With its super-moist and buttery texture, banana and brown sugar flavors, soft crumb, and 1,000+ reviews, this is a delicious AND undeniably popular banana bread recipe. You need 4 ripe bananas.
One reader, Michele, says: “Perfectly delish every time! Absolutely foolproof. Nuts, no nuts, smidge more or less of sour cream—no problem… bigger bananas, smaller—no worries, perfect, beyond delicious EVERY time. ★★★★★”
This is my favorite banana bread recipe, one that I’ve cherished for years. It’s one of those classic recipes that you start to know by heart, just like a good pie crust or chocolate chip cookies recipe. This bread comes to mind first when I have leftover spotty bananas on the counter, and it’s the bread that’s on constant rotation in my freezer stash.
It’s one of the most popular recipes I’ve published on this website, out of over 1,200.
One reader, Tricia, says: “I have this recipe on speed dial. LOL. It is so tasty and is always a crowd pleaser. My kids and entire family love it!!! ★★★★★”
Yes, I have this recipe on speed dial too! 😉
I’ve tried dozens of banana bread recipes over the years, and when I baked and originally published this recipe back in 2013, I never looked back.
Why You’ll Love This Banana Bread Recipe Too
- Mega banana flavor (from 2 cups/460g mashed bananas)
- Not overly sweet, so banana flavor shines
- Dense, but still quite tender & soft
- Buttery & stays moist for days
- Straightforward, simple recipe
- Freezes wonderfully
- Excellent plain or with nuts or chocolate chips
This bread uses more mashed bananas than similar recipes. Add 2 whole cups (460g) of mashed banana, which is about 4 large bananas. More banana = more moisture and flavor in the finished loaf.
How to Mash Bananas
Did you know you can use your electric mixer to mash bananas? Break or slice the spotty bananas into large pieces and place in the bowl of your stand mixer—or use a regular mixing bowl and your hand mixer. Begin beating on low, then gradually increase to medium-high speed as the bananas break down into mashed banana. Transfer the bananas to another bowl and use the mixing bowl for the butter and sugar. (No need to clean it—some mashed banana remnants is fine.)
I do this when I mash bananas for banana muffins and banana chocolate chip breakfast cookies too.
Other Banana Bread Ingredients
- Butter: Use softened butter for a soft texture and irresistible butter flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Use all brown sugar in this recipe. In the headnotes for this chocolate chip cookies recipe, I explain that brown sugar yields soft and moist cookies. Well, brown sugar works that same magic in banana bread, too. It also adds wonderful flavor.
- Eggs: Eggs supply cakes, cupcakes, breads, doughs, and cookies their stability and structure, as well as a tender texture. You’ll need 2 large eggs for this.
- Sour Cream or Yogurt: Sour cream or yogurt adds even more moisture to this banana bread. (You can use the 2 interchangeably in most baking recipes.)
For banana nut bread, add 3/4 cup of chopped nuts to the banana bread batter; I like using either pecans or walnuts. If you’re nuts for nuts (LOL), you’ll enjoy the toasty slight crunch nestled inside the soft crumbs. If you’re not a nut person, feel free to leave them out or replace with chocolate chips. For a whole wheat version, try my whole wheat banana bread.
Can I Use Frozen Bananas?
Yes and I do this often. Thaw the frozen bananas at room temperature. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe below. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking. Try not to mash too much or else you’ll be left with 2 cups of banana-y liquid; some chunks are great.
Can I Turn This Into a Banana Bundt Cake?
I recommend using my extremely similar, scaled-up recipe for chocolate marble banana Bundt cake instead. You can leave out the chocolate swirl in that recipe.
How to Freeze Banana Bread
Freeze banana bread using these instructions to preserve its fresh flavor and texture for months:
- Cool baked banana bread completely.
- Tightly wrap the loaf or slices (individually or grouped) in 2–3 layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Place wrapped banana bread in a large freezer-friendly storage bag or reusable container.
- Date the bag and freeze for up to 3–4 months. Thaw wrapped or unwrapped in the refrigerator or at room temperature. All methods work like a charm!
I like to freeze the quick bread in slices because slices thaw much quicker than a whole loaf.
Overall, this is an easy recipe for classic banana bread. The batter takes about 10 minutes to throw together, the bread stays moist for days, and nothing beats the smell of fresh banana bread in the oven. (Except for, maybe, zucchini bread or pumpkin bread… try those next!)
Other Favorite Banana Recipes:
- Banana Cake & Banana Cupcakes
- Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
- Banana Cream Pie & Banoffee Pie
- Banana Muffins or Healthier Chocolate Banana Muffins & Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins
- Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
My Favorite Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
With its super-moist and buttery texture, banana and brown sugar flavors, soft crumb, and 1,000+ reviews, this is a delicious AND undeniably popular banana bread recipe. You need 4 large ripe bananas.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80g) plain yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 cups (460g) mashed bananas (about 4 large ripe bananas)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 3/4 cup (100g) chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lowering the oven rack prevents the top of your bread from browning too much, too soon. Grease a metal 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then beat in the yogurt, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract until combined.
- With the mixer running on low speed, slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no flour pockets remain. Do not over-mix. Fold in the nuts, if using.
- Pour and spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 60–65 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs. This may be after 60–65 minutes depending on your oven, so begin checking every 5 minutes around the 60-minute mark.
- Remove bread from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove bread from the pan and cool bread directly on the wire rack until ready to slice and serve.
- Cover and store banana bread at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Banana bread tastes best on day 2 after the flavors have settled together. See post above for freezing instructions.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Butter: If needed, you can use salted butter in this recipe with no other changes needed. I’ve also successfully reduced the butter down to 6 Tablespoons (85g) with no issue (just as tasty).
- Brown Sugar: This is not an overly sweet quick bread. If you want a sweeter banana bread, increase to 1 cup (200g) brown sugar. Feel free to replace some or all of the brown sugar with regular white granulated sugar.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: This banana bread also tastes fantastic with cream cheese frosting on top! To make it, beat 4 ounces (112g) of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup (60g) of softened unsalted butter together on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 1 cup (120g) of confectioners sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until combined. Spread on cooled loaf.
- Banana Bread Muffins: Use this banana bread recipe to make 15 banana bread muffins. Spoon the batter into a lined or greased muffin pan (fill each to the top with batter) and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C); then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 16–17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total bake time for the banana bread muffins is about 21–23 minutes. The initial burst of hot air helps those muffins rise nice and tall! Or try my quick & easy banana muffins.
- Brown Sugar: Feel free to substitute the same amount of regular white granulated sugar or coconut sugar. I do not recommend any liquid sweeteners.
- No Sour Cream or Yogurt? Feel free to use 1/3 cup mashed banana (in addition to the 2 cups), unsweetened applesauce, or even canned pumpkin puree.
- Frozen Bananas: You can use frozen bananas here. Thaw the frozen bananas. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking. Try not to mash too much or else you’ll be left with 2 cups of banana-y liquid; some chunks are great.
- Chocolate Chips: I love this bread with chocolate chips, too. Feel free to add 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips. No need to leave out the nuts if you add the chocolate chips. Chocolate chips and nuts are both optional.
- Can I Turn This Into Banana Bundt Cake? There isn’t enough batter. I recommend using my extremely similar, scaled-up recipe for chocolate marble banana Bundt cake instead. You can leave out the chocolate swirl in that recipe.
I’m not a baker. And I stumbled upon this recipe when the bananas turned dark on my counter top. This is definitely a easy to follow recipe and the end result is a moist and tasty banana bread. As I’m writing, I’m making the recipe for a second time and can’t wait to share with my friends in the office tomorrow!!!
I have been trying different Banana bread recipes over the winter. I’ve tryed Sour Cream(good and moist, thought I found the “go to”, one for life) I then tryed this recipe with Yogurt(I had a vanilla flavored less sugar)
Used salted sweet cream butter. I added a couple of ingredients. I sprayed my loaf pans and small mini bundt pans with a avocado spray. I then mixed sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, the taste of more or less cinnamon and sugar to your liking. Try and visualize extra yumminess to this already AWEEEEESOME recipe. After spraying pans, yes pans… I quadrupled this banana bread recipe I whisked the sugar and cinnamon together and generously covered the spray inside the pans. (might add some nutmeg next time with craisons for the holidays)
The taste of cinnamon and sugar on the outside of a warm slice of the yummy in your tummy recipe just adds that extra What, What is that shock of a PAR-TAY in my mouth. I made 2 mini bundt cake pans and 2 large loaf pans with this recipe x 4.
I added Lilys white chocolate chips (it has <1 net carb for 25 chips WINNING) to a couple of pans. Walnuts and milk chocolate Lilys chips to 1 pan and 1 pan with no nuts, chips. Okay… This is the very first time I've sent a review for a recipe that I've tryed. That is how good this recipe is☺️
I ended up giving 2 warm loaves away(now I'm asked Everytime I see these people they ask me if I've made extra banana bread lately)froze one and kept one out to be munched on for the week. You will not be disappointed in trying this recipe. Sorry my review is so long
Excellent flavor and perfect crumb. My only issue was the timing; after 75 minutes it was still a bit raw in the middle. I finally put a slit in the center of the foil and cooked it for another five minutes. Perfect. My guess is that my loaf pan (a vintage pampered chef) was the culprit. I’ll be replacing that old thing asap. Any recommendations?
Hi Jayne, I’m glad you tried and enjoyed this banana bread recipe and that adjustment worked. We usually use USA Pan brand loaf pans. They’re my favorite.
I didn’t cover mine half way through and it came out perfectly done and a nice deep golden color on top. I liked that the recipe said to put the oven rack down to the bottom third. I don’t usually do that and it is too dark but with the rack lower and keeping it uncovered it took 63 minutes and worked out beautifully!
Just okay. I found this to be kind of bland and fatty. I used salted butter, dark brown sugar, sour cream, and increased cinnamon to one teaspoon. It does have plenty of banana flavor, and the two cups of banana made me want to try the recipe. Best thing I can say about it is it has a nice crumb and slices well.
Nice and moist! I used sour cream. Not overly sweet like some bb recipes. I would bump up the salt a little, to enhance all flavors. 60% or more cacao chocolate is a match made in heaven. Cream cheese frosting is almost gilding the lily, but I made it on the side. Bc you know, cream cheese frosting.
Totally overflowed my standard bread tin- took 70-74 min to cook. Measure your baking dish carefully. On top, mine measures 8 1/2 x 4 1/4. It does make a difference.
Ii would like to make 100 muffins with these ingredients do i just double or quad the recipe ?
Hubby felt like banana bread last night. I’ve tried many recipes that were ok but never amazing. Well yours is amazing and the only one we will use now. I didn’t have sour cream or plain Greek yoghurt so I used my Danone black cherry yoghurt. Honestly the best banana bread ever even with the flavoured yoghurt. Winner!
I used blueberry yogurt
Hey ladies this is the best ever banana bread I’ve tried, I will definitely stop looking for a good recipe because this one is the BEST .
Thank you so much for sharing
Ps it was so good I gave my neighbor a loaf .
Love this recipe and would love to make my nieces some tiny muffins out of this as little “cupcakes” as they call them are their favorite treat. Do you suggest the 425 for 5 minutes, and then lowering the temp? Also how long do you suggest cooking them for?
I am a huge fan of your recipes! I actually just made your funfetti cake and triple chocolate cake yesterday for my nieces birthday.
Hi Callie, for mini muffins, we recommend following our banana muffins recipe and bake for 12-14 total minutes at 350°F (177°C). We hope they’re a hit!
Has anyone tried this with self rising flour? I have everything but the right flour and can’t go to store now. Thinking of giving it a try.
Omg! This was heavenly!
I have been wanting to make banana bread for my family for a few days, since the bananas we buy just to let get so ripe that we have no choice but to turn them into bread got ripe enough to do so.
My mom was like “I found one on Sally’s baking Addiction, she’s my favorite-“ at this point I yelled “I love Sally’s Baking Addiction!”
And that is the story of how I discovered some of the best banana bread ever!
This is the best banana bread I have eaten. It was so easy to make. It looked absolutely beautiful and it was super moist and delicious. Thanks for sharing it with us!
I made this and followed the recipe. I used sour cream instead of yogurt. Great flavor, moist. I agree with a few others that it didn’t cook through.
Fantastic and wonderful. Your recipe and explanations helped me so much. We’re already eating a slice and it’s still warm. I can’t imagine ever having any of this banana cake left over to freeze. I followed your recipe exactly and appreciated the tip about discarding the liquid from the frozen bananas. Thanks again!!
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! I added a cup of chopped up dark chocolate and about 4 crushed cardamom pod seeds and it’s absolutely amazing. I also added a crumb topping with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and it got all crispy and amazing when it cooled.
My new favorite banana bread recipe!
My sister won’t stop talking about how moist and delicious it was!
I also tried the raspberry dark chocolate banana bread but with frozen mixed berries and it was amazing.
Thanks for always having the weight of the ingredients, it’s one of my favorite parts about your recipes.
I’m sure you don’t like to hear when someone changes your recipe, but if you’re not a fan of nuts in banana bread then you’ve gotta try this: I added a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract instead of nuts! I’m sure it’s been done before, but I think all banana bread should call for it. Best banana bread recipe out there! Super moist and great instructions, thank you! I bet a couple drops of extract added to some icing drizzled over the top could stop traffic! Thanks for the great recipie!
This is my first time making banana nut bread, and I’m so glad I chose this recipe. This was so easy to make, and it is delicious. Thank you so much. The only thing I didn’t have was a loaf pan, so I used my bunt cake pan. It was a little less baking time, but still a very good outcome.
This is delicious! It was so moist and just melted in my mouth. Yum!
The BEST Banana recipe I’ve ever tried! My son loves this banana bread! Thank you soooooo much!!!
Phenomenal!!!!!
I made this yesterday and it got rave reviews from everyone who tried it! It’s super moist and delicious. I added walnuts this time and I think the next time I make it I will add the chocolate chocolate chips. Thank you for this recipe!
Made this yesterday. Wow, great taste and moist. Much better than my other recipe. Looking forward to trying out some more of your recipes. Outstanding!
Hands down the BEST banana bread recipe–and I’ve tried a lot! I’ve made it a few times with and without pecans and it’s amazing either way. Even after being frozen it tastes like it was just made. (After defrosting at room temp I put it in the oven at 350* for about 5 minutes to crisp up a bit). I followed instructions exactly and it comes out perfect! 🙂
This turned out super moist and delicious. My new go-to recipe for banana bread. Sadly, I didn’t have any nuts so I just used chocolate chips. I doubled the recipe and subbed Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer for the eggs as we don’t eat them.
Thanks for a great recipe!
I add peanut butter to the mix. Pour 1/2 of the mixture into your pan, add multiple dollups of peanut butter into the mix, then cover with the rest of the batter. Nothing like peanut butter and banana. Great recipe.
K, I forget simple steps sometimes and my baking is often trial by fire. I doubled ingredients for a larger angel food cake pan. Included some mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and pecan bits.
The key is the room temperature ingredients I think.
Turned out to be the best I have ever made… I think. See what the family says.
I love this recipe! This has been my go to for 5 years now. I use a ceramic loaf pan. I bake the cake at 325⁰F for 30 minutes, cover the cake with tin foil, and baked another 35 minutes. I checked in at 10 minute intervals to see if it has cooked thoroughly. I only needed an additional 20 minutes. The texture and taste is perfect.