Description

This Best Easy Banana Bread Recipe is a moist, flavorful loaf made with ripe bananas, walnuts or chocolate chips, and a hint of cinnamon. Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert, it’s simple to prepare and uses common pantry ingredients, resulting in a deliciously tender banana bread with a golden crust.

Ingredients

Scale

Banana Bread Ingredients

3–4 ripe bananas (about 2 cups mashed)
1/3 cup salted butter (melted)
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 large egg (beaten)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (212g) all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts (or chocolate chips, plus extra for topping if desired)

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (177℃). Lightly grease and flour an 8.5×4.5-inch loaf pan or spray it with baking spray to prevent sticking.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas with the melted butter. Add the granulated sugar, beaten egg, and pure vanilla extract. Stir everything well using a large wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and combined.
Add Dry Spices: Sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt evenly over the banana mixture. Stir again to distribute the leavening agents and spices uniformly.
Incorporate Flour and Nuts/Chips: Add the all-purpose flour and the chopped walnuts or chocolate chips to the mixture. Stir gently and just until there are no visible streaks of flour remaining—do not overmix to keep the bread tender. Then pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake the Bread: Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a knife into the center of the bread; it should come out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Cool and Serve: After cooling in the pan, carefully turn the banana bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice into 10 thick slices and serve.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for the best natural sweetness and flavor.
You can substitute walnuts with pecans or leave out nuts entirely for a nut-free version.
If preferred, chocolate chips can be added instead of nuts for a sweeter treat.
Make sure not to overmix the batter after adding the flour to keep the bread moist and tender.
Store leftover banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Baking
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: banana bread, easy banana bread, homemade banana bread, ripe banana recipe, walnut banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread, quick bread