Simple Honey Banana Bread Recipe

Introduction

Honey banana bread is a moist, naturally sweet treat made with ripe bananas and honey instead of refined sugar. It’s a simple, comforting recipe that uses basic pantry ingredients and comes together easily in one bowl.

Ingredients

• 4 very ripe bananas with brown spots
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325°F and place the rack in the middle. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking and help the bread brown evenly.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth but still slightly lumpy. Add the honey, milk, egg, canola oil, and vanilla extract, then whisk everything together until well combined and smooth.
3. Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to aerate the dry ingredients and distribute the leavening evenly.
4. Step 4: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Stop as soon as no flour streaks remain to avoid overmixing and a dense bread.
5. Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top gently. Bake for 55 to 70 minutes, starting to check at 55 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center—it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
6. Step 6: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set, then run a thin knife around the edges and turn it out onto a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing for best texture and to prevent crumbling.

Tips & Variations

• Use very ripe, spotty bananas for maximum sweetness and moisture. If bananas are underripe, speed ripen them in a paper bag or by baking at 300°F for 15 minutes.
• Substitute honey with maple syrup or agave nectar in equal amounts for a different flavor.
• Any neutral oil like vegetable or melted coconut oil works instead of canola oil; melted butter adds richness.
• You can replace half the flour with whole wheat flour for added nutrition, but avoid using all whole wheat to keep the bread light.
• Watch the bread towards the end of baking; if the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.

Storage

Store the banana bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. It keeps up to a week in the fridge if needed. For longer storage, freeze slices individually wrapped in plastic and placed in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave or toaster before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular sugar instead of honey?

Yes, you can substitute about 2/3 cup granulated sugar, but you may want to add an extra tablespoon of milk to keep the bread moist since sugar doesn’t add moisture like honey does.

How do I know when the banana bread is done?

The bread is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The top should be golden brown and the bread should spring back lightly when pressed.

Simple Honey Banana Bread Recipe

---

★★★★★

4.6 from 79 reviews

• Author: Harper
• Total Time: 70-85 minutes
• Yield: 12 slices 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

Description

This Simple Honey Banana Bread recipe offers a moist, naturally sweet loaf using honey and very ripe bananas, eliminating the need for refined sugar. Featuring easily accessible pantry ingredients and straightforward one-bowl preparation, it is perfect for utilizing overripe bananas and creating a delicious homemade treat with minimal fuss and cleanup.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Wet Mixture

• 4 very ripe bananas with brown spots
• 1 cup honey (Nature Nate’s Raw & Unfiltered recommended)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 egg (room temperature, about 70°F)
• 1/2 cup milk (any type, e.g., whole, 2%, almond)

Dry Mix

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

---

Instructions

1. Prepare Pan and Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F and place the rack in the middle. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray on all sides to prevent sticking and promote even browning.
2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth with some small lumps for texture. Add honey, milk, room temperature egg, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk well until smooth and fully combined.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients and Build Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to aerate and evenly distribute leavening agents. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, then gently fold with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain, careful not to overmix.
4. Bake Until Golden and Set: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top gently. Bake for 55 to 70 minutes. Begin checking at 55 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Tent with foil if top browns too fast.
5. Cool and Release from Pan: Remove the bread from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and turn out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling and achieve perfect texture.

Notes

• Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for maximum natural sweetness and flavor.
• Do not overmix batter to avoid a dense, tough bread; stop mixing when dry ingredients are just incorporated.
• Honey browns more quickly than sugar; monitor baking to prevent over-browning and tent with foil if needed.
• Room temperature eggs help achieve a uniform crumb texture.
• Allow bread to cool fully before slicing to prevent it from falling apart or being gummy.
• Substitutions: honey can be replaced with maple syrup or agave nectar; canola oil can be substituted with any neutral oil or melted butter; milk types can vary; flour can be partially whole wheat or gluten-free baking blend but do not replace all flour.
• Store wrapped at room temperature for 3-4 days or refrigerate up to one week. Freeze wrapped slices or whole loaf for up to 3 months.
• Thaw frozen bread at room temperature or warm briefly in microwave before serving.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 55-70 minutes
• Category: Bread
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: honey banana bread, banana bread recipe, natural sweetener banana bread, easy banana bread, moist banana bread, baking banana bread