Easy One-Bowl Banana Bread Recipe with Oil

Banana bread is a classic recipe, known for its moist and flavorful taste. This easy banana bread recipe with oil is ideal for beginner bakers with no need to bring butter to room temperature or use a stand mixer. Made from scratch using common ingredients, this recipe yields a moist and tender loaf perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Instructions
• Tips for making banana bread
• Storage
• FAQs
• Recipe

This quick bread is a super easy recipe - no mixer required. I like to make this recipe using a large bowl and a wooden spoon or spatula and it comes together so quickly.

The baking time will range from 45 minutes to an hour but the prep time is only 5-10 minutes.

This quick bread is loaded with banana flavor and you can add in optional ingredients like chocolate chips or chopped nuts for a different result every time. Or make banana muffins with the batter.

If you love quick bread recipes, try my Pumpkin Walnut Bread recipe, or this chocolate peanut butter swirl banana bread.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

• bananas: you'll need three large bananas for this recipe. Make sure your bananas aren't too over-ripe though or they will be too soft and liquid, resulting in dense undercooked bread.
• eggs: two large eggs.  Bring them to room temperature by setting them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. This helps everything mix.
• sugar: regular white sugar for sweetness
• oil: for moisture and fat. Use a neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola oil so it doesn't interfere with the flavor of the bread.
• flour: regular all-purpose flour
• oats: I like adding oats for a bit of chew and I love the rustic look of oats on top of the loaf.
• baking powder: for lift

Substitutions

• sugar: I've tried using a 50-50 mix of white and brown sugar but haven't tested this loaf using all brown sugar.

Variations

• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: Add ½ cup of dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks for a sweet twist.
• Coconut: Trying adding ½ cup of shredded coconut.
• Banana Nut Bread: Add ½ cup of pecans or walnuts.
• Spices: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon for a warming spiced banana bread.
• Banana Muffins: I've made banana muffins and mini loaves with this recipe also. Start with a cooking time of 20 minutes and test for doneness.

Instructions

1. Start by mashing the bananas in a large bowl. Use a fork or potato mashed and don't over-mix. Small chunks are fine.
2. Next, add the rest of the wet ingredients to the mashed bananas: the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
3. Next, add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. You can combine them first in a medium mixing bowl and then add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.  I like a one-bowl recipe so I add them on top of the wet ingredients.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and oats. Mix to combine.
5. Add any optional add-ins.
6. Scoop the banana bread batter into the prepared bread pan.
7. Scatter more oats or chocolate chips on top.
8. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes. The baking time can vary depending on your oven, so start cooking after 45 minutes. I use a skewer poked in the center but you could also use a cake tester if you have one. The skewer should come out with just wet crumbs but not wet batter. Continue baking and checking every 5 minutes, making sure the loaf is fully cooked through.
9. Remove the cooked loaf from the oven and let side for 5 minutes. Remove the loaf of bread from the pan and let cool fully on a cooling rack before slicing.

Tips for making banana bread

• Use ripe bananas for this recipe but not too over-ripe. Using super overripe bananas makes the batter too liquid and the bread won't cook properly.
• Mash the bananas only until they are mashed with some chunks. Use a fork or potato masher for best results. Over mashing the bananas to the point where they are liquid and smooth results in batter that's thin and bread that is too moist and dense. The batter doesn't bake properly and ends up being mushy in the center and sunken in the center after baking.
• Add variations like chocolate chips or chopped nuts.

Storage

I keep my banana bread at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap. It'll last a few days this way. You can also slice the whole cooled loaf, and double wrap the slices before bagging them or storing them in an airtight container and freezing them. Let thaw in the fridge or on the counter. 

Recipe