We’ve been making this easy banana bread recipe for years and have no plans to stop. You’ll love the rich, buttery banana flavor and the incredibly moist crumb.
Our recipe makes one banana loaf, but speaking from experience, it’s wise to scale it to make two. This banana bread does not last long in our house. I’m always amazed at how quickly it disappears!
We aren’t the only ones who think this banana bread is incredible. Our readers consistently call this their “forever banana bread,” with many saying it’s the most “amazing” and “fabulous” recipe they’ve tried. If you’re looking for more ways to use up ripe bananas, we highly recommend our banana muffins. For a chocolatey twist on this recipe, try our chocolate chip banana bread or our chocolate banana bread (made with a chocolate batter).
Key Ingredients
- Bananas: For the very best banana bread, use very ripe bananas that are brown and speckled. They are sweeter and help achieve a moist, flavorful loaf. Since bananas vary in size, we’ve added extra tips to our recipe so you use the right amount. You will need about 1 ½ cups (340 g) of mashed banana, which means 3 medium or 2 large bananas.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works perfectly. You can also use whole-wheat or white whole-wheat flour, but expect a slightly denser loaf. For a gluten-free option, many of our readers have had success with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Baking Soda: This is essential for a good rise and a beautiful golden-brown color.
- Butter: Melted butter gives banana bread a rich, buttery flavor that’s hard to beat. While you can use olive oil (like we do for our healthy banana bread), butter provides the best flavor for this recipe. Use salted or unsalted butter; just note our tip below the recipe to increase the salt if using unsalted.
- Brown Sugar: The best option for a moist and flavorful loaf. Use either light or dark brown sugar.
- Eggs: Eggs add flavor, texture, and structure; you’ll need two for this recipe. Room temperature eggs are best. To quickly bring them to room temperature, submerge the cold eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water for a few minutes. To make egg-free banana bread, swap in two flax eggs or aquafaba.
- Salt, Vanilla, and Cinnamon: Don’t forget these! They bring all the flavors together and make the bread taste amazing.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Banana Bread
This banana bread recipe has been a reader favorite for years, which makes us so happy. It’s truly one of our favorites, too! Whenever I see a bunch of overripe bananas on our counter, my mind immediately turns to this bread (or this banana cake, it’s a toss-up these days!). Here’s a brief overview of how to make it:
- In one bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt).
- In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (the mashed bananas, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and eggs).
- Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Fold in the nuts, then scrape the batter into a loaf pan and bake for about an hour. Cool, and enjoy!
Our Secrets for Making the Best Banana Bread
Tip 1: Use overripe bananas. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve craved banana bread and realized I need to wait a few days for my bananas to ripen (it’s the same feeling when I want to make guacamole and my avocados aren’t ready yet). I know it’s hard, but trust me when I tell you that it is worth it! The riper your bananas are, the sweeter they taste and the moister your bread will turn out.
To speed up the ripening process for underripe bananas, place them in a brown paper bag in a warm spot in your kitchen for a day or two. You can see the speckles in the photo below—a great indicator that they are ready. (If you just can’t wait, try our banana pudding or banana cream pie, which both work well with firmer bananas.)
Tip 2: Measure your flour correctly. When it comes to measuring flour, it’s shockingly easy to pack too much into measuring cups, which can cause your loaf to turn out dry and dense. That’s why we recommend either weighing the flour in grams or using the spoon-and-level method: fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with a flat edge. We recommend this spoon-and-level method for many of our baking recipes (our brownies and carrot cake are great examples).
Tip 3: Don’t overmix your batter. Overmixing will make the loaf dense (the same is true when making our pancake recipe or these blueberry muffins). I like to think of it this way: whisk your dry ingredients as much as you like, and whisk your wet ingredients as much as you like, but when you put the two together, use a light hand and only mix until the streaks of flour disappear.
You can see in our video that we use a fork to mix the wet ingredients. To combine the wet and dry ingredients, switch to a flexible rubber spatula, which does a great job of folding them together. If you don’t have one, use a large spoon or even a fork.
Tip 4: Use the right loaf pan. For a tall, beautiful loaf like the one shown in our photos, use an 8 ½ by 4 ½-inch (1-pound) loaf pan. If you only have a 9 by 5-inch pan, you can still make our recipe, but the bread won’t be as tall and will likely need 5 to 10 minutes less time in the oven. We are also partial to aluminized steel pans over glass and ceramic ones, as glass and ceramic may require adjustments to baking temperature and time.
As a bonus tip, we also love baking quick breads on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of each other (see the photo below). It’s a tip we picked up from Dori Greenspan and helps to promote even baking.
Tip 5: How to tell banana bread is done. We have two go-to tests for loaves like this one. First, insert a thin toothpick into the loaf. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the loaf is done. Second, lightly press the top. If it leaves an indent, the loaf needs more time. If it springs back, it is ready to come out of the oven. Once out of the oven, let the bread cool completely before slicing. This way, if any of the batter in the middle was slightly underdone, the residual heat will finish cooking it as it cools.
Once cooled, slice your bread and enjoy alone, with some salted butter, honey butter, or homemade peanut butter!
More Quick Bread Recipes
Easy Banana Bread
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Say hello to our family’s best banana bread recipe. This loaf is so good that you’ll want to make two (trust me). For the most flavorful and moist bread, your bananas really do need to be ripe—overripe, brown, and speckled bananas are best.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (see tip if using unsalted butter)
3 medium very ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups / 340 g mashed)
8 tablespoons (115 g) salted butter, melted and cooled
¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (60 g) walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
Directions
1Position an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour an 8 ½ by 4 ½-inch (1-pound) loaf pan, or grease and line it with parchment paper. (See tips below for using a larger pan.)
2In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3In a large bowl, use a fork to mash the bananas into a chunky paste. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended.
4Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two parts. Stir until the flour disappears and the batter is smooth. Fold in the walnuts, if using.
5Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
6Set the loaf pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the bread and let it cool completely before slicing.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Store banana bread in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze, double-wrap the loaf with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 6 months.
- Pan: We prefer an aluminized steel 1-pound loaf pan (8 ½ by 4 ½ inches — ours is from USA Pans). If using a 9 by 5-inch pan, the loaf won’t be as tall and will bake 5 to 10 minutes faster. For glass pans, decrease the temperature by 25°F and bake slightly longer. Stoneware may also require adjustments depending on the specific pan.
- Promote even baking: Before placing in the oven, set the loaf pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked together—a tip we picked up from Dori Greenspan.
- Flour: Either weigh your flour in grams or use the “spoon and level” method: fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with a flat edge.
- Salt: If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to ½ teaspoon.
- To make chocolate chip banana bread, see our chocolate chip banana bread recipe. You will fold chocolate chips into the batter, either along with the walnuts or instead of them.
- The nutritional information provided are estimates.
This is my go to receipe when I want yummy banana bread. My whole family loves it. I add chocolate chips and Walnuts to it. Sooooooo goood! Thank you!
This review made us smile! 🙂
this food is very delicious thank you for making this delicious recipe
You are so welcome!
I really like many of your recipies. I’ll admit, mostly baking. I’ve been experimenting with sustituting Sugar with Spenda or similar exchange product. I made the banana bread again this week and tried to exchange part of the flour with almond flour. All of these exchanges make it more doable for a diabetic. What I can figure out is how many carbs I’ve saved with these measures. Do you have a recipe nutrition calculator? I can’t find a good one.
Hi Mandy, We are thrilled you are experimenting at home. We do not have a calculator on Inspired Taste. We use a service to provide nutrition estimates for our recipes.
I enjoyed the moistness of the bread, it was so delicious! My students will enjoy them!
really good recipe. this was my first and hopfully not last time baking banana bread. it smelled amazing once out of my oven. a chunk of banana made a lil hole which leaked some banana bread and banana thingy. it tasted soooooo good. smells heavenly. 5 stars.
Bob likey banana cakey!
lol. So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
This is my favourite Banana Bread recipe. Thank you so much! It’s delish.
This is the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever made! I made them into muffins and then iced them with a cream cheese frosting. They turned out perfectly
As always this is my fourth time making this recipe and my only recipe for banana bread because it is so good!! I always take photos but im unsure hwo to post with the photo. Also how can i make a larger amount? I always want to use a bigger pan not necessarily a loaf one but one where there more slices for few more people than 3 lol
This recipe is so delicious and amazing thank you for sharing(:
As always this is my fourth time makign this recipe and my only recipe for banana bread because it is so good!! I always take photos but im unsure hwo to post with the photo. Also how can i make a larger amount? I always want to use a bigger pan not necessarily a loaf one but one where there more slices for few more people than 3 lol
Why don’t you use baking powder with the baking soda
This batter just doesn’t need the extra lift. The baking soda alone does a good enough job and keeps the crumb tender and moist.
Thank you so much, it means a lot that you’ve made it so many times. Unfortunately, we do not offer the option for uploading photos. I love hearing that it’s your go-to banana bread, though! For making a larger amount, the recipe doubles really well. You can bake it in a 9×13-inch pan instead of a loaf pan. It will bake faster, so start checking around 30–35 minutes and pull it when a toothpick comes out clean.
This was absolutely delicious, moist and very flavorful! Thank you for this recipe.
Soooo yummy, the house smelled amazing while it was cooking!
Thank you for your wonderful detailed recipes – am about to make this with some very ripe bananas! Keep up the great work 🙂
AWESOME! Super easy, taste full of flavor. I will make this every week.
Amazing! So happy you enjoyed it!
Mine is in the oven right now. Took a picture of the batter and sent it to my daughter and said “yes my dear, this is made from scratch” as she has no faith in her mom haha. Hope it turns out delicious. I was about one banana short of being able to make 2 loaves ugh!
Hi Lauri, We are so happy you gave our recipe a try and I hope it turned out well for you!
I made this bread today and was disappointed that it was not cooked all the way through. I used a 9×5 “Daddio’s Aluminum pan” and baked it for 55 min. It also read 205-210 on an Instant Resd thermometer. It looked beautiful coming out of the oven. Golden. Well risen. Springy when touched. But once cooled it began to sink. I waited an hour to slice it and it was raw about 1/4 of the way up the pan and across the bottom I did think my batter was not quite as thick as yours when pouring into the pan. I did use 2 baking sheets under it as recommended. What happened? Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Nancy, I’m a bit stumped! I’m sure you were so frustrated. Usually when someone tells me their quick bread sank in the middle, I’d say that it was undercooked, but it seems like you used all the right tricks for checking doneness. It’s possible that there is an issue with the thermometer itself or its placement. Maybe try inserting it into more than one place in the loaf to make sure you didn’t hit an air bubble (a small chance, but possible). You also mention that the batter was not as thick as ours, which can indicate you had too much liquid (also a factor in middles sinking). Is it possible that you added more banana than we suggest? Again, I am sorry this one didn’t work as well for you as it does for us. If you try again, we’d love to hear how it turns out.
Hello ggojbg to try your banana bread recipe out today. Got some really ripe just about black bananas that my wife said to throw out but instead I’m going to make bread with them. They aren’t bad it’s just the agar from them coming to the skin surface. I will do and update after it’s all said and done.
Awesome bread will make every week year around
So glad you tried our recipe, Ellen! Thanks for coming back and letting us know how it turned out.
Oops just saw that it’s for one loaf somehow it came up even tho I googled double batch banana bread. So I assume that I can simply double the ingredients to make two loaves?? Thanks
Hi Sophie, Yes, you can just double the recipe for two loaves.
This is beyond delish! Made it 2 days in a row. So easy and beyond sublime. Hubby loved every bite, hence having to make it twice 🙂
This is my main recipe. I use bread flour because it gives a better results. You can also do a cheesecake filling in the center as well.
Making it now. Hoping it turns out good.
I didn’t like banana bread until I dared and made this recipe. It’s delicious, wonderful. As a personal touch, I add all spice and nutmeg. I’ve been doing it since you made this post, but it’s only now that I’ve dared to write to you. Thank you for all the recipes!
This is very easy and delicious. Not too sweet, just perfect. I did reduce the time because I was using a ceramic dish but overall the r needed an additional 15 min cook time because it was raw in the center.i followed the suggestion to use 2 insulated cookie sheets.
You are so welcome! Glad you liked your banana bread 🙂
I _love_ this banana bread and particularly appreciate how versitile it is. For instance – this time I didn’t have enough bananas so I added applesauce to make 1.5C total. Given the price of eggs I only used 2 and I tossed in a handful of chocolate chips. It still came out absolutely lucious and everyone says it’s the best banana bread ever. One note – I set my oven timer to 50 minutes and I’m glad I did as the bread was finished and if I’d left it in for 5 more minutes would have been burnt.
Just put in the oven and excited to try! I can smell it already!
This recipe has been a staple in my home for over 11 years. We make it multiple times a year also. It’s perfect and the best taste.
Hi, I’m 12 years old and this recipe was super easy. It was nice and moist. I used half all-purpose flour and half almond flour, which worked great! At first, I thought it was too crumbly but my mom loved it! I used a 9 x 18 pan instead, which baked faster, like 25-30 minutes. Thanks!
I be made this twice now and this is the easiest most decadent banana bread I’ve made, 1 thing, since some like them male and some prefer female bread (with or without nuts) sorry had to add that, I simply add the toasted nuts to the top and sprinkle raw sugar/turbin type over the nuts for an extra crispy sweet topping that can be easily sliced off for those who prefer without nuts it gives an incredible top to each slice of an already perfect banana bread! Thanks for sharing.
I make 2 loaves at a time, but I use applesauce instead of the butter. Lowers the fat content and no one notices, it doesn’t last 3 days here. I can’t eat it (diabetic) but my grandsons love it.
I make 2 loaves at a time, but I use applesauce instead of the butter. Lowers the fat content and no one notices, it doesn’t last 3 days here. I can’teat it (diabetic) but my grandsons live it.
Woops I forgot the vanilla extract but I made the rest of the loaf as is.Got my kitchen smelling wonderful can’t wait to try it!!!
Thank you so much for this recipe! People at work and home have been ranting about this bread! I’m no good at baking, but I shocked myself with this bake. It was so much fun and it smelled amazing. I tweaked the recipe a bit and added a mix of cake flour and self-rising. I added a bit more baking powder. I used a combination of butter and olive oil. Finally, I exchanged the walnuts for chocolate chips so it was a really tasty choc chip banana bread. Thank you so much!!!
Well, I followed the recipe to the T, I prefer do it that way then I know if I want to follow all the recipes and you well of course I subscribed it was delicious. I belong to a group of people that we play cards on Friday and Saturday nights, at two particular homes we switch back and forth cuz they have the most room to fit us all in and we always bring something baked. They always look forward to see what I’ll bring and this was a hit. This will definitely be in my rotation of goodies to bring.
Can I bake this as muffins?
Hi Jolean, Yes, you should be able to. Baking time will be much less. I’d use this banana muffins recipe as a guide for baking temp/timing.
FINALLY a recipe that actually tastes like the café banana bread we all know and love. I’ve gone through so many recipes and none of them were like this one. This is now on repeat in our household. Thank you!
Is this Baking Soda/Bicarbonate of Soda only or is it Baking Powder which is Bicarb and Tartaric acid. In my country there is no such thing as Baking Soda sold.
Hi Anton, You’ll want to use Bicarbonate of Soda.
Just tried this same recipe without the walnuts and I have to save it . It was amazing I give it a 5* , the best flavor even though I added a little more flavoring and more spices but it was nice .
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back!
This recipe for banana bread consistently gives me amazing results. I absolutely love the banana bread – it’s a great bake that stays moist and decadent even 2-3 days after making it. I like to use dark muscovado sugar instead of light brown sugar because I love the darkness it adds to the loaf and I think it adds even more moisture – it’s just incredible with tea or coffee, to share with friends or coworkers, and I even have it as a pre-workout or post-workout snack too sometimes.