The Daily Plate

Easy Banana Bread (Freezer-Friendly)

The banana bread worth making on repeat: deeply moist, golden-domed, and endlessly forgiving. One bowl, no mixer, and a full freezer guide so you can bake two loaves and never waste a single slice.

Golden loaf of easy banana bread on a wooden board topped with baked banana slices, a buttered slice cut beside it, ripe bananas in the background
Prep time15 min
Cook time60 min
Total1 hr 15 min
Yield1 loaf (10 slices)
CuisineAmerican
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🧺Ingredients

  • 3 large very ripe bananas (about 1½ cups mashed)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

👩‍🍳Instructions

  1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling for easy lifting.
  2. Mash the bananas. Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine — they make the crumb even better.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk in the melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
  4. Add the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the batter, then add the flour. Fold gently just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the walnuts if using. Don't overmix — it makes the bread tough.
  5. Bake. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 55–65 minutes, until deep golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
  6. Cool completely. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool fully on a wire rack before slicing. Cutting warm bread makes it gummy.
  7. Freeze like a pro. For whole loaves: cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap then a layer of foil, and freeze up to 3 months. For grab-and-go slices: wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, bag them, and freeze — thaw 30 minutes at room temperature or toast straight from frozen.

💡 Banana bread & freezer tips

The riper the bananas, the better the bread — black-spotted and soft is perfect. Tent the loaf with foil at the 40-minute mark if the top browns too fast. To thaw a whole frozen loaf, unwrap and leave it at room temperature for 3–4 hours, or warm slices in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes for that fresh-baked taste. Bread keeps 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.

Easy freezer-friendly banana bread loaf with a buttered slice, baked banana slices on top
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