Classic Banana Bread Recipe - Live Well Bake Often (2024)

This Classic Banana Bread is perfectly sweet, moist, and full of flavor! You can enjoy this bread plain, with chopped walnuts, or even chocolate chips. Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

Do you ever end up with a bunch of overripe bananas sitting on your counter at the end of the week? Just me?Truth be told, I love bananas but we usually buy too many at the store and then end up with a bunch left over. One of my favorite ways to use up all of those overripe bananas is with this homemade banana bread recipe!

Originally published in 2018, I’ve updated this post with a lot more information and step photos to help you along the way. Not only is this the best banana bread recipe you’ll ever try, but it’s also:

• Incredibly easy to make
• Super moist, no dry banana bread anywhere in sight!
• Made with simple pantry staples that you likely have on hand

I’ve also included notes on how to freeze your banana bread, ripen your bananas quickly, and so much more!

Ingredients For This Recipe

To make this easy banana bread you’ll start out by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe we’ll be using:

• Unsalted Butter:Some banana bread recipes use oil, but I find that butter works best in this recipe. It also provides more flavorthan using just oil.
• Sugar:I use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar adds extra moisture to the banana bread as well.
• Eggs & Vanilla Extract:You’ll be using a couple of eggs to bind everything together and some pure vanilla extract.
• Mashed Bananas:There’s two cups of mashed bananas in this recipe for maximum banana flavor. The mashed bananas also help to keep this banana bread incredibly moist.
• All-Purpose Flour:This provides the structure for the banana bread. Just be sure to spoon and level your flour when you’re measuring it so you don’t end up with too much.
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder:There’s a combination of baking soda and baking powder in this banana bread to give it the perfect amount of lift.
• Cinnamon & Salt:The cinnamon is optional here, but it adds a beautiful flavor to the the banana bread. The salt helps to balance out the sweetness too.
• Walnuts:As always, the chopped walnuts are completely optional. I love adding some to this recipe, but feel free to leave them out!

How To Make Banana Bread

To make this banana bread, you’ll start by mixing together the wet ingredients, then the dry ingredients, then you’ll combine the two. Here’s a quick breakdown on exactly how to prepare the batter:

1. Cream the butter and sugars together: It’s best to beat the butter and sugars together for 4-5 minutes or until the mixture is light in color and fluffy. This will help incorporate more air into your batter which creates a lighter banana bread.
2. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract: It’s best to mix in your eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla. I also like to scrape down the bowl at this point and give it another good mix.
3. Mix in the mashed banana: I prefer to add the mashed banana along with the rest of the other ingredients instead of at the end to ensure that I don’t over mix the batter.
4. Whisk together the dry ingredients: Whisking the dry ingredients separately helps to ensure that everything, especially the baking soda and baking powder, are evenly distributed into the batter.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients: You only want to mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Over mixing the batter can lead to a super dense loaf of bread.
6. Fold in the chopped walnuts:If you’re omitting the walnuts, simply skip this step!

Once the batter is ready, spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. The parchment paper is completely optional, but it will make it much easier to remove the bread from the pan.

Then, scoop the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the oven for about one hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I like to let my bread cool in the pan once it’s done for about 20 minutes, then remove it from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.

FAQ’s

How ripe should your bananas be?

The best kind of bananas for this recipe are ones that are overripe with a lot of speckles. If your bananas are still green or just yellow, then I suggest waiting a little longer.

If you need to speed up the process and ripen your bananas quicker, simply place them in a brown paper bag for 1-3 days. The ethylene gas will build up in the bag and circulate around the bananas, speeding up the ripening process.

How do you store this bread?

You can store this banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. While it’s not necessary to store banana bread in the refrigerator, it will help it stay fresh a little longer. If you need to store it a couple days longer then I suggest storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can you freezeit?

Yes, absolutely! To freeze the the loaf: Wrap the loaf tightly with plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, place it on the counter for several hours or overnight so that it can come to room temperature.

To freeze individual slices: Slice the bread and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place the baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours or until the slices are frozen. Place the frozen slices in a freezer bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can thaw individual slices to room temperature or reheat frozen slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time or until warmed through.

More Easy Banana Recipes To Try!

• Banana Muffins
• Banana Cake
• Banana Crumb Cake
• Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal

Video Tutorial