Banana bread is so easy to make, and a great way to use up any overripe bananas. Make this for a late-night snack or for a yummy breakfast.
Jump to RecipeIt’s rare, but every now and then we have bananas that start to get overripe. And what better to make with them than banana bread? My boys would eat banana bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I let them. So no worries about it not getting eaten here.
We have tried a few ways to make banana bread, but always end up going back to the same recipe. My Aunt Shawn gave me the recipe when I lived with them in college. She always loads hers up with cinnamon, which is what we prefer as well. We made it once without much cinnamon and it didn’t have as much flavor. I’ve also seen recipes with chocolate chips. While it was yummy, they added more sugar than we need. The bread is already sweet enough without chocolate chips.
As soon as we have bananas that start to get spotty the boys ask if we can save them to make banana bread. They know that we need three, and will make sure to count them out.
Both of the boys also like to help make the banana bread. There are quite a few ingredients that have to be dumped into the stand mixer so they can easily help. I have them get their stools from the bathroom and then take turns pouring or dumping things in the mixer and turning it on. The only thing I usually do is the bananas just because they are squishy and messy.
I find using the stand mixer is the easiest way to make banana bread. But you can make it with an electric hand mixer or stir by hand. It’s quite a bit of stirring, but it gives a great arm workout!!
Step by Step
Start by preheating the oven to 350F and lightly greasing a loaf pan. Then use a mixer to combine the butter and sugar.
Add in the eggs and stir until it’s well blended.
Stir in the bananas and water and beat for at least 30 seconds. The bananas will be well combined in the batter.
Slowly add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Continue to mix until there are no more lumps, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Pour the bread batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for about 70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Recently, we have started sprinkling oats over the top of the bread and really like how it tastes.
Let the bread cool for about 20-30 minutes, then serve warm with a bit of butter, if desired. Cover and keep at room temperature for a few days.
Recipe
Originally Published On: September 8, 2016
Last Updated On: July 27, 2019
Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup butter (melted)
- 2 eggs
- 3 bananas (overripe, smashed)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- Cinnamon (to taste)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Grease loaf pan
- Mix sugar and butter in bowl
- Stir in eggs until well blended
- Add bananas and water, then beat for 30 seconds
- Stir in remaining ingredients
- Pour into loaf pan
- Bake about 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
One of my very favorite smells is baking bread, banana, and pumpkin the very most. My son and I have been cooking together ever since he was little and needed a stool to reach too. He’s fourteen now and we still cook together all the time. It’s a great way to spend some quality time together.
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Lots of cinnamon sounds fantastic to me!
I love hearing that he’s a teenager and is still willing to cook with you! I hope my boys are the same when they get older. Baking bread is the best smell.
I loooooooooooooooooooooooooove making and eating banana bread with my mom when I was younger. But, since college, I have a banana allergy and it is really bad. I wish I could get rid of the allergy so I can make and eat all the banana bread in the world.
Oh man, my boys love bananas so much, I don’t know what we would do with a banana allergy here.
Beautiful recipe. I think next time I will add an extra banana just for a more intense flavour. Love it as is, though!
We’ve added an extra banana before when we had four go overripe. It really doesn’t add too much more after that third banana, at least I couldn’t taste much difference.
I loooove banana bread!! Whenever we go to costco I always grab their banana nut bread. this recipe is everything I need in life right now
It’s one of our favorite recipes and most-made. I am making another loaf later today since we have a few bananas ready. You could easily add nuts to this recipe, we just don’t since the kids and I don’t like it.
My cousin make me a Banana bread last week. because banana bread is my favorite breakfast meal 🙂 This is really great post! Your banana bread look yummy <3
We have it for breakfast a lot, too. It’s delicious and so easy to grab a slice (or two, or three) and have breakfast ready.
My son’s favorite. One of the very first baking recipes I learned since I dread baking. I did it so that I can let my son bring it as a snack in school.
We love to bake, and this is a great one to let the kids help since it’s just a lot of pouring and mixing.
I love banana bread! I usually put chocolate chips in mine (you know, to make it healthy). 😀
We add chocolate chips sometimes, too. My oldest son, the one with the sweet tooth between the two, asks every time. I don’t allow it all the time, but it’s great for a treat now and then.
Aww this is my all time favorite treat!!!! I used to love making this with my mama as a little girl so much! I’m going to try your recipe with my little boy !
My boys love helping with this recipe. It’s probably our most-made recipe at our house.
yum! Banana bread is the all time fave comfort food! This recipes looks amazing, I need to try it out! Tea and a good book with my banana bread and happy times!
Oh man, that would be such a perfect evening! Especially if it’s fresh out of the oven and still warm.
I may have to try your recipe sometime! I am curious to know what the loads of cinnamon would taste like. (though I confess, chocolate chips is my go-to for an add-in…)
We do chocolate chips in addition to the cinnamon, too. I’ve always made it with cinnamon since that’s my family thing. I’ve had it without and it just tastes plain, so if you start with cinnamon you may not go back!
I’m in agreement with your boys, banana bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Did you add nuts or are those little chucks of banana? Either way- yum!
Those are chunks of banana. I don’t like nuts in desserts so don’t use them.
I love a fresh piece of banana bread, still warm from the oven, with butter melting on it!🍌
Yes, that is perfection right there! I like it best when it first comes out because the edge is still slightly crispy while the rest is so soft.
What a beautiful loaf of banana bread. Banana bread is one of our families favorite loaves of bread and I cook it often. I’ll have to try your recipe next time.
We cook it a lot, too. I’m actually making another loaf today with the bananas we have ready right now. It’s so yummy and perfect for breakfast.
I love banana bread! I really like the idea of adding the bananas straight into the ingredients. I usually just use a box bread.
I don’t think I’ve ever tried it from a box, but you should give this a try. I’ll bet it has more flavor and tastes much fresher when made from scratch.
This has to be one of my favourite snacks coming back home form a busy school day! With all the running around and I can’t believe I haven’t even considered having this option as a snack for my girls! Thank you so much for this reminder!
My boys love it for an after-school snack, too! Or breakfast. Or really, they will eat it almost any time of the day.
Oh yummmy! I never knew how good banana bread was until I had those old, spotted bananas I was getting ready to throw away. I make this mostly during the holidays and everyone loves it. When it’s hot, it’s oh so yummy. Thanks for sharing. As always, I want to eat right off your page.
My favorite is when it just comes out of the oven. We make it all the time here. Seriously, at least once per month, we have banana bread.
Using the stand mixer is really the way to good. Ever since I got one for Christmas I have used it for everything. I should try this recipe, I have a few bananas getting ripe on my counter.
I absolutely love having my stand mixer. I find I can make things quicker since I can keep it mixing while adding ingredients. And it lets the kids help me easier, too.
banana bread is probably my biggest baked good weakness! I love it so much and I haven’t made it in forever. This inspires me!
Oh, you should definitely make a loaf soon then!
I love a good banana bread recipe! I will definitely try out your recipe. It’s one of my favorites!
We absolutely love banana bread here, too. I made another loaf last night that we are getting ready to serve up for breakfast right now!
My family loves banana bread! I’ve never made it though, so I’m gonna pin this to try later!
You should definitely give it a go! It’s easy to throw together and so yummy.
This sounds so good! I always end up with more bananas than I can eat before they get soft.
Soft bananas are great for baking, there are so many things you can make with them!
This recipe reminds me of my mom so much since she loves making banana bread. I would love to try this recipe and surprise her! She will love it
Aww that sounds like a great surprise for your mom!
Banana bread is one of my hubby’s favorites!!!! I make it for him all the time. I will have to give your version a try. Yummy.
Oh I’d love to know what he thinks about it if you do!
I love the smell of banana bread baking, and it’s such a great way to consume overripe bananas.
Me too, it makes the whole house smell so yummy!