Mountain Mama’s Ultimate Banana Bread
Banana bread is one of those tried and true recipes that gets made time and time again. It seems like everyone has their own spin, a recipe that’s been handed down from their grandmother or given to them by a neighbor. It couldn’t be easier to make and if you’re anything like me you usually have a few bananas lying around. We never seem to eat the whole bunch before they start turning brown and I do not, I repeat, DO NOT eat brown bananas.
Just talking about it kind of gags me.
Good news, however, is that those brown gross looking bananas make the best bread. In fact, the darker the better.
This classic banana bread recipe is delicious made as is but it’s super versatile and can be made into muffins or handle any additions you might want to throw in! My husband doesn’t like nuts and I happen to love them- especially in banana bread. So I usually double the recipe and make one with toasted walnuts and one plain jane. The oil makes this quick bread so moist while the addition of whole wheat pastry flour makes for a slightly nutty taste. Your house will smell amazing while it’s baking and it is no easy fete waiting for the bread to cool off before cutting into it.
I like to slather mine with cold butter. Shocker, right? You know my motto: EVERYTHING is better with butter.
Happy baking!
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This is my go to banana bread and it’s been adjusted for high altitude. If you need to make adjustments, increase sugar by 2 tablespoons and baking soda to 1 teaspoon.
This bread is best eaten from the oven slathered in cold butter!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3–4 very ripe bananas, peeled & mashed
- 3 tablespoons whole fat greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup toasted walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Butter a loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together both flours, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs, and oil until light and fluffy. Stir in mashed bananas, vanilla and greek yogurt.
- Fold in dry ingredients and nuts if using.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, let bread cool and then dive in!!
110 Comments
Who doesn’t have a freezer-full of black bananas, right?
Thanks for sharing this. Here’s mine:
http://cookingwithjosh.com/2011/01/21/morning-cake/
I’ll check it out- thanks!!
Can I substitute something for eggs? I have an egg allergy. Also, could you please explain why my bread sinks after removing from the oven here? (Denver)
I would find a different recipe that doesn’t call for eggs. There could be SO many things causing your bread to fall. Too much leavening, too much sugar, oven temperature. Good luck!
You should try duck eggs! They’re excellent for baking and most people who have a chicken egg allergy do not have a duck egg allergy. Of course, I’m not a doctor, so I can’t guarantee it’ll work for you, but it might be worth looking into!
I love duck eggs for baking, they make bake goods so much better!!
My son is vegan so I often make him banana bread without eggs or yogurt. The substitution is simply bananas (4 small or 3 large total) and it’s still delicious! I sometimes add vegan chocolate chips as well.
Thanks for the notes! Happy baking!
So for this receipe you would use 8 bananas?
No. Use the 3-4 bananas the recipe calls for.
Aquafaba (the juice from chick peas) is an amazing egg substitute. I’m in Denver and I have successfully made this recipe multiple times. If it is sinking in the middle, it could just not be cooked all the way through. I do have to add about 10 min on to the bake time. Hope this helps. 🙂
Do you reduce temperature & time when using small loaf pans? I always use small pans.
I don’t. I just decrease the time. Watch it depending on what size pans you use!
Ok thanks! The main issue I come across is the corners being a little hard. Any solutions for that?
I love the recipe! But if you were to put chocolate chips in the recipe how many would you?
I’d use a cup or so!
Nice recipes. Thank you.
I love yoga, but I’m like you and get bored easily. I hope to start walking again next week and hope I stick with it and stay strong and walk faster as I get going.
Made this today using raisins and Craisins tossed in a little flour first. Perfect results in Denver. Thank you for a delicious recipe.
Just baked your banana bread! I decided to try converting it into muffins, as I’m always looking for toddler snacks my toddler won’t scoff at. I kept the temp the same but baked them for about 12 minutes, and they turned out perfectly. The recipe made 23 muffins in regular sized cups. I was a little worried because I didn’t have Greek yogurt and wasn’t sure if regular yogurt would be too runny, but I don’t notice a detrimental effect. Thanks for sharing! The problem is, with smaller muffins, I figure I’m not eating as much as a serving of banana bread, so I’ll be tempted to eat two at a time… 🙂
Decent flavor but both my loaves turned out very dry. I’m sure it’s because I’m at 6,400 ft but I thought this recipe was for high altitude?
I live at just under 7,000 feet and don’t have any problem with it being dry. Here are a few things to consider. 1- take care not to overtake. 2- make sure you’re measuring your flour properly. Adding too much flour will definitely dry out any baked good. Especially quick breads.
This is a very nice recipe. I am in northwestern Wyoming at 5,700 feet and it turned out perfectly. Thank you!
You’re so welcome!
This is my go to recipe while living in Santa Fe, absolutely delicious!
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Approved for 6500′ and perfect!!
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It’s time to officially say thank you, thank you, and thank you again! This recipe, along with about a dozen others, works perfectly at 8,800′. I had somewhat given up on baking up here in Winter Park, CO until I found your website and my passion is back and bigger than ever. Can you help me to tackle the ever so frustrating cinnamon roll?
For high altitude cinnamon rolls, I use Rhodes frozen bread dough as it has commercial rising agents in it already which I have found to be the best for bread recipes at high altitude. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator until malleable (not yet rising) like a soft silly putty and roll it out flat. Add your favorite cinnamon filling, roll, and cut into buns. Lay them in a glass or dark baking pan lined with parchment paper and rise underneath a second sheet of parchment paper in the refrigerator. The parchment helps lock in the moisture and Keeping them cold takes longer but the rise is more controlled to where they don’t exhaust too quickly (about 3 hours). Let the rise continue on the kitchen counter for another half- hour. Next, Glaze the tops and sides with mixture of 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 egg, and 1 tsp sugar and cinnamon then bake at 350 watching for when they finish as the baking Time will vary depending upon humidity and altitude.
Hope that helps…ALOHA from the slopes of Mauna Loa! Chavah Malkah
Yuck who wants frozen?
Someone who wants to make the banana bread ahead and freeze for later use. Defrost and it tastes almost as good as fresh!
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It would be nice to know at what altitude this recipe was created.
Thanks
Just below 7000 feet.
Hi! Just to clarify, the existing recipe is already set for high altitude? Or do we need to add the extra sugar and baking soda if we’re in a high elevation? This looks good, and I don’t want to mess it up!
It’s written for high altitude!
Thank you!!! As a Michigan girl who loves to bake, I was thrown off when we moved to higher altitude and none of my recipes turned out the way they should. We make banana bread once or twice a month in the colder months and it always turns out looking ugly, but tasting great. I have used your recipe twice in the last month here in Colorado Springs and it is perfection! It’s beautiful, not saggy and tastes great! It even holds up with the addition of chocolate chips per my little ones requests. Love it!
HI SARAH!
Will this work at 11,000 ft? I live in La Paz….
It should work with a little bit of tweaking. I’d decrease the leavening by 1/4 teaspoon and the sugar but 1 tablespoon. You might need to cook the bread a little longer too. Let me know how it turns out!
I live at 11,200 ft (Alma, CO). This is what I found on line about high altitude baking:
Increase temp 15-20° (so 350° would be 365°-370°)
Decrease baking time 30% (45 min as opposed to 50-60 min)
Increase flour 5-6 Tbsp (for 11,000 ft) –or use WHOLE WHEAT as in this recipe
Increase liquids – add 15 T (or 13-14 above this recipe)
Add VERY LITTLE baking soda or powder (according to calculations for 11,000 ft, maybe NONE?)
Where did you get your calculations from, Nancy? Just wondering so I can adapt other recipes.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I’ve been trying to get a decent banana bread to come out properly, here in Colorado, for years, and haven’t been satisfied until now. Truly ultimate! Everyone agrees that it’s the greatest!
I’ve also tried it with that sucralose-based sugar substitute for baking (I’m diabetic), and it came out really well, too.
One perhaps happy accident – when first making it, I misread the recipe on the first batch, and thought it said to fold the dry ingredients into the wet. I figured it was meant to be done like one would with a pound cake.
When I re-read it, I realized my error, and did the other batch stirred. The folded-in one ended up coming out fluffier and taller, but _just_ as moist and delicious!
Again, thanks for saving us from banana bread that is less than ultimate! You rock!
I know this is an old thread but thanks for this recipe! My first (successful) bake at 7000 feet! And if I’m honest, tastes better than my regular altitude recipe
I did swap out coconut oil for the regular stuff and had to bake for a full hour, but delicious.
I’ve used coconut oil as well! Glad you liked it!!
How can I substitute yogurt with applesauce?
You can’t!
My local grocery stores don’t carry pastry flour. Do you have any suggestions for an alternative?
You can substitute regular flour!!
This is one of my favorite recipes – my first Mountain Mama Cooks recipe – and I’ve been making it for years! Any suggestions for gluten free adjustments??
Just made this here in CO at 9000 feet… Yummy! And a beautiful texture. Baking is a bit of a challenge at this altitude… Thank you for a great recipe!
Made a couple substitutions: I didn’t have any ww pastry flour so I used spelt flour. Also used a mix of brown and granulated sugar.
And… With butter smeared on a slice….mmmmmm.
I live in a small town and cannot always get plain Greek yogurt. Would any of these substitutes work?
Vanilla Greek yogurt
Sour cream
Buttermilk
Thanks for your help. Love this recipe!
Sour cream! Or any plain yogurt would work great. If you use vanilla Greek yogurt, perhaps decrease the sugar just a tad.
This recipe worked really well at an elevation of 11,150 feet in Cusco Peru. My husband says it’s the best banana bread I’ve ever baked. I adjusted the baking soda to 1/2 tsp as some of the flour here comes with baking powder already added in. It overflowed the pan a little, but it didn’t collapse in the middle – which is a common problem in adapted recipes at this altitude. Thanks for the great recipe!
You are so welcome!!!
OMgoodness! For years I’ve been following a recipe I got from my mom (which was wonderful!) but I moved to Ridgway, CO (almost 8000ft) six months ago and even though I tried to modify for elevation the bread was dry from the start and just not what I remembered. Last night, I tried this recipe (I didn’t have greek yogurt but I had buttermilk and used that instead) I cut it up this morning to bring to a potluck after church today (but I snuck a small sliver…and then another! It is delicious and moist!) I can’t wait to share it! Thank you for the recipe! (sorry, mom)
Delish! I had a little problem in that the top middle portion seems uncooked. I baked 45 minutes, and the toothpick test came out clean. I Iive at 7300 feet in the Golden foothills, but I’m guessing that’s not the problem. Maybe my flour was too old? Any ideas?
Every oven is different and I feel like the higher in altitude I go the longer things need to bake. I’m at just below 7000 feet and my bread usually takes closer to 50 minutes. Try adding on 5-8 minutes and get that top cooke through!
Loved this. We are at 7200 ft and I’m learning the difference in baking. I used 1/2 oat flour, added ground flax, and mixed it all in one bowl. Easy peasy and they turned out great! Thanks!
Nice! I love mixing up the flours to add more nutrients. Sounds delicious!
I live in Santa Fe at 7000 feet and this banana bread comes out perfect every time. I usually sub the whole wheat flour with spelt flour, no issues. A sprinkle of turbinato sugar on top is a nice addition too. So good!
I love that nice sugar crunch on top too!
Amazing! I’ve made this a couple times with great success both at 5,000 and 8,000 feet. THE BEST banana bread I’ve ever had.
How much would I need to adjust baking time when doubling the recipe to be baked in a bunt pan?
Thanks!
I’d add an extra 15 minutes and check every few minutes after that! Same baking temperature.
I make this bread non stop. I always have it ready to go! Everyone loves it. I change the recipe as suggested when I’m not in the mountains.
I add fresh blueberiies to the bread and that is always a hit!
The best bread!!
Thank you! I love adding blueberries as well.
I added nutmeg and allspice and used toasted macadamia nuts. Delicious! Thank you for sharing your high altitude recipes. You’re my go-to source for baking.
Best recipe I’ve found living in Lafayette, Co. I make muffins and bake for roughly 20-22 mins at 350. Delicious and moist!
I make muffins with this as well. Often I’ll add a few toasted walnuts on top or stir in some mini chocolate chips. Glad you found the recipe and my site. Thanks for the comment!
I made this a few days ago. It was my first time baking here in Colorado. It turned out perfect; my husband and friends enjoyed it as well. I will definitely make this again! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
I’m a novice baker and cook. I’m going to bake this recipe tonight (Louisville, CO). Is it okay to just use all purpose baking flour for both flour parts and is it okay to use non-fat greek yogurt rather than whole milk greek yogurt. The bread is for a gift tomorrow and the items listed above are those that are in the pantry/refrigerator right now. I’ll stop and shop after work if you advise the exact ingredients. Once I bake the recipe, I’ll be more adventuresome….I just need the first bread to be perfect!
Yes, using ALL all-purpose flour is just fine. I do it all the time if I don’t have wheat flour on hand.
This Banana Bread recipe is fantastic. I live at 7000′ and am always nervous when it comes to baking, but MtmMama has come through for me again. I was a little unsure about the yogurt instead of milk, but it works perfectly, plus used 3 bananas combined just the right amount of moisture.
Thanks for the comment. Happy baking!
Turned out perfectly. I live in northern New Mexico at 7000 feet now, having moved from the east coast where my home was at an elevation of 8. Now I can bake again and can’t wait to try your mixed berry muffins also adapted for high altitude!
Turned out great at 9000 ft @ Keystone, CO! Thanks for the great recipes.
We live at 8600 ft in the San Juan Mountains in Southern Colorado and your banana bread recipe saved the day. My only comment would be for your “Last Meal” BLT try making it with peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, your choice) in place of the Mayo and definitely crispy bacon. Enjoyed your recipe and hope you enjoy ours.
I LOVE peanut butter but can’t get behind the idea of using it on a BLT…..
Oooh bacon and peanut butter is delightful! It’s a nice blend of sweet, savory and salty!!!
Thanks, Mountain Mama! I am always looking for sourdough starter discard recipes. Could I add it to this recipe? If so, how do you adjust flour, etc.
I am a sourdough newbie. I wouldn’t recommend adding that to this recipe.
I actually used sourdough discard in this recipe last week! I used 1/2 cup starter, left out the yogurt and reduced the reduced the flour by 1/3 cup. The dough was a little wetter than usual, but it turned out fine.
That being said, I like the original banana bread recipe better–just the way it is–and will be saving my discard for coffee cake 🙂
I want to add tubinado sugar to the top, but should it be sprinkled on before or after baking?
After 🙂
This was delicious! I made it this afternoon and I love how good it made my home smell! I substituted buttermilk for the Greek yogurt and it was just fine. Thanks for the recipe! A new go-to!
Excellent banana bread. I live in Denver at 5000 feet and this recipe works very well here. Plus it’s just great tasting. Thank you.
Yet another great recipe from Mountain Mama cooks. She hasn’t failed me yet. I did substitute the whole wheat flour with a blend of nut flours. Came out perfect!!! I live at 7500 feet and didn’t make any other adjustments.
Came out GREAT in mile-high Chino Valley, AZ! Had to increase the baking time 10 minutes, but that’s probably my “senior” oven.
I think it’s a hit — still cooling, but half gone, some with butter and some with cream cheese. ❤
Hi Susan… I’m in Flagstaff at 7000ft and it came out great tonight!
Hi! I’m in a high altitude part of South Africa. We have great local bananas from the subtropical regions, but their size is really variable and often smaller than American supermarket bananas. How many cups of banana do you reckon this recipe takes?
I recently made this bread and it was gone so quickly; so delicious! However, now that I’m back home at West Coast sea level, what tweaks do I need to make so that it is just as delicious at low altitude??
Worked out perfectly, located in Boulder, CO at 5300’ elev. added lots of nuts and chocolate and it still worked. Also didn’t have full fat yogurt, only had 0% but it went fine! Delicious recipe. Had 3 very ripe bananas available.
North of Durango at about 8000 ft. Didn’t have whole wheat flour, or yogurt. Substituted buttermilk for yogurt, and used all white flour. Also threw in some chocolate chips, and topped with some praline pecans (chopped). Absolutely delicious! Great high altitude recipe! Thanks so much!!!!
P.S. The grandkids LOVED it too!
FABULOUS!!! I LOVE this recipe! We live in Prescott AZ and it came out really moist. I’m amazed how great it tastes without any eggs. Thank you for posting this on the internet!
This will be out go to banana bread for gifts!
Thank you!
Ann
Excellent! A tad sweeter than I like; can I cut the sugar in half. We live in the Salt Lake valley & it rose beautifully. Thank you!
I wouldn’t cut the sugar in half but I think you could successfully reduce it by 25%.
3-4 bananas is a bit unambiguous.
How many cups would that be?
Please someone let me know!
It’s meant to be. It’s a very forgiving recipe. I’ve used even 5 bananas before. I’m going to say about 1 cup or 1 1/2 cups.
Excellent! Light, moist, fluffy, and flavorful.
I substituted 1/3 of the granulated sugar with dark brown sugar. *mwah!*
Hello! Do you have any suggestions for a Greek yogurt substitution? I’m looking for a vegan option. I’ve made some of your other quick breads and they always turn out delicious. I live at 7800 feet and your recipes have been a life saver. Thank you!
I would usually recommend a Greek yogurt substitute but since you’re vegan, perhaps a coconut or almond yogurt?
Such a good recipe! I’ve made it with chocolate chips, walnuts and just plain. This time I let it cool, then sliced it in individual pieces and put them in the freezer. When I have the whole loaf out, I eat way too much of it lol!! This way I can take one piece out at a time and I wont feel so guilty. Its a wonderful recipe. Thanks so much!
I love the flavor, but I am really struggling! I only have a bread loaf pan, and have tried this recipe 3 times without success. 🙁 I am following the instructions and ingredients 100% perfectly, but the loaf overflows a bit on the edges (cooked nicely) and the majority of the inside is gooey and uncooked. I am at 3683 ft elevation. I can’t seem to get the middle to cook without burning the edges. Any advice? I do have muffin tins I can try if you think that will work.
Sounds like your loaf pan might be too small. Try raising the temperature and/or baking the bread longer.
Thank you so much, this works perfectly at 8,700 ft ; elevation.
Great recipe. This is my 3rd time making it. I’m located in Golden, CO and have a brand new oven – it takes me about 1hr & 10 minutes using a small loaf pan. Thanks
Can I substitute whole wheat milled flour for the all purpose flour?
Yes!
I live at 7,054′ in Cholula Mexico. I was worried I might mess this up some how, but it came out moist and delicious!! Thank you for this recipe, I’ll be using it again!