Description

A warm, comforting, and moist banana bread made with ripe bananas, cinnamon, and simple staple ingredients. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for beginners and customizable with nuts, chocolate chips, or gluten-free options. Ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, it makes a delicious way to use overripe bananas.

Ingredients

Scale

Banana Bread Base Ingredients

3–4 ripe bananas (heavily speckled or mostly brown)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free baking blend for gluten-free)
¾ cup sugar
½ cup softened butter or oil
2 large eggs (or flax eggs for vegan alternative)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional Add-ins and Variations

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (nutty twist)
½ cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (chocolate chip delight)
Additional spices: ¼ teaspoon nutmeg or ginger (spiced up)

Instructions

Prepare Your Bananas and Ingredients: Start by mashing the ripe bananas in a large mixing bowl until smooth but with some texture remaining. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon—to mix evenly.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract. Fold in the mashed bananas until combined.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet banana mixture, stirring gently just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender and moist.
Add Extras (Optional): If using nuts, chocolate chips, or additional spices, fold them in now, taking care not to overwork the batter.
Bake the Bread: Pour the batter into a greased or parchment-lined loaf pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Before Serving: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, allowing the flavors to settle perfectly.

Notes

Choose perfectly ripe bananas (heavily spotted or brown) for maximum sweetness and moisture.
Don’t overmix the batter to avoid a dense loaf; stir just until combined.
Start checking doneness with a toothpick at 50 minutes to prevent overbaking.
Use room temperature butter and eggs to help blend ingredients evenly.
A pinch of salt enhances and balances the overall flavor of the bread.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8th of loaf)
Calories: 220
Sugar: 15g
Sodium: 180mg
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 30g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 50mg

Keywords: banana bread, easy banana bread, moist banana bread, gluten free banana bread, banana dessert, baking with bananas