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Home - Bread

Published: Jan 5, 2020 · Modified: Feb 1, 2024 by Amanda Powell · This post may contain affiliate links.

Cinnamon Banana Bread

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Warm. banana bread with a sweet infusion of cinnamon throughout. This moist cinnamon banana bread also has an irresistible buttery cinnamon swirl.

overhead loaf on wire rack sliced

Why you'll love it

Banana bread is the best way to use up any overripe bananas that are too brown to enjoy on their own, but not so far gone that you want to just throw them away. It makes a great breakfast, especially when toasted and slathered with butter and an additional sprinkling of cinnamon. This particular recipes however takes that to another level with a delicious cinnamon sugar swirl. It has quickly become another favorite banana bread along with my chocolate chip banana bread and brown butter banana bread. 

You are going to love it because:

  • It is quick and easy to bake so you can make it any time
  • Is a delicious way to use up overripe bananas and any other leftover ingredients in the kitchen
  • Has an incredible flavor thanks to the brown sugar cinnamon sugar swirl 
  • It stays delightfully flavorful and moist for days

Key ingredients

ingredients for cinnamon banana bread

You only need kitchen staples to make this recipe, so if you can easily shop for the ingredients at your local grocery store if you don't already have them! You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below. 

  • Flour - I like to use all-purpose flour for my banana bread, but if you want to make it more wholesome, you can substitute half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour
  • Sugar - Granulated sugar is used in the bread and brown sugar in the swirl to make the swirl deeply flavorful. You can substitute half the granulated sugar with light or dark brown sugar
  • Butter - For a lot of rich flavor I prefer to use something like butter instead of oil. If you want to add more depth to the butter, you can add in 2 more tablespoons and make brown butter for the batter. If you do not have butter, a neutral oil like vegetable oil will work, but you will need to reduce the amount to ½ cup.
  • Bananas - Just like any classic banana bread, it is a great way to use up overripe bananas. You can also use frozen and thawed bananas. 
  • Yogurt - To add tanginess plain yogurt works great in this recipe. You could also use buttermilk or sour cream

How to Quickly Ripen Bananas for Banana Bread

Sometimes, you have a craving for cinnamon swirl banana bread, but have no over-ripe bananas. Luckily, you can still use the bananas you have around or whatever the store has available. 

If you are at the store picking up ingredients for your cinnamon banana bread. go take a look at what I call the castaway bananas. Those are usually the pile of single bananas that lost their bunch. Usually, you will find some that are more ripe than the rest. They still aren't banana bread-worthy, but they're the best to work with. 

Next, apply heat. The heat helps bring out the sugars in the banana that make them so good when ripe and ready for bread. You can heat them in one of two ways:

  • Peel the bananas and cut into slices. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 3 - 5 minutes. Mash them gently halfway through. Allow to cool, then finish mashing.
  • Preheat the oven to 300F. Place the bananas (skin on) on a baking sheet and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until they are brown/nearly black. Allow to cool, peel, and mash.
banana bread on wire rack with slices removed

How to Make

Banana bread is a quick bread. It is put together pretty much the same way you do a muffin. That is to say: mix wet ingredients together, mix dry ingredients together, mix them both together. 

  1. Prep your 9 x 5-inch loaf pan by greasing and flouring the sides. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the oven. 
  2. Mix together the cinnamon swirl mix in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Add all the wet ingredients to your mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl and mix well. 
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. There will be lumps, and that is okay.
  5. Add some batter to your loaf pan and then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Continue alternating them until you've used up all your remaining batter and cinnamon sugar. 
  6. You can optionally sprinkle some cinnamon sugar or turbinado sugar over the top of the bread if you want to take it to the next level
  7. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a few moist crumbs clings to a toothpick inserted in the middle. Leave to cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack.

How to Store Banana Bread

This cinnamon banana bread stores well for a while without ever losing its delicious banana flavor or moisture. Banana bread freezes exceptionally well

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, taking care any sliced areas are fully covered then store in an airtight container. 

  • At room temperature: It will be at its freshest for 3 days
  • In the refrigerator: It will stay fresh for about 7 days
  • In the freezer: It will last for 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight
slice of banana bread on plate

Amanda's expert baking tips

The most important way to ensure you get the best results is to make sure you are correctly measuring your ingredients, particularly the all-purpose flour. You should fluff up the flour and then spoon it into your measuring cup then sweep of the excess. If you want to make sure you get consistent results, you can convert the recipe to metric and use a kitchen scale.

Use fresh ingredients, especially the baking soda because it plays an integral part in the rise and texture of this delicious loaf

It is important to use all room temperature ingredients because it helps everything to incorporate well together. You can quickly bring your eggs to room temperature by leaving them in very warm water for five minutes before cracking them. 

Try to use a loaf pan that is truly 9x5 as most loaf pans are slightly smaller at 4.5x8.5. While it may not initially seem like a big size difference, it can make it more difficult for the center of the loaf to fully bake in the center. 

Use a light - colored aluminium pan for the best heat conduction. Glass pans will take too long to heat up and leave you with a loaf that has a rubbery, dense bottom. Darker pans will brown your bread too quickly and may leave you with a burnt outside before the center is fully baked. 

Don't overmix the banana bread batter when adding in the dry ingredients! You want to mix just until there are no streaks of flour. Mixing too much can develop the gluten in the all-purpose flour which will leave you with tough, chewy bread.

If you want to make your quick bread even more special, you can sprinkle the top of the banana bread with more of the cinnamon-sugar mixture to punch up the cinnamon flavor or a sweet glaze using vanilla extract. 

slices of banana bread on wire rack

FAQs

Can I Make This into Muffins?

Yes! This recipe makes amazing cinnamon banana bread muffins! Line muffin cups with liners and fill ⅔ full with the batter. Bake for about 16 - 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

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Recipe Card

slice of cinnamon banana bread on plate

Cinnamon Banana Bread

Amanda Powell
Warm, moist cinnamon banana bread with a swirl of cinnamon sugar
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 10 slices
Calories 197 kcal
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Ingredients
 
 

Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the Banana Bread Batter

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 ½ cups large bananas (about 4 bananas)
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ⅓ cup plain yogurt room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 baking pan.
  • Make the cinnamon swirl. Mix together the ingredients for the swirl together. Use your fingers or a fork to mash the butter into the dry ingredients until well-combined.
  • Melt your butter, allow it to cool slightly.
  • Mash your bananas.
  • Mix together your butter, bananas, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and sugar until well-combined.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the salt, flour, cinnamon, and baking soda together.
  • Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Only mix until just combined. There should still be some lumps.
  • Pour some of the batter into the loaf pan. Add in some of the cinnamon swirl. Continue this pattern until you've used both up. End with the banana batter.
  • Bake for 50 - 70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too fast, lightly top with aluminum foil.
  • Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely.

Notes

Wrap the banana bread tightly in plastic wrap when fully cooled.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 217mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18g
Keyword banana, banana bread, cinnamon
Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram! @acookienameddesire #acookienameddesire

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About Amanda Powell

Baker, photographer, and sometimes world traveler behind A Cookie Named Desire. Obsessed with helping people live life sweetly with delicious food to share with the special people in your life and creating lasting memories.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Erica Schwarz says

    January 29, 2020 at 12:44 pm

    This makes a perfect and moist banana bread! I've never added yogurt to banana bread before, this is delicious!

    Reply
  2. Chinazor says

    January 28, 2020 at 11:32 am

    I always thought that the bananas that have fallen from their bunch are not good enough for baking. I know better.

    Thanks for those tips on how to ripen bananas quickly. I had no idea prior to reading this.

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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I am the baker and photographer behind A Cookie Named Desire. I'm a cookbook author, food science nerd, world traveler (sometimes) with a major weakness for cookies and cheese.

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