“This is the BEST recipe by far for banana bread — and geez I’ve tried so many! Typically, I find that I’m down to one banana and end up throwing it out. Well, no more! I’ve literally made this recipe every weekend for the past four (4) months! I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks so much!” ~ Kathy
Only got one banana? Make this fabulous one banana banana bread!
My one banana banana bread is simply the best banana bread recipe ~ made with just one banana! You’re welcome. It’s got a wonderfully moist texture and that classic banana bread aroma and taste.
one banana banana bread lives up to the hype
Seriously, this isn’t just an “okay” recipe for when you’re stuck with just one banana – many of you have told me that your friends and family love it so much that it’s the only way you’ll be making banana bread from now on! Here’s what just a few of you say:
- Delicious, easy & only 1 banana!!
- This recipe is a keeper 😋
- I am absolutely obsessed with this recipe. I’ve been making it for YEARS.
- Mmmm. I substituted heavy cream for the milk……decadent, naughty 🙂
- This was a mahoosive hit! I made 2 small loaves and both finished the same day!!
- My 15 yr old son made this by himself last night (his very first time baking anything!!) and it came out PERFECTLY.
- So great to have an option with one banana! A keeper!
the essentials of perfect banana bread
- Ripe bananas yield the best flavor, but don’t over think it, you can use bananas at any stage.
- A little bit of good vanilla extract really brings out the banana flavor.
- Don’t over mix your batter. Blend it just until everything is combined.
- Use a heavy duty aluminum loaf pan.
- I don’t like glass or dark coated pans, which tend to cook too quickly or unevenly.
- Line your loaf pan with a long sheet of parchment paper so you can lift the cooked bread out for cooling and neater slicing.
- Invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer so you can be sure of your oven temperature.
- A few degrees either way can make a big difference in the success of your banana bread.
- Banana bread freezes well, just cool it completely before wrapping. I like to double wrap my bread, first in plastic or foil, and then in a sturdy zip lock freezer bag.
can this recipe make muffins?
The answer is a resounding yes! I tested this recipe (with no changes) and it made 12 delicious muffins. Here’s how to do it:
- Preheat oven to 375F and line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with muffin tin liners.
- Make the banana bread batter as written, no changes needed.
- Divide the batter evenly between your muffin tins. They will be filled almost to the top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until risen and starting to turn golden brown on top.
- As always, your oven and specific muffin tin will affect the exact baking time, so check on them early and adjust as needed.
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One Banana Banana Bread
Only got one banana? Make this fabulous one banana banana bread ~ it's a fan favorite!
Servings: 10 servings
Video
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- milk Note: you'll add the milk to the egg to equal one cup.)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 ripe banana, mashed with a fork
- 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (I used bittersweet), optional
- 2/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9×5 loaf pan, and line it with a piece of parchment paper for easier removal.
- In a small saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup unsalted butter. Remove from the heat and set aside to partially cool.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg. Whisk well to combine, and set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, add the 1 cup sugar. Add the 1 large egg to a liquid measuring cup and then add milk to make one cup. Add this to the mixing bowl with the sugar. Whisk well.
- Add the 1 ripe banana, mashed with a fork and whisk until everything is well combined.
- Drizzle in the melted butter and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Finally, fold in the flour mixture, stopping when there are still a few streaks of dry flour left.
- Fold in the 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips (I used bittersweet) and 2/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts until evenly distributed, and there are no dry streaks of flour left. Don't over-mix the batter.
- Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan, and bake for about 45-60 minutes, until risen and golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without batter clinging to it. (Moist crumbs are fine.)
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the bread using your parchment paper 'sling.'
Notes
- The add-in’s are optional, so feel free to choose your own mix! Pecans would be great in place of the walnuts, and peanut butter chips can be used for that classic banana-and-peanut butter vibe. Try 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut, too.
- Use tangy buttermilk or yogurt in place of the milk.
- Got 2 bananas? Try chopping an additional banana and folding it in with the chips and nuts.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 egg
- milk Note: you’ll add the milk to the egg to equal one cup.)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips optional
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
-
Add the softened butter and banana to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix until blended and smooth. (Or, if you don’t have a stand mixer, mash the banana by hand with a fork, and add in the softened butter along with the rest of the ingredients)
-
Add the egg to a liquid measuring cup and then add milk to make one cup.
-
Add the egg and milk, vanilla, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt, and mix until no lumps remain.
-
Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts until evenly distributed.
-
Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan, and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until risen and golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without batter clinging to it. (Moist crumbs are fine.)
Nutrition
Calories: 340 kcal · Carbohydrates: 44 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 17 g · Saturated Fat: 9 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 42 mg · Sodium: 216 mg · Potassium: 171 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 25 g · Vitamin A: 337 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 56 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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This is absolutely the best banana bread, especially with the added chocolate chips! I am so glad I found ur website. I have made ur orange cake and tangerine scones. Both are easy 2 make and equally delicious. I will definitely making more of ur recipes!!
So glad you found us Susan, thanks!
You are the coolest! ???
🙂 thank you!
i usually put my over ripe bananas in the freezer…then they are really mushy…are those suitable
Yes, I sometimes do that too.
Hello Sue…do any of your recipes have a Weigh Watchers point value?.
thanks, Fran
I’m so sorry they don’t Fran, I bet there’s a calculator somewhere on the web.
Hi. I got 6 full muffins from it … perfect for 1 over ripe banana left behind… delicioso
Nice!
So good! I made this vegan with a flax egg and used about 6 tablespoons of earth balance. Ran out of milk and sugar so substituted the milk with the forgers probiotic cashew “yogurt drink” and sweetened with 1/4 cup of sugar and about 1/2 tablespoon of liquid stevia… followed everything else and still turned out so great and moist!! Also added poppyseeds and almonds instead of walnuts and chocolate chips – highly recommend
Tastes good, but I had to cook it nearly twice as long as recommended. It was just liquid inside even after an hour.
Karen that sounds like an oven temperature problem, is it possibly yours is running low?
So good, I made some last night super sweet I did not have to add any nuts or chocolate chips it was good just like that, Thank you.
Super easy and tasty but alllll my chocolate chips sunk and hardened on the bottom of the pan. Any tips?!
Wow, I’ve never had that happen. Was your batter thin? Remember that you’ll use an egg and then only enough milk to make a cup, so crack the egg in a liquid cup measure, and add the milk up to one cup. Hope that helps!
Hi, had the same issue with chips running to bottom. Mrs. loved it anyway, but I’d rather have them floating around. Looked up few suggestions, flouring chips lightly, toss on top instead of mixing in. Would over or under mixing contribute to this problem? (New to the whole baking thing) tia
Hey Mike ~ not sure why the chips sank, but you can certainly try lightly flouring them, that should help next time. Also heavier chips will sink more, so you could use minis. In my experience banana bread has a fairly thick batter that should keep the chips suspended, but there are so many tiny variations in every batch, it’s hard to generalize.
Try dusting your chocolate chips in flour before adding to the mix
Thank you for the this recipe. Put my one ripened banana to good use. Had to use some milk chocolate had no dark chocolate . Still tasted great.