Banana Bread is one of our absolute favorite treats. My girls love it and honestly I do too. There is something so comforting about warm banana bread, it just makes a perfect after school snack or homemade gift.
Whenever I pop over to a Starbucks I can usually count on the girls starting to ask for the Banana Bread. They just love it.
I have been playing with various recipes for banana bread for awhile now and finally stumbled across one that we really like and that is very, very close to what we usually get at Starbucks stores.
This one is simple to make, packed with banana and is delicious plain, with nuts or add some chocolate chips for a real treat.
This recipe is actually from Starbucks directly so hopefully you like it as much as we do!
For this recipe you can totally omit the walnuts but they really do add so much flavor. You can always substitute chocolate chips for the walnuts which would be delicious.
*****NOTE: I use a large loaf pan (10 3/4″ long, 5″ wide, 3 1/2″ tall)- if you have a smaller loaf pan, you might divide this into 2 batches or fill your pan 2/3 high and use the remaining batter in a muffin pan. Another option is to bake in a 9×9 dish.
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1⅛ cup sugar
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3 bananas mashed very well
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Add flour, baking soda and salt to a small bowl and set aside.
- Mix egg, sugar and oil and stir until well combined
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir well. The mixture will be thick and dry.
- Next add milk, vanilla and bananas and stir until incorporated.
- Mix in walnuts and pour into a loaf pan.
- Cook 50-75 minutes, checking regularly until a knife comes out clean.
Note the success of banana bread depends on bananas. You really want super ripe or slightly brown bananas for the best flavor.
If your bananas are fresh you can place them in a brown paper bag closed tightly for a day or two to help them brown, keep them attached at the stem for faster ripening or if you need them brown right away, place them in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes and then let cool for 30 minutes. For delicious meals and desserts like these; check out Publix recipes. Be sure to place foil or parchment under the bananas before popping them in the oven as they may leak a tiny bit.
If you want an authentic Starbucks experience, add nuts to the dough and sprinkle on top as well.
So give this recipe and shot and come back and let me know what you think! If you want to freeze this bread, it freezes beautifully. Just let it completely cool, tightly wrap in saran wrap and then pop into a freezer bag.
When you are ready to have the bread, simply pull out of the freezer and let it defrost.
This recipe is slightly adapted from Food.com, based off a recipe released by Starbucks directly at a media event.
And here are a few other recipes you might enjoy:
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls – perfect for Christmas morning!
Alex says
Hey! Ive made the banana bread recipe in the past. I absolutely loved it! I did one loaf with a tablespoon of pumpkin spice. Sooo good! I was wondering if you could give a conversion for a recipe using 5 bananas for the banana bread. Please and thank you!
Charlene says
Alex I have used 4 bananas with no problem. I’m not sure what 5 bananas would do… guessing you might not need the milk?
Melissa says
Hi: I let my bananas get to the point of beginning to have little dancing fruit flies,,,yet still intact…but brown on outside..so I froze them. Can I use thawed frozen bananas for the bread? Have you ever tried that? Bananas come in very different sizes…some are 1/2 cup worth of substance, some 1 cup. What is the range of smashed up banana that should be used per a measuring cut? (My last attempt at banana bread was pretty much awful~)
Julie says
I just doubled the recipe with 7 bananas! We love these! They are so delicious! Best recipe I have ever enjoyed! Hubby’s favorite too!!
Teri says
The bread is in the oven now. Hopefully it will come out ok. You have a typo in the preparation instructions. It lists add Baking Powder instead of Soda. So I used the wrong ingredient.
Jean says
Hi! Is there anyway I should change if I wanted to mix it with zucchini? Thank you
Charlene says
I have not tried that Jean but I just made these zucchini muffins the other day and they are delicious.
https://myfrugaladventures.com/2018/07/chocolate-chip-zucchini-muffins/
Charlene says
Oh my gosh I’m so sorry. Can you help me find the error Teri? This is what I see in the ingredient list:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
1⅛ cup sugar
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons buttermilk or milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 bananas mashed very well
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
And this is what I see in the directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Add flour, baking soda and salt to a small bowl and set aside.
I did a search of the text and I can’t find powder listed. Can you tell me where you see it and I’ll fix right away.
Thanks!
Patty says
Third week in a row making this, hubby LOVES it!!!
Charlene says
Yay! Happy to hear that Patty.
Malena says
Do you have nutrition info for this?
Gina says
I followed this recipe accurately and used a standard loaf pan (8×4) and my batter filled the pan to the very top.. is this recipe meant for 2 loaves or 1?! Your images and video show the batter only filling the pan about half way so I’m quite nervous now and patiently waiting for this loaf to come out of the oven…
Charlene says
Hi Gina- I have used an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pan or a 9″ pan and that seems to work best. You can also use 2 mini pans or a 9×9 square and those all work perfectly. If you pan is 8×4, I am a little concerned it might bake over the sides. You can scoop off a little and make a muffin maybe if it isn’t too late?
Helen says
Hi. This looks great & I’m definitely going to make it. Can you please confirm that 1 cup = 200g. The 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pan that you use does not seem big enough to take 400g of flour?? Thanks
Charlene says
Hi Helen,
What size is your pan? I looked up the dimensions of the loaf pan used in the photo and this is it:
Length: 9 1/2 in
Width: 5 3/4 in
In the video I use a Le Creuset loaf pan which is slightly larger:
https://www.lecreuset.com/heritage-loaf-pan/PG1049.html
If you have a small loaf pan you might have just slightly too much dough. You can make muffins, use a 9×9 pan instead or just bake two mini loaves. Good luck!
Wendy says
I’ve been looking for the best banana bread recipe … and this has got to be it! So easy and delicious! Looks and taste like SB! Thanks for sharing!
Charlene says
Happy to hear that Wendy! I love this recipe too. 🙂
Julie says
Hi I have been making a double batch every couple of weeks with 6-7 bananas! I have been baking in muffin paper cups with 1 large spoonful in each cup. This makes a great serving for kids and myself, however my hubby might eat two of this size!!
Love this recipe!
Charlene says
Ha ha! I make them as muffins too sometimes. We like a little Nutella mixed in- so good!
Charli says
I made it today. I haven’t cut it yet though. Smells delicious and was easy to make.
Barrie says
Best banana nut bread! I have made this bread lots of times….recipe is perfect!
Veronica says
Just popped this in the oven and I can’t wait to try it! I did add a little pumpkin pie spice to it because I like those warm fall flavors in my banana bread. I was wondering though if this recipe is for one bread pan or two? The batter seemed too much for one pan but not enough for two. I ended up pouring 3/4 of it in my pan and tossing the rest :/
Hoping it cooks in the middle without the outsides burning
Charlene says
Veronica- it depends on the size of your loaf pan. Some loaf pans are smaller and you will have extra batter- you can make muffins with it or you can put it in a 9×9 pan instead next time. 🙂
Charlene says
Yay! So happy to hear that Barrie.
Linda Vestal says
just made this banana bread turmed out faboulous. I put in Pecams instead of walnuts .I love the caramel like flavor the peacns gives this bread
Natalie Jurrius says
Looks great….made 2 loaves,one with cinnamon sugar swirl,the other with chocolate chips…looks beautiful, smells amazing!!
Charlene says
I love pecans too. Great idea Linda!
Charlene says
So happy to hear that Natalie!
JC says
if using a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan, does the time in the oven differ?
Charlene says
Yes- I’d check after 15 min. Should take about 15-20 min in most ovens on 350 degrees. 🙂
Sherri Wilson says
The best!
Betty says
Hi! Do I need to grease the pans? Does not specify.
Charlene says
I don’t most of the time unless I use a metal pan to bake. Hope you enjoy Betty!
Mina says
I’ve made this at least 5 times. Absolutely love it! I add half a cup of chopped walnuts to the batter and top the batter with walnut halves. It is delish! Quick question: do you have an approximate calorie content on this that can be calculated? I’m counting calories and would like to add it to myfitnesspal. Also have you tried to add protein powder to up the protein content (I typically use a vanilla whey isolate protein and would love to incorporate to this somehow to make it healthier for mornings). I tried to add it on my own and it came out horrible lol. Thank you!m
Clarazina Graham says
An awesome banana nut bread. Recipe is the Best Ever! I made small loaf pans and shared with family members and close friends Everyone loved it. Will continue to make this recipe. It is very moist and light.
Charlene says
Yay! So happy to hear it Clarazina!
Rebecca K says
I love this recipe. It’s now my go to for banana bread. I’ve shared it with friends (online so you definitely get the credit! Lol) and it has become their go to now too. I use the same recipe for muffins, but reduce the bake time… such a great recipe, thank you!!
Charlene says
Thank you so much Rebecca! Very thoughtful of you.
Elaine says
Fabulous recipe, didn’t have enough banana, so I added about 3/4 cup of purée pumpkin fill. Also added walnuts, & sprinkled peanut butter chips on top. I also added some Jack Daniel in place of vanilla.
Charlene says
whoo hoo! I have never heard of using whiskey instead of vanilla. Great idea!
Panda says
I calculated the calories for the entire loaf. Individual serving calories Depends how you divide your loaf.
1 3gg 70
3 banana 210
Vanilla 38
Sugar 873
Flour455
Oil 964
Baking soda 0
Salt 0
Milk 12
Walnuts 523
3,133 calories total per loaf.
…and worth every yummy bite!
Pam says
Can one use brown sugar ?
Charlene says
In a pinch, I have and the recipe turns out fine.
Charlene says
How incredibly kind of you to do that and share it. Thank you Panda!
Melissa says
Is the flour called out in the recipe a bread flour or All purpose flour?
Charlene says
Melissa- all purpose
Karen khan says
Wonderful!! Moist and delicious
Gone in one day. Making another loaf
Joanne says
I like to bake my banana bread in a bundt pan, can you recommend the recipe alterations and bake time for doing so?
Charlene says
Hmm… I’m not sure. I’ve never tried banana bread in a bundt pan. Sorry I can’t be more help.
Joanne says
I used coconut oil, doubled the recipe and baked half in my bundt pan and half in the loaf pan. Both turned out great!! Baked a little longer, but I’m happy with the result and will definitely be making again!!!