Amish Banana Bread is a delicious, moist quick bread that's long been a favorite in Amish kitchens. Made with ripe bananas and everyday ingredients, it's an easy recipe that's perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.
This bread is a great way to use up overripe bananas and can be enjoyed plain or with butter or jam. You can also customize it with nuts, chocolate chips, or raisins for extra flavor and texture. Simple to make and loved by many, this Amish banana bread is the kind of homemade treat that quickly becomes a family favorite.
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How to Make Amish Banana Bread
- Prepare the Pans:
- Spray two 8 ½ x 4 ½" bread pans with cooking spray.
- Line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Prepare the Bananas:
- In a small bowl, mash the ripe bananas.
- Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until well creamed.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla:
- Add eggs and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture and mix well.
- Add Bananas:
- Add the mashed bananas to the mixture and mix until combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, mix all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt, and add it to the wet mixture.
- Mix only until combined (do not overmix).
- Optional: Add Nuts:
- Stir in ½ to ¾ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans if desired.
- Divide and Bake:
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 42 - 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs.
- Cool the Loaves:
- Remove from the oven and let the loaves rest in the pans for about 10 minutes.
- If needed, use a knife around the edges to loosen the loaves, then slide them out of the pans.
- Let the loaves cool on a wire rack.
- Store:
- Place the bread into airtight bags or containers. (Bagging the bread before it's completely cool helps retain moisture.)
- This bread can be kept at room temperature for 2 - 3 days. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Banana Nut Bread With or Without Nuts
This simple banana bread recipe is delicious with or without nuts. Therefore, if you or someone you're baking for has a nut allergy or simply doesn't enjoy nuts, you can easily omit them and disregard the following suggestions.
But adding nuts to banana bread can enhance the flavor and texture of the bread while also adding some nutritional benefits. Here are a few reasons why you might consider adding nuts to your banana bread:
- Flavor and texture: Nuts add a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to banana bread, which can enhance the overall taste and texture of the bread. Walnuts and pecans are common choices for banana bread. But you can experiment with other types of nuts as well.
- Nutritional benefits: Nuts are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Adding nuts to your banana bread can increase the nutritional value of the bread and make it a more satisfying snack or breakfast option.
- Variety: Adding nuts to your banana bread can give you more variety and options when it comes to baking. You can experiment with different types of nuts and combinations of nuts to create unique and delicious flavor profiles.
Using Frozen Bananas (Freeze Overripe Bananas)
Whenever I am grocery shopping each week, I always grab a bunch of bananas to have on hand for a quick snack or lunch.
However, I'm not fond of how fast they go from being perfectly yellow and ripe to spotty and brown. I love a nice ripe banana. But once they start to develop spots, I really don't care for them anymore.
And without fail, I end up with one or two bananas that become too ripe before they get eaten. But I hate wasting food, so I always try to find ways to repurpose them. The problem is that most recipes for banana bread or muffins require two or three bananas.
So to solve this problem, I freeze any overripe bananas in a ziplock freezer bag. Once I have a few frozen bananas, I can use them to make delicious banana bread or banana bars with cream cheese frosting.
When I'm ready to use them, I simply thaw the bananas on the countertop or in the microwave on the defrost setting. As they thaw, they release some liquid, and I usually drain a bit of it. However, leaving the liquid with the bananas won't hurt either.
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One Large Loaf or Two Small Loaves of Banana Bread
This recipe can be made into one large loaf or two smaller loaves.
I'm honestly not sure if the pans that I use would be considered 9x5" or 8 ½ x 4 ½" loaf pans. When measuring they seem like the smaller size, but I always have a hard time knowing how they measure baking dishes (outside edge? or inside?). And they don't always seem to match standard measurements.
But anyway, whenever I make this bread into two loaves, it is not very high. And I end up with two thin loaves.
So I decided to see if I could bake this recipe in only one loaf pan. And yay! It fits into one of my pans (without running over) creating a big loaf.
So if you like small loaves, bake it in two pans. If you prefer a larger loaf, bake it in one. Or you could even bake it in one standard-sized bread pan, and one mini loaf pan.
However, remember that the baking time will vary according to the size of the pan or how full it is. And it also makes a difference in how heavy your pan is.
In my oven, forty-three minutes is perfect when I bake it in two standard-sized pans. But when I bake only one large loaf, it takes at least an hour. (You can always test the bread's doneness with a toothpick.)
That being said, I noticed there was a little difference in the texture of the bread when I baked it in one pan instead of two. It was still amazing! But wasn't quite as moist and fluffy.
Obviously, there can be different variables in baking as to why a recipe doesn't always turn out exactly the same. But I believe that the longer baking time that is required for a large loaf, tends to dry it out a little more.
- For the best results, I suggest baking this banana bread recipe in two pans.
Health Benefits of Bananas in Baking
Bananas are a nutritious and delicious fruit that can offer a range of health benefits when consumed as part of a healthy, balanced diet. They provide essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and dietary fiber which supports digestion, etc. So there are many reasons to add bananas to your diet.
However, we all know that consuming baked goods made with flour and sugar isn't the healthiest option. Yet, when the sweet tooth calls, choosing banana bread can offer some added nutritional benefits from the bananas. So, you can enjoy a sweet treat while still gaining some of the fruit's essential vitamins and minerals. 🙂
What is Quick Bread?
Quick breads are made without yeast, so there's no rising time required. Instead, they use baking soda or baking powder to create a soft, tender loaf that can be mixed and baked right away. With simple pantry ingredients and minimal prep, quick breads like Amish banana bread are an easy way to enjoy a homemade treat any day of the week.
Here are more delicious quick bread recipes to try...
More Amish Bread Recipes
This easy Amish banana bread is perfect for using up ripe bananas and enjoying a simple, homemade treat any time of day. I hope you enjoy banana bread as much as I do. And if you try this recipe, I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas (heaping 1 c.)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- ½ c. butter, softened (oil or margarine)
- 1 c. sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ - ¾ c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Spray two 8 ½ x 4 ½" bread pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a small bowl, mash the bananas and add lemon juice. Set aside.3 large ripe bananas (heaping 1 c.), 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until well creamed.½ c. butter, softened (oil or margarine), 1 c. sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.2 large eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Add the mashed bananas and mix.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add them to the wet mixture. Mix only to combine.2 c. all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, ¼ tsp. salt
- Stir in the nuts if desired.½ - ¾ c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans and bake for 42 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let the loaves rest in the pans for about 10 minutes. If needed, use a knife around the edges to loosen the loaves, and they should slide right out.
- Cool, slice, and enjoy. Place into airtight bags or containers. This bread freezes well, to keep some fresh for later.
- Banana bread is best when served at room temperature. However, it only stays good on the counter for about 2 - 3 days (depending on humidity). But you can refrigerate or freeze it to keep it longer. Just let it come back to room temperature before serving.
Therese Faulhaber
While it has good flavor, I was very disappointed to get to the end of adding Ingredients and find amish bread Starter was never used. I thought perhaps I misprinted or skipped it somehow but that was not the case. The whole purpose of this baking was to use up my Starter.
Anna
I'm sorry, but I never mentioned anything about needing a starter. This is a simple banana bread recipe. If you want a recipe using starter, you'll need to look for one that asks for starter.
Anna
I love this bread!!