The Best Banana Bread Recipe

An easy recipe for the perfect homemade loaf every time.

This banana bread is the go-to recipe when you’ve got a few overripe bananas on the counter and an hour to spare. My wife’s banana bread is a favorite in our house, and for good reason-it's tasty and turns out perfect almost every time. She’s spent time refining it, and It’s easy to make.

When I asked her what makes her banana bread different, she said it’s all about consistency. She measures everything carefully to make sure it turns out the same every time. She’s not big on fancy add-ins, but I love walnuts for the crunch. You can mix them into the batter or sprinkle them on top partway through the bake if you want them to stand out.

She always uses a metal loaf pan for her banana bread. Glass pans are fine for casseroles, but metal gives that perfect crust. And yes, the pan should always be greased-no skipping that step.

Her process is simple.

This recipe is as straightforward as it gets. Here’s what you need:

• 3-4 ripe bananas (mashed)

• 1/3 cup butter (melted)

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg (beaten)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp baking soda

• Pinch of salt

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• Optional: 1/2 cup walnuts

Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease a metal loaf pan. Mash the bananas in a large bowl and mix in the melted butter. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Sprinkle in the baking soda and salt, then add the flour. Mix just until combined- don’t overmix.

If you’re adding walnuts, mix them in now or sprinkle some on top halfway through baking. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 60–65 minutes, checking at 50 minutes. When a toothpick or knife comes out clean, it’s done. Let it cool in the pan until you can handle it, then turn it out onto foil or the counter to finish cooling.

Perfect with butter or on its own. You will want to keep this recipe close, because everyone will love this banana bread.-jb

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