Peanut Butter Bread

This peanut butter bread is moist, tender, and rich with peanut butter flavor in every bite. One bowl, no mixer, and just over an hour from start to finish.

I made this on a Sunday afternoon and it was gone by Monday morning. The crumb was so soft and the peanut butter flavor really comes through without being heavy. Skipped the cinnamon because I did not have any and it was still wonderful.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Priya

This bread came out of a real frustration with peanut butter loaves that promised big flavor and delivered dry, crumbly disappointment instead. After several rounds of testing, the version here is genuinely what I wanted all along, moist, tender, and tasting unmistakably of peanut butter.

It is equally good plain, toasted with jam, or served alongside a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning. If peanut butter baked goods are your thing, my peanut butter banana bread ot these 4 ingredient peanut butter cookies are a great next bake.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Smooth Peanut Butter: This is the primary flavor in the loaf, and the brand matters more than you might expect. Use a commercial peanut butter like Jif, not a natural variety. Natural peanut butter separates during baking, and the inconsistent fat distribution can leave you with a drier crumb. If you love baking with Jif, these Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies use the same brand for the same reason.
• Coconut Oil: Make sure the oil is melted and still a little warm before mixing. Cold coconut oil will seize the moment it hits the milk, creating uneven pockets in the batter. I use coconut oil in most of my quick bread, like this vegan banana bread, because it adds the perfect amount of fat without an overpowering flavor.
• Whole Milk: Whole milk provides hydration and richness that a lower-fat milk cannot quite match. Use it warm or at room temperature, not cold. Cold milk causes the melted coconut oil to solidify on contact, which means the fat never properly incorporates and the batter goes into the pan with visible lumps.
• Baking Powder: The leavening here is intentionally reduced from what you might expect in a standard quick bread. Too much baking powder creates an overly airy rise that the peanut butter solids cannot support, causing the loaf to sink. Do not be tempted to add more if the batter looks dense.
• Granulated Sugar: Sugar goes into the dry ingredients here, not the wet ones. This is the same logic behind a high-ratio cake: the sugar molecules coat the proteins in the flour before they hydrate, which limits gluten development and produces a genuinely tender, crumbly crumb rather than a dense one. Reducing the sugar will affect both texture and sweetness.
• Ground Cinnamon: A small amount of cinnamon adds warmth in the background without drawing attention. As the featured commenter noted, the loaf still works without it, which is fine!

Variations for Peanut Butter Bread

• Jam Swirl: Drop spoonfuls of your favorite jam or jelly over the batter once it is in the pan, then drag a butter knife through it a few times to create a swirl. The jam pockets bake into the crumb and lean into the classic peanut butter and jelly pairing. I am partial to this mixed berry jam with this bread!
• Mix-in’s! Fold some chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, cinnamon chips or your favorite candy into the finished batter before pouring it into the pan. You could even make a kitchen sink cookies-style peanut butter loaf!
• Make into muffins! Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at 340°F for 18-20 minutes. Don’t open the oven until 18 minutes have passed to check; otherwise, they will sink.

Professional Tips for Perfect Peanut Butter Bread

• Line the pan with parchment, not cooking spray. Non-stick spray causes the edges to overbrown and burn before the center has a chance to cook through. Cut a sheet of parchment in half lengthwise, snip diagonal tabs about 2 to 3 inches from each corner, and slide the whole piece into the pan with the tabs overlapping. It will not sit perfectly in the corners and that is completely fine.
• Do not rotate the pan during baking. Opening the oven and rotating the loaf mid-bake can cause the center to collapse before it has set. Leave it alone from the moment it goes in until the toothpick comes out clean, usually between 50 and 55 minutes.
• Bake at 340°F, not 350°F. The lower temperature is what allows the center to fully cook before the top and edges become too dark. If your oven dial does not have a specific 340°F marking, set it just below the 350°F line.

How to Make Peanut Butter Bread

Use these instructions to make a moist, tender peanut butter loaf with a light crumb and rich nutty flavor. Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare the pan. Set your oven to 340°F (not convection). If your oven dial does not have a 340°F marking, set it just below the 350°F line.

Step 2: Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper cut to fit all sides. To do this, cut a piece of parchment in half lengthwise, then cut diagonally from each corner about 2 to 3 inches in. Slide the whole piece into the pan, overlapping the tabs you cut. It will not sit perfectly flat in the corners, and that is completely fine.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until evenly combined. The mixture should look uniform with no visible clumps of any single ingredient. (photo 1)

Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, melted coconut oil, and honey until completely smooth. The mixture will be thick and glossy. (photo 2)

Step 5: Add the warm or room temperature milk and whisk well until no visible oil droplets remain. The mixture should look cohesive and slightly fluid at this point. (photos 3 & 4)

Step 6: Combine and make the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk well to combine. The batter will be thick but pourable, and it should look smooth with no dry streaks. Do not overmix once the flour goes in, but do not stop before everything is fully incorporated either. (photos 5 & 6)

Step 7: Pour and Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. It will be thick but fluid enough to level itself with a gentle shake or a few taps on the counter. (photo 7)

Step 8: Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top will be a deep golden brown and may crack slightly down the center, which is completely normal for a quick bread loaf. Do not rotate the pan while it bakes. Rotating disturbs the rise mid-bake and can cause the center to collapse before it has set. (photo 8)

Step 9: Cool and Slice. Cool the loaf in the pan for 8 to 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slicing too early will give you a gummy, compressed crumb, so let the loaf rest until it is no longer warm to the touch.

Step 10: Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle back-and-forth sawing motion. A sharp, straight-edged knife pressed straight down will compress the soft crumb before it cuts through it.

Recipe FAQs

Before You Go

If this peanut butter banana bread earns a regular spot in your kitchen, there is plenty more waiting for you. Browse our quick bread recipes or head right over to this sourdough banana bread!