This moist banana bread is my go‑to recipe whenever we have ripe bananas on the counter — and honestly, I often buy extra just so I can make it. It bakes up incredibly soft, tender, and perfectly sweet every time. You can keep it classic or add chocolate chips or nuts, and the recipe makes two beautiful loaves that disappear fast.

A couple of tips for this recipe:

• The more ripe your bananas are, the more flavorful your bread will be. Are they almost black? PERFECT! Your bread will be moist and delicious!
• If you don’t have half and half you can use milk in it’s place.
• 3 medium bananas usually give me about a cup of mashed banana.
• If you don’t remember to take your eggs out of the refrigerator, just place them in a bowl of warm water for a minute or two and they will be room temp.
• If your butter is not room temperature you can use the defrost setting on your microwave for about 30 seconds, (power level 3) to soften your butter.
• I always sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips over the top of the loaves before baking – it just helps them look beautiful!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup half and half mixed with 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2-1/3 cups AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 medium size ripe bananas, mashed in a small bowl with a fork till nice and mushy (about 1 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional Mix-Ins:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two loaf pans with the baking non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Put 1 Tbsp lemon juice in your half cup measure and fill the rest of the way with half and half.  Set aside for 5 minutes.
3. In your mixer, cream butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes
4. Beat in your eggs one at a time.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
6. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. 
7. Add in the mashed bananas, milk mixture and vanilla and mix well.
8. At this point stir in your mix-ins.  (You can do mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, a combination of both or nothing at all.)  
9. Pour batter evenly into the two prepared loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  
10. Let cool for at least 15 minutes then run a knife around the edge and remove from pans. 
11. Let cool completely then slice and enjoy!

 

 

Variations of Moist Banana Bread:

• Classic: No mix‑ins — just pure banana flavor.
• Chocolate Chip: Add 1–1½ cups of chocolate chips.
• Nutty: Stir in chopped walnuts or pecans.
• Half & Half: Make one loaf classic and one loaf chocolate chip.
• Nutella: For extra flavor, try swirling Nutella into the batter — it pairs beautifully with moist banana bread.

FAQs:

How do I make banana bread more moist?
Use very ripe bananas, measure the flour correctly, and avoid overmixing. Pull it from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.

Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes. Thaw them completely and drain any excess liquid before mashing.

Can I make this banana bread without chocolate chips?
Absolutely. The base recipe is delicious on its own or with nuts.

Can I freeze banana bread?
Yes. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.

Why does this recipe make two loaves?
It’s perfect for sharing, gifting, or freezing — and the batter divides evenly into two pans.