This blueberry banana bread is an irresistibly moist and tender loaf bursting with banana flavor and plump, juicy blueberries. Pair a slice with coffee or tea for the perfect sweet breakfast or snack.
If you love cozy quick bread recipes like my chocolate pumpkin bread and zucchini bread with apples, you’ll love this easy banana bread with blueberries!
The Best Blueberry Banana Bread Recipe
This easy Blueberry Banana Bread puts a berry delicious twist on my classic one-bowl banana bread. This recipe makes the perfect moist, tender loaf that’s filled with sweet banana flavor and studded with plenty of ripe, juicy blueberries. It doesn’t get much better than a slice of homemade blueberry banana bread on a cozy day, wrapped up in blankets with a mug of coffee or tea! Pop a loaf in the oven on a weekend morning, and you’ll have something scrumptious to snack on in under an hour.
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Banana Bread Recipe
- Sweet, fruity flavor. Ripe bananas and juicy blueberries are the best flavor combination. Every bite is soft, filled with sweet fruit and subtle cinnamon spice.
- No mixer needed. Leave your stand mixer in the cupboard for this one. All you need to make this quick bread is one bowl and a whisk.
- All-seasons. This banana bread is a delicious and quick, sweet treat or breakfast that you can make with fresh or frozen berries any time of the year.
How to Make Blueberry Banana Bread
Let’s get baking. Quick breads are some of the easiest treats that you can make, requiring just one bowl and a few pantry ingredients. Below, I’ve included some notes on the ingredients and an overview of how to make the BEST homemade blueberry banana bread. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post with the full recipe amounts and details.
Ingredients
- Butter and Sugar: Softened butter creamed with granulated sugar creates the base for the banana bread batter. For a more caramelized flavor, use light brown sugar.
- Egg and Vanilla: Egg for structure, and real vanilla extract for depth of flavor.
- Bananas: Ripe bananas are softer and sweeter, so they’re easier to mash and also great in terms of flavor. Baking recipes are the perfect excuse to use those older, browned bananas on your countertop. See below.
- Flour
- Cinnamon: For some subtle cozy spice. You can also use ground nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
- Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt
- Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are always my first choice, but you can also make this recipe with frozen blueberries. Just be sure to thaw and drain them beforehand.
Directions
- Mix the wet ingredients. Start by creaming together the butter and sugar, followed by the egg and vanilla. Fold in the mashed bananas along with one half-cup of flour.
- Add the dry ingredients. Whisk together the remaining flour and dry ingredients separately, then add these to the wet batter and stir to combine.
- Add blueberries. Gently fold in the blueberries, then pour the batter into a greased and floured loaf pan.
- Bake. Bake the blueberry banana bread at 350ºF for 50-60 minutes, then allow the bread to cool. Slice in right away or store your bread for later.
How to Ripen Bananas Quickly
If you’re stocked with bananas that aren’t ripe enough, don’t despair. There are a couple of easy ways to speed up the ripening of bananas that aren’t quite there yet. Try the following:
- Use a paper bag. Place the bananas into a brown paper bag. If you have a ripe apple or an avocado, toss them in, too, and then fold over the top. These fruits emit ethylene gas, and your bananas should be ripened within 24 to 36 hours!
- Oven. Arrange the unpeeled bananas on a lined baking sheet and place them into a 300ºF oven for about 15 to 30 minutes. Check them every so often until they’re softened enough.
Why Did My Banana Bread Turn Out Dry?
If your banana bread turns out dry, the likely culprit is too much flour. The ratio of mashed banana to flour is key to moist banana bread! The best way to measure accurately is to use a kitchen scale if you have one. If not, measure your flour by spooning it from the bag into your measuring cup and leveling it off with the back of a knife. This spoon-and-level method helps prevent overmeasuring for perfectly moist blueberry banana bread.
Tips for the Best Banana Bread With Blueberries
It’s not difficult to absolutely ace this blueberry banana bread on the very first try. Here are some tips and tricks for the best results:
- Toss the blueberries lightly in flour. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the batter. Make sure they’re evenly coated. This tip applies to blueberry cakes, too!
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing banana bread batter yields a tough, dense loaf. Only mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the batter is just combined.
- Make it photo-ready. Sprinkle a few more blueberries over the top of the batter before baking, for the most picture-perfect blueberry banana bread ever.
- If you use frozen blueberries, thaw and drain them first. Frozen berries might give your bread batter a slightly blue tint, but it will still taste amazing!
- Test the bread for doneness. Stick a toothpick into the banana bread; if it comes out clean, it’s ready to come out of the oven.
- Double the recipe. Make one loaf to enjoy now and a second loaf to freeze for later.
Variation Ideas
The blueberry and banana flavors really shine in this banana bread, but there’s always room for add-ins! Add your personal touch to this hearty loaf with some easy variations:
- More berries. Just about any berry would taste amazing in this bread. Try strawberries, raspberries, and cranberries, or any combination.
- Make muffins. No loaf pan? Get out your muffin tin and make blueberry muffins instead!
- Citrus zest. Add lemon zest or orange zest to the batter for some bright, citrusy flavor. You can even add a dash of lemon or orange extract.
- Chocolate chips. Add a handful of semi-sweet or white chocolate chips.
- Nuts. Stir chopped pecans, walnuts, or almond slices into the batter.
- Coconut. Give your banana bread a tropical twist by adding shredded coconut. You can go all out with a splash of dark rum, too.
What Goes With Blueberry Banana Bread?
The better question is, what doesn’t go with banana bread? Serve your moist, tender blueberry banana bread alone, or try one of these ideas:
- Coffee. Blueberry banana bread and a steaming cortado coffee are the perfect pair. An iced Americano is also refreshing in the summer! For something sweeter, try a homemade cinnamon dolce latte, this dirty chai latte, or a cozy pumpkin spice latte in the Fall.
- Drinks. Is coffee not your thing? Wash down slices with a homemade matcha latte or hot chocolate on chilly days. In warmer weather, pair this blueberry bread with a hibiscus iced tea sparkler.
- Brunch. Put a sweet finish on your next friends’ or family brunch. A loaf of banana bread pairs well with all your breakfast favorites, from eggs Halifax to a veggie-filled zucchini frittata, and especially a pitcher of mimosas!
How to Store Banana Bread
- To Store. If you don’t devour the whole loaf in one sitting (definitely not speaking from experience…), wrap the banana bread tightly in plastic wrap or store it airtight. This blueberry banana bread will last up to 2 days at room temperature and 1 week in the fridge.
- Freeze. Blueberry banana bread freezes beautifully. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil, and store it in a large freezer bag. Banana Bread will last for up to 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw the bread at room temperature before serving. You can also defrost individual slices in the microwave.
ENJOY!
More Blueberry Recipes
Blueberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting the loaf pan
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Butter a 9×5-loaf pan, sprinkle it with a bit of flour on the bottom and up the sides; set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Add egg and vanilla, and continue to beat until incorporated.
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the mashed bananas and 1/2 cup flour; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Fold the flour mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven. Set aside for a few minutes before removing the bread from the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut and serve.
Notes
- Flour the Blueberries: To prevent blueberries from sinking in the batter, coat them lightly in flour, a trick usable for cakes as well.
- Avoid Overmixing: Stir the dry and wet ingredients just until combined to keep the banana bread tender, not dense.
- Add-Ins: Enhance this banana bread and stir in zesty citrus flavors from lemon or orange zest or the rich taste of semi-sweet or white chocolate chips. For a crunchy texture, mix in chopped pecans, walnuts, or almond slices.
- Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the loaf’s center; it should come out clean with maybe a few dry crumbs but no wet batter. If the loaf’s exterior is browned, but the center is undercooked, tent a piece of foil loosely over the bread and continue baking until done.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
