Easy Banana Bread Recipe • 5★

Updated December 28, 2025

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

1:35Credit...The New York Times

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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Nonstick spray, for greasing

1 ¾ cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium ripe bananas)

½ cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and slightly cooled

¾ cup/165 grams light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup/57 grams sour cream

2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Kosher)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Step 1Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

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

Step 2In 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.

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.

Step 3In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

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

Step 4Add 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.

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.

Step 5Transfer 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.

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.

Step 6Cool 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.

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.

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..

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.

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

Nicely moist and tasty, and not overly sweet. I’d double the salt quantity to deepen the flavor.

I was short one banana, so I made a pretty strange substitution replacing the missing grams of banana with nonfat Greek yogurt. End result was fantastic regardless! Will make a again

I love your recipes!

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024420-easy-banana-bread