A classic, from-scratch banana bread that’s soft and banana-forward with simple pantry ingredients. Everything mixes in one bowl, bakes up with a tender crumb, and slices cleanly for breakfast or snacks. Use up those really ripe extra bananas sitting on the counter!
Love easy and quick baking that actually works? Try my Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins and my popular Three Ingredient Peach Cobbler for more quick wins in the kitchen.
Table of contents
Why I love this recipe
Short ingredient list and a true one bowl banana bread that does not need a mixer.
Balanced butter and oil for a tender crumb that stays soft the next day.
Uses 3 to 4 very ripe bananas you already have on the counter, so nothing goes to waste.
Clear bake times for 8x4 and 9x5 loaf pans, plus simple doneness cues for consistent results.
Easy variations like chocolate chip banana bread or classic banana nut bread for when you want a change.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 very spotty bananas)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup melted butter
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional but recommended)
Tips & Variations
Measure 1 ½ cups mashed banana for consistent results and even baking. Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown speckles for bigger banana flavor.
Mix by hand and stop as soon as the flour disappears so the crumb stays tender. Do NOT overmix.
Add ¾ cup chocolate chips if making chocolate chip banana bread.
Add ¾ cup chopped walnuts if making walnut bnana bread.
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Cool before slicing for clean pieces that do not crumble.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray muffin pan with no-stick baking spray and line with parchment paper. This makes cleanup much easier!
Step 1
Mash those bananas. I leave them a little chunky. You can totally cheat and use a mixer to mash them! Just make sure to leave them chunky, not smooth.
Step 2
Mix in butter, oil, eggs and vanilla into into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Step 4
Gently add sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. I use a fork and gently mix the dry ingredients that you have put on the wet, before mixing them into the wet. Mix until just combined but do not overmix.
Step 5
Pour mixture into the parchment lined loaf pan and smooth the top.
Step 7
Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
9x5 pan 50 to 60 minutes.
8x4 pan 55 to 65 minutes.
Start checking at earliest time suggested. The center should read about 200 to 205 F if using an instant-read thermometer.
Step 8
Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
Yield: Makes one loaf. Recipe easily doubles.
Serving Suggestion
One of my friends told me she loves banana bread for breakfast with some peanut butter! It really boosts the protein of this breakfast.
FAQs
Measure mashed bananas to reach 1 ½ cups in total. This is normally 4 small or 3 larger bananas. If you are off less than ¼ cup either way, that's OK.
Yes. Thaw, drain excess liquid, then mash and measure to 1 ½ cups.
Banana bread is generally a heavier bread because of all the bananas. However, if it is denser than it should be, there could be too much banana or it has been overmixed.
Storage and Freezing
Room temperature store tightly wrapped for 2 to 3 days.
Freeze whole or sliced up to 3 months. Wrap well, then place in a freezer bag.
Thaw slices at room temperature or rewarm briefly.
More Banana Recipes to try
Easy, Homemade Banana Bread!
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas about 1½ cups very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or any other neutral oil
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix in butter, oil, eggs and vanilla into into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
- Gently add sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. I use a fork and gently mix the dry ingredients that you have put on the wet, before mixing them into the wet. Mix until just combined but do not overmix.
- Pour mixture into the parchment lined loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.9x5 pan 50 to 60 minutes.8x4 pan 55 to 65 minutes.Start checking at earliest time suggested. The center should read about 200 to 205 F if using an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from pan to cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Slice to serve.
Notes
Freeze whole or sliced up to 3 months. Wrap well, then place in a freezer bag.
Thaw slices at room temperature or rewarm briefly.
Nutrition (estimate)
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First published April 1, 2016. Updated for images and clarity.
Rose
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make. Thank you for the recipe. This one is a keeper!
Tina Markson
First time reading your blog...how awesome are you? I'm going to try this recipe since I'm also addicted to Costco and bananas! Andrew thinks we are always feeding a tribe of monkeys around here! 😉
momcrieff
Thanks for reading my blog! Hope you enjoy it. I'm not so awesome - just bored during the never ending Wisconsin winter.