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My family goes in “banana eating phases” were they eat so many bananas one week and then forget them the following week so sometimes I end up with a bunch for ripe bananas – perfect for making this one bowl banana bread! All the ingredients go in one bowl and you don’t need to separate the wet and dry ingredients. Just mix them together, bake and enjoy! It’s a great base banana bread recipe that you can perk up with chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit or spices.
Table of Contents
Whenever I have three ripe bananas, this is definitely one of my go-to recipes to bake especially because the other ingredients are pantry staples I always have on hand. And I like that’s it’s simpler than my other banana bread recipes, like my Yogurt Banana Bread, my Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread (SO GOOD!) and my Chocolate Cinnamon Banana Bread, that have a little pizazz to them; because sometimes you just need something quick and simple.
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Banana
Skill Level: Easy
Why This is So Good
- One Bowl: That’s right – no dry bowl and wet bowl needed. Mash the bananas in one bowl, throw everything on top, mix and bake. My daughter loves this recipe for that very reason.
- Freezer and Meal-Prep Friendly: This recipe is perfect for meal prep and busy mornings. The banana bread freezes well, so you can make a batch, slice it up, and freeze individual portions for a quick, grab-and-go breakfast or snack option.
- Versatile: I like to think of this recipe as a go-to base recipe for making banana bread in one bowl and then tweaking it depending on the occasion or extra ingredients I have on hand and throw add-ins.
Ingredients to Make Banana Bread in One Bowl
- Bananas: Use three ripe bananas as ripe as the photo above or even more ripe to add sweetness, moisture and a deep, rich banana flavor to the bread.
- Sugar: You can really use any sugar but I like light brown sugar for this recipe to add sweetness and moisture and give it that caramel-y flavor.
- Butter: The butter not only makes the banana bread tender but it also gives is a rich taste. Feel free to with any neutral oil like avocado oil.
- Large eggs: Using room temperature eggs for easier mixing!
- All-purpose flour: The base for the brea which gives the structure and body with a fine, tender crumb. I haven’t tried other flours with this recipe, but I think a 1:1 GF flour mix would work well.
- Spices: Cinnamon and salt will add flavor and balance the sweetness. I also use baking soda to help the bread get that gorgeous rise.
Popular Additions
- Chocolate: My kids always ask me to add chocolate chips to this banana bread so that would be my #1 recommendation for an add-in. If you have a chocolate bar, you can chop that up and fold into the batter too. You can even replace some of the flour (try ¼ cup) with cocoa flour.
- Nuts: Walnuts and pecans are favorites, but you can also use try hazelnuts or cashews for something a little different.
- Dried Fruit: Raisins go really well with banana bread, but I also like using chopped dates, cranberries or chopped apricots.
- Spices: You can double the cinnamon from 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons, or you can add other warm spices like ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves or even pumpkin spice.
How to Make Banana Bread
Grab one bowl, three ripe bananas and the other staple ingredients and get ready to mix everything in a bowl. I recommend doing it in stages to make sure different elements are properly mixed before adding new ones.
Tips for Making the Best One Bowl Banana Bread
- Use very ripe bananas. Look for ones with spots. The more spots the merrier in my book. Ripe bananas will give the bread sweetness without having to add much sweetener.
- Don’t overmix the batter. When you add the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients, make sure not to overmix the batter. Just mix until you don’t see any streaks of flour and stop. That way the bread stays moist.
- Tent the loaf pan with foil if needed. Sometimes at around 45 minutes, the top of the bread will be golden brown, but the center won’t be cooked through yet. If you notice that happening, you can tent it to prevent the top from burning while baking the bread through.
- Cool the bread before slicing. I know…easier said than done! But try to let the bread cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. This allows it to firm up and makes slicing much easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
After allowing the bread to cool down completely, store it in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag to keep it fresh and moist. The bread will last for up to 5 days at room temperature and a week in the fridge. Enjoy it at room temperature the next day, warm it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or you can even throw it in a toaster oven wrapped in aluminum foil 350°F for 5-10 minutes.
For sure! After it’s cooled down, slice it into individual servings, wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap, and then place them in a large freezer bag or an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, thaw it in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours. You can then warm it up in the oven or microwave using the reheating instructions above.
Just divide the batter evenly into a greased or lined muffin tin, and bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
More Quick Bread Recipes:
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Strawberry Banana Bread
- Date Bread
- Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
If you try this feel good One Bowl Banana Bread recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
One Bowl Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 over-ripe bananas
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F and line a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving excess on the two longer sides.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Add sugar and butter, and continue to mash with the bananas until almost completely smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and fold with a rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let cool for at least 20 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Can I substitute the butter with vegetable oil? What would the measurement be?
Yes, you can replace the butter with 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Hope you enjoy!!
Hi! I promised my kids to make a banana bread and I found your recipe! Good timing! But I’ve realized that I don’t have any butter in my fridge. Can I use vegetable/olive oil?? Thank you.
So happy you found the recipe, hope you and your kids enjoy it! You can replace 1/3 cup butter with 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil—either will work, though the olive oil will have a stronger flavor so keep that in mind. Hope that helps!