Super Easy Banana Bread Recipe
What You’ll Need:
- 3 overly ripe bananas
- ½ cup (1 stick) melted butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, raisins, or chocolate chips (optional)
How to Make It:
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and greasing a 9×5-inch loaf pan. This will help ensure your banana bread doesn’t stick and comes out beautifully golden brown.
In a large bowl, mash your bananas with a fork or potato masher until smooth (a few lumps are totally fine). Stir in the melted butter, then add the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix everything together until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix—you want the batter to be soft and fluffy, not dense. If you’re adding walnuts, raisins, or chocolate chips, now’s the time to fold them in!
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Every oven is a little different, so start checking around the 50-minute mark. Once it’s done, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the Best Banana Bread
If you want ultra-moist banana bread, make sure your bananas are extra ripe. We’re talking brown, spotty, and almost mushy—the riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your banana bread will be.
Also, when mixing your ingredients, be gentle. Overmixing the batter can lead to tough, dense banana bread instead of that light, soft texture we all love. Just stir until everything is combined, and you’re good to go.
And if you want to store it for later, banana bread actually gets even better the next day. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container, and it’ll stay moist and delicious for days. You can also freeze slices for an easy grab-and-go treat!
