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!
Just mixed my first batch and naturally I had to double the recipe because my kids and grand babies LOVE banana bread So I saw your recipe and thought what the heck let’s try it So here’s hoping it’s as good as my families recipe So in the oven they go, I’ll update you in a few hours
Great banana bread! I substituted olive oil instead of vegetable oil, turned out amazing! I did,however have the same issue with the bread not being done after 75 minutes, I left it in fifteen minutes longer and it was perfect! I wonder for those of us having an isssue with time….perhaps putting the bread in a 350 oven. I will try this next time and let you know how it goes.
Hi Lillian- So glad to hear it! I usually use Canola oil myself but haven’t tried olive. I did make a batch a few days ago and let it go for 90 minutes as you mentioned and mine was just shy of being burned. Definitely overdone. A few extra minutes to bake isn’t a big deal though if needed.
-Charlene
Hope you like it Michelle. My daughter is eating the last piece right now and it was very good 🙂
What size pan do you use ?
Hi Denise,
I used a loaf pan.
I am making your banana bread again. It is a hit a work. I make it once a week, been making it for (2) months.
Love this bread
So thrilled to hear that Margaret 🙂
Making the bread for the first time. Sounds delish. Do you grease the loaf pan?
Hi Patty,
Yes I butter the dish. Hope you enjoy!
My go to recipe for banana bread! Always perfect!
Yeah! Happy to hear that Paula 🙂
I just made this and took it out of the oven a couple of hrs ago. For some who are having such a difficult time with rawness in the middle, perhaps they are using a smaller loaf pan. I think the ‘perfect’ size is 9×5. I made a double batch and put 4 cups into the 9×5 , 3 cups into a 8×5 loaf pan and 1 c into a oval custard shape. 30 minutes for the smallest, 50 for the 8×5 and 60 for the 9×5. Delicious and perfect. Thanks. I changed nothing but followed the recipe. Next time, mini chocolate chips will be added ! YUM .
Oh well that probably explains it perfectly Denise. Not all loaf pans are created equally 🙂
i am making this at this very moment. i hope that it is super yummy! i am craving banana bread!!! 🙂 i will let you know how it turns out. also i set my oven to 375.
Awesome hope you like it Selina.
Just put it in the oven…can’t wait to try it. I added dark chocolate chips. I’ll update later to let you know how it was…I have it on a 70 minute timer at 325. I hope it comes out golden brown. Most recipes it comes out too dark.
Dark chocolate sounds delish Catherine!
Hello! I was wondering if I would have to make any adjustments to the recipe if I live in a high altitude city.
I used olive oil instead of vegetable and I also cut the sugar by 1/3 and will actually cut it in half next time. It was really a good recipe!
I just put this in the oven! I used coconut oil and did 1 1/2 cup flour + 1/2 cup protein powder!
Is it plain or self raising flour?
Hi Mathalin, regular all purpose flour. You can use self rising flour if you like, I think the loaf might not be as fluffy on top but it should turn out OK.
I’m not even an experienced baker and this worked great! I used a muffin tray since that’s all I had on hand and the muffins were golden brown in 30 minutes. I used 1 cup sugar instead of the 1 and 1/8 recommended and I don’t really mind how subtly sweet these taste.
I made a double batch and cooked it in a 9′ 13′ pan for 50 minutes, it came out fantastic!
Whoo hoo! Double batch sounds good to me 😉
Muffins sound wonderful Devina!
I’ve misplaced my tried and true banana bread recipe. I tried yours and can say yeah baby! I did have to cook it longer but it was perfect. Thank you!
So glad to hear that Mary Beth 🙂
Just made this bread didn’t have a big pan so separated the batter into 2 smaller ones and it turned out good!.Starbucks is my favorite Banana bread i feel like they might add cinnamon to theirs?
Made this banana bread last night and it is fantastic! I added chocolate chips to ours. My husband and I cant stop eating it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Yeah! Merry Christmas Kayla!
I don’t have walnuts…would pecans be ok?
My mom used to make banana bread every Christmas and I made it every year for Christmas after I moved out. This year I tried this recipe and it was delicious. I used olive oil and added extra walnuts. When it comes out of the oven and has cooled, we put a pat of butter on it and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to melt the butter. It is so good! This is now my go-to recipe for The Tiny House Farm! 🙂
That would be perfect Deanna 🙂
I’ve made this bread at least 5 times since I found your recipe and it’s delicious each time! I always have to cook it the full 75 mins and I usually cover it with foil for the last 15-20 mins to keep it from burning because the middle is still raw but the top is fully cooked, but other than that the flavor is great and with the foil the finished loaf is perfect
Yeah! Glad to hear it Marissa!
Re pan prep, another recipe said grease pan first, I used butter flavor crisco, then hold over sink and throw sugar into pan be sure to coat all sides bottom etc. this gives nice crispy sweet crust I now do this any time I make a sweet bread like this , can’t wait to try your recipe!’
Great tip Maggie! I do that on occasion as well but with butter. Very yummy 🙂
Can I use coconut oil??
Hi Emma, That should be fine 🙂
I made this, this morning and because I dropped my loaf pan and shattered it (Pyrex) – I ended up using a bundt cake pan.
I read everyone’s comments about baking times and between the bundt cake pan and cooking at 325 for 35mins and then increased it to 340 for 15mins – it came out perfectly cooked.
I also opted to put the chopped walnuts on top rather than in the bread, and spray with cooking spray so it didn’t burn).
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!!
Oh such a bummer to drop your Pyrex. Glad it turned out in the end 🙂
I finally tried your recipe..I used olive oil and put the sugar in the flour by mistake..and used 3 small foil pans 51\2×31\2..wellll guess what?? its now my banana bread..and small pans are great for gifts..thank you for the recipe!
Yeah! So glad it worked out. I agree. Everyone loves banana bread so what a great gift 🙂
I followed the recipe (but instead of walnuts I used semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels). I’m actually not a fan of banana anything (except bananas by themselves lol). But I made this for my husband and other relatives… they loved it. I baked mine in a Wilton 9x9x2 pan at 350 for 40mins, and it came out great.
I love chocolate chips too Janet- glad it turned out well for you 🙂
I made this vegan with Bob’s red mill egg replacer and almond milk, it turned out great. Thank you for the recipe.
I made this banana bread earlier today, it is DELICIOUS! I made the following changes. 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup of white sugar, 1/4 cup of softened butter & 1/4 cup melted coconut oil. This will definitely be my go to banana bread recipe 🙂
Charlene, if useing 12 count muffin pan, how long would you bake at 325f?