Best Easy Banana Bread
on May 01, 2020, Updated Jul 01, 2025
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Moist, easy, perfect, only 10 minutes to get into the oven.
Bananas turning dark and spotted on your kitchen counter? Don’t stop, don’t think about it, just grab the flour, sugar, and eggs…you’re making banana bread.
Homemade banana bread really does come together very quickly (less than 15 minutes of hands-on time!), and it’s hard to imagine a homier snack or treat or brunch offering for literally any occasion, all year round. Let’s face it, banana bread, the most iconic quick bread, is a very close cousin of cake, and cake is always welcome. And do check out mini banana bread loaves!
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What's In This Post?
There are few things easier to bake and love than a simple banana bread.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – Make sure to use room temperature butter so it creams and aerates with the sugar for a light texture.
- Sugar
- Eggs – For stability and structure.
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour – For structure.
- Baking soda – For leavening.
- Very ripe bananas
- Buttermilk, heavy cream, half and half, whole milk, plain yogurt (Greek or otherwise), or sour cream – Any of these will add richness and moisture to your banana bread.
- Grated orange zest or cinnamon – Either of these will offer a pop of flavor.
- Mini chocolate chips – Optional.
Yes! Make sure to peel your bananas before freezing them, or they will be impossible to peel once frozen. When you are ready to use your frozen bananas, thaw them at room temperature and drain off any excess liquid.
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Easy Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large very ripe bananas (peeled and mashed; about 1 cup mush)
- ½ cup buttermilk (or heavy cream, half-and-half, whole milk, plain yogurt [Greek or otherwise], or sour cream)
- ½ teaspoon grated orange zest (or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; optional)
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips (for sprinkling on top; optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-x 5-inch loaf pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Blend in the mashed bananas and buttermilk along with the orange zest or cinnamon, if using.
- Switch to a wooden spoon and add the flour mixture in batches to the batter, mixing just until each addition is incorporated. At the end, the batter should be barely blended (it will be thick). Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Sprinkle the chips on top, if desired. Bake until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf out of the pan and finish cooling the bread upright on the wire rack.
Notes
Banana Bread Tips
- Use very ripe bananas: Don’t make banana bread with anything other than ripe bananas. If you have ripe bananas, then you are all ready to go, but if you are planning ahead, make sure to shop for those bananas ahead of time.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Over-blending quick bread batter results in tough breads and muffins. You want to barely still see faint streaks of flour and mushed banana. I like to switch to a wooden spoon once I start to add the dry ingredients, which prevents overmixing. If you are using a stand mixer, I suggest using the paddle attachment.
- Don’t over-mash the bananas: You don’t want fully pureed bananas; you still want little lumps that add so much flavor and texture, not to mention visual appeal, to banana bread. You can use a fork or a potato masher if you have one.
- Grease the pan: Don’t forget to lightly oil the loaf pan or spray it with nonstick spray so the banana bread comes out easily. I am a big fan of nonstick cooking sprays.
Storage
This banana bread will last in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days without drying out much, thanks to the bananas and dairy.Freezing Banana Bread
Cool the banana bread completely out of the pan on a wire rack. Wrap well plastic wrap, and then wrap the whole thing in aluminum foil, or slide it into a gallon-size freezer-proof zipper-top bag and press out any excess air. Label the bread, including the date, and freeze. Banana bread will last for up to 6 months in the freezer, but try to use it before 4 months. Defrost it in the fridge or on the counter for a day or so before unwrapping, slicing, and eating.Nutrition
Variations and Substitutions
- You can try adding other spices such as nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom for some warm flavor notes.
- You can use whatever dairy you have on hand, which makes this super pantry-friendly. Use buttermilk, heavy cream, half and half, whole milk, plain yogurt (Greek or otherwise), or sour cream, or whatever is available to you.
- You can add 1/2 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans.
Moist Banana Muffins
This recipe can easily be converted to muffins. Paper liners are very handy. They ensure muffins won’t stick to the pan, which is very frustrating after all of your effort, and they also make the muffins easier to transport and serve.
Banana muffins will cook much faster, taking between 23 and 27 minutes to cook.
What Can the Kids Do?
Making banana bread is a classic and beloved kid baking project. They can do practically everything: put the liners in the muffin tins, mash the bananas (if you have an old-fashioned potato mashed this becomes much more fun; if not use a fork), measure the ingredients, crack eggs, stir, scoop batter into the muffin tins, sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
