The Best Easy Banana Bread Recipe | Barbara Bakes (2024)

This is the best Easy Banana Bread Recipe–it’s easy to customize with the ingredients you have and it always turns out moist, tender, and just sweet enough.

While there are dozens of banana breads out there, this might just be the last banana bread recipe you’ll ever need. It’s incredibly reliable, and my family has been making it since 1993. We first discovered it in Cooking Light magazine.

In fact, this is one of my husband’s favorite recipes to make. It’s so forgiving that he never measures the bananas and substitutes whatever we have on hand. He usually makes some mini loaves with Craisins for me, one with walnuts for himself, and one with both craisins and nuts for the kids. Of course, he always generously sprinkles the tops with Sugar in the Raw.

Update: I’ve updated this post with new tips, tricks and photos so your family can enjoy this easy banana bread recipe as much as mine!

How to Make the Best Easy Banana Bread

Before you get started baking this fast and easy recipe, check your bananas. It’s best to bake with very ripe bananas, as they’re softer, easier to mix, and naturally sweeter. The peels should have plenty of brown on them and the fruit should be soft and easily mashable with a fork.

Your grocery store may have a clearance rack for produce which will likely have brown bananas on it.

In addition, make sure that all of your ingredients (yogurt, margarine, and eggs) are at room temperature. This will help the batter come together easily with no big lumps.

When mixing the batter, only stir until it just comes together. A few lumps will be visible, this is totally normal and actually a good sign. Overmixing can cause flat, dense, and chewy banana bread.

Then, when you pour the batter into your loaf pan, I recommend sprinkling the top with extra nuts and sugar. This adds a nice crunchy and sweet top crust to the bread that everyone loves.

Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions

This banana bread recipe is the most forgiving recipe on the planet.

Have four super ripe bananas? Throw them in!

Have yogurt instead of sour cream? That works! We’ve even used flavored yogurt before, it’s delicious.

Want to use a muffin or bundt pan? Go for it! And of course you can’t go wrong with a streusel topping.

Serving Suggestions

Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan after baking. This allows it to finish cooking all the way through.

Then you can let it cool the rest of the way directly on a wire rack. If you can’t wait for it to cool fully, you can serve it warm. Just note that the loaf will not cut cleanly if still hot.

Mix-Ins for Banana Bread

As I said, this recipe is very easy to mix and match. You can swap the walnuts with pecans or another nut or add your favorite crunchy additions. Some of my favorite banana bread mix-ins include:

• Craisins or other small piecesof dried fruit
• Other nuts, including walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts
• Chocolate chips for a decadent twist

How to Know When Your Bread is Done

There are a few helpful tips from King Arthur Flour to ensure your banana bread bakes all the way through. Because there’s nothing worse than cutting into your freshly baked loaf to find a gooey, raw center!

1. Make sure your oven is fully preheated.
2. If you have one, use an instant-read thermometer to know for certain that your bread is done baking. The bread will register 200 to 205°F in the center when it’s fully cooked. Test in several spots for extra insurance.
3. If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, test the center of the bread several times with a thin serrated knife rather than a cake tester or toothpick. If you see any wet batter or crumbs, continue baking.

There are more tips on King Arthur Flour on how to avoid undercooking your banana bread.

Storage Suggestions

Store leftover banana bread in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days. For longer storage, wrap the loaves tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to six months.

When you’re ready to serve, let the loaves thaw on the counter for a few hours. If you like to serve warm bread, you can toast slices under the broiler or in a toaster oven. Or you can gently warm them in the microwave in 10-second increments until hot.

More Quick Bread Recipes

Try these other favorite sweet bread recipes when your loaf pan is free:

• Chunky Monkey Banana Bread Snacking Cake adds a delicious peanut twist to classic banana bread for a treat loved by all ages.
• Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread because there’s no such thing as too much chocolate (even for breakfast)!
• Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread from That Skinny Chick can Bake is a sweet and tart quick bread with bright swirls of tangy rhubarb.