Best Banana Bread Recipe
This Best Banana Bread Recipe yields a moist, homemade loaf that's incredibly easy, wonderfully flavorful, and perfect for using up those overripe bananas in your fruit bowl.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour King Arthur Flour recommended; sub: gluten-free 1-to-1 blend
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar or ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (Land O Lakes or coconut oil for vegan)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup mashed overripe bananas about 2–3 bananas
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Nielsen-Massey if you've got it
- ½–¾ cup optional stir-ins chopped walnuts, pecans, or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly blended.
- In another bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking until combined.
- Stir in mashed bananas, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until the batter looks creamy and uniform.
- Fold wet ingredients into dry just until no streaks remain—overmixing leads to a dense loaf. Gently stir in nuts or chips if using.
- Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 55–65 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then lift out on a rack. Slice when fully cool or enjoy warm if you can't wait!
Notes
Testing revealed that room-temp eggs blend more smoothly with butter, giving a lighter crumb. Too cold—and the butter seizes, making dense bread. Also, swapping 2 tablespoons of flour for almond flour boosts moisture without weighing it down. And honestly, a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top right out of the oven feels like a bakery secret.
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