Easy Banana Bread

By Lidey Heuck

Updated March 28, 2024

Easy Banana Bread
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
65 minutes
Rating
4(1,319)
Comments
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This recipe makes a simple and classic banana bread — lightly spiced with a hint of cinnamon, and incredibly tender thanks to a dollop of sour cream in the batter. For best results, use very ripe bananas, but know the recipe will still work if yours are not yet at the speckly stage. While banana bread is, of course, delicious when it’s warm from the oven, the flavor and texture are actually the best on the second day (if you can wait that long). Feel free to mix 1 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips, or a combination, into the batter for this easy, everyday treat. 

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings (1 loaf)
  • Nonstick spray, for greasing
  • 2large eggs
  • 1¾cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium ripe bananas)
  • ½cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and slightly cooled
  • ¾cup/165 grams light brown sugar, packed
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼cup/57 grams sour cream
  • 2cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1teaspoon baking soda
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Kosher)
  • ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, bananas, butter, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth (a few lumps of banana are OK). Stir in the sour cream.

  3. Step 3

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

  4. Step 4

    Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the flour is fully incorporated, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the surface into an even layer with a spatula, and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

  6. Step 6

    Cool for 20 minutes in the pan. Run a paring knife around the sides of the banana bread and remove the loaf, transferring it to a wire rack to finish cooling. Peel off the parchment paper before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Banana bread will keep for up to 3 days, covered, at room temperature.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,319 user ratings
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Comments

adrienne

You don't need all that butter, just use 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt, I also use one cup of whole wheat or spelt flour and 3/4 of a cup of organic rice flour..

Zee

This is almost exactly the recipe I have used for decades. I add a bit of orange oil or essence, as well as some dried orange peel and pecans. These additions make the loaf, a bit more savory and crunchy from the nuts.

FarTraveler

Banana bread makes wonderful French toast. Leaned the trick while visiting the Caribbean one year.

barb and chris

Recipe is great as written! I made an inadvertent addition by adding a full cup of sour cream instead of 1/4 cup! It turned out incredibly moist and delicious!

Ruth H

Added blueberries to my batter. Great bread recipe!

phillip roullard

I made this to the recipe and added in some coconut flakes. Kind of after a recipe I have for Caribbean banana bread. I didn't add the lime juice which that Caribbean recipe calls for.

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