You can’t beat a classic! This is the BEST Banana Bread recipe around….tried and true for decades, this from scratch Banana Bread is moist and tender with a hint of sweetness. A great way to use up those overripe bananas!

Banana Bread sliced on a marble board with bananas in the background.


Banana Bread

If you’re anything like me you probably have a banana or two sitting on your counter turning browner (is that a word?) by the second. It’s the story of my life actually. I’m pretty sure by the time I’m ready to turn in my blogger hat that this site will have 99,000 banana recipes for you to use up the super sweet sogginess that used to be pretty yellow bananas.

I don’t even know how the collection gets started because some weeks I’ll buy a bunch of bananas and they’ll be gone in three days. So, the next week I’ll buy the same amount of bananas and be left with all of them in various stages of freckling and brown-ness by the end of the week. It’s a mystery….but one I’m not willing to complain about too much because things like the very Best Banana Bread recipe are born from their nastiness.

Banana Bread sliced on a marble board with a ivory handled knife next to it.

What is Banana Bread?

I learned how to make Banana Bread back in my early twenties as a way to feed myself when the month was coming to an end. One of my first full-time jobs I got paid on the first of the month…..and that was it until the next 1st of the month (some months were sooooo long!)…..and as a single mom I had to get pretty creative trying to stretch the grocery bill.

Bananas were fairly inexpensive so I’d buy a ton and when they started to go weird on me…I’d peel them, mashed them up and freeze them in zip top bags. They are super fantastic to stir into your oatmeal or blend into a smoothie. But to get even MORE bang for my buck….I’d bake the bananas into something fabulous like this Banana Bread….or Banana Ricotta Muffins. Because then you can freeze them yet again but in a completely un-banana like form.

How to Make Banana Bread

This easy Banana Bread with yogurt recipe is made from scratch using ingredients I always have readily available in my kitchen….so you will, too. I like to keep this banana bread recipe simple so I can easily turn it into fancied up banana bread if I feel the urge.

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter beating at medium speed until fluffy.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
  4. Keeping the mixer on low-speed and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat just until blended.
  5. Pour the batter into a 9×5 inch metal loaf pan coated with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool on rack.
  7. It couldn’t be simpler to make so you’ll definitely be keeping this one on repeat with all those forgotten bananas that manage to appear week after week. 

The Very Best Banana Bread Recipe has morphed into so many other recipes. It’s adapted from a Cooking Light recipe where I drenched it in chocolate ganache but failed to every give you the base recipe for the actual bread itself. Because sometimes you just want a basic Banana Bread without all the fluff.

half a loaf of banana bread with bananas in the background.

How To Make Moist Banana Bread

This simple Banana Bread recipe is unbelievably moist because of the ingredients I use. I, also, like to use REALLY ripe bananas because they’re less dry and starchy than yellow bananas. Underripe bananas can suck the moisture out of the other ingredients leaving you with dry, crumbly banana bread. That’s just no good.

So, the key is to use high quality, moisture rich ingredients like I do for this recipe:

  • VERY RIPE Bananas (leaning toward brown but not black….heavily freckled bananas will work well, too.)
  • sugar – granulated sugar or light brown sugar if you want to add some richness
  • butter – I used salted butter for this recipe.
  • greek yogurt – Plain, low fat yogurt provides a bit of tanginess.
  • eggs – Room temperature, large eggs
  • flour – All purpose flour is what is used for this recipe.
  • baking soda
  • salt

Some people use vanilla and other extracts in their homemade banana bread recipe but for a basic, simple banana bread I like to keep things minimalist. The banana adds enough flavor all on it’s own and why would you want to cover that up with vanilla or anything else for that matter.

If you don’t want to use greek yogurt or are not a fan, you can make this Banana Bread with sour cream instead. It works just as perfectly!

Variations on Homemade Banana Bread

To make this recipe you’re own, try some of our favorite mix ins!

  • walnuts, pecans, chopped almonds
  • chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, white chocolate
  • blueberries
  • raisins, dried cranberries
  • pineapple
  • coconut
  • espresso powder

Get as creative as you want, banana bread is pretty resilient and goes well with sooo many mix-ins!

If you want to level up your banana bread, turn it into this easy Banana Bread Pudding!

Banana Bread with three slices stacked in from on a white board with a knife.

More Easy Banana Bread Recipes

For more easy recipes, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

Banana Bread sliced on a marble board with bananas in the background.

Get the Recipe: The Best Banana Bread Recipe

This classic recipe is the best way to use up overripe bananas, this easy Banana Bread recipe ever to come out of your oven.
5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 2/3 cups mashed ripe banana, about 3 bananas
  • 1/4 cup 2% milk
  • 1/4 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt, I used Chobani
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups all purpose flour, I used King Arthur
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Equipment

  • 1 loaf pan

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter beating at medium speed until fluffy. On low-speed, add the banana, milk, greek yogurt and eggs mixing until combined.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Keeping the mixer on low-speed and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat just until blended. 
  • Pour the batter into a 9×5 inch metal loaf pan coated with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Notes

Banana Bread can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
To freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap again with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before serving.
Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 284mg, Potassium: 181mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 220IU, Vitamin C: 3.3mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1.4mg