Better Homes And Gardens Red Plaid Cookbook Banana Bread

5 Delicious Banana Bread Recipes You Need to Try

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What is it about being cooped up inside that makes people want to pick up a bread pan or cookie sheet? The answer isn't clear, but there's a strong possibility comfort is a major factor. Baked goods fresh from the oven spread tantalizing aromas all through the house and fill you with a warm feeling of comfort from the very first bite, which probably explains why baking quickly became one of the most popular pastimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the boost in baking, versatile banana bread is more popular than ever. The flavorful treat makes a great breakfast food or snack as well as dessert, and it doesn't take too much effort to whip it up from scratch. All you have to do is turn to the web to find plenty of banana bread recipes, but all recipes aren't created equal. Whether you glam up your banana bread with chocolate and nuts, go gluten-free, or simply prefer a classic version, these options handle it all without requiring you to be a master chef. Turn on your oven and get ready to dig in to one of these five favorites!

Best Traditional Banana Bread

It's hard to go wrong with a classic recipe for anything. (They become classics for a reason, you know.) If you're craving authentic banana bread without a bunch of add-ins, you need a recipe that focuses on the importance of a good batter and keeps it simple. The key is to perfect each individual mixing stage to ensure the texture remains moist yet firm throughout the baking process.

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This traditional banana bread recipe incorporates ripe bananas into a blend of flour, sugar, unsalted butter, eggs, milk, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. To start, cream the sugar and butter together and then add the eggs one at a time. Mash the bananas for the recipe with a fork or spoon, or you could use a stainless steel masher for less mess, waste and effort. Add the milk and cinnamon to the bananas, and then blend it into the sugar and butter mixture. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and then blend the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Pour the batter into a buttered bread pan and bake at 325 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes. When you're ready to try this classic banana bread recipe, review the detailed step-by-step instructions on the Food Network website.

Best Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Does it get any better than chocolate and banana? Or maybe the better question is what sweet treat can't be improved with chocolate? No doubt about it — banana bread is fantastic alone, but adding chocolate chips boosts its decadence to a whole new level. This desert-for-breakfast recipe for ultra-moist chocolate chip banana bread will have your mouth watering long before the ingredients finish baking.

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In addition to calling for semi-sweet chocolate chips, this yummy bread includes familiar baking ingredients like dark brown sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla extract as well as slightly less common ingredients like sour cream. When you're choosing your chips, chocoholics widely agree that Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips are perfect for breads, cookies and cakes. The uber-rich morsels are sweet enough to give your banana bread a chocolate pop but not so strong that they overpower the zing of the other ingredients.

After setting the oven to 350 degrees and spraying a bread pan, mash the bananas and blend in melted butter, egg, dark brown sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract and sour cream. Next, add flour, baking soda and kosher salt and blend until the flour disappears. Fold most of the chocolate chips into the batter, reserving some to use as a topping. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and top with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes and let the finished loaf rest in the pan for another 10 minutes before removing it.

Ready to get started? Check out the full recipe with exact ingredient quantities on the primary recipe website.

Best Healthy Banana Bread

Okay, it's probably a bit much to claim that a delicious banana bread is completely healthy, but if you're trying to minimize the amount of unhealthy fats you eat, this recipe is a step in the right direction when you need to give in to your banana bread craving. It doesn't sacrifice any of the classic flavors, so what gives this bread its healthier status? For one thing, it doesn't have any refined sugar or butter, but you won't be able to tell, thanks to the delicious, moist results.

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This banana bread's sweet, rich flavor comes from either honey or maple syrup (your choice), with Greek yogurt and ripe bananas keeping it super moist. Start by mixing eggs, coconut oil, honey (or maple syrup), Greek yogurt (or milk) and vanilla extract. Stir in mashed bananas, and then add a dry mixture of whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add-ins like semi-sweet chocolate chips and nuts are optional. Walnuts like Fisher Chef's Naturals complement the flavor of the bananas and are ideal for baking.

This bread bakes for 50 to 55 minutes at 325 degrees. To find full recipe details along with information on potential substitutions, check out the main recipe page.

Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread

An intolerance to gluten doesn't mean you have to skip out on a yummy banana bread treat. We found a one-bowl, gluten-free banana bread recipe that is easy to make, mess-free and delicious. It includes about a dozen tasty ingredients to ensure you never miss the regular flour. Besides baking staples like sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon, it calls for a few ingredients that are unique to those who don't eat gluten, such as gluten-free flour and gluten-free oats.

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Start by mashing your bananas, and then whisk in unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, avocado or coconut oil, organic white sugar, organic brown sugar, maple syrup or honey, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon and an egg. Stir in almond meal, gluten-free flour and gluten-free oats. Once the batter is finished, this bread only requires about an hour of baking time in a 350-degree oven.

Gluten-free breads easily crumble if they don't form well, so be sure to use non-stick silicone bread and loaf pans that are perfectly suited to gluten-free baking. It's also important to let the baked loaf sit for an hour before attempting to slice it. Check out additional recipe details before getting started.

Best Easy-to-Make Banana Bread

Not everyone is an aficionado in the kitchen, and that's more than okay. If you like to keep things super simple, then you need a super easy banana bread recipe to crank out this treat with little effort. Not only is it quick to make, but it also only includes seven simple ingredients: bananas, sugar, eggs, butter, flour, baking soda and salt. Although it may not sound like much, more than 2,000 five-star ratings tell a different story.

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Before starting, make sure you have a non-stick bread pan to save yourself some grief — and keep your bread in one loaf — after your creation has cooled. Grease the pan and preheat your oven to 325 degrees while you combine the mashed bananas, butter, eggs and sugar in a bowl. Mix the baking soda into the flour separately, and then combine them with the banana mixture. Add the salt to the batter and smooth it into the pan. Add-ins like nuts are completely up to you. The bread takes about an hour to bake.

To read reviews and tips and get exact measurements, take a look at the full recipe page.