Homemade banana bread made with one banana and a few pantry staples. This easy banana bread recipe is the perfect size for one person.
When you've got just one banana sitting on your counter, you've got the perfect amount to make a banana bread for one! That's right, you can make this banana bread with one banana and a few pantry staples.
Why This Recipe Works
- This recipe calls for using one very ripe banana. A banana that is even more speckled and brown than the one shown in the ingredient photo is perfect to use. The riper the banana, the sweeter the banana bread.
- If you love banana bread that tastes like bananas, this is your recipe. A good banana bread recipe is one every home cook should have. If you've got one ripe banana and a few pantry staples you can make this delicious bread in virtually no time at all.
- This is a tried and reader-tested recipe.
Ingredients
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use all-purpose or plain flour.
- Baking soda: This helps the banana bread rise.
- Ground cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract: For the best flavor!
- 1 banana: Make sure you use a very ripe banana.
- Sugar: I use white granulated sugar.
- Butter: Use melted butter for a soft texture and amazing butter flavor.
- An egg yolk: To give the bread structure.
How To Make This Recipe
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Set aside.
- Mash the banana with a fork in a separate small bowl. Add the sugar and whip the banana and sugar together.
- Add the melted butter, the egg yolk, and the vanilla; mix well. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.
- Pour into a lightly buttered ramekin or small baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Expert Tips
- To make sweetest and richest banana bread, use ripe bananas. Ripe bananas with lots of brown spots on the skin are perfect to use. If the banana skins are almost all brown, the bread will be sweeter and have a stronger banana flavor.
- When mashing the banana, leave some of the banana chunks. Personally, I love banana chunks in my bread. If you like a smoother batter, mash the bananas completely.
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
Frequently Asked Questions
If you love banana nut bread, feel free to add about 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts. Chopped pecans or chopped walnuts make great additions.
You can use a small 10-ounce ramekin, an 8-ounce ramekin, an 8.5-ounce ramekin, or a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet in this single serving banana bread recipe. All of these can be found on our Bakeware page.
Consider using the leftover egg white in any of these small batch recipes:
Meringues
Two Vanilla Cupcakes
Two Chocolate Cupcakes
Mini Texas Sheet Cake
RELATED: Comfort Food Recipes For One
Other Bread And Muffin Recipes For One
If you're looking for other small batch banana recipes, you might like to try these:
- Lemon Blueberry Muffin For One
- Apple Muffin For One
- Maple Walnut Muffin For One
- Beer Bread For One
- Cornbread For One
- Chocolate Chip Muffin For One
RELATED: The Best Small Batch Cookie Recipes
Other Banana Recipes
- Bananas Foster For One - made with 1 banana.
- Mini Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake - made with 1 banana
- Grilled Pound Cake With Limoncello Bananas - made with 1 banana
- Tropical Smoothie - made with 1 banana.
- Small Batch Banana Muffins - made with 2 bananas.
- Banana Cream Pie For One - made with 1 banana.
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this one-banana banana bread or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Banana Bread For One
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- 10-ounce ramekin (an 8-ounce and an 8.5 ounce ramekin will also work)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 banana , mashed (about ½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salted butter , melted (plus more for greasing the ramekin)
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and lightly grease a 10-inch ramekin.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Set aside.
- Mash the banana with a fork in a separate small bowl. Add the sugar and with an electric mixer or a wire whisk, whip the banana and sugar together.
- Add the melted butter, the egg yolk, and the vanilla; mix well.
- Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into a 10-ounce ramekin or other baking dish of similar size.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly before eating.
Video
Notes
- To make the sweetest and richest banana bread, use ripe bananas. Ripe bananas with lots of brown spots on the skin are perfect to use. If the banana skins are almost all brown, the bread will be sweeter and have a stronger banana flavor.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Dolly Lattimore says
Just put the one dish banana bread in the oven. Love your one dish recipes.
Lois Berridge says
So quick and easy. It is so moist and delicious!
Donna Pat says
I made exactly as directed except for adding little bits of walnut. I wish I could say I loved it but unfortunately my husband ate it all so I did not get any. You can be sure that I will next time. He very much enjoyed it.
B. Stouffer says
These muffins turned out beautifully and tasted Delicious! I doubled the recipe and baked in Pioneer Woman 12oz. ramekins. The jumbo muffins turned out so fluffy and moist. Will definitely be making these again!
Joanie Zisk says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them. Thank you for your feedback.
Della Larkins says
Love your recipes have been using them doing the banana nut this morning. Thanks,
Roxanne says
Yum, just out of the oven! I used 2 six ounce ramekins, baked for14 mins...... Perfect mid morning snack!
Dale Robinson says
Takes my oven longer to warm up then to put this together! My husband said he’s going to let all his bananas turn brown so I’ll make this more often. Delicious. Using a tiny rectangular dish makes slicing it for a few people as “treats” perfect and keeps me from eating the whole thing at once. Watch cooking times then, it took only 20 minutes in the one I used. I think I’ll try muffin cups next time and serve at a brunch for four.
Angela says
I love banana bread, I was so happy to run across this recipe for one. I included walnuts for some added texture. I was perfect. I will definitely be making this again.
Ellen says
I am not really a banana bread person because I haven't found the right recipe till now. I am in love with this recipe. I just added a few pecans and golden raisins. This is my new favorite. First time I made it, I doubled it. I am making it right now and I made enough for 5 so I don't have to keep doing it. Will have to check out your other dishes for one. Thank you!
Joanie Zisk says
I am so happy to hear that you are enjoying the banana bread. I love the idea of adding nuts and raisins. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Junie says
I am so happy I found your website. Your recipes look and sound delicious, but wonder if you could put substitutions that could be used for those of us who need to watch calories.
Joanie Zisk says
When we test recipes with sugar or flour substitutes and they work well we add that information to the recipe notes.