Peanut Butter Banana Bread

This easy peanut butter banana bread is soft, tender, and seasoned with cinnamon! A lightly sweetened quick bread made in one bowl without butter or oil.

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Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour 1 minute

Total Time

1 hour 16 minutes

Servings

12 slices

Difficulty

Easy

Calories *

354 kcal per serving

Technique

Mix wet ingredients, fold in dry ingredients, bake.

Flavor Profile

Peanut butter and naturally sweet bananas with a hint of cinnamon.

* Based on nutrition panel

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So, of course, I had some very ripe bananas on the counter, so I decided to make banana bread! I wanted a fun flavor, and I’m so glad I found this recipe! I used Justin’s natural peanut butter, and the loaf turned out absolutely divine!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lauren

This peanut butter banana bread is perfectly moist and is super easy to make! You will have banana bread baking in under 15 minutes! Not only is peanut butter and banana a classic flavor combination, but the peanut butter makes this bread extra tender and moist, just like with these peanut butter banana muffins!

If you love easy, quick breads, you’ll want to try these other favorites, like this moist zucchini bread or this chocolate chip pumpkin bread! For other classic flavor combinations, try these lemon poppy seed muffins or this chocolate banana bread recipe.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• All-Purpose Flour: I use all-purpose flour for the most tender crumb. You could substitute up to half of the flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier texture, but the bread will be denser. You might need to add an extra tablespoon of milk to compensate for the higher absorption of whole wheat flour. You can also make my chocolate chip zucchini bread made with whole wheat flour, or try this oat flour banana bread!
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and pairs beautifully with both peanut butter and banana. If you want to experiment, try adding a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom.
• Bananas: You need about 1 cup of mashed bananas, which is typically 2 medium bananas. The riper, the better, those black-spotted bananas make the sweetest, most flavorful bread.
• Large Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• Granulated Sugar: If you are using a processed peanut butter like Skippy or Jif, I suggest reducing the sugar by ¼ cup.
• Honey: Adds moisture and a subtle floral sweetness that complements the banana. You could substitute with maple syrup or agave nectar.
• Whole Milk: Just 3 tablespoons help create the perfect batter consistency. You can use any milk you have on hand, including non-dairy options.
• Natural Peanut Butter: I used Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter, which contains salt. Check your peanut butter if yours doesn’t have salt. Increase the salt by ¼-½ teaspoon. Be sure to stir it well before measuring; the oil naturally separates and needs to be incorporated for consistent results.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Add your favorite mix-in. You can fold in up to ¾ cup of raisins, white chocolate, pecans, walnuts, roasted peanuts, or chocolate chips just like with my chocolate chip banana bread!
• Use a different nut butter! This bread works beautifully with almond butter, cashew butter, or even sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option. Just make sure whatever you use is well stirred and has a consistency similar to peanut butter.
• Swirl in some flavor! After pouring the batter into the pan, drop spoonfuls of Nutella and swirl it in, as in my Nutella banana bread, or use mixed berry jam for a delicious take on a PB&J!
• Make it vegan. Replace the eggs with flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes) and use non-dairy milk. The texture will be slightly different, but it will still be delicious! You can also head over and make my vegan banana bread!

Professional Tips

• Tent the banana bread to keep the edges from burning. If the top of the banana bread is browning too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil during the last 20-25 minutes. It’s best to do it earlier rather than later!
• Mixing by hand creates the most tender texture. While you could use a blender or hand mixer for convenience, I always mix this by hand with a whisk. It takes 2 minutes and results in a noticeably more tender crumb.
• Use ripe bananas for the best flavor. Those bananas should be covered in brown spots. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more banana-forward the flavor will be. If you are in a pinch, you can bake the bananas at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until they are soft and spotty. The flavor won’t be as good as naturally ripened, but they will work.

How to Make Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Use these instructions to make the best peanut butter banana bread! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F convection (with fan) or 350°F standard (no fan). Spray a 1-lb loaf pan generously with cooking spray or spread softened butter over the entire interior surface. Pour a few tablespoons of granulated sugar into the bottom, then tilt and tap the pan to coat all sides and the bottom evenly.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside (photos 1 & 2).

Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, honey, milk, and peanut butter. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and well combined. The peanut butter should be fully incorporated with no streaks remaining (photos 3 & 4).

This can be done by hand or with an immersion blender. If your bananas are on the stiff side, an immersion blender will work best.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter-banana mixture. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, fold together until just combined with only a few small lumps remaining. Be careful not to overmix! The batter will be thick but pourable (photo 5).

The banana bread is more tender if mixed by hand, but you can make this with an electric hand mixer or with a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.

Step 5: Pour into the prepared pan. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula. If using, sprinkle chopped roasted salted peanuts over the top. You could also add banana slices or chocolate chips at this stage (photo 6).

Step 6: Bake. Bake for 65-75 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it (photo 7).

I recommend not opening the oven for the first 45 minutes to avoid disturbing the rise and potentially causing the center to sink.

Step 7: Cool. Let the bread cool for 20-30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges if needed, then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This cooling time is essential for the best texture (photo 8)!

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Before You Go

I hope you loved this easy banana bread recipe! Check out all my other quick bread recipes, like this easy apple bread or these sourdough blueberry muffins!