I Tried Our 5 Most Popular Banana Bread Recipes and There Was One Clear Winner

While there's no shortage of jazzed-up banana bread recipes out there — flavored with brown butter or swirled with Nutella — there's something extra comforting about a classic, no-frills loaf. I'll take a hand-scribbled family recipe over a restaurant copycat any day, and I know I'm not alone. After all, banana bread is meant to be baked when you find yourself with a spotted, overripe bunch, not a project that requires a trip to the grocery store.

This isn't to say I don't have high standards. To this day, I compare all banana breads to the very first one I baked when I was little. It came from a spiral-bound cookbook created by the moms at my elementary school, and the banana bread recipe was my family's most frequented (and most grease-stained) page. Every time we baked it, I couldn't get over how good the kitchen smelled — or the fact that a simple mix of ingredients resulted in such a moist, flavorful loaf.

What Makes the Best Banana Bread?

To me, the perfect banana bread has a caramelized, deeply golden crust that's so picture-perfect I almost hesitate to slice it. The inside should be moist and tender — the word "dry" should never enter my mind — but not so damp or gummy that it sticks to the roof of my mouth. It should be pleasantly sweet with loads of banana flavor, and should stay fresh for several days after baking. It should hold up when sliced, and taste great as-is or toasted. Finally, the ideal banana bread should be so easy to make that I can commit the recipe to heart.

Which Banana Bread Recipes Did I Test?

Whether I'm trying out viral recipes (who can forget Chrissy Teigen's?!) or developing my own, I've baked countless banana breads over the years. I felt ready for the challenge of testing the most popular ones on Allrecipes, and I couldn't wait to dig in. I selected five reader favorites: one that doubled down on the amount of bananas, one that employed a novel technique, another that tweaked the baking temperature and timing, one that prioritized a fluffy texture, and the one I ended up loving most. Here's how it all turned out.

1. If You're Bananas for Bananas: Banana Banana Bread

• Fast Facts: Developed by Shelley Albeluhn, has 12,800+ reviews with a 4.7-star rating
• Allrecipes Allstar Review: "I followed this recipe exactly as directed. It was not only easy, but I had the ingredients on hand. It was delish. It was moist and the bananas were the star. It was not overly sweet. My whole family enjoyed it." — Keri Zrodlowski

This recipe, which packs in nearly twice the amount of mashed banana as most of the other recipes, is sure to satisfy even the biggest banana fans. It's a very picturesque loaf, with a deeply golden exterior and a nicely domed top (it tied with the Best Ever Banana Bread for the tallest loaf), and smelled incredible as it baked.

Though I was worried so much banana would make the bread too moist, it was actually just right. Using the creaming method rather than the quick bread method helped give it a soft texture, and contributed to its impressive rise. It also stayed moist for days. If you're all about the bold banana flavor, you've found your perfect loaf.

Get the recipe: Banana Banana Bread

2. The Most Cake-Like: Janet's Rich Banana Bread

• Fast Facts: Developed by vjonsson, has 8,000+ reviews with a 4.8-star rating

Janet's recipe was unlike any banana bread I've ever made. Instead of mashing the bananas, she has you slice them and fold them into the batter! Though I was skeptical, I ended up thinking this bread was divine: It has a sturdy golden crust and a vanilla-scented, cake-like interior that would be right at home with a cup of tea or coffee. The banana slices weren't the most visually appealing, but they added nice textural contrast.

The batter, thanks to the addition of sour cream, was the thickest of the bunch. It was also the easiest to make, requiring just one large bowl and a whisk. Though the recipe directs you to bake for 60 minutes, my toothpick came out clean after just 50, so you'll want to check on it early.

If you're in the market for a decadent loaf cake studded with walnuts and bananas, look no further. But if it's classic banana bread you're after, I advise you to mash the bananas rather than slice them, which several commenters seem to have done with success.

Get the recipe: Janet's Rich Banana Bread

3. The Best Crust: Best Ever Banana Bread

• Fast Facts: Developed by Rose, has 1,800+ reviews with a 4.8-star rating

I was immediately impressed with this deeply golden loaf (think gingerbread-colored), which boasts a caramelized crust that crackles as you slice it. I loved the contrast between the crunchy crust and the super-moist center, and while it didn't form a domed top, the loaf as a whole rose nicely in the oven. As this was the only bread to bake at 325°F for over an hour, I have a feeling the lower oven temperature and longer bake time contributed to these qualities.

Flavor-wise, this banana bread was the mildest of the bunch, which perhaps isn't surprising due to its mere 1 cup of mashed banana. It also calls for oil rather than butter, and the addition of buttermilk may have masked the banana flavor. But these additions are also what helped make the bread so deliciously moist. The chopped pecans add some nice toasty flavor notes, so I recommend including them.

Get the recipe: Best Ever Banana Bread

4. The Best for Toasting: The Best Banana Bread

• Fast Facts: Developed by Libby, has 1,300+ reviews with a 4.6-star rating
• Allrecipes Allstar Review: "This is such an easy and delicious recipe! I added the 1/2 cup chocolate chips as the video suggested, but I also added 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. The outcome was a tender cake with a crunchy top. I really like to eat it warm, slathered in butter." — Paula Roten

Similar to the Banana Banana Bread, this recipe uses the creaming method, which gives it a delicate, almost fluffy texture. It also calls for the second highest amount of mashed banana, which lends great banana flavor that doesn't overpower. With its golden color, domed top, and quintessential banana bread flavor, it's certain to be a crowd pleaser.

Due to its cake-like texture, this loaf cuts cleanly into thick slices that are perfect for toasting. If you're someone who enjoys a slice of banana bread for breakfast slathered with salted butter, almond butter, or even a dollop of Greek yogurt, I highly recommend this recipe.

Get the recipe: The Best Banana Bread

Allrecipes Allstar Crystal C. Puts Our Best to the Test

5. My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe: Joy's Easy Banana Bread

• Fast Facts: Developed by Joy, has 2400+ reviews with a 4.8-star rating

This is the banana bread I'll be returning to time and time again. Looks-wise, it won't win any awards — it's a squatty loaf with a slightly sunken middle — but the flavor totally won me over. It's pleasantly sweet with lovely caramel-like notes and just the right amount of banana flavor.

Instead of creaming the butter, this recipe has you melt it, which gives the bread a dense, slightly chewy texture that had me going back for seconds. And while I've always favored a crispy top, this one has a sticky one I completely fell in love with. I appreciate that it calls for a full teaspoon of salt, which enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness of the bananas.

You'll want to test this loaf a few minutes early, as I pulled mine out at 55 minutes rather than 60. I let it cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan, then placed it on a cooling rack to let it cool completely. It will be hard to resist slicing it into it right away, but I promise you the wait is worth it. This banana bread is absolutely divine.

Get the recipe: Joy's Easy Banana Bread