Cinnamon Banana Bread is so easy to make! Soft, moist banana bread is all dressed up with a warm ribbon of cinnamon sugar baked into the middle and even more sprinkled on top. It smells incredible while it bakes!
Put those bananas on your counter to good use with more easy recipes like Peanut Butter Streusel Banana Bread, Blueberry Banana Bread and Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
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Cinnamon Banana Bread is one of my favorite quick bread recipes! While I make this banana bread recipe year round, it’s especially scrumptious during the cozy fall season when I’m craving all things cinnamon.
Essentially, this is your typical banana bread recipe but with a cinnamon-y twist! A layer of cinnamon sugar is added to the middle of the batter and it’s also sprinkled generously across the top of the bread.
Don’t you just love taking something as simple and classic as banana bread and jazzing it up? This recipe makes it so easy to do!
Why we love this Cinnamon Banana Bread Recipe:
- Easy: Cinnamon Banana Bread takes just 10 minutes to prep, then the oven does all of the work for you. I love a good quick bread recipe!
- Budget Friendly: If you take a quick look at the ingredients below, you’ll see that all of them are baking staples that you may already have on hand. Nothing here will break the bank.
- Autumnal: To me, fall is the most wonderful time of the year because that’s when I get to really enjoy my favorite cinnamon dessert recipes! With that being said, you can make this fabulous quick bread recipe all year long.
Cinnamon Banana Bread Ingredients:
- Bananas – You’ll need bananas like the ones I have pictured above! They should be slightly browned.
- Flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup instead of dunking the cup into the bag of flour (or weigh it!). When you dunk the cup, you really pack the flour in there.
- Oil – see my tips for swapping melted butter in the recipe notes.
- Sugar – There’s just enough sugar in the mix to enhance the natural sweetness of the bananas. You’ll also need some for the cinnamon sugar mixture!
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Make sure that both of these aren’t expired. Once they’re expired, they’re no longer potent and won’t help the bread rise as it bakes.
- Vanilla – I like to use pure vanilla extract (not imitation) when possible!
- Cinnamon
- Salt – Be very careful to only add the exact amount that’s called for! The job of the salt is to subtly enhance the other flavors.
- Yogurt – Plain Greek yogurt with no added flavors is what you’ll need. Sour cream also works!
- Eggs – These are the binding ingredient that hold everything together.
How to make Cinnamon Banana Bread
Take quick look at just how easy this banana bread recipe is! For more detailed step by step instructions, simply scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Mash the bananas.
- Mix in sugar, oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Spread half of the batter into a loaf pan. Spoon most of the cinnamon sugar on top of the batter.
- Spread the other half of the batter on top. Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes. Then, cover with foil and keep baking for another 10-20 minutes.
Variations and Substitutions
- Oil: You can use ½ cup of melted butter instead of oil if preferred.
- Greek Yogurt: Need to swap it? No problem! You can use regular yogurt or unsweetened applesauce. Just note that regular yogurt has more water.
- Whole Wheat Flour: I make this recipe often with 100% whole wheat flour and it turns out great every time.
- Bananas: If your mashed bananas are less than 475 grams (or 1 ¾ cups), you can add extra yogurt or applesauce to make up the missing amount. That way, you’ll have the perfect ratio of wet to dry ingredients.
How to store leftover Banana Bread
Store your leftover Cinnamon Banana Bread in an airtight container in at room temperature for about 1-2 days.
If you’re going to store it longer than that, I recommend refrigerating it, which you can do for up to 1 week.
Can I freeze Cinnamon Banana Bread?
You sure can! Freeze individual slices of banana bread (my preferred method) or the whole loaf. It’s important to let the bread fully cool to room temperature prior to freezing in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Simply let the banana bread adjust to room temperature before serving. If you froze individual slices, they’ll warm up a lot faster than a whole loaf!
More quick bread recipes you’ll love!
- Healthy Banana Bread — a healthier twist with nutritious ingredients.
- Lemon Bread — for the citrus lovers!
- Orange Cranberry Bread — we love this one around the holidays.
- Banana Nut Bread — a classic, but with a nutty twist.
Cinnamon Banana Bread recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas (450-475 grams peeled or 1 ¾ cup mashed)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133 grams)
- ⅓ cup oil
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt (85 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour (260 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a loaf pan with non stick spray (I use a glass loaf pan that measures 8×4″ at the bottom and 9×5″ at the top — a 1.5 quart capacity)
- In a large bowl, mash bananas well.
- Whisk in sugar, oil and yogurt. Add eggs and vanilla and stir until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir just until there are no more white streaks.
- Cinnamon Sugar: stir together the ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
- Spread half of the batter into prepared pan. Spoon most of the cinnamon sugar on top of the batter (reserve 1 tablespoon for the top), then carefully spread the remaining batter over the top.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, then cover lightly with a piece of foil (when golden brown on top) and continue baking until a toothpick comes out clean, about 10-20 more minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a cooling rack or cutting board.
Notes
*If your mashed bananas are less than 475 grams (or 1 ¾ cups) you can add extra Greek yogurt or unsweetened applesauce to make up the missing amount, so that you have the right ratio of wet to dry ingredients (and a moist banana bread!) Substitutions:
- Oil: if you prefer to use butter, you can substitute ½ cup melted butter for the oil.
- Greek yogurt: if you need to swap it, you can use regular yogurt (though it has a higher water content) or unsweetened applesauce.
- Whole wheat flour: I make this recipe often with 100% whole wheat flour. It works great!
Nutrition Information
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JanetRC says
This recipe was very easy to make and it looks a little fancy with the cinnamon sugar in the centre and on top.
My mother said it was the best banana loaf I have ever made, and my husband said it was very tasty with a nice texture!
Thank you, it is so delicious! I will definitely make it again.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you loved it!