Banana Bread Recipe Ideas

Put those ripe bananas to use in this moist, delicious banana bread and you'll learn why it's the most popular recipe on Simply Recipes.

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

This banana bread has been the most popular recipe on Simply Recipes for over 10 years. Thousands of people make it every day. Why?

Easy Banana Cake

Because it really is the best banana bread recipe, period. You can mix everything in one bowl, you can vary the amount of sugar or bananas. And the secret to its great flavor? Melted butter.

The beauty of this banana bread recipe is you don't need a fancy mixer! A mixing bowl, a fork to whisk the eggs, and a sturdy spoon to mix the batter are all you need. The sugar amount is flexible. The original recipe called for a cup of white sugar, but most people, including me, do just fine with 3/4 cup, and many are happy with 1/2 cup.

You can toss in a cup of chopped nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips if you want, or put the batter into muffin tins and make banana nut muffins instead. You can even go a step further and make chocolate banana bread.

The Best Banana Nut Bread {+video}

I was given this banana bread recipe years ago from my friend Heidi H, who, many years before, had begged the recipe from a ski buddy’s mother—Mrs. Hockmeyer. Thanks Heidi!

All these years later, we were curious to know more about who Mrs. Hockmeyer is, and how Heidi got her recipe in the first place. You can read all about it in this story.

This recipe calls for an 8x4-inch loaf pan, which produces a tall loaf. The recipe will also work in an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan, producing a slightly shorter bread. Since the pan is a bit larger, the bake time is shorter: 47 to 57 minutes. A 9x5-inch pan will yield an especially short but still delicious bread; bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

Banana Banana Bread Recipe (with Video)

This recipe calls for an 8x4-inch loaf pan. If you are baking in an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch pan, bake for 47 to 57 minutes. If baking in a 9x5-inch pan, bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Note that the larger pan size will produce a flatter loaf.

The best bananas to use for banana bread are those that are overripe. The yellow peels should be at least half browned, and the bananas inside squishy and browning.

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2, 000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Banana Bread Pudding

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

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Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Next, mix in the mashed bananas and milk.

Easy Banana Bread Recipes

Add Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, mix together the dry ingredients and add to the creamed sugar mixture. Stir just enough to combine the batter without over-mixing.

Bake: Pour the batter into a greased bread loaf pan (here’s my favorite loaf pan that’s 8.5×4.5 pan) and bake at 325 degrees for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

To Freeze: Allow the bread to cool completely and then store in an airtight container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw to room temperature before serving.

Five Banana Banana Bread (in One Bowl!)

This easy Banana Bread Recipe is moist, fool-proof, and simply perfection! It's our family's favorite and it turns out perfect every time!

Freezing Instructions: Allow loaf to cool completely and then store in an airtight container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature before serving.

Banana Nut Bread: add a heaping ½ cup of your favorite chopped nuts (we like to add walnuts) and gently stir them in the batter before baking.

Best Ever Banana Bread Recipes

Calories: 221 kcal Carbohydrates: 33 g Protein: 3 g Fat: 9 g Saturated Fat: 5 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g Trans Fat: 0.3 g Cholesterol: 51 mg Sodium: 394 mg Potassium: 40 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 17 g Vitamin A: 284 IU Vitamin C: 0.03 mg Calcium: 33 mg Iron: 1 mg

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.A classic loaf of banana bread is the epitome of simple home baking, but that doesn't mean it can't also deliver maximum deliciousness. If you’re looking to make the ultimate loaf of banana bread—moist, dense, and absolutely

With banana—look no further than this recipe. Our tried-and-true banana bread does everything you want it to—it’s quick to whip up with only a handful of pantry ingredients, is full of intense banana flavor, and has that perfect, moist-crumb texture. Looking to take your banana bread over the top? Here’s what you need to know:

Coffee Cake Banana Bread

This recipe calls for an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 metal loaf pan, greased with cooking spray and lined with parchment with an overhang on both sides (this is to help with easy loaf removal after baking. We chose this loaf pan size to create a tall bread, but you can also use a slightly bigger loaf pan if that's all you have. If you do, keep an eye on your cook time—the size of your pan will affect how long your loaf needs to cook, so your bread will probably be done a few minutes early.

A great banana bread should be bursting with banana flavor, so make sure your bananas are super-ripe—and actually measure it. Our recipe uses 2 full cups (450 grams) of ripe mashed banana. That’s approximately 4 large bananas, but size can vary, so we highly recommend you measure or weigh them to be sure.

The consistency of the banana should be as smooth as possible before it’s mixed into the batter. If it’s still lumpy, you will end up with chunks of banana in the bread, which we’re not crazy about.

Classic Banana Bread Recipe

Every star vocalist has at least one back-up singer, and in this recipe, the banana has two. The deeply caramelized notes of the dark brown sugar and the sweet rich vanilla amplify and enhance the banana, similar to the way espresso would in chocolate cake. If you don't have brown sugar, don't stress. You can achieve a very similar flavor by subbing in light brown sugar and adding 2 teaspoons unsulphured molasses to your batter.

While you definitely want your banana bread cooked through, you don’t want to bake it for too long. We recommend pulling it when a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs still attached; no one wants dry banana bread! 

Lots of banana breads add in spices, nuts, or chocolate chips. We love all those things—don’t get us wrong!—but we wanted the banana to be the star of this bread, so we kept it pure so that flavor could really shine. If you do prefer something extra in your bread, feel free to add 1 cup of your preferred mix-ins into the batter! One of our favorite variations? Adding walnuts and cinnamon, like we did in our banana nut bread.

Super Simple Banana Bread

If you plan to eat your banana bread within a few days (we don’t blame you), you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. Want it to stay perfectly moist? Lay a paper towel in an airtight container (or storage bag), place the loaf on top of it, then layer another paper towel on top before sealing to keep air away. Alternatively, you can freeze your loaf by waiting for it to cool, wrapping in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then store in the freezer for around 3 months. 

Taylor Ann Spencer is the assistant food editor at , where she develops recipes, creates recipe videos, and styles food. With a background in writing and theater as well as professional cooking, she enjoys sharing her love for global flavors and all things baking through informational posts, hosted videos, and just plain everyday conversations. When she's not cooking, she's brainstorming her next culinary mash-up. Mac