One Bowl Banana Bread
The best, most simple, one-bowl banana bread I know. Perfect if you're craving classic banana bread flavor and texture, but want as little mess, drama, and equipment as possible.
Give this banana bread recipe a go! It's perfect if you're craving classic banana bread flavor and texture, but want as little mess, drama, and equipment as possible. Quite honestly, it's the best, simple, one-bowl banana bread I know. No mixer, a single bowl, classic flavor, and a moist and tender crumb. If you have three ripe bananas on hand, chances are good you have the rest of the ingredients as well. Let's do this!
My Favorite Banana Bread
What you'll get here is a straight-ahead, classic banana bread, with a hint of a wholesome twist. I like my baked goods to have a rustic touch to them, which is why I like to use some whole wheat flour and brown sugar here. Consequently, it makes your banana bread more nutritious, moist, extra special, and delicious (when compared to versions with white sugar and white flour).
Inspiration
This particular banana bread recipe evolved into its current lazy-day state from this Melissa Clark gem. I skipped any add-ins for simplicity's sake here, and would recommend a banana-only first pass. See how you like it, and then play around with some of my suggested variations (below) on a future pass.
Tips
My pro tips are few. Number one, use extra-ripe bananas. I love the sweetness and depth of flavor they bring to the banana bread. Number two? Don't over mash your banana in the beginning, leave them a quite bit chunky. You want some of those chunks to remain until the end. They tend to really break down as you're stirring in ingredients. Lastly, avoid over baking. Moist banana bread is the goal.
Variations
Add-ins: What you see here (above) is a classic, banana bread. No add-ins. No chunks. That said, don't let me stop you if you like the base recipe, and want to add in a couple of handfuls of toasted walnuts, chocolate chunks, or some citrus zests, herbs, or toasted coconut. You can also play around with simple glazes.
Brown butter: On occasion, I like to brown the butter in this recipe before using it. So good.
Toppings: You can finish your banana bread a bunch of different ways. There's the basic, no-frills version pictured directly above. Another idea? Press half a banana lengthwise into the batter before baking. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar and bake. You can see this version in the lead photo.
Watch: One Bowl Banana Bread Video
Also(!), if you like this, I'd be willing to bet you'll also like these banana-packed Buttermilk Berry Muffins, or this Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread.
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One Bowl Banana Bread
I tend to have leftover coconut milk on hand, so that is what I use here (along with coconut oil). They both compliment banana beautifully, but I offer up a range of easy, everyday substitutions in the ingredient list if you don't have either of those on hand.
- 1 1/2 cups / 12 oz / 340 g mashed RIPE bananas (~3 bananas)
- 1/3 cup / 80 ml melted coconut oil or melted butter
- 3/4 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g dark muscovado or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml full-fat coconut milk or yogurt, or sour cream
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125g all-purpose flour
- 1 cup / 5 oz / 140g whole wheat flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
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Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place a rack in the center. Oil a 9-by 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan, or equivalent.
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Next, place the mashed bananas in a large bowl. Stir in the coconut oil, and then the brown sugar and coconut milk. Add the eggs and vanilla, and stir until well combined. Add the flours, baking soda, and salt (sprinkling the baking soda and salt across the surface of the batter), and mix just until the batter combines, avoid over-mixing.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf out of the pan to cool completely. Slice, and enjoy!
Related Recipes
Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread
Certain adventures call for the perfect banana bread, and this was one of them. A moist, ridiculously good banana bread recipe. A banana bread that is chocolate studded, lemon kissed, and made with whole wheat flour (and olive oil) - from Melissa Clark's new book.
Nine Healthier One-bowl Baking Recipes
One bowl baking is the best. These recipes tend to use whole-grain flours, minimal refined sugar, and a single bowl. The frosting bowl doesn't count ;)...
An Incredible No Bake Chocolate Cake
The easiest chocolate cake you'll ever make. And it's always a huge hit. It's the sort of easy dessert perfect for summer, and entertaining, because you don't need to heat your oven.
Buttermilk Berry Muffins
Beautiful buttermilk muffins - berry-streaked with sugar-sparkled tops, big flavor, and buttermilk-tender texture.
Easy Little Bread
The simple, easy little bread you should make right this minute - yeast-based, farm-style, made from rolled oats and a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flours.
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Comments
made this deliciousness in 2 bowls and three rotted/frozen/ thawed banana's. my oven hates me,so the bread came out in 80 minutes,not 50. added walnuts because: banana bread. would like to try it next time with just a tad less sweet,but the damn thing is so tasty,i've already had three slices with butter. it doesn't seem to be making the trip to the neighbors. not this time. i love your site and your recipes.
Lol. Thanks Judith! :)
Do you think you could sub applesauce for butter in this? I have some that I made in the instant pot and want to use up :)
Quick question--are you packing the brown sugar, or just using it loosely measured? I am making it currently.
Hi Brook - just loosely packed is fine. Enjoy!
I'm excited to try this recipe but with five black bananas. I have a go to recipe I have used for the past 18 years that is similar, but I like to use bananas so far beyond ripe they slip out of the peels and liquidy quickly in my mixer! It takes nearly a month for them to lose all of their yellow, so it takes time. I also put nearly black bananas in the freezer until I have enough. I can't wait to try this.
Made this with coconut oil and flax eggs (AND chocolate chips) and it was wonderful!
Has anyone tried this with only all purpose flour? I can’t have whole wheat due to health issues. Any other tweaks as a result? Love that this is vegan as written so can be shared with my vegan friends.
You should be fine with a straight swap Robin - enjoy!
Hello Heidi, I made this today with 3 very ripe bananas - and it is delicious - a simple recipe full of flavour and not too sweet. Thank you.
Thanks Shona - glad you enjoyed it!
I would love to make this! I live at a very high altitude. Does anyone have any ideas about tweaks to this recipe for high altitude cooking?
Could you substitute almond or coconut flour for the whole wheat flour?
HS: Hi Jill - I think you'd have to make some other adjustments as well, I haven't tried a version like this. Let me know if you end up playing around.
This was a good recipe. I have several banana bread recipes and I'm always looking for ways to enhance my collection. I modified this recipe by changing the vanilla extract to banana extract almond milk for the liquid, and lastly brown sugar. It came out great and wasn't too dry as wheat flower tends to be dry.
Hi there ! Looks so delicious! Could I substitute the Wheat flour for Einkorn flour or spelt flour? Thank you!
HS: Hi Robyn - yes, absolutely :)
Hi Heidi- do you think this would be ok as muffins? Can't find my loaf pan!
HS: Yes! Just cut the baking time :)
After making banana bread/cake for years with butter I was trepidatious about trying this recipe and it did not disappoint - used coconut oil and yogurt. Thank you Heidi.
Yum!! This recipe could not have come at a better time, as my husband has been hassling me for banana bread lately and I don't have a go-to recipe. I subbed out coconut sugar for the brown sugar and used 100 g arrowroot powder, 90 g sprouted brown rice flour and 75 g sprouted sorghum flour to make it gluten-free - it worked great. I suspect it would work just as well with the non-sprouted versions of the flours. Oh, and my kids poured in chocolate chips as I was stirring everything together. Delicious! I just spoiled my dinner by eating two slices.
When you say "full fat coconut milk" are you talking straight out of a can (like Thai Kitchen, etc) -- or the milk you buy ready to drink? This is so confusing in recipes!!
HS: Hi Joyce - straight from the can :)
Been making that recipe for years and years. Sometimes I add walnuts and sometimes chocolate chips. Never disappoints. My recipe card calls for three DEAD bananas.
This looks like the best banana bread, of course behind your lemon olive oil and chocolate version, which is still my very favorite. And I'm loving your videos Heidi. Keep up the good work!
Hello Heidi and thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. Do you think anything would be lost by substituting the eggs for flax eggs?
HS: Hi Patti - someone said they did a version substituting oats for the apf flout, and used flax (in place of the eggs, I believe), but I haven't tested that version. You can also sub - coconut sugar for the brown/muscovado sugar if you prefer :)
Walnuts! Sesame seeds for top of crust! BB is so good with walnuts or seeds!! Just sayin'.
Thanks so much for putting the ingredients in grams as well as imperial measurements for your international audience!