Honey Banana Bread
Have overripe bananas? This Honey Banana Bread is exactly what to make! It's naturally sweet, made in one bowl, and has a generous amount of walnuts for an amazing crunch.
A thick slice of warm honey banana bread with a macchiato, yum! Can a busy morning get any better than this? I love eating this bread for breakfast because it's not overloaded with sugar.
Let me convince you that banana bread doesn't need refined sugar to feel genuinely sweet. Honey and ripe bananas create a naturally sweet loaf that pairs beautifully with cinnamon, or you can make my homemade dessert spice mix (made with lavender, mahlab, a spice made from cherry pits with a beautiful almond-cherry aroma). Either one will be amazing. Let's make some banana bread!
How to Make Honey Banana Bread in One Bowl
You can easily make this recipe in one bowl. You do not need a stand mixer.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and position a rack in the lower third. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl (this will be your only mixing bowl), melt the butter until fully liquid. Add the ripe bananas directly to the warm butter and mash with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Add the honey, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla, then whisk until the mixture is smooth.
The Greek yogurt here gently slows gluten development thanks to its acidity, which helps keep the crumb soft and tender.
Add the Dry Ingredients and Combine
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (or house-made spice) directly into a strainer or sifter. Sift in the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined; stop as soon as no dry flour streaks remain.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts; be careful not to overmix.
Transfer to the Pan and Bake
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Dip a bench scraper 1-inch deep into the batter, then scatter walnuts over the top and lightly press them in just enough to adhere.
- Bake on the lower third rack for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the loaf has risen, developed a deep golden surface, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Note: Let the banana bread cool in the pan briefly, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing (this will help prevent excess moisture from developing in your loaf).
Do you see that lovely crack down the middle?! It's so gorgeous.
That's because we dipped our bench scraper in the batter.
What I've Learned Testing This Recipe (Baker's Notes)
The bananas are the foundation. You want deeply overripe bananas that are speckled or entirely black peels. The riper the banana, the more natural sugar and moisture it contributes.
Measure flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off the top with a straight edge. Do not scoop directly from the bag.
Don't overmix. This is the single most common quick bread mistake. Fold gently and stop the moment the flour disappears. A lumpy batter makes a better loaf than a perfectly smooth one.
More Sweet Treats
PrintHoney Banana Bread
Honey Banana Bread that's naturally sweet, made in one bowl, and has a generous amount of walnuts for an amazing crunch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert or Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ¼ cups)
- ½ cup pure honey
- ¼ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Mix-ins
- 1 cup walnuts, unsalted, roughly chopped (reserve ¼ cup for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and position a rack in the lower third. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl (this will be your only mixing bowl), melt the butter until fully liquid. Add the ripe bananas directly to the warm butter and mash with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Add the honey, Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla, then whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon directly into a strainer or sifter. Sift in the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined; stop as soon as no dry flour streaks remain.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts; be careful not to overmix.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Using a bench scraper or knife, make a shallow 1-inch-deep line down the center of the batter to help the loaf rise evenly, then scatter walnuts over the top and lightly press them in just enough to adhere.
- Bake on the lower third rack for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the loaf has risen, developed a deep golden surface, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the banana bread cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing to prevent excess moisture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 428
- Sugar: 23.8 g
- Sodium: 328.1 mg
- Fat: 19.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 58.1 g
- Fiber: 3.5 g
- Protein: 8.9 g
- Cholesterol: 68 mg