will take some significant adjustments.
I made this recipe, however, I made a few changes. I put 1/2 cup of walnut pieces and 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips. When it was time to slice a piece, I realized that I had forgotten to put the sugar in the mixture. However, it turned out sweet enough with all of the overripened bananas on their own. Very tasty!
When you halved the banana bread recipe for muffins, you did not cut the baking soda and baking power by half. Does this not make a difference in the texture of the muffins?
Hi, Judith! Great question. Baking soda amount is reduced by 1/2 teaspoon in the muffin recipe, but baking powder amount stays the same.
“Banana Banana Bread”… that’s what the recipe I found years ago was titled…Lol …I’ve always thrown that extra banana that was getting too brown for my taste into the freezer….when there were 8 or 9 …Bread!! I know it sounds like it will be banana soup(8-9 bananas??!!)BUT it IS the best way to make banana bread.
I’m a purist…no nuts… ABSOLUTELY no choco chips…y’all can ruin an amazing loaf if you want to…
Moist? … beyond!! And freezes well too.
Thank you for bringing this recipe forward! I actually think I have a hoarded slice in the freezer for breakfast tomorrow!
Love your recipes, can’t wait to try on my husband and his family for my first time dinner🌞 your recipes are so simple and easy to follow Thank you will let you know how it went.
Aww, thank you for such a kind comment, Diana! Hope the dinner went well.
Hi why is there no oil or any kind of other fat in this recipe. The banana bread recipe that I’ve been using for a long time has oil as a fat and I’m sure you can also interchange it with butter. Is the fat not necessary? Please explain and thank you. I will make your bread
I’ve been using this recipe since you first posted it. It is the BEST I’ve tried!! For awhile I could not find the recipe, I was so sad.. glad I found it again!!
Yay, I’m so happy you found it!! Thank you so much for feedback, Meli!! Welcome back!
I only have 6 frozen bananas. Will that still be enough?
I recommend trying half the recipe with 4 bananas. Here’s the recipe for my banana muffins, but it’s basically half of my banana bread recipe. You can bake it in bread pan.
Recipe calls gor 1.5 tsp baking powder but not mentioned in video.? So did you omit deliberately?
Hi, Lorraine. Good catch! And thank you for asking. So, in my video, I used baking soda + cream of tartar, which is basically baking powder. I updated my recipe after I had shared my video. Hope this helps.
So, after you bake the bread, do you just leave them in the pans to cool completely, or do you take them out of the pan after a certain amount of time as you would with most bread recipes?
I doubled this recipe and used toasted walnuts and dark chocolate chips. I made half into 24 muffins and half into 2 generous loaves. I cut the sugar by 1/2 cup, doubled, by 1 cup total.
This is the best banana bread I have made or eaten! It will be my go-to from now on. I always freeze overripe bananas for months until I have to make bread out of them. This is the first recipe I haven’t had to guess how to adjust to use frozen bananas. Usually I have drain the bananas or eliminate the milk in a recipe. Loved this bread! Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi, Tara! Thank you SO much for your feedback. I’m so glad you found my recipe and you loved it!
This is first time reader to your site. I’m going to make the frozen banana bread recipe tomorrow.
Can I defrost them the day before and skip the microwave warming step ?
Will it make a difference in the outcome of the bread?
Hi, Patti. Yes, absolutely. I’ve peeled frozen bananas under running hot water and put the peeled frozen bananas in a bowl and thawed them overnight in the fridge. Works like a charm!
Can I cut this recipe in half? No way I ever get 8 overripened bananas in this house!