The Best Easy Banana Bread Recipe
This easy banana bread recipe yields a moist, flavorful loaf made from overripe bananas, with optional chocolate chips or nuts for added texture and taste. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, it combines simple ingredients and straightforward steps to create a timeless classic that’s sure to please any palate.
- Author: Amaya
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 8 slices) 1x
- Category: Bread, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Banana Mixture
- 3–4 overripe bananas, mashed
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (113 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup sugar (white or brown)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Add-ins
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mash Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the overripe bananas thoroughly using a fork or potato masher until smooth and silky in consistency.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir the melted butter, sugar, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract into the mashed bananas, mixing until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution of the leavening and seasoning.
- Fold Dry into Wet: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture using a spatula. Mix just until combined to avoid overmixing, which can make the bread tough.
- Add Optional Ingredients: If desired, gently fold in chocolate chips or chopped nuts to add flavor and texture.
- Transfer Batter to Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the surface for even baking.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 55 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.
- Cool in Pan: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 12-15 minutes to firm up and stabilize.
- Cool Completely and Serve: Carefully remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For extra moist bread, ensure bananas are very ripe with brown spots.
- Use brown sugar instead of white sugar for a richer flavor.
- Add walnuts or pecans for added crunch.
- Store banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freeze slices individually wrapped to extend shelf life.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 1/8 of loaf)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 190 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
Keywords: easy banana bread recipe, banana bread, homemade banana bread, quick bread, moist banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread