This banana bread has been the most popular recipe on Simply Recipes for over 10 years.

Thousands of people make it every day.

Because it really is the best banana bread recipe, period.

Overhead view of a slice of banana bread on a plate.

Kelly Hamilton

And the secret to its great flavor?Melted butter.

The beauty of this banana bread recipe is you don’t need a fancy mixer!

The sugar amount is flexible.

Easy banana bread cut into thick slices.

Kelly Hamilton

you’ve got the option to even go a step further and makechocolate banana bread.

The recipe will also work in an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan, producing a slightly shorter bread.

Since the pan is a bit larger, the bake time is shorter: 47 to 57 minutes.

Smashing bananas with a fork to make banana bread.

Kelly Hamilton

A 9x5-inch pan will yield an especially short but still delicious bread; bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

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Banana Bread

No need for a mixer for this recipe!

Melted butter added to a bowl of mashed bananas.

Kelly Hamilton

Clean-up is easy, too.

If you want, you’re able to mix everything in one bowl.

This recipe calls for an 8x4-inch loaf pan.

Sugar mixed with butter and bananas to make banana bread.

Kelly Hamilton

If you are baking in an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch pan, bake for 47 to 57 minutes.

If baking in a 9x5-inch pan, bake for 45 to 55 minutes.

Note that the larger pan size will produce a flatter loaf.

Flour added to a bowl of wet ingredients to make banana bread.

Kelly Hamilton

The best bananas to use for banana bread are those that are overripe.

The yellow peels should be at least half browned, and the bananas inside squishy and browning.

In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth.

Banana bread batter poured into a loaf pan.

Kelly Hamilton

Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

Mix in the baking soda and salt.

Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.

Baked banana bread in a loaf pan.

Kelly Hamilton

Mix in the flour.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan.

A few dry crumbs are okay; streaks of wet batter are not.

Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes.

Then remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before serving.

(A bread knife helps to make slices that aren’t crumbly.)

Wrapped well, the banana bread will keep at room temperature for 4 days.

For longer storage, refrigerate the loaf up to 5 days, orfreeze it.