Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
This easy cinnamon swirl banana bread recipe features a plush, soft crumb with cinnamon sugar layered in the center and sprinkled on top for a crackly cinnamon sugar crust. This simple recipe for cinnamon banana bread requires no mixer, and the recipe uses melted butter and Greek yogurt for moisture and flavor.
Equipment
- 1 Loaf Pan (9"x5" or 8.5"x4.5")
Ingredients
For the cinnamon sugar:
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the banana bread:
- 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 grams
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (67g) brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (56g) plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8.5 x 4.5″ or 9 x 5″ loaf pan with parchment paper (highly recommended for cleanest removal - I leave an overhang on the sides so it's easy to lift out once baked). If you don't have parchment paper, grease the pan very generously. Set aside.
Make the cinnamon sugar:
- In a small bowl, stir together granulated sugar and cinnamon until well-combined. Set aside.
Make the banana bread:
- 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 whisk, 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, baking powder, and baking soda to the mixture and whisk 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!
- Pour about half of the batter (360g-400g) into the prepared pan, and smooth it out with a spatula. You can eyeball this; it doesn't have to be perfect.
- Sprinkle about half of the cinnamon sugar (25g) evenly over top of the batter. Do not swirl into the batter. Leaving it undisturbed will create a clear ribbon of cinnamon sugar in your finished loaf!
- Pour and spread the remaining batter carefully and evenly over top of the cinnamon sugar layer, doing your best not to disturb it. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar evenly over top of the batter.
- Bake for 50-60 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 almost completely in the pan before removing to a plate or wire rack (~30 minutes). Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the loaf out of the pan easily without disturbing the cinnamon sugar crust. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storage: like my original easiest banana bread and double chocolate banana bread, this 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 remove the foil and microwave for 30 seconds!
Make into muffins: recipe will make 12 muffins; line muffin tin with parchment liners, follow recipe instructions (layering half the banana batter, half the cinnamon sugar, remaining batter and remaining sugar) in each muffin cup, and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 12-14 more minutes. Or, check out my recipes for 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 egg-free: use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 tbsp water) or a commercial egg replacer.
