Favorite Banana Bread Loaf (Print-Friendly Version)

Super moist banana bread with buttery texture, brown sugar, cinnamon, and optional nuts or chocolate chips.

# Ingredients You’ll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
08 - 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
09 - 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3–4 bananas)
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

11 - 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
12 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

# How to Make It:

01 - Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time on medium speed, ensuring each is fully combined before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl sides as needed. Add yogurt, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas, mixing until evenly combined.
05 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat on low speed just until no streaks remain. Avoid over-mixing to maintain a tender crumb.
06 - Gently fold in nuts and/or chocolate chips if using, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
07 - Transfer the thick batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, loosely covering the pan with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent excessive browning. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean or with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on the rack before slicing.
09 - Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.

# Extra Tips:

01 - Positioning the oven rack low prevents premature over-browning of the crust.
02 - To reduce moisture and density, use 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas instead of 2 cups.
03 - Butter can be salted if preferred; the recipe accommodates both.
04 - For a sweeter flavor, increase brown sugar to 1 cup or substitute with white granulated sugar.
05 - Frozen bananas work well if thawed and adequately drained before mashing.

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