Banana Bread Recipe With Brown Bananas

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.

Five Banana Bread

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.

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.

Moist Banana Bread (easy Recipe, Made With Oil)

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.)

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.

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.

Banana Bread Recipe

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.

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!)

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.

Brown Butter Caramelized Banana Bread

Sally McKenney is a professional food photographer, cookbook author, and baker. Her kitchen-tested recipes and thorough step-by-step tutorials give readers the knowledge and confidence to bake from scratch. Sally has been featured onPut 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?

Really Easy Air Fryer Banana Bread (mini Loaf!)

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.

Super Moist Banana Bread Recipe (no Mixer Needed)

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.

Healthy 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.

Ultimate 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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Banana Bread Recipe Without Brown Sugar

Use up overripe bananas with the best banana bread recipe! It’s moist, it’s sweet, and it’s simply bursting with banana flavor. This is one of those comfort recipes that comes together in a flash with just a few simple ingredients and will make your home smell incredible as it bakes. I love enjoying a warm slice of this banana packed bread, with a light smear of butter and my morning coffee. It’s the perfect way to start the day!

No ripe bananas? No worries! I have an easy shortcut method to “ripen” bananas in about 10 minutes, and all you need is a sheet pan and a hot oven. If you “bake” bananas in their peels, you’ll end up with deep brown bananas with a pudding-like texture. And if you’re looking for more ways to bake with bananas, try my banana cupcakes recipe, banana cake recipe, and banana oatmeal cookies recipe.

Cinnamon — I love the warmth that ground cinnamon adds to this easy banana bread recipe. You could leave it out if you prefer, or use different spices (ideas below!).

Pineapple Banana Bread

Unsalted butter — if you only have salted butter on hand, reduce the amount of added salt by ½ teaspoon. Set the butter out at room temperature about 30 minutes before you start baking so that it softens.

Bananas — you need mashed over-ripe bananas for the best results. If your bananas are mostly yellow, they are not ripe enough! The bananas should be very spotted or mostly brown and quite mushy — if your bananas are way past being good enough to eat fresh, they are likely perfect for baking!

2. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl), add the sugar and softened butter and beat together on high speed until light and fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes.

Maple Walnut Banana Bread

3. One at a time, beat in the eggs. Be sure to stop and scrape