Moist Tender Banana Bread (Printable)

A classic moist banana bread featuring optional chocolate chips or nuts, ideal for breakfast or snacking.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Fruit

08 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)

→ Optional Add-Ins

09 - 3/4 cup chocolate chips OR 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat softened butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Mix in mashed bananas until well combined.
06 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing gently until just combined.
07 - Fold in chocolate chips or nuts if using.
08 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
09 - Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
10 - Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The outside gets this beautiful golden crust while the inside stays impossibly moist, something I perfected after months of subtle tweaking.
  • Its completely customizable with whatever you have on hand, whether thats chocolate chips from the pantry or the last handful of nuts.
02 -
  • Never overmix the batter after adding flour, as I learned the hard way when my first few loaves came out dense as bricks instead of tender and soft.
  • If the top is browning too quickly but the center isnt done, loosely tent with foil around the 40-minute mark to prevent burning while allowing the middle to finish baking.
03 -
  • Freeze overripe bananas whole in their peels when you cant use them immediately, then thaw at room temperature for about an hour before peeling and mashing for instant bread-ready bananas.
  • For an extra-moist loaf with a more pronounced banana flavor, use four bananas instead of three and reduce the sugar slightly to balance the additional sweetness.
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