With its super-moist and buttery texture, banana and brown sugar flavors, soft crumb, and 1,300+ reviews, this is a delicious AND undeniably popular banana bread recipe. You need 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas.
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips. It’s one of the most popular recipes I’ve published on this website, out of over 1,200. This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
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.
One reader, Tricia, commented: “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!!! ★★★★★”
Yes, I have this recipe on speed dial too!
I’ve tried dozens of banana bread recipes over the years, and when I baked and originally published this recipe many years ago, I never looked back.
Why You’ll Love This Banana Bread Recipe Too
- Mega banana flavor
- Not overly sweet, so banana flavor shines
- Dense, but still quite tender & soft
- Buttery & stays moist for days (tastes best on day 2, just like peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini bread)
- Straightforward, simple recipe
- Freezes wonderfully
- Excellent plain or with nuts or chocolate chips—or a swipe of cinnamon butter
How to Mash Bananas
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.)
I do this when I mash bananas for banana muffins and banana chocolate chip breakfast cookies too.
Other Banana Bread Ingredients
- Butter: Use softened butter for a soft texture and irresistible butter flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Use all brown sugar in this recipe. In the headnotes for this chocolate chip cookies recipe, I explain that brown sugar yields soft and moist cookies. Well, brown sugar works that same magic in banana bread, too. It also adds wonderful flavor.
- Eggs: Eggs supply cakes, cupcakes, breads, doughs, and cookies their stability and structure, as well as a tender texture. You’ll need 2 large eggs for this.
- Sour Cream or Yogurt: Sour cream or yogurt adds even more moisture to this banana bread. (You can use the 2 interchangeably in most baking recipes.)
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. Or for a chocolate version, try my double chocolate banana bread.
Can I Use Frozen Bananas?
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 1 and 1/2 cups of banana-y liquid; some chunks are great.
Can I Turn This Into a Banana Bundt Cake?
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.
How to Freeze Banana Bread
Freeze banana bread using these instructions to preserve its fresh flavor and texture for months:
- Cool baked banana bread completely.
- Tightly wrap the loaf or slices (individually or grouped) in 2–3 layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Place wrapped banana bread in a large freezer-friendly storage bag or reusable container.
- Date the bag and freeze for up to 3–4 months. Thaw wrapped or unwrapped in the refrigerator or at room temperature. All methods work like a charm!
I like to freeze the quick bread in slices because slices thaw much quicker than a whole loaf.
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!)
Other Favorite Banana Recipes:
- Banana Cake & Banana Cupcakes
- Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
- Banana Cream Pie & Banoffee Pie
- Banana Muffins or Healthier Chocolate Banana Muffins & Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins
- Baked Banana Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
My Favorite Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
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. This recipe is also in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80g) plain Greek yogurt or full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 3–4 ripe bananas)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 3/4 cup (90g) chopped pecans or walnuts, or 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lowering the oven rack prevents the top of your bread from browning too much, too soon. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the yogurt, vanilla, and mashed bananas until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in the nuts/chocolate chips, if using. The batter should be thick.
- Pour and spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 60–65 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil halfway through, to prevent the top from getting too brown. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs. Cool the bread in the pan set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Remove the bread from the pan and cool it directly on the rack until ready to slice and serve.
- Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Update in 2025: With enough reader feedback stating the bread can often be too moist and dense, and therefore not bake properly, my team and I retested the bread multiple times over the past 2 years; we slightly reduced the amount of mashed bananas from 2 cups to 1 and 1/2 cups.
- Butter: If needed, you can use salted butter in this recipe with no other changes needed. I’ve also successfully reduced the butter down to 6 Tablespoons (85g) with no issue (just as tasty).
- Brown Sugar: This is not an overly sweet quick bread. If you want a sweeter banana bread, increase to 1 cup (200g) brown sugar. Feel free to replace some or all of the brown sugar with regular white granulated sugar.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: This banana bread also tastes fantastic with cream cheese frosting on top! To make it, beat 4 ounces (112g) of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup (60g) of softened unsalted butter together on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 1 cup (120g) of confectioners sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until combined. Spread on cooled loaf.
- Banana Bread Muffins: Use this banana bread recipe to make 15 banana bread muffins. Spoon the batter into a lined or greased muffin pan (fill each to the top with batter) and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (218°C); then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 16–17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total bake time for the banana bread muffins is about 21–23 minutes. The initial burst of hot air helps those muffins rise nice and tall! Or try my quick & easy banana muffins.
- Brown Sugar: Feel free to substitute the same amount of regular white granulated sugar or coconut sugar. I do not recommend any liquid sweeteners.
- No Sour Cream or Yogurt? Feel free to use 1/3 cup mashed banana (in addition to what is called for in the recipe), unsweetened applesauce, or even canned pumpkin puree.
- Frozen Bananas: You can use frozen bananas here. Thaw the frozen bananas. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking. Try not to mash too much or else you’ll be left with banana-y liquid; some chunks are great.
- Chocolate Chips: I love this bread with chocolate chips, too. Feel free to add 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips. No need to leave out the nuts if you add the chocolate chips. Chocolate chips and nuts are both optional.
- Can I Turn This Into Banana Bundt Cake? There isn’t enough batter. 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I have made this recipe a couple of times now through lock down and it turns out a treat. Very easy even for an old fellow like me who has never tried baking cake’s before.
Hi, I am just wondering if anyone knows the approximate calories per slice of this specific recipe? Thank you!
Hi Danielle, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Can you use Vanilla yogurt instead of plain?
Hi Danni, the bread may be a bit sweeter, but that should work in a pinch.
Going to bake this later. Looks delish. Could you give me the nutrition breakdown?
Hi Gwen, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076 Hope you enjoy the bread!
Could I trade out all purpose flour for bread flour?
Hi Sara, we don’t recommend bread flour, it would yield a dense and chewy banana bread. It’s best to stick with all purpose for banana bread!
Hello! I’m not sure if this has been asked before but can you make the batter overnight? P.S. I LOVE this recipe!
Hi Thalia, so glad you love this banana bread! We don’t recommend making the batter ahead of time. The raising agents will activate too soon and the bread won’t rise properly when baked.
This really is a great Banana Bread recipe, and I have tried many! I do find though that it takes much longer then 60-65 min to cook through. I’m using a glass loaf pan and I baked it for closer to 1hr & 20-25min. (my oven temps are reliable). It was still very moist and browned! Thank you, this is my go to from now on!
I used a ceramic pan and the center was still wet after 60 min. Should I increase the time and/or temperature when using a ceramic pan?
Hi Karen, ceramic pans can often take longer to bake through. You can increase the bake time (same temperature) until the middle is done. If the sides are browning too quickly, you can tent the edges of the pan with foil so that they don’t burn while the center continues to cook. Hope this helps!
Turned out perfect, 5/5 stars for looks, taste and texture. I used sour cream instead of yoghurt and it gave the bread exactly the right moisture! Also, crushed pecan nuts worked well for that extra crunch!
Delicious banana bread. Have made it 3x already and can’t wait to try it as mini loaves. Thanks for the great recipes. We love your vanilla cake and pumpkin oatmeal cookies also.
Mini loaves came out amazing at 50 minutes! So moist and delicious, definitely keeping this
What happens if I use less butter? What would you suggest to trim up the recipe? The muffins are delicious as is but after leaving fat or most fat out of muffins, I can really taste it.
Hi Bea, we don’t recommend using less butter unless also decreasing the other ingredients by the same ratio. Without the butter, the bread will taste rubbery without the fat from the butter. We haven’t tried it ourselves, but you could try using melted coconut oil instead (taste and texture would be different). Or, for a healthier option, you might like our whole wheat banana muffins instead.
SO sad. This recipe didn’t work for me. The amount of banana was the initial attraction for me. It rose well, had a nice few cracks on top and I baked it until the internal temperature was 210 degrees and yet it was still too wet. It tasted good but I think there simply was too much banana.
Omg this is amazing!!!! I did reduce the brown sugar and also change thenuts to almonds. Next time I will definitely try it again but with the frosting. Thank you so much!x
This banana bread recipe has been my favourite cake recipe for the past year. Moist, soft, full of flavour – and so easy to bake. Sometimes I add nuts or raisins. Today I will add season’s wildberries, lingonberries, to give some sourness.
I usually makes this banana bread with a nonstick pan and that works great but I just tried in my new ceramic loaf pan and had to add an extra half hour for the middle to bake through and the edges came out too hard and crispy.
Anyone have experience baking this in ceramic? What temperate and time works best for you?
Hi Melissa, ceramic loaf pans do typically take a bit longer to bake. An oven thermometer could also be helpful, to ensure your oven’s temperature is as it is reading. You can also tent the edges of the pan with foil to prevent over browning the edges while allowing the middle to continue cooking.
Fantastic recipe! This bread is easy and has wonderful flavor. I always add chocolate chips. 🙂
I added chocolate chips and used sour cream instead of yogurt; it turned out moist and delicious. Mine took 60 mins to bake. Everything I make from this site gets so many compliments – thank you Sally!
Thank you for making and trusting our recipes, Nikki!
It my favorite. I have a better recipe from the Costco magazine
OMG this was sooo good! My husband doesn’t like banana bread but said that I can make this anytime! I changed nothing other than doubling the recipe!!!!
Do you have nutritional information
Hi Crys, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Literally every recipe from your website is perfect; I’ve literally become the baking Goddess in my family, next to my mother-in-law, thanks to your recipes! This is no exception! I added a swirls of nutella the second time around. It’s great either way!
Have you ever substituted Mayo for sour cream
We haven’t tested that substitution, but other readers have reported success with mayo. Let us know if you try it!
This recipe is great, but I always have to cook it way longer. I live at low to medium elevation, use a food scale, and check my oven temp with a thermometer. Mine takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes just an FYI!
I followed the recipe by the letter, cooked it for an hour. It looked lovely but very stodgy and mushy not sure what I did wrong 🙁
Sally, you are my go-to person for all my baking adventures!! Thank you so much for sharing your talent!!
Hey Sally, just wanna say that I love your recipes! I’m going to make your banana bread recipe but I don’t have a loaf pan. How much time do I need to adjust if I’m going to use 9×9 baking pan?
Hi Faith, our cake pan sizes and conversions guide will be helpful for determining how much batter to use in a 9×9 pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Delicious. I Made it exactly as you stated and cooked it about 70 minutes. It was perfect. Thank you.
The only trouble I have is finding a toothpick long enough to check the middle cause it rises so beautifully.
A shish ke bob stick –
thinner version
Use a meat thermometer, they are long. Once the temperature of the bead inside says 200 degrees its done.
I baked this for 65 minutes. Outside is browned nicely. It rose nicely then sank. Used new box of baking soda. Inside is too moist, not bread consistency. Husband will eat the whole thing anyway but I’m not happy after doing the work. Any ideas?
Hi Peggy! Usually when quick breads sink they haven’t baked long enough. That combined with the too-moist-insides, I bet this is the case for you. Next time try baking for a few minutes longer and use the toothpick test to test for doneness. Thank you so much for giving this banana bread a try!
Hi Sally, I want to put both chocolate chips and walnuts, how many cups/grams each?
Hi Ran, Feel free to add 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark chocolate, etc)to the optional 3/4 cups (100g) of walnuts.
I just made it, it smells amazing, I was just wondering why it didn’t turn out so brown. I made everything just as the recipe said, could it be that I put the aluminum foil tightly?
Hi Carla, Was the bread fully baked through when you took it out? It could be the aluminum foil, but if the bread turned out well, the color doesn’t matter as much!
Love this recipe but I laugh every time I read “best in second day”. It never makes it to the second day