This is it: the only easy banana bread recipe you’ll ever need. Forget complicated steps and a mountain of dirty dishes. This one-bowl wonder is incredibly straightforward, delivering a perfectly moist, flavorful, and tender loaf every single time. It’s the kind of recipe that fills your home with the most comforting aroma and results in a classic quick bread that’s perfect for breakfast, a snack, or a simple dessert. If you’ve been searching for a reliable and delicious way to use up those overripe bananas, your search is over.
Why This is The Best Easy Banana Bread Recipe
There are thousands of recipes out there, but this one stands out for a few key reasons. It has been tested and perfected to be completely foolproof, even for the most novice bakers.
- One-Bowl Wonder: All the mixing happens in a single bowl, which means minimal cleanup and a super fast prep time.
- Unbelievably Moist: We use the perfect ratio of mashed banana and melted butter to create an ultra-moist loaf with a tender crumb that stays soft for days.
- Pantry Staples: No fancy ingredients here! You likely have everything you need already in your kitchen.
- Perfectly Sweet & Flavorful: It has that classic, rich banana flavor you crave, with just the right amount of sweetness.
The Secret to Moist Banana Bread: Key Ingredients
The magic of a truly great banana bread lies in simple, quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need and why each component is so important.
Overripe Bananas
This is the most critical ingredient. You want bananas that are heavily speckled with brown or even mostly black. Why? As bananas ripen, their starches convert to sugar, making them sweeter and more aromatic. They also become softer and release more moisture, which is essential for a tender loaf.
All-Purpose Flour
Good old all-purpose flour provides the structure. For the most accurate results, I recommend spooning the flour into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife, rather than scooping directly from the bag.
Melted Butter
While some recipes use oil, melted butter provides a richer flavor and a wonderfully tender texture. It coats the flour proteins, preventing too much gluten development, which keeps the bread soft, not tough. If you need a substitute, check out my banana bread recipe without butter (coming soon).
Sugars
A combination of granulated and brown sugar gives the best of both worlds. White sugar provides sweetness and a crisp top, while brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle caramel note that complements the bananas beautifully.
Other Essentials
- Egg: One large egg helps bind the ingredients together and adds richness.
- Baking Soda: This is our leavening agent, which reacts with the acidity in the bananas and brown sugar to help the bread rise.
- Vanilla Extract & Salt: These are flavor enhancers. Never skip the salt; it balances the sweetness and makes the banana flavor pop.
How to Make Easy Banana Bread (Step-by-Step)
Ready to bake? Here’s how simple it is to bring this delicious loaf to life.
- Prep Your Pan and Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to easily lift the bread out later.
- Mash the Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the overripe bananas with a fork until they are mostly smooth. A few lumps are perfectly fine!
- Whisk the Wet Ingredients: Add the melted butter, whisked egg, both sugars, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Whisk everything together until it’s well combined.
- Fold in the Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! A few streaks of flour are okay.
- Add Mix-Ins (Optional): If you’re using them, now is the time to gently fold in chocolate chips or chopped walnuts. For an extra decadent treat, try this chocolate chip banana bread recipe.
- Bake to Perfection: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool Completely: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before using the parchment paper overhang to lift it out. Place it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This step is crucial for the best texture!
Pro Tips for the Perfect Loaf Every Time
These simple tips will elevate your easy banana bread recipe from great to absolutely perfect.
- Do Not Overmix: This is the golden rule of any quick bread. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, resulting in a tough, dense, and gummy loaf. Fold the dry ingredients in until they are just barely combined.
- Use Room Temperature Egg: A room temperature egg will incorporate more easily into the batter, creating a more uniform texture. To quickly warm up an egg, place it in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- Tent with Foil: If you notice the top of your loaf is browning too quickly before the inside is cooked, loosely tent the pan with a piece of aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
- Patience is Key: Resisting the urge to slice into that warm loaf is tough, but letting it cool completely allows the crumb to set. This ensures clean slices that don’t fall apart.
Variations and Fun Add-Ins
This simple recipe is a fantastic base for customization. Feel free to get creative!
- Banana Nut Bread: Fold in 3/4 cup of toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans for a classic crunch.
- Spiced Banana Bread: Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg along with the dry ingredients for a warm, spiced flavor. Check out this amazing cinnamon swirl banana bread (coming soon).
- Extra Moisture Boost: For an even richer crumb, try adding 1/4 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt, like in this sour cream banana bread recipe.
How to Store and Freeze Banana Bread
One of the best things about banana bread is that it stores beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep.
Storing at Room Temperature
Once cooled completely, store the banana bread in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay moist and delicious at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing for Later
This recipe freezes exceptionally well. You can freeze the entire loaf or individual slices.
- Cool Completely: Ensure the bread is at room temperature.
- Wrap Tightly: Wrap the loaf or slices first in plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil. This double layer prevents freezer burn.
- Freeze: Place the wrapped bread in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave it on the counter at room temperature for a few hours.
Easy Banana Bread Recipe: Incredibly Moist & Foolproof!
This one-bowl easy banana bread recipe is foolproof and yields a perfectly moist and flavorful loaf every time. Made with simple pantry staples like overripe bananas, melted butter, and flour, it's the only banana bread recipe you'll ever need. Perfect for beginners!
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper with an overhang for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, whisked egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are okay.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, lift it out of the pan and let it cool completely on the wire rack before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Do Not Overmix: This is the most important tip! Mix until the flour is just incorporated to ensure a tender, not tough, loaf.
Banana Ripeness: For the best flavor and moisture, use bananas that are very spotty or even black.
Storing: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
Easy Banana Bread Recipe: Incredibly Moist & Foolproof!
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper with an overhang for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, whisked egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Sprinkle the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are okay.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, lift it out of the pan and let it cool completely on the wire rack before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Banana Ripeness: For the best flavor and moisture, use bananas that are very spotty or even black.
Storing: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Frequently Asked Questions About Easy Banana Bread Recipe
The riper, the better! For the sweetest flavor and most moisture, use bananas that are heavily covered in brown and black spots. They should be very soft to the touch. This is the number one secret to great banana bread.
Dry banana bread is usually caused by two things: overmixing the batter or overbaking. Mix the batter only until the flour is just combined, and start checking for doneness with a toothpick a few minutes before the recipe suggests.
Absolutely! Thaw the frozen bananas completely at room temperature or in the microwave. They will release a lot of liquid; be sure to include all of that liquid in your batter as it’s full of banana flavor and moisture.
The best way to check is with a wooden skewer or a toothpick. Insert it into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, it’s done. If it has wet batter on it, it needs more time.
A sunken middle is often a sign that the bread was underbaked, causing the center structure to collapse as it cools. It can also be caused by an oven that’s too hot (cooking the outside before the inside is set) or opening the oven door too early in the baking process.
Enjoy Your Perfect Banana Bread!
I hope you love this simple and delicious banana bread as much as we do. It’s a timeless classic for a reason! If you try it, please leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out. And don’t forget to save this recipe to your favorite board on Pinterest!
