The easiest banana bread recipe I’ve ever made uses just one bowl, no mixer, and has a perfectly plush, soft texture using melted butter, Greek yogurt, and a bit of brown sugar. Add an extra sprinkle of sugar over top before baking for a caramelized crust!
If you like this quick, simple banana bread recipe, you should also check out my double chocolate banana bread, or if you or your kids love muffins I highly recommend my small batch one banana muffins and double chocolate banana muffins. I make them all so often it’s hard to pick a favorite!
What makes this the best easy banana bread recipe?
I’ve made a lot of banana bread in my time. You probably have too.
If that’s true, then you know how surprisingly elusive a truly amazing banana bread can be. Sometimes they’re too sweet, or over-mixed and tough. Sometimes they’re heavy, or worse, greasy. Sometimes they have unmashed chunks of banana in the batter (gross). Sometimes they lack sufficient fat and have a nasty gummy texture. Sometimes they’re just plain bland.
A few years ago, I set out to create the ultimate, go-to, never-fail, easiest banana bread recipe out there. I’ve tested this recipe at least 30 times over the years, and continually tweaked until I finally created the perfect loaf of banana bread. It’s now one of the most popular recipes on my website!
Over time, I narrowed down a set of criteria that I believe make for the best banana bread recipe. Some of this comes down to taste, and some to science – which we all know are interrelated when it comes to baking!
Why this recipe works:
- it’s made in one bowl with no mixer needed – just a whisk or fork and a rubber spatula
- it uses a few simple ingredients that most people have on hand
- it’s customizable depending on the mix-ins you want to add;
- plenty of substitution options to fit what you have on hand;
- it’s quick to make – about 1 hour in total, including baking time!
What it tastes like:
- just sweet enough, but not overpowering;
- pure banana flavor, complemented by the hint of molasses in brown sugar;
- soft texture, but not gooey; well-structured, but not dense
- topped with a caramelized crust of turbinado sugar for crunch!
- incredible with a swipe of peanut butter, almond butter, or nutella over top
Ingredients
Banana bread is a humble quick bread. It’s supposed to be simple and easy, homey and comforting — and something you can make on a weeknight without ruining your kitchen or staying up all night.
So here are the simple ingredients we’ll use. Exact amounts are at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- overripe bananas – completely brown bananas are best, but very spotty ones work too.
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- baking soda
- salt
- all-purpose flour
- turbinado sugar or more granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top (optional)
- mix-ins like chocolate chips or chopped nuts (also optional)
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl – as I’ve said, this is a one bowl recipe!
- Whisk (or fork) and rubber spatula
- Kitchen scale – I highly recommend weighing your ingredients for most accurate results, especially the flour! This is the primary way I bake these days as it is much more precise than using measuring cups (and there are fewer dishes to clean).
- Loaf pan – 9″x5″ or 8.5″x4.5″ both work, and metal or ceramic loaf pans will work equally well.
How to make an easy homemade banana bread
This is my masterpiece. My easiest and favorite banana bread recipe requires the following incredibly SIMPLE steps. See the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact measurements!
- Melt your butter in a large bowl in the microwave, and mash bananas (3 VERY ripe bananas) directly into the melted butter. Make sure they are super mashed and smooth; best way is to use a fork or whisk but a potato masher works too. You’ll want 1 and 1/2 cups (270-290g) of mashed bananas. I don’t generally measure it out but you can if you’re concerned!
- Whisk in brown and white sugar, followed by eggs, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, salt, and baking soda.
- Stir flour into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula until there are no pockets of dry ingredients remaining and everything is just incorporated.
- Fold in any mix-ins, pour banana bread batter into a prepared loaf pan (either greased or parchment paper-lined), sprinkle with a tablespoon of turbinado sugar for a caramelized, crunchy top, and
- Bake! This takes anywhere from 45-60 minutes depending on the size of your pan (smaller loaf pan = longer bake time). 10 minutes after it comes out, remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Baker’s tips for best results:
- Use extremely overripe bananas and mash them REALLY thoroughly. I routinely use bananas that have gone completely brown because their flavor is at their sweetest and most concentrated. It makes for the best banana flavor in the final product. Mash the heck out of the bananas and get them as smooth as possible (NO LUMPS) for the best texture in your bread. This is much easier with very ripe bananas; I use a fork but you could also use a potato masher or even an immersion blender.
- Use a mixture of brown sugar and white sugar. Some recipes call for one or the other, but I find the flavor and texture to be best when you use half granulated (for sweetness) and half brown sugar (for moisture and softness).
- Use full fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream for the best texture and flavor. Our bread needs this for a few reasons: (i) the acidic yogurt/sour cream reacts with the baking soda (a base) to produce the best rise; (ii) the slight sourness offsets the sweetness of the bananas, producing superior flavor; (iii) it yields the softest final product and allows us to cut back a bit on the butter.
- Stir the flour in only until JUST combined. Over-mixing will develop too much gluten and yield a tough bread. Just stir until there are no longer pockets of flour, then stop. Preferably, stir with a fork or a spatula so you have maximum control.
- Sprinkle sugar on top of the batter before baking. Ideally, use turbinado or raw sugar, but regular granulated works too. You only need about a tablespoon. This yields a shattering, crispy crust on the top as the sugar caramelizes during baking, and it makes a good banana bread into an excellent banana bread.
Additions and Substitutions
- Chocolate chip banana bread or banana nut bread: feel free to add up to 3/4 cup (128g) chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the batter (and sprinkle a few on top) before baking, or swirl in some peanut butter or Nutella!
- Make into muffins: this recipe will make 12 muffins; line muffin tin with parchment liners and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 12-14 more minutes. If you want more banana muffin recipe ideas, check out my small batch banana muffins or double chocolate banana muffins.
- Replace the butter: you can use olive oil, avocado oil, another neutral oil, or melted coconut oil instead
- Replace the Greek yogurt: use sour cream, a thick Greek-style plant based yogurt, or 1/4 cup (56g) additional melted butter.
- Make it gluten-free: replace the all-purpose flour in this recipe with an equal weight (188g) of gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1.
- Make it vegan or egg-free: use flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 tbsp water) or a commercial egg replacer, plant-based Greek-style yogurt, and either melted coconut oil, olive oil, or vegan butter.
Storage
Banana bread will keep:
- at room temperature, well-wrapped in aluminum foil or in an airtight container, for about 3 days. Or individually wrap slices in plastic wrap to take on the go.
- in the refrigerator for up to a week
- in the freezer, well-wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. I also like to wrap individual slices in foil and keep them in a freezer bag. Simply unwrap and microwave for 30 seconds – breakfast or dessert anytime!
More Banana Recipes
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Small Batch One Banana Muffins
- Small Batch Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Baked Banana Donuts with Dark Chocolate Glaze
The Easiest Banana Bread
The easiest banana bread recipe I've ever made uses just one bowl, no mixer, and has a perfectly plush, soft texture using melted butter, Greek yogurt, and a bit of brown sugar. Add an extra sprinkle of sugar over top before baking for a caramelized crust!
Servings: 12 slices (1 loaf)
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan (9"x5" or 8.5"x4.5")
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter (4 Tbsp)
- 3 overripe bananas (the browner, the better – equals about 1 and 1/2 cups mashed banana or 270-290 g)
- 1/3 cup (66g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (66g) brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (56g) plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon (11g) turbinado sugar (or additional granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top of the batter)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease an 8.5 x 4.5″ or 9 x 5″ loaf pan and set aside.
- Melt the butter and add to a large bowl (I just microwave the butter in this bowl to melt it). Add the bananas to the bowl and mash them very thoroughly into the melted butter until completely smooth with no lumps, using a fork or potato masher.
- Whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until well-combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk in each until well-combined. Add the yogurt, vanilla, salt, and baking soda to the mixture and stir until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Add the flour all at once and stir with a fork or a spatula until a batter just comes together and no big flour pockets remain. Do not over-mix!
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out. Sprinkle the additional tablespoon of turbinado or granulated sugar evenly over top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes (you will need the shorter time with a 9"x5" pan and the longer time with a 8.5"x4.5" pan), until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs attached.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely (if you can stand to wait that long).
Video
Notes
-
- Storage: bread keeps at room temperature, well-wrapped in foil or in an airtight container, for about 3 days; in the refrigerator for up to a week; in the freezer, well-wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. I also like to wrap individual slices in foil and keep them in a freezer bag. Simply unwrap and microwave for 30 seconds!
- Add-ins: If you want to add in chocolate chips or chopped nuts, fold in up to 3/4 cup (128g) just before scraping batter into the pan. Sprinkle a few on top, then bake as directed.
- Storage: bread keeps at room temperature, well-wrapped in foil or in an airtight container, for about 3 days; in the refrigerator for up to a week; in the freezer, well-wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours before serving. I also like to wrap individual slices in foil and keep them in a freezer bag. Simply unwrap and microwave for 30 seconds!
-
- Make into muffins: recipe will make 12 muffins; line muffin tin with parchment liners and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 12-14 more minutes. If you want more banana muffin recipe ideas, check out my small batch banana muffins or double chocolate banana muffins.
-
- Replace the butter: use olive oil, another neutral oil, or melted coconut oil
-
- Replace the Greek yogurt: use sour cream, a thick Greek-style plant based yogurt, or 1/4 cup (56g) additional melted butter.
-
- Make it gluten-free: use an equal weight (188g) of gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1.
-
- Make it vegan or egg-free: use flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 tbsp water) or a commercial egg replacer, plant-based Greek-style yogurt, and either melted coconut oil, olive oil, or vegan butter.
Like this recipe? Please leave a STAR RATING and REVIEW below so other bakers can find and make it. You can also tag me on Instagram @katiebirdbakes, and sign up for my email list to receive my recipes straight to your inbox every time I post!
I can’t believe how moist this loaf is! Ok, I modified it based on the fact that I had 6 bananas. Someone asked if you should double the recipe or make two loaves, well, I decided to double it, use a Bundt pan and hoped for the best! I baked it at 350F in my convection oven, but extended the time to 65 min but took it out 15 min early as it had that cracked look on top. The toothpick test came out clean! I used rock sugar at the of the pan to get that crunchy top!
I can’t even tell you how perfectly it fell out of the pan and even more so, how it sprung back when I went for a slice. Soooo soft and delicious, especially with the chocolate chip centre that I sprinkled in while pouring. I am sold! The Greek yogurt is one ingredient I had never tried. This recipe is a keeper!!
I’ve made this over and over again. Very easy, but always delicious!
thank you Kristen!!
I love this recipe! Been making it for years now and its so easy and delicious- I had a question about baking in a glass loaf pan vs metal. I just made it using a glass pan and noticed the sides + edges are already fairly dark and the inside is still doughy- should I change temp/time next time? Also, what do you suggest to use to grease a glass dish for baking? THANKS!
Thanks for the kind words Vanessa! I honestly wouldn’t recommend baking in a glass pan because of this issue (it’s very common). If you do need to use a glass pan, however, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees and bake for up to 10 minutes longer. I would still recommend parchment paper as the best way to line the pan, but butter also works well. Enjoy!
I love this banana bread recipe – easy and delicious!
thank you!! 🙂
Made this for the millionth time yesterday! It’s so good every single time! I put mini chocolate chips in it and serve it with vanilla ice cream for a summer dessert!
love that!! thank you!
This is my go-to recipe when my kids decide they no longer like bananas, and the bunch I bought has sat on the fruit holder for weeks. I don’t have a loaf pan, so I make banana bread muffins instead. They have a nice pronounced banana flavor with just the right sweetness and are super moist. But my favorite part is the minimal amount of dishes required to make them. One bowl to mix everything for this busy Mama, yes, please! These banana muffins never last long in my house, unlike the bananas I buy, LOL.
thanks Catalyn! love these modifications!
Update to my first comment! Couldn’t wait for it to totally cool! Ate the end piece while it was still warm…delicious! As good as any cake!
So wonderful to hear that Juli! thank you so much for the review!!
Just made the cinnamon swirl version! Super easy! It looks and smells delish! Excited to eat it!
My new go-to recipe for a quick treat. Love the addition of greek yoghurt. Pretty much every recipe I’ve tried on this page has been a hit. Thank you!
Yay! Thank you Liliane!
Can I use gluten free flour
Other readers have said yes but I have not tried it myself.
Absolute home run with this recipe!!! Tastes exactly how I want a banana bread to taste like and super easy to make.
YAY! Thank you Michelle!
This is by far the best banana bread I’ve ever made! Perfectly moist and the perfect amount of banana flavour! I love how easy and simple this recipe is, and the fact it’s made in one bowl is even better! I highly recommend this recipe to everyone!! Thank you so much Katie, this is the best banana bread ever!💕👍
Thank you so much Ila!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this!
Best banana bread I’ve made, and the flavor I’ve been looking for. I did add 1/2 cup walnuts as well.
My new banana bread! Thanks
Thank you Joyce!! So glad you loved it! Great idea with the walnuts.
Love the simplicity of this recipe ( as well as your one bowl chocolate chip cookies, delicious)
Super easy and delicious
Thank you so much, Julie! So glad you love it!
I am vegan so can you tell what can be Substitue of egg
You can use a flax egg, chia egg, or a commercial egg replacer!
I’ve made this bread several times and absolutely love how easy it is to follow. It tastes amazing! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Nancy! It’s a favorite around here!
PS,I used creme fraiche as that’s what I had in the fridge 🤭
Glad to know creme fraiche works! Thank you!
Haven’t baked a cake for years,this turned out perfect and is so delicious and best of all so easy 😊
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you Jane!
Could I make this in muffin trays
Hi Cheyenne – yes, this recipe will make about 12 muffins. Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes, they are done when a tester in the middle comes out clean!
This is the best banana bread recipe ever! It’s so easy and the loaf turns out moist, light and irresistible! I’ve started to memorize this recipe because I made it so many times.
Thank you so much, Jane!! I know the recipe by heart at this point too 😉
I made your banana bread yesterday and it was delicious! Very moist and just the right amount of sweetness. That little bit of sugar on top gives it a nice finishing touch. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Deborah! I love the sugar crunch on top too 🙂
This is the best banana bread recipe i’ve made. Its pretty close to starbucks banana bread, which i love. Very moist. I even did 1/2 whole wheat flour 1/2 all purpose flour. the texture was perfect. Next time i will reduce the sugar though, i like my banana bread not as sweet.
Thank you Diane – great to know the 1/2 whole wheat sub worked for you! I’ve also subbed in 1/2 cup oat flour for 1/2 cup of the all-purpose and the texture has been great. Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Wow! This was so good! Slightly crispy on the outside and so moist and delicious on the inside. I didn’t feel like creaming butter and sugar as my family’s standby recipe called for and I wasn’t sure melted butter would produce the same moist and fluffy texture. It was perfect, though! So easy.
Hi ! I followed your recipe but the cake turned out sticky and gluey after baking for 45 mins. I put it to bake further 15 mins but it still doesn’t have the texture of a bread/cake. The taste is good though. Any idea if it still can be eaten? And do you know what might have gone wrong? Is it because there is not enough flour?
Hi Cindy – sorry to hear that. Sounds like there wasn’t enough flour. Are you sure you put in 1.5 cups? The bread should not be gluey, but it is moist.
“This was great! Really enjoyed it – thanks for sharing. I do agree with another commenter who said it was a bit sweet – I will definitely reduce the sugar next time (I used regular granulated sugar).
Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow! :)”
Thank you Hannah!
If I want to make 2 of these at a time do I just double the recipe? Or make 2 separate batches?
I would make two separate batches! The batter would turn out differently if doubled in the same bowl I think.
I love the tip of putting sugar on the top to get that crusty edge on the loaf – so great both taste-wise and texture-wise. This could have been an issue with my oven or subbing gluten free flour (or just the moistness from bananas), but this loaf wouldn’t bake fully through for me and I remember keeping it in for longer than the suggested time. Either way, I enjoyed it but next time I’d probably try to bake the recipe in muffin tins and adjust the time accordingly.
Baking in muffin tins sounds like a great idea – I’ve never had an issue with this banana bread not baking all the way through, but the GF flour could have something to do with it.
I tried this recipe and it was super easy to follow compared to the other recipe I tried and this was my second go at making banana bread and it came out amazing! This is my go to recipe now. Thank you!
Yay! Thank you so much!
Hi! Can I make using 8×8 tray?
Yes – I would start with 30 minutes bake time and keep checking until a toothpick comes out clean!
The 1/4 cup of butter that is the amount before melting it?
Yes 🙂
Hi Katie,
Can I make this keto by using almond flour and erythritol?
Thanks
Hi Peg – Unfortunately I have not tried that so I can’t vouch for the results. Let me know if you try it!
your recipes never fail me! this was perfect – only took me 10 minutes to gather the ingredients, measure, mix and pour in the loaf pan. and of course, it is delish. it’s going into the rotation!
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed this one!
Have you tried a version that works with honey or maple syrup ?
Hi Mel – I have not, because liquid sweeteners tend to alter the final product so you’d have to substantially modify the recipe – a google search should find something great though!
Is there anything to substitute for the yogurt/sour cream?
You could use buttermilk – or if you need non-dairy, almond or coconut yogurt would work!
I have celiac disease so no gluten for me!
Do you think I can substitute regular flour with a 1 to 1 gluten-free flour?
Thank you!!!!
Hi Rebecca – yes I do think you can use an all-purpose GF flour like cup4cup or measure for measure. Let me know if you try it!
Hi Katie, I love this banana bread. My friend has celiac disease and she loves banana bread but couldn’t have it. Can I substitute regular flour with coconut flour and regular sugar with coconut sugar?
Thank you!
Hi Lemka – no, coconut flour would not work as a substitution here. It is very absorbent and behaves differently from other flours. I recommend using an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour GF blends. You may also want to add xanthan gum if the GF blend you use doesn’t contain it – this helps with the rise. Coconut sugar should work though!
Thank you so much for your recommendation. I thought coconut flour will work, I am glad I asked!
I love easy recipes and this sounds fantastic! Do you have any recommendations on making these as muffins?
Sure! I think this would make 12 standard size muffins, same temperature and I would start checking at 18 minutes to see if they’re done!
This is one amazing recipe. Thank you so much for sharing! I’ve tried many a banana bread recipe from some of the big names and seriously this is the best. The. Best. Definitely going to make an extra loaf to freeze! Thanks Katie!
Thank you so much, Jo! We love this banana bread and I’m so glad you feel the same way about it as we do 🙂