This easy cinnamon swirl banana bread is a fun spin on a classic. Light and airy banana bread swirled with a crunchy cinnamon swirl mixture! With just 11 ingredients this bread comes together quickly and couldn’t be easier. Not only is this bread delicious, but it’s also freezer friendly! Perfect for gifting during the holidays or as a fun weekend bake. The crunchy cinnamon sugar mixture gives like a coffee cake like texture!
I based this recipe off of my classic banana bread, I love cinnamon, and I love anything that has a sugary swirl or buttery streusel. This is a wonderful combination of light and airy bread with crunchy bits of cinnamon sugar! I always make banana bread to give away, it’s a love language – and everyone has loved this version!
You might also like my tahini banana bread or this cinnamon coffee cake! Find all of my quick bread recipes here for more inspiration.
Recipe Highlights
- Customizable: Add-ins like nuts, chocolate, or dried fruits are easy to mix in if you want a twist on the classic.
- Simple ingredients: this banana bread is made with mostly pantry ingredients you already have on hand.
- Light and airy texture: this bread has a spongy texture and tender crumb, the cinnamon swirl adds a nice crust!
- No mixer needed: this bread recipe is made with a base of melted butter so you do not need to use a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Freezer-friendly: this quick bread freezes great and can easily be reheated when desired.
What Is Banana Bread
Banana bread is one of those super simple baked goods that seems like a labor of love. A slightly sweet, quick-bread with mashed ripe bananas and studded with chocolate chips! I always whip this recipe up for a quick housewarming or thank you gift, it’s always a big hit.
More Drool-Worthy Banana Recipes
If you’re a banana fan like me, you’ll love some of these other sweet treats using ripe bananas:
Key Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: if using salted butter, omit adding more salt later in the recipe. Do not substitute margarine.
- Granulated white sugar: I do not recommend swapping any other type of sugar for this recipe. Other sugars can impact the batter differently and change how the cake bakes and rises.
- Ripe bananas: fresh or frozen ripe bananas can be used here. If using frozen bananas, removed as much moisture as possible before adding them into the batter.
- Spices: ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg make a rich, flavorful swirl. Add in other spices like pumpkin pie spice or ground ginger as preferred.
How To Make Banana Bread
Let’s talk a little about how to make this Easy Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Melt butter. Add in sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- Add in mashed banana.
- Prep cinnamon swirl.
- Mix in dry ingredients. Transfer to a greased loaf pan, layer with cinnamon mixture.
- Bake and enjoy.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line a loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, melt the butter and let cool slightly. Add in the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Mix in the vanilla and the eggs. Fold in the mashed bananas.
- To the wet ingredients add in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until fully combined.
- In a small bowl combine the melted butter, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine, set aside.
- Scoop half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the first layer. Using a toothpick or a butter knife gently swirl the cinnamon mix into the batter. Scoop the remaining batter on top and finish with the rest of the cinnamon sugar mix.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 20-30 minutes, before slicing for best results.
Tools I Recommend
- USA Pan Loaf Pan – another USA Pan product I love! The corners of my breads never stick and I love the squared of edges this pan creates.
- Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.
- Pyrex Mixing Bowl Set – I love this set of nesting bowls. I use them for everything, Pyrex glass does not break easily so you can trust on these bowls for years, plus they come in 3 useful sizes and can be stacked!
Baking Tips
- Grease and line your loaf pan so the edges and corners of your banana bread doesn’t stick. Using parchment paper helps to lift the whole loaf of banana bread out easily so you can slice and serve!
- Allow bread to cool completely before slicing for the cleanest slice.
- Use ripe bananas, they are the easiest to incorporate and provide the most banana flavors. If using frozen bananas make sure to drain excess liquid.
- Don’t over mix batter, mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated and lump free.
Recipe Variations & Add-Ins
You can customize this cinnamon swirl banana bread recipe by trying some of the variations below:
- Mix in chopped nuts like peanuts, almonds, pecans, or walnuts.
- Swirl in peanut butter or chocolate hazelnut spread.
- Top with a sliced banana before baking for a fun look and extra banana flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Banana bread is firmer and more dense, great for slicing. Banana cake is lighter and more airy, banana bread is typically butter based while banana cake is oil based.
Bananas are a lot easier to work with and have a much stronger banana flavor when they are ripe. When bananas get mushy and brown that is the most ideal time to use them in baked goods like muffins, cakes, and bread. As long as the bananas are not leaking and the peel is still intact they are good to use in your bread.
Adding bananas to this bread ensures it stays light and moist, while still staying airy and not too dense. The bananas not only add moisture but add a nice sweetness.
Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. This bread stays moist and holds its texture best at room temp but can also be stored in the fridge or freezer.
Yes, but the cinnamon-sugar swirl adds so much texture and flavor! If you want to simplify, just sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top before baking.
Yes! Thaw them fully and drain off any excess liquid before mashing. Frozen bananas are actually great for this recipe since they’re extra soft and sweet.
Easy Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 whole Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2-3 medium Ripe bananas, mashed
For the cinnamon swirl:
- 2 tbsp Butter, melted
- 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
For the cinnamon swirl mixture:
- In a small bowl combine the melted butter, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine, set aside.2 tbsp Butter, 3 tbsp Granulated sugar, 4 tbsp Brown sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
For the banana bread:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line a loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, melt the butter and let cool slightly. Add in the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Mix in the vanilla and the eggs. Fold in the mashed bananas.1 cup Unsalted butter, 1 cup Granulated sugar, 2 whole Eggs, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, 2-3 medium Ripe bananas
- To the wet ingredients add in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until fully combined.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1 tsp Salt
- Scoop half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the first layer. Using a toothpick or a butter knife gently swirl the cinnamon mix into the batter. Scoop the remaining batter on top and finish with the rest of the cinnamon sugar mix.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 20-30 minutes, before slicing for best results.
Notes
Nutrition
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