Honey Vanilla Banana Bread

Honey vanilla banana bread with a honey-glazed, deeply golden crust and a tender, lightly golden crumb. Made with mashed ripe bananas and real vanilla flavor for a fragrant loaf that slices clean.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 15

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 260

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Banana base

3 bananas Use ripe bananas with visible speckles; mash until mostly smooth.
0.3333333333 cup butter Melt and cool slightly so it doesn’t cook the egg.
0.5 cup honey Plus 1 tablespoon reserved specifically for brushing the warm loaf.
1 egg Large egg, room temperature if possible.
2 tsp pure vanilla extract Use 2 tsp, or substitute vanilla bean seeds if available.

Dry ingredients

1.5 cup all-purpose flour Spoon into the measuring cup and level.
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
0.25 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

1 sheet pan
1 sheet pan

Method

Prep and combine

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
Whisk the melted butter, 1/2 cup honey, egg, and vanilla into the mashed bananas until smooth and well combined.
Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until just combined—do not overmix.

Bake and glaze

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 60–70 minutes at 350°F until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and immediately brush the top with 1 tablespoon of honey while still warm.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out and slice only when cooled to room temperature.

Notes

Pro tip: mash the bananas until there are only a few small lumps for the smooth, tender crumb. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; rewarm slices briefly if you like. Freezing is yes—wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. Dietary swap: for a dairy-free option, use a 1:1 plant-based butter in place of the melted butter.