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This Easy Banana Bread recipe is easy, can be made in under 15 minutes and is versatile with what you have in your pantry. This banana bread bakes up a delicious crumb, that is perfectly sweet, spiced with the perfect amount of add-ins.
If you’re anything like me, I’m guessing you have 3 or 4 depressing-looking bananas sitting on your counter right now. Or that might’ve been last week and you already threw them in the freezer. If so, this recipe is for YOU.
What You’ll Need for Easy Banana Nut Bread
- Butter or oil. This recipe allows you to use butter or oil. I used olive oil and it was delicious. A neutral oil will also work (avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola oil).
- Nuts. Your choice of nuts is great! And you can also leave it out in case you don’t have any. Think pecans, walnuts, chopped walnuts or pine nuts.
- Seeds. Again, super optional. You can use pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, millet—your choices.
- Bananas. I like to use 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas. That equaled to about 4 small ripe bananas.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
How to Make Easy Banana Bread
One of the best things about Banana Bread is how versatile, fuss-free and foolproof it is. Having said that, this is how I make mine:
1. Grease a 9×5-inch of 8×4-inch loaf pan. Line it with parchment paper.
2. Place the bananas on a cutting board and mash them. I find this to be the easiest way to mash bananas.
3. Transfer them to a large bowl. Add in the mashed banana, baking soda, oil (or buttere), sugar, vanilla extract (I like making my own Homemade Vanilla Extract) and eggs.
4. Pour in the salt and flour. Fold until just combined, being sure not to over mix. Next, fold in nuts (if using), the seeds (if using) and chocolate chips (if using).
5. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. And spread it out into an even layer.
6. If you like, you can add a sliced banana on the top, along with a sprinkling of seeds as garnish.
7. Transfer to the oven to bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Variations
- Nuts – use what you have in your pantry. Pictured, I used walnuts.
- Seeds – skip it all together or use what you have. I used pumpkin seeds.
- Chocolate chips – you can skip it OR you can use whatever you have. I used some random semi-sweet chocolate chips I had.
- Butter or oil – I used olive oil but have made this plenty with melted butter. Other oils like avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola work as well.
- Brown sugar or white sugar – Both work. I used brown sugar but have made this recipe with white sugar, too.
- Rum or bourbon – You could add 1 tablespoon to up the flavor. I personally didn’t use it for this recipe but it would be delicious.
Recipe FAQs
Quick answer: absolutely. But there’s a caveat. You don’t want to use them straight from the freezer. Allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight OR thaw them in a bowl on your kitchen counter. And then you’ll notice some residual liquid at the bottom of the bowl; dump that out and then continue using the and smashing the bananas.
Freezing banana bread couldn’t be simpler. All you have to do is let it come to room temperature completely. And then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. When I’m freezing it, I like to do two layers of plastic wrap. I like to label it, add a date and then keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Store banana bread on the counter for up to 1 week. I just wrap it in plastic wrap. It’s actually better the second or third day, in my humble opinion.
What to Serve with This Easy Banana Bread
Quick and Easy
Olive Oil Fried Eggs
Latin
Horchata Coffee
Summer
Iced Matcha Latte
Breakfast
Breakfast Tacos
If you tried this Easy Banana Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 (8×5-inch of 9×4-inch) loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas , (from 3-4 very ripe bananas)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, (optional)
- 1/2 cup melted butter or neutral oil, (I used olive oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chopped nuts, (your choice and optional)
- 1/4 cup seeds, (your choice and optional)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, (optional)
Instructions
To Make Banana Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pan; and set aside.I also like to put a piece of parchment that spans just the center length with its ends coming out for easy release.
- Place the bananas on a cutting board and mash them using a fork. I find this the easiest way to mash 'em up.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, baking soda, oil (or butter), sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and salt. Fold in the flour, until just combined, being sure not to over mix. Next, fold in nuts (if using), the seeds (if using) and chocolate chips (if using).
Add the Topping (if you like):
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. If you like, you can add a sliced banana on the top, along with a sprinkling of seeds as garnish. Transfer to the oven to bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert the loaf and cool it on a cooling rack. The banana bread will stay delicious and hydrated for up to 5 days when securely wrapped in plastic wrap.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect quarantine bake! I struck gold with a bunch of bananas I had forgotten about in my freezer. Just made some, waited about 5 min to eat the first slice. Delicious! I love all the seeds, and I did 1/3 whole wheat flour, which also worked out great.
So gonna bake sometime soon. I’ve had a banana bread craving over the past few weeks too.
This sounds incredible! I’m going to try to make a diabetic-friendly version of this. If anyone else is interested, feel free to check out my blog at www.BetterOffHealthy.com!
I made this bread yesterday and it’s pretty much gone already. Delicious! And so comforting.
YES! Everything I blog I actually love, but I do have favorites. THIS is definitely a recent-favorite of mine.
yum banana and chocolate together in bread…my fav!
Yum, the combo of burnt bananas, rum and chocolate has my mouth watering! What a great way to elevate standard banana bread!
No No No, not that square edge pan. Go to this site and this is the Nordic Ware pan I use. It has bananas in the impression and palm trees which have nothing to do with bananas but, so what, they look nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHB_jFuZSC0
I have a question. Your recipe is almost ident. to mine, except I add an acid to give the bicarbonate of soda something to work with to form gas and then raise the banana bread. I use 1/4 cup milk plus 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (any vinegar would do the same thing). This reacts with the baking soda and causes a heft, rise. I’m essentially making a small dose of buttermilk. I’m lactose intol. so I use Lactaid whole milk.
I live in Minneapolis, Mn. and Nordic Ware is just down the street. They sell a banana bread aluminum baking pan. It turns out a nice looking banana bread.
Hi Stu, I love the addition of buttermilk to banana bread. But bananas are actually pretty acidic, hence the reason why the baking soda is added directly to the bananas. Once they mix together, rising will begin. And yes, I do believe I know the pan you’re referring to–it’s perfectly square (no rounded edges), and it’s on my to-purchase list!
Haha! I can just see you there with your pottery wheel 😛 I too have a new hobby – gardening! and this time I am determined. Love this bread. Such an awesome mix of flavours. The last rum I bought tasted like vanilla essence. Weird.
Gorgeous – I love that you’re having your own little rom-com moment in pottery class. And the Russian-ish teacher? Classic. Keep at it girl!