All you need for this banana bread is a few ripe bananas and a handful of pantry staples. You’ll be wishing for more overripe bananas to make this bread again soon!

Do yourself a favor and don’t limit yourself to banana bread only during the holidays. Make a loaf today and have it on hand for a grab-and-go breakfast, lunchbox surprise, or a snack with a pat of good-quality butter. C’mon, you deserve it!
Do you prefer muffins over bread? If you like individual muffins instead of bread slices, make our banana chocolate chip muffins instead!
How to Make Banana Bread Video
How To Make Banana Bread
This moist banana bread recipe yields a bread that is melt-in-your-mouth moist, packed with rich flavor, & encased in a silky crumb. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make a bread this delicious.
- Make the wet and dry mixtures: Whisk the eggs together with the sugar in a medium bowl. You can use a mixer or whisk by hand. In a separate bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Mash the bananas: In a small bowl, mash the bananas. Add the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and oil into the egg mixture.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients: Using a spatula, slowly stir the dry ingredients into the banana mixture.
- Oil a baking pan: Apply oil to the sides of a baking sheet or loaf pan. Pour the batter in and bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick.
Hot tip: To quickly ripen bananas, break them apart and place them into a brown paper bag overnight. The bag blocks oxygen, which allows the bananas to release a chemical that speeds up ripening.




Tips for Making Banana Bread
Banana bread is crazy easy to make,- but to taste the difference between “good” banana bread and “great” banana bread, follow these tips.
- Allow the bananas to turn completely black: If possible, allow your overripe bananas to turn black before using. The darker the skin, the sweeter the banana pulp.
- Avoid completely pureeing the bananas: Instead of pureeing the bananas, break them down with a fork. This way there will be tasty chunks of banana in the bread.
- Add fun toppings/add-ins: Feel free to get creative and add in other ingredients like nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds), sunflower seeds, and/or dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, raisins). For chocolate chip banana bread, pour in your favorite white or brown chocolate chips!

Troubleshooting Your Bread
Did your bread not come out like you imagined? Here are the top three issues seen most frequently by bakers. Next time, your banana bread will come out just like you want it to!
- Sunken banana bread: If your bread sunk in the middle after it cooled, the culprit is likely using more bananas than the recipe calls for or the batter was overmixed. It is tempting to use up all those overripe bananas, but trust me, it weighs the bread down.
- Dry banana bread: Many banana bread recipes use butter, but through trial and error, I’ve found that banana bread made with oil makes and keeps the bread WAY more moist. On top of adding a better texture, oil also allows the banana flavor to shine through better. We use vegetable oil, but a light olive oil works well, too.
- Dense banana bread: The top reason for a dense banana bread is due to over-mixing the batter. As the batter is mixed, gluten forms. When the batter is mixed too much, more gluten forms, which leads to a more dense bread. Avoid using a stand or hand mixer to mix the batter — instead, use a hand whisk or spatula instead.

How to Carefully Remove and Cut the Banana Bread
Nothing is worse than trying to remove your banana bread from the pan and having it fall apart — or cutting into it and it falling apart as you cut. Sidestep these blunders by following these steps.
- Cool the bread: Take the banana bread out of the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes.
- Invert the pan: Using pot holders (the pan will still be pretty hot at this point!), invert the pan and slowly guide the banana bread out. If it doesn’t want to budge, allow it to sit a bit longer. If it is still being stubborn, take a knife or spatula and guide it around the outer edges of the loaf to loosen it.
- Place onto a wire rack: Place the banana bread onto a wire rack to cool further. If you don’t have one, a cutting board also does the trick.
- Allow to cool to room temperature: Allow the bread to reach room temperature before slicing it.
Storing Banana Bread
If you have even more ripe bananas than the recipe calls for, make a few more loaves of banana bread! Store them in the fridge or freezer for yourself, or be a great neighbor/friend and share your wealth!
- Room temperature: Store the bread in an airtight container on the counter for up to four days.
- Refrigerator: Store the bread in the fridge for up to 7-10 days. Wrap it in plastic wrap or place into an airtight container.
- Freezer: To store for up to four months, freeze the bread in slices or as a whole loaf. If freezing in slices, wrap each piece in a few layers of plastic wrap then in a layer of aluminum foil. Place all wrapped slices into a ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze. If freezing the whole loaf, wrap the loaf in a few layers of plastic wrap and do the same. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter when ready to enjoy again!
Hot tip: Before storing (whichever method you choose), always let the banana bread cool completely. Storing bread that is still warm/hot negatively affects the texture and composition of the banana bread.
FAQ
Why did my banana bread crack on top?
Banana bread often cracks on top because the exterior of the bread bakes faster than the interior. As the interior bakes, it releases moisture that cracks through the outer shell. A crack on top is completely normal for banana bread.
Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?
Banana bread may sink in the middle if too many bananas were used than the recipe calls for. Or, the batter may have been over-mixed.
How long should I cool banana bread before slicing?
It is best to cool banana bread for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Cutting into hot bread risks a gummy bread instead of light and airy. As the bread cools, it becomes softer.
What happens if I add an extra egg to banana bread?
If an extra egg is added to the banana bread batter, the consistency of the baked bread may change into a dense and rubbery texture.
More Sweet Bread Recipes
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread Recipe — Use whole wheat flour for a healthier twist on this classic bread
- Banana Apple Bread Recipe — If you love apple cakes, this is the best of both worlds!
- Banana Zucchini Bread — Extra moist banana bread with an added green veggie
- Easter Bread (aka Paska) — Tall brioche bread stuffed with raisins and covered in a sweet frosting
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls – The sweetest way to use up sourdough discard.
- Chocolate Babka – Chocolate swirled bread.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 Bananas large
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
- 2/3 cup Raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients for the banana bread.
- Whisk eggs together with sugar using a mixer or by hand. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Mash bananas. Add mashed bananas, vanilla and vegetable oil to the whisked egg mixture.
- Using a spatula, gently combine the flour mixture with the wet ingredients. Then, add raisins to the dough if desired.
- Grease the sides of a loaf pan. Add banana bread batter and top with walnuts or other toppings if desired. Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes. Use the toothpick test to check if bread is ready. Enjoy!
The best banana bread recipe I have tried! It was so delicious and easy to make. The hardest part was waiting an hour for it to bake😄
Hi Inna, LOL, I agree - but it's totally worth the wait!
Like the idea of the raisins Would coconut ruin the LOAF?
Hi Catherine, I am not sure I understand your question. Are you wanting to substitute coconut for the raisins?
Such a delicious and easy recipe!!!
Thank you so much!!! Will definitely be making it again and again!!
You're so welcome, Inna! Glad you enjoyed it.
Hello Natalya, what if I only have 3 large bananas? Would I still be able to use this recipe?
Hi Emily- yes, I think it should still work. Enjoy! 🙂
I only have olive oil and I am snowed in can I use that?
Hello, Sue. Yes olive oil would be fine- a lighter olive oil ideally! Enjoy!
Hi,
I'm a bit confused. Is the batter baked in a loaf pan?
And what size?
Hi Patty - Yes! It's baked in a loaf pan. You can see a pic if you scroll down to the bottom of the page. 8.5in. x 4.5in is standard. Hope it helps!
Thank you
You're welcome, Patty!
Truly is the best banana bread recipe i have made and i made a lot! Thank you so much!!! Will definitely be making it again and again!!
Yuliya, I'm so glad you enjoyed the banana bread recipe, thank you for your feedback!
What kind of flour i will need? Bread flour or all purpose flour. Thank you.
Hey Ruby, all-purpose flour would work the best in this recipe. Enjoy
Thank you Natalya. Have a good day ❤
Hi. Do you add oil to the egg mixture or just pour it in the pan? I put 1/2 cup of oil in the baking pan and it feels like it's too much.
Hey Erica, you would add oil in step 3. Let me know if you have a question. Hope it helps!
Hi Natalya,
Can I use extra light olive oil? Or does it have to be vegetable oil?
Yes, you can use extra light olive oil. Enjoy!
The best and only banana bread recipe I use. My kids always get excited when they see me making it. They love to spread Nutella on top too! Easy and delicious recipe, thank you!
Hey Nellie, thank you for sharing you Nutella tip. I need to try it.
Such a delicious and easy recipe!!! I’ve tried many of your recipes and we love them all! Thank you!☺️
Hey Veronica, thank you for sharing your feedback. Means a lot to me that you liked it! 🙂
Yummy recipe 👌🏻❤️ Thank you for sharing
Dianna, I am glad you loved the recipe. 🙂
You should probably add that you need to spray the pan. Bc mine stuck all to it and was ruined.
I am so sorry, I hope you still got to enjoy the bread. I should add that to baking tips and tricks video. It would help others as well. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Yes I enjoyed it! Can’t wait to remake it next time 😂
Thank you for sharing your feedback! It will help others for sure. Some steps are just natural for me and I forget to write them down 🙂
Can you use maple syrup instead of sugar?
I haven’t tested adding maple syrup. I think it will change texture of the bread, but I am not sure. If you try it, please let me know how it goes.
I am using a microwave. Can you tell the microwave settings to use here.
You bake in a microwave? I have never baked in a microwave so I am not sure
so you only need a mixer to whipe eggs and sugar? how long do you mix it? about 5 min? im just not that good at baking so i dont want to it to not turn out right!
Kathy.... You can use a wire Whisk and do it by hand. I use the wisk a lot.
Mixt eggs and sugar until they double in volume, become a bit foamy. Let me know how it goes? I use to say that all the time but just keep on trying 😉
so you mix the eggs and sugar with blender, and everything else by hand? and i assume you dont even need to grease the pan? u didnt mention it in the recipe. but i still did jus in case, cuz other recipes ive looked says to butter n flour the pan! also what size is the pan?
Mix everything else by hang. I usually use parchment paper of grease the pan with everything I bake.
Made it today. Absolutely loved it! My daughter said she wants to have banana bread for breakfast everyday!
Oh, so glad it worked out for you. Now you just have to remember to buy extra bananas.
When I bake it on a baking sheet its more of a cake style with more crust. But Often make it in a bread pan.
This bread is to runnie to pour on sheet i put in bread pans will see what happens
Yum
Yes, for sure!