Back-of-the-Hand Banana Bread

A Foolproof Favorite Recipe

April 20, 2024  |  3 min read

Ally Veldhuisen

I love recipes that I know like the back of my hand. Someday, I hope to have many, but right now there are only a few I know so well. My banana bread recipe is one of them—and it’s so good that I have to share it. It started from a family cookbook recipe and has been perfected over the last 5+ years to be the best go-to recipe for an everyday treat, or a last-minute offering for unexpected guests.

Piece of fresh-baked banana bread

This banana bread is foolproof and versatile. We love it with chocolate chips, but you can absolutely leave them out or substitute other mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans. The ground flaxseed adds nutritional value and gives the bread a richer, denser texture – but you can also leave it out if you’d like a lighter, fluffier bread or simply don’t have any on hand.

No matter what adjustments you make, the key is really in using overripe bananas. The riper, the better! I like to let my bananas get nice and speckled before using them. The concentrated sweetness is what gives this loaf such a nice flavor and keeps it moist.

Baked banana bread

This recipe also couldn’t be easier to throw together. You can just use a bowl and fork, or a stand mixer if you have one. It’s the perfect thing to whip up when those bananas everyone was eating faster than you could keep them stocked suddenly seem to be staring you in the face, going to waste.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have. It’s perfect for a cozy afternoon snack or pacifying a crowd of hungry house guests. Give it a try and you’ll see why this has become my tried-and-true, anytime treat!

Mixed up ingredients for baking banana bread
Unbaked banana bread

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cup flour (or – 1 ¼ cup flour and ½ cup ground flax seed)
  • ⅓ cup sugar (+ 2 tbs. for topping)
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. Baking powder
  • ½ tsp. Salt
  • ¼ tsp. Baking soda
  • ½ cup butter
  • 3 bananas (or 1 cup, mashed)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (nestle dark chocolate chunks)
  • Cinnamon (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients with a fork (flour and flax, sugars, baking powder, salt).
  2. Soften butter in the microwave (30 seconds if coming straight out of the fridge) and mix into dry ingredients until shaggy crumbles form.
  3. Mash bananas and beat eggs slightly, then stir in until just blended.
  4. Pour in chocolate chips and stir.
  5. Spread into a greased 8×8 pan. Sprinkle the top with extra sugar (to taste) and a dash of cinnamon if you like that flavor!
  6. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
  7. Best served warm (with a slab of butter if you’re feeling indulgent).
Back-of-the-Hand Banana Bread
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Back-of-the-Hand Banana Bread

Recipe by Ally Veldhuisen
Servings

9

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Baking Time

25

minutes

A Foolproof Favorite Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cup flour (or - 1 ¼ cup flour and ½ cup ground flax seed)

  • ⅓ cup sugar (+ 2 tbs. for topping)

  • ⅓ cup brown sugar

  • 1 tsp. baking powder

  • ½ tsp. salt

  • ¼ tsp. baking soda

  • ½ cup butter

  • 3 bananas (or 1 cup, mashed)

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tsp. vanilla

  • 1 cup chocolate chips (nestle dark chocolate chunks)

  • Cinnamon (for topping)

Directions

  • Mix dry ingredients with a fork

  • Soften butter in the microwave (30 seconds if coming straight out of the fridge) and mix into dry ingredients until shaggy crumbles form.

  • Mash bananas and beat eggs slightly, then stir in until just blended.

  • Pour in chocolate chips and stir.

  • Spread into a greased 8x8 pan. Sprinkle the top with extra sugar (to taste) and a dash of cinnamon if you like that flavor!

  • Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

  • Best served warm (with a slab of butter if you’re feeling indulgent).