Best Homemade Banana Bread Recipe

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?

Moist Homemade Banana Bread

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.

Tried And True Banana Bread

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.

Buttermilk Banana Bread Recipe

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.

Simply Perfect 2 Banana Banana Bread

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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There is nothing better than homemade banana bread. I have spent a good part of my life baking and I still get a thrill when I see I have some beautifully ripe bananas that need to be used.

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

When testing this recipe, I made over 50 loaves of banana bread. You read that right. I’ve tested every combination of ingredients, temperatures, baking methods, pan sizes – you name it. It’s been a labor of love – and a heck of a lot of bananas.

What makes this the best banana bread? There are a few things that I was looking for as I developed this recipe:

Banana flavor. This is often overlooked in banana recipes. Banana bread should taste like bananas, period. I have found the perfect amount of banana to be 1 1/4 cup of mashed ripe banana, or, about 3 to 4 really ripe bananas. This gives the bread

Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

To this easy recipe. (Note: I tested this recipe using 1 to 1 1/2 cups of banana and the recipe works flawlessly for this range.)

Moistness. This moist banana bread recipe is exactly what I was going for. Banana bread should be deliciously moist but not dense. It has a It needs to have enough moistness that it stays fresh for days. The moistness lends to a

I literally had to hide loaves of banana bread to ensure that I could check days later. You would think Reece and Bryce would be sick of this banana bread recipe at this point, but nope.

The Best Banana Bread Recipe ~sweet & Savory

Banana bread with sour cream is my favorite way to ensure a moist bread but you can also use Greek yogurt if you prefer.

Easy. Yep, this banana bread recipe is a quick bread – so it shouldn’t take a lot of effort. The hardest part of this recipe is mashing the bananas. I use a potato masher, my mixer or a fork. You do you.

And the butter is melted so you don’t even need a mixer. A whisk, a bowl and a spatula are all you need.

Really Easy Air Fryer Banana Bread (mini Loaf!)

One of the best things about this recipe is that it uses kitchen staples. All you need is your ripe bananas and you’ve likely got everything else on hand. You can find the full, printable recipe at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need:

I like to make this recipe in an 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan but it also works in a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. How do you make banana bread? Let’s take a quick look at the simple steps:

Very! The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more delicious the bread. You want to look for bananas with lots of dark spots all over. The more the merrier.

Our Favorite Banana Bread

Bananas by themselves are okay in moderation for dogs, but since this bread contains a fair amount of sugar, it’s not the best treat for your pup. Stick to these dog treats instead.

After baking, the bread will last for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. Simply wrap in plastic wrap or store in a large resealable bag. If you store it in the fridge, it will last an additional few days.

Absolutely and I recommend it! I often make two (or more) loaves, and freezing a loaf is the best way to guarantee we have banana bread ready to enjoy when the next craving hits. To freeze:

Banana Bread With Chocolate Chips

Wrap the bread (in slices or as a whole loaf) in two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil.

Bread should be thawed at room temperature. Simply unwrap the number of slices or whole loaf and let come to room temperature. Enjoy!

Simply the perfect Banana Bread recipe. Moist, quick and easy to make with a soft, tender crumb. Truly the best Banana Bread I’ve ever had and our favorite way to use up ripe bananas!

Joy's Easy Banana Bread Recipe

To save time, skip whisking the dry ingredients together separately in a bowl and just add them all together in step 5.

Calories: 226 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 49 mg | Sodium: 207 mg | Potassium: 151 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 16 g | Vitamin A: 279 IU | Vitamin C: 3 mg | Calcium: 18 mg | Iron: 1 mgWith 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.”

Ba's Best Banana Bread Recipe

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.

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!!!”

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.

The Best Homemade Banana Bread Recipe

This bread uses more mashed bananas than similar recipes. Add 2