Three things inspired this recipe. First, sometimes you want to make banana bread but you only have one ripe banana.
Or maybe I should say, sometimes you have a ripe banana and you want to do something with it (ideally, make banana bread). But is that one lonely banana enough all on its own? Spoiler: Yes.
Related: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Classic (Full size) Banana Bread, Pumpkin Bread and Zucchini Bread.
Second, sometimes you just want to bake something. Is it just me, or does everyone feel this way now and again (especially in the winter months)? Ideally, I want to bake something easy that will make my whole kitchen smell amazing.
But I’d prefer if the end result was NOT a dozen cookies or scones or whatever because I know myself well enough to know that this means I will likely eat a dozen cookies or scones over the following couple of days.
I want a little treat, sure, but mostly I just want to carry out the act of baking something and just get a little bite of something at the end.
Third, and most literally, this recipe is inspired by Chrissy Teigen’s recipe from her cookbook (which I love). But, I’ll be the first to admit that this is a much more simple version that results in a smaller serving amount in the end.
It’s really very different, but I was still inspired by her recipe and I love her cookbook so much I wanted to mention it anyway. 🙂
If you only have one banana, make this banana bread. If you LOVE banana bread (raises hand high) but don’t need a giant bundt cake size in your house due to a lack of self-control, make this banana bread.
Here are some mini loaf pans if you don’t have any!
Be sure check out these banana bread-inspired recipes:
- Overnight Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal
- No-Bake Banana Cream Pie
- Banana Bread Muffin Cookies
- How to Quickly Ripen Bananas
- Chocolate Chip Banana bread
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Ingredients
- 1 banana (ripe)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup walnuts (chopped)
Instructions
- In a medium size mixing bowl, mash the banana. Then stir in the egg, vanilla extract, and oil until combined. Then, add all at once the flour, sugars, baking soda, and salt. Fold until combined. Then stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Spoon into your prepared (oiled or lined with parchment) baking vessels and bake at 325°F
- Regular size muffins or a baked donut pan will yield six and should be baked for 14-15 minutes.
- If you use mini loaf pans (like I have in the photos), this will yield three and should be baked for 18-20 minutes.
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Notes
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Delucious. My daughter tried this recipe first. Her family thought it was tasty. She shared the recipe. My husband and both enjoyed it. Both times I needed to bake longer than the recipe recommends. I’ve already made it twice and shared it with a number of people. Definitely a keeper. Thanks!
Made this lovely little loaf just this morning after staring at my one overripe banana. Easy and quick to prepare in a single bowl and pop into the oven. It was moist and delicious. I made one standard mini loaf, filled about 3/4 full and baked almost 40 minutes.
This was a great recipe I used butter instead of oil (my own personal preference) and also added chocolate chips along side the walnuts (next time I will toast the walnuts prior as it gives it such a robust taste) it came out great I’m glad to have found this recipe so my lonely banana didn’t have to go to waste!
I make this banana bread recipe every time I have a banana going bad! I always add cinnamon and chocolate chips – I highly recommend it. I usually cut the sugar too. One time I didn’t have an egg and tried it without one, and the taste/texture was the same as with an egg, so not sure it’s really needed!
I cut the sugar in half & only used turbinado sugar. Made 2 mini loaves. Excellent! not too sweet & very moist
Amazing fluffy i made delicious mini muffins and added caramel to the centre
Honestly, I went about this recipe in a lazy way! A) I used self rising flour B) I didn’t feel like getting out the brown sugar AND the granulated sugar so, I just substituted turbinado sugar for both. C) I also didn’t feel like measuring out 3tbs of oil so I just used 1/4 cup. D) I mixed it by adding the ingredients to my smoothie blender and just poured it into a loaf pan. I also added 1tbs of cinnamon. The result was a delicious and moist banana bread! Dangerously delicious!
Wow! Sorry to anger everyone with my alterations to this recipe! It’s a great recipe I just made itwork for ME.
Flavor was great but came out very dense which isn’t enjoyable. Why?
68 year old truck driver, and over the years I have eaten many different peoples banana bread but had never made it myself, until 2 weeks ago using this recipe and I have to say , mine was by far the very best I have ever eaten 😀, even better than my mother’s.
I have doubled the recipe this time and have it in the oven now !
Love the taste. The muffins sunk in the centre…. Anyone know why? I didn’t open the oven while it was baking. I made smaller ones so got out 12
Nice recipe, very moist. It was a little sweet but will reduce sugar next time but other than that still really good.
I used a half pound Pullman loaf pan for this and in case anyone else does, do 30 mins instead, I also did 40g of sugar and the sweetness was perfect. Loved the recipe!
It was absoultely delicious and the perfect size. I am backing 2 more right now because Mr. I-don’t-want-any-banana-bread devoured the first one. SMH!
Delish! I swapped the walnuts for chocolate morsels, so yummy. Very easy to make! Thanks Emma!
I also added some choc chips … 😋
I love this recipe. I found it a little sweet so I backed the sugar off a little. I had some coconut sugar in the pantry so I used 100g of coconut sugar and then 50g of brown sugar. Perfect.
Really easy to pull together in a couple minutes if you ever have a lonely browned banana. Great texture and so moist. Although I halved the sugar, I still found the recipe to be too sweet for my liking. Will try again with 1/3 sugar next time.
Super easy and quick recipe! I shared with my coworkers today, and they all loved it. I used a bit less sugar than the recipe called for, omitted the vanilla cause I had none, and baked for 30 minutes. turned out great.
A great way to save food! This was my very first banana bread ever. I usually don’t like desserts where the banana is cooked or warmed, but this banana bread came out really nice. I used oats flour instead of APF, and chopped dark chocolate instead of walnuts which complimented the banana flavour so well. It was yummy! Thank for providing the recipe is metrics too, because in certain parts of Europe we don’t use cups.
What’s the storage instructions?. I’m going on a cruise and planning on carrying this. Is it advisable?
It’s best / will last longer if you’re able to refrigerate banana bread but if not simply wrapping well (like in plastic wrap) it will keep for 2-4 days
Easy and delicious ! And very quick