Chef John's Banana Bread

Fabulous recipe for an all time favorite! And, I must admit I did make this using those last three overly ripe bananas, lol! I doubled the vanilla and to give it a little spice I added 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. of nutmeg. I also subbed 1 Tbsp. of buttermilk vs. milk. You could do half brown sugar and half white sugar depending on what you have in your kitchen. And, this is great with or without the nuts and chocolate chips! I topped this with a little turbinado sugar before popping it in the oven for a little extra added crunch on top. I baked it at 350 for a little over an hour and just as Chef John states, it's "scrumptious"!

Great recipe!!!! I have made this banana bread 3 times. Quick and easy and more importantly....delicious. The only thing I do differently is add mini chocolate chips instead of the regular size. I love this recipe. Definitely a keeper!

For a slightly spiced version of this great recipe try adding in 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, & 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg. For all of you who can´t find the recipe, it´s in the text under the video :)

Very moist and delicious. Followed as directed except I used 4 ripe bananas (small & medium) and I baked it in a 9 x 13 pan, which was plenty. Also I didn't have to bake as long as they indicated so I would watch and use the tooth pick method for doneness.

I thought the recipe was great! I almost didn't try it because it is so similar to others. I think what intrigued me was not using an electric mixer. I also think the 1/2 cup of butter and extra sugar is what made this bread so good. The only change I made was I used sour cream instead of milk and next time I will reduce the salt to half. I divided it into two loaves using (Demarle loaf pans) and baked at 350 for only 40 minutes. This is definitely the best banana bread I've ever made! Thanks Chef John for sharing it with the All Recipe world!

This is a wonderful recipe - the best banana bread I've ever made. But ... we added a dash of nutmeg and two dashes of cinnamon. (Oh, and we didn't have the chocolate chips.) The added spices really kicked this recipe into a whole new level.

I folllowed this recipe to a tee and I made sure not to over stir and cooked it for the allotted time and Ifound this banana brad to be dry. It will definitely will need butter spread on it! perhaps it needs a little more milk. Even watching the video Chef John's banana bread seemed to have more liquid in it.

On my 3rd loaf. Followed video instructions to a tee! My family loved this- left out walnuts as we are not walnut fans. Goes fast in my house!

i used a bundt cake pan and baked it for 45minutes. came out great and it was very moist. thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.

This recipe was delicious. The only thing I added was 1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. Will definitely make this again!!!! Thanks chef John.

Really easy and sooooo tasty! My kids and I bake this together and love this particular recipe. We add walnuts and bittersweet chocolate chunks. We also add about 3/4 TBSP cinnamon to the dry mix and sprinkle some more on top of mini loafs. It's really moist and full of flavor. Two thumbs up!

Awesome! Made this and Nana's Banana Bread and it was a real toss up. Super easy and super moist.

Second go around for this recipe. Didn't want to do a loaf. Doubled the recipe and did muffins instead. A little easier for this family with all the kids no longer at home. Me and my hubby can then just pull from the freezer, zap and enjoy with morning coffee. No walnuts this time but did add the choc chips. When the grandkids come this is a perennial favourite.

I love this banana bread. I made just a few changes. I used 4 bananas, since that is what I had and didn't want to throw one out. I added 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. I also used mini-chocolate chips. I will definitely make this again.

My son is hooked on this. I cheat on this recipe by using Trader Joe"s Multigrane baking mix (in leu of the flour and base). I added a few more ripe bananas. Be careful not to overbake. My convection oven has this ready in less than 1 hr. I highly recommend it. Why not 5 stars, because I had a better tasking banana bread one time. :-)!

I made it and it turned out awesome.

This is a terrific recipe. I have made this countless times and I've changed the ingredients from walnuts to pecans. I've added currants seeped in bourbon or golden raisins and of course always the chocolate chips. I've doubled it and made mini loaves for gifts. I can't tell you the number of return phone calls I get asking for another loaf. Most of my friends are foodies and I am an avid recipe tester. Even though I have many banana bread recipes this is the one I make the most. Rose Ann

Simply delicious ! I have made this banana loaf a half a dozen times since. Now, I have added a few changes to the ingredients; I added a whole table spoon of Vanilla extract, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/4 cup of brown sugar and added 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips ( due to nut allergy, I eliminated Walnut). The banana loaf turned out great, moist and delicious! Love it ! ---- Lily

very good, easy to make.

Yummy! I tried several of the most popular banana bread recipes from this site. All were good but this one gets top marks from my family. It was a classic banana taste and texture. Travelled well in lunches (some breads crumble) and stayed moist for a couple of days. We omitted the nuts and increased the chocolate chips to a full cup. Now no one wants to eat the bananas in the fruit bowl any longer because they want to save them for this bread! Great recipe, thank you!

OMG!!!! best banana bread ever...my change was i used 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup black walnuts, this is the fluffiest and most beautiful b bread i have ever made. THANK YOU CHEF JOHN...watch the video cuz i followed its instructions about folding in flour , maybe that made a difference

Made this today and it was delicious! Cup of coffee+ slice of this bread= happy tastebuds!

EVERY TIME I make one of Chef John's recipes, it has ALWAYS been a home run! I jokingly say "I love me some Chef John", but ya know? That's not far from the truth! This is the first time I have made this recipe and it is SO GOOD! Whenever I make recipe, I follow it to the letter unless I need to make a substitute for something I don't have on hand. Afterwards, I will tweak it to my tastes. With Chef John's recipes, I don't tweak anything and with good reason. I never need to! This recipe is DA BOMB!

Tasty banana bread! Everyone loved it. I used pecans instead of walnuts as my family can't eat walnuts. Still it was a delicious recipe. I also used butter which he calls for. I know many substitute margarine but for me I'll stick with the butter. Very most, flavorful and filling. I love John's recipe videos and have used many of them. This recipe also has a video. Makes it so much easier for me to follow.

We made muffins with this - got 14 large ones. Sprayed the paper muffin liners with cooking spray. Added cinnamon and grated nutmeg to the flour mix. Did not use nuts. Used more than 1/4 tsp vanilla and slightly more than 1/3 cup chocolate chips - used mostly mini chips. Took just 22 minutes to cook at 350 (directions shared by Sarah Jo -thanks!). As with most of Chef John's recipes shared here, this was easy and delicious.

Definitely the best banana bread recipe!

Super delicious. I did make a few changes just to my own tastes. I added about a 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and cinnamon and then increased the vanilla to a full tsp. I left out the walnuts because my family doesn't like them. I also sprinkled a cinnamon sugar mix to the top just before putting in the oven and I must say this is the best banana bread recipe I have made so far. Love it! All of Chef John's stuff has been wonderful so far.

This by far is the best banana bread out there, taken if you love chocolate like my family does. Great banana bread taste, chocolate complements the sweet bread and makes it more moist. TIP: Only make by hand. If you use a Kitchen Aid, unless you know when to stop, it turn into mush in the middle that will never bake out. Do not over mix this recipe. You don't have to worry if you mix it by hand.

Tasty with a good texure. Not as moist as I had hoped and could use more banana flavor but pretty good. Followed the recipe exactly and batter was too much for both a foil bread pan and a glass one. Overflowed in the oven. Also had to ad 10 mins to cooking time.

A love story: Dear Chef John. I love you. Especially when I hit one of those chocolate chips! The end.

So good! I've probably made this recipe about 10 times now. I usually leave out the nuts (because I'm too cheap), add a few extra chocolate chips, and sometimes even use only 2 bananas and it's still good. I prefer it super cold, straight out of the fridge. I've gotten many requests to make it over again. I do find that I have to bake it for an extra 10 minutes to fully cook the top where it splits open, but that might just be because of my oven or my glass loaf pan.

just some small changes - increased vanilla to 1/2 tsp, added 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and it was PERFECT. Best Banana Bread I've ever made, and I've tried soooo many recipes. I loved the choc chips in it, too. This one goes in my permanent recipe box. Now I'm going to have to buy bananas and make sure nobody eats them, specifically so they become over-ripe and I can make more of this banana bread. My whole family wants MORE and I'm out of bananas.

I'm not a fan of banana bread but when i made this just last week, I liked how it taste. We don't have walnuts here so i just omitted both walnuts and choco chips. It still yummy and moist. The best recipe I've tried so far.

I love this recipe, but I wanted some flavor so I added some cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, used half brown sugar and the other white sugar with some more vanilla. Perfect! Each of my 4 brothers ate a loaf.

I have been making this banana bread for a couple years now and it always turns out delicious! Never fails me. I'm writing the review today because I want to share the fact that I have tweaked the recipe to be vegan and it is JUST as delicious! If you're interested in making it vegan just substitute the butter for vegan butter or margarine. I omit the salt if there's salt in these. Then, to substitute the eggs and the milk, I just use 1/2 cup almond (or any vegan) milk with 1 tsp. cider vinegar mixed into it. That's it! Everything else stays the same. When making it vegan I use 2 loaf pans. For some reason it works better. Maybe Chef John can tell us why! :) If anybody tries it let me know.

It was definitely interesting and different with the chocolate chips but not necessarily better than a regular banana bread recipe. I didn't think it was quite moist enough. I think I will try adding chocolate chips to a recipe that calls for buttermilk or sour cream rather than make this recipe as-is again. I think my regular recipe that calls for banana extract is better.

I have a problem getting quick breads to cook all the way through before they burn on the top, but not this one. I followed the recipe and made no substitutions but did leave out the chocolate chips per the request of the hubster and this turned out amazing. There were no doughie spots at all. Shared this with friends and got great reviews.

I searched through others recipes of this flavor to find the best reviews and that was also simple. This one caught my attention more the others that rated 5stars. I for some reason chose to try this one. I am so happy that I did. Some said that it was too sweet. I made this recipe exactly as written without altering it at all. It was PERFECT! However I will try one of the others and really compare them. Thanks Chef John for another GREAT recipe!

I did not particularly care for thise. My boyfriend like the chocolate in it and he can't tell one banana bread from another so it didn't bother him. But I thought it was too dry and crumbly and I did not care for the chocolate (just my preference). It is not bad, per se, sometimes you just have to search until you find what you like. But I have other banana bread recipes that I prefer, with or without the chocolate.

I really love this recipe. Perfectly moist and so easy to do. I don't add the chips and nuts cause my family doesn't like it. I think it would be awesome with chocolate.

I realized after making this that I don't like the chocolate chips in my banana bread. Most likely will not make again.

This bread was DRY! I followed the recipe to the letter, not making any substitutions and using very ripe bananas. I had to pull the bread out of the oven 5 minutes early and even then, it was way overcooked. My husband and I agree, this was overly sweet, a tad salty and lacked in real flavor, on top of being way too dry. Too bad, I thought this had potential. I didn't use my normal recipe because I didn't have sour cream, well, lesson learned. I will either chuck the bananas in the freezer or run to the store the next time if I don't have it on hand.

The bread seemed sticky although it didn't look like it needed to be baked any longer. Not sure what went wrong!

Was the best banana bread I have had in a long time. Super moist and very banana tasting! Loved it!!!! Thanks

Husband loved this! Great recipe without walnuts and choc chips as well! i put a basic crumb topping of butter, sugar, and cinnamon on it that my family loves. Sometimes, i add cinnamon into the dough.

This banana bread was very easy and had great taste and texture, not overly moist like some recipes and not too dry either. I used 1tsp vanilla and added 1 cup of chocolate chips and no nuts. I used a 9 x 4" loaf pan, but ended up having a big spill over in my oven half way through baking. This may have happened because baking at altitude (5800 ft) can often produce surprises. Nevertheless, next time I will use a larger loaf pan.

I would leave recipe exactly as it is (I didn't care for adding the extra cinnamon etc. as was suggested by someone, but each to their own taste). My husband picked up on it right away, and asked why it tasted different -- said not as good as other ones I'd made.

There is no better recipe for banana bread, at least in my experience. I do add sour cream instead of milk, and if you toast the walnuts first, it takes it to another level. It's easy to double the recipe and make two loaves.

This was very good, very moist, but that was probably because I accidentally added too much milk :) The cooking time was way to long. I took mine out at 50 minutes. Also, all of my nuts and chocolate chip sank to the bottom, but other than that, it was great.

This Banana Bread is fantastic. I made it for my family and it turned out DELICIOUS!!!!! The video was very helpful.

I made this recipe tonight (always on the hunt for the perfect Banana Bread). Delicious! Just wonderful Chef John strikes again. I had to cook it a bit longer but I think my loaf pan was a bit smaller than suggested. I will use a bigger one next time and there will be a next time. Its a perfect recipe I love the chocolate and nuts, the chocolate is not overstated.

Followed the recipe except substituted pecans for walnuts.

So yummy!

Very good recipe, tasted delicious. Thanks for sharing

I have made this recipe 3 times now, but this time I put in 1/4 tps cinnamon, I increased the vanilla to 1/2 tps & the chocolate chips to a 1/2 cup using dark & semi sweet chips. I also used half & half instead of my milk.... Final outcome was amazing my boyfriend likes this one the best so far.

The recipe is okay, but Flour Bakery's is much better. Ran into the same issue with Chef John and several other recipes: 3 bananas - are they large bananas? Are they small? I'm sure that after you mashed them up you measured them, so please share the exact measure as not all bananas are the same.

My college daughter loved it and so did my husband. But I like the traditional banana bread better without chocolate chips. I guess I was never crazy about chocolate chips anyway. I think I will skip those next time....

I love this recipe. I highly recommend this recipe to people that love banana bread. Sadly I make it and it's gone the next day. That's how much my family loves it. TIP: if you get air bubbles, let it sit for a few minutes before putting it in the oven. Usually it happens without me thinking about it because I like to clean up before I put it in the oven.

it's much easier to make and just as good if not better than my long time favorite banana bread! I love the addition of chocolate morsels!

This is by far the best recipe I have found!! Love it and will continue to use it over and over!

so chef john? Perfect!!!! I used one bowl and my 1975 wedding gift avacado green mixer by a reluctant to take her coat off at the reception grandmother i His side. To this day It works and so does this bread! I had only m&m's so threw a handful in. Worked great and so did da-mixer. Yet again and again.

Dear Chef John, AWESOME BREAD, back in 2005 I a dear friend passed away and she gave me a receipe for Banana bread and it was almost identical in ingredients (she may have gotten this from you) Iused it for years, then ONE DAY, I misplaced it, couldn't for the life of me find it again. THEN I happened on your receipe WHAT A LIVESAVER, I have baked this Banana bread for my son and family and they are in awe of how moist this is. Now for Thanksgiving 2014 making about 3 loaves for dinner and give aways. Sherry

Best Banana bread ever! I decreased the sugar to 2/3 cup, I also used raisins . I used 3/4cup walnuts & 1/4 cup raisins I used 1 tsp cinnamon & 1/2 tsp of allspice.

Great recipe but top is hard, other than that it is everybody's favorite. My family members keep requesting for more every time they visit me. Thank you so much.

I have standard banana bread recipe that I've used for years (like 20) but saw this one and thought I'd give it a try. Really glad I did! Made it with a combo of walnuts and pecans and made muffins instead of the loaf- they turned out wonderfully and will make it again

Sir chef John, thank you for this recipe it is just devine!the best banana nut bread I've had, the chocolate' was a nice addition!I highly recommend this:)I like to heat mine in a fry pan with a touch of BUTTER,YUM!! BROVO!!

I made for the first time banana bread an I was thrilled by the result.The only change I made only a health reason, was to replace white sugar with brown.

Didn't have the nuts or chocolate chips but, still this Banana Bread is fantastic! Will continue to use over and over again.

I made this bread today and it was okay but not my favorite recipe. My husband ate it and so did my father-in-law and both are not picky eaters but preferred my older recipe. I like to try new things but this is not a keeper for me. These muffins seemed a bit oily for my preference and I followed the recipe to the letter except for leaving out the chocolate chips as my husband is allergic to chocolate. It's good enough I guess but needs tweaked in some way.

Made this without the nuts and chocolate chips and it was great. really moist with just the right banana taste. Can't wait to try it with the nuts and chocolate.

My son William who is 11 helped me make this and he said it was the BOMB!!! Very easy to make and very fun with my son!! We made this for a second time yesterday and added Jalapenos to it and everyone loved the extra!! It's already gone so I'm baking again today!

This is one of the best recipes for banana bread. I have made it in a loaf and as muffins. Really doesn't last long at my house ?? I ?? Chef John and his recipes. When is he getting his own show?

I thought this recipe was great. I did add 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of nutmeg to make it my own.

Made it for my son and it was a HIT! Next time I will increase vanilla and add cinnamon and nutmeg. As is it very yummy as my son puts it!

We loved this! Remember to watch it closely so it doesn't over bake. Our was moist and flavorful. I added a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and left out the chocolate due to allergy. Thanks so much John!

Delish. I have never made banana bread and this was great. I did think that instead of three bananas maybe one more. I wanted more of a banana flavor.

Not very sweet, needs more sugar, or something..

This is truly great banana bread!

Very tasty and moist! I made muffins. I used a home made gluten free AP flour blend and coconut oil instead of butter. I had no walnuts so used sliced almonds. Really nice flavor and not too sweet. Thank you!

I have prepared this recipe about four times now

After the Chef John Smothered Pork Chop recipe hit, I decided to keyword search "Chef John". at the beginning of his video he says this recipe is as good as others, but really, its better. Chef John is a great chef in my book! oh I did one tweak, substituted pumpkin seeds for the walnuts for allergy reasons and it was a great sub!

This is THE BEST banana bread ever! I love to try it with all kinds of chopped nuts and chocolate and you can never go wrong with an extra banana. Ive been making this recipe for 3 months now and its always come out perfect. My husband loves it and we often fight for the last piece. Thank you so much for sharing this Chef John, I'm definitely going to try your other recipe's!

This is the BEST Banana Bread I have ever had. Followed the recipe to a T, but omitted the chocolate chips. It is so moist & amazing, making it again tonight!

Awesome! I omitted the nuts and I added about 3/4 cup of white chocolate chips......outta this world!

the walnuts && chocolate chips was a bit much for my liking, but it tastes amazing! Forgot to set the timer but seemed to remember just in time :) Thanks for the recipe

Excellent recipe! Been looking for a replacement recipe for the one the movers lost and this is it. Moist, tender and full of flavor. Love it. I substituted buttermilk, and pecans. I used 1 tsp of vanilla. Will try adding cinnamon and nutmeg per other reviewers suggestions. Enjoy! :)

Made just as written. Baked only one hour. A bit on the dry side and not extremely flavorful. Will try another recipe next time. Probably one using veggie oil instead of butter. I have both zucchini bread and pumpkin bread recipes using veggie oil that always turn out moist and delicious.

I do agree this was probably the best banana recipe I'd every tried. I followed the recipe, also added cinnamon and nutmeg to it, however in the end after I'd finished baking it and let it cool down, I noticed that it was quite crumbly when I tried to slice it? Any ideas why?

Best banana bread ever!!!

Best banana bread I've ever had. Awesome recipe!

Loved this...I used half and half instead of milk, added a little more vanilla and cinnamon. It was delicious!

Easy to follow recipe. I add an additional banana and vanilla extract for richer flavor and subtract the chocolate. Great fresh out of the oven and then individual slices reheated with butter in a hot skillet for breakfast.

Thank you, Chef John! Once again, your video and easy-to-follow instructions were entertaining and to-a-tee allowing me to produce the Best banana bread I have ever made. Okay ... It's the Only banana bread I have ever made, but this is the only recipe I will ever need. The end product was moist and delicious -- even my Hubby (who is't a carbo-hound) ate half the loaf by himself and then helped me with the other half! High praise indeed from my man of few words who uttered, "So, Honey ...Do we have any more bananas?" as he viewed the final crumbs on his plate. Thank you for posting!

Delicious! and easy to bake.

Awesome. I used instead of chopped walnuts, raisins and instead of butter, vegetable oil and it turns very good. Thank´s a lot Chef John`s. All your recipies are excelent.

Excellent recipe. The finished product disappeared fast in our house :)

This recipe came out wonderfully. The bread was moist but didn't crumble. There was no over arching flavor that dominated (sugar or flour). I did modify it by removing the chocolate chips, nuts, and cocoa. My husband wants his banana bread to taste like banana bread through and through. I would also use 4 bananas next time instead of 3. Regardless, it was a really good first go round! Will use this recipe again and make a batch with the other ingredients.

Great recipe!!! Thank you .

Yum!!! This is wonderful bread. Not overly sweet, very moist- too tasty to stop eating! I made it as written and love it, but I am sure one could add other spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.) if one wanted to "fancy it up". I, however, like its simplicity. Thanks for another go-to keeper Chef John :)