Can you use previously frozen and thawed bananas for this recipe?

Yes, freezing is a great way to keep overripe bananas from going bad. Just make sure your bananas are completely thawed before using!

Can I make this into muffins?

Yes! Just scoop the batter into muffin tins or baby loaf pans. The bake time will be faster though: about 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean vs. 50 to 60 minutes for a whole loaf.

Kitchen Tested

Banana Bread

Name: Banana Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 3/4 cup sugar; 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened; 2 eggs; 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium); 1/3 cup milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt

Prep time:15 min
Total time:2 hr 20 min
Ingredients:10
Servings:16
Calories per serving:170

By Created by Joanna(Opens in a new tab)Updated 07/24/2025

Banana Bread

Prep time:15 min
Total time:2 hr 20 min
Ingredients:10
Servings:16
Calories per serving:170

Banana bread is one of our staples. It’s a quick and easy breakfast that you can take on the go and the perfect sweet homemade snack any time of day. No wonder it’s one of the most popular types of quick bread!

Even if this is your first time and you don't know how to make banana bread, this is the perfect place to start. This easy banana bread recipe only requires a handful of pantry basics, some ripened bananas, and 15 minutes of hands-on time. Pillsbury user @Sohoyle says, “I've made this recipe for 35 years now and I'm known for the best banana bread ever!”

As we were testing this recipe, we found that if you let the bananas get extra ripe before baking (we’re talking brown skin and fall-apart peels) the sweet banana flavor gets even better. Banana bread is also super easy to customize: add chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, or berries to please your family’s taste buds. And once you master this recipe, we have a bunch of other quick and easy banana bread and muffin recipes to satisfy your cravings.

Recipe Ingredients

We use simple pantry staples to create a moist, flavorful loaf that’s perfect any time of day. Here’s what you’ll need to make our classic banana bread recipe.

Bananas: You’ll need 2 medium-sized bananas for this recipe. Make sure they’re nice and ripe! If yours are still a little too green, place them in a brown paper bag at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. In a rush? Try this quick hack to ripen bananas: preheat your oven to 300°F, lay the unopened bananas on parchment paper or foil, and put them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. They’ll be perfect for making banana bread!

Nuts: In the test kitchen, we used walnuts to add a little crunch to this recipe, but you could use pecans, too. And don’t worry if you don’t use nuts, the bread will turn out just as tasty.

Other Ingredients: We rounded out this recipe with baking staples that we had on hand, including sugar, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, baking soda, and salt.

How to Make Banana Bread

Ready to bake a loaf of homemade banana bread? This classic recipe is simple to make and packed with cozy, familiar flavors.

1. Combine the Wet Ingredients

Start by mixing together softened butter and sugar. Then, mix in eggs, mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla for a rich, moist base.

2. Add the Dry Ingredients

Stir in a blend of flour, baking soda, salt, and chopped nuts just until combined. You can also use a spoon to fold in chocolate chips or dried berries at this point. We tested this recipe with chocolate chips and found that semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips were a nice contrast to the sweetness of the banana. Once all the ingredients are combined, pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. If you want a nice split down the middle of your loaf, run a butter knife through the middle of the batter before baking.

3. Bake and Enjoy!

Bake in a 350°F oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. After a quick rest, remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before slicing.

Storing and Reheating

Banana bread is wonderful to have on hand for an easy breakfast or snack. Here’s how to keep it fresh.

Room Temperature

Let the bread completely cool, then wrap in plastic wrap and store on the counter for 2 to 3 days. We found that storing it in the fridge makes the outside of the loaf too sticky and gooey.

Freezer

Wrap the whole loaf (or individual slices) in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Reheating from Room Temp

Slices: Microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, or heat in the toaster oven for 2 minutes at 350°F. Add a dab of butter for extra goodness!
Whole Loaf: Remove plastic wrap, wrap the loaf in foil, and warm at 300 to 325°F for 10 to 15 minutes to bring out the moisture and make it taste fresh baked.

Reheating from Frozen

Slices: Wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. For the oven, place slices on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and warm at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Whole Loaf: Let thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Remove plastic wrap, wrap in foil, and warm in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Banana Bread

Prep time:15 min
Total time:2 hr 20 min
Ingredients:10
Servings:16
Calories per serving:170

Ingredient

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Step 1
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 9x5- or 8x4-inch loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray.

Step 2
In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Step 3
Beat in eggs until smooth and creamy.

Step 4
Mix in bananas, milk, and vanilla until well blended.

Step 5
In small bowl, mix flour, nuts, baking soda, and salt.

Step 6
Add to banana mixture all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Step 7
Pour into pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Step 8
Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Recipe Tips

It’s important to grease just the bottom of the loaf pan, so the batter can climb evenly up the pan's sides to create a nicely rounded top crust. And remember to mix up the batter until the dry ingredients are moistened—a few streaks of flour are okay. Overmixing will cause the loaf to be dense, with tunnels running through it.
To ripen bananas quickly, place them in a brown paper bag at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
When the loaf is fully baked, the top should crack—that’s a hallmark of moist-crumbed quick bread.
Applesauce Bread: Substitute 1 cup applesauce for the mashed bananas and stir 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the flour mixture.
Berry-Banana Bread: Stir in 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries into the flour mixture.
Banana-Chocolate Chunk Bread: Stir 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips into the flour mixture, skipping the nuts if you'd like.
Use this base recipe as a starting point for other snack loaves.
To avoid dry banana bread, make sure you’re properly measuring the flour: First, use a spoon to gently scoop the flour into your measuring cup (instead of scooping it directly from the bag). Then, use the flat edge of a knife to level the top of the measuring cup without packing the flour down.
Try toasting a slice of banana bread and topping it with a swipe of peanut butter or a drizzle of honey. It makes the perfect breakfast or cozy snack!

Nutrition Facts

Calories
170
Total Fat
7g
Protein
3g
Total Carbohydrate
25g
Sugars
11g

Servings: 16

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Amount Per Serving Calories : 170

Nutrition Facts
Food Component / Nutrient	Amount	% , Daily Value*
Total Fat	7g	10%
Saturated Fat	3g	16%
Trans Fat	0g	% Value Not Available
Monounsaturated Fat	2&½g	% Value Not Available
Polyunsaturated Fat	0g	% Value Not Available
Omega-3	30g	% Value Not Available
Cholesterol	40mg	14%
Sodium	200mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate	25g	8%
Dietary Fiber	0g	0%
Soluble Fiber	0g	% Value Not Available
Insoluble Fiber	0g	% Value Not Available
Sugars	11g	% Value Not Available
Protein	3g	% Value Not Available
Vitamin D	Value Not Available	2%
Calcium	Value Not Available	0%
Iron	Value Not Available	4%
Potassium	90mg	3%
Vitamin A	Value Not Available	6%
Vitamin C	Value Not Available	0%
Vitamin E	Value Not Available	0%
Thiamin	Value Not Available	10%
Riboflavin	Value Not Available	8%
Niacin	Value Not Available	6%
Vitamin B6	Value Not Available	6%
Folic Acid	Value Not Available	6%
Vitamin B12	Value Not Available	0%
Pantothenic Acid	Value Not Available	2%
Phosphorus	Value Not Available	4%
Magnesium	Value Not Available	2%
Zinc	Value Not Available	0%
Manganese	Value Not Available	6%
Selenium	Value Not Available	10%
Copper	Value Not Available	2%
Beta-Carotene	Value Not Available	% Value Not Available
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Exchanges

Starch 1,
Fruit 0,
Other Carbohydrate ½,
Skim Milk 0,
Low-Fat Milk 0,
Milk 0,
Vegetable 0,
Very Lean Meat 0,
Lean Meat 0,
Medium-Fat Meat 0,
High-Fat Meat 0,
Fat 1&½

Carbohydrate Choice

Carbohydrate Choice1&½

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Recipe Ingredients

We use simple pantry staples to create a moist, flavorful loaf that’s perfect any time of day. Here’s what you’ll need to make our classic banana bread recipe.

Nuts: In the test kitchen, we used walnuts to add a little crunch to this recipe, but you could use pecans, too. And don’t worry if you don’t use nuts, the bread will turn out just as tasty.

Other Ingredients: We rounded out this recipe with baking staples that we had on hand, including sugar, butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, baking soda, and salt.

How to Make Banana Bread

Ready to bake a loaf of homemade banana bread? This classic recipe is simple to make and packed with cozy, familiar flavors.

1. Combine the Wet Ingredients

Start by mixing together softened butter and sugar. Then, mix in eggs, mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla for a rich, moist base.

2. Add the Dry Ingredients

3. Bake and Enjoy!

Storing and Reheating

Banana bread is wonderful to have on hand for an easy breakfast or snack. Here’s how to keep it fresh.