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Make a perfectly moist and flavorful single serve banana bread just for you using one ripe banana. It’s a quick and easy recipe baked right in a small ramekin, giving you that classic banana bread taste without any leftovers—ideal for those moments when you want a little something sweet and comforting!
Looking for delicious single serving and small batch recipes using just one banana? Try our fluffy Banana Pancakes, creamy Banana Cream Pie, caramelized Bananas Foster, or a petite, moist Hummingbird Cake. Each recipe is perfectly portioned and showcases the sweet, versatile flavor of bananas.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This recipe is simple and quick, with minimal prep and baking time.
- No Leftovers: Enjoy a full-flavored banana bread made just for you—no extra slices to store.
- Customizable: Add your favorite toppings or mix-ins for a new twist each time.
- Perfectly Moist: A single ripe banana keeps the bread soft and moist.
- Pantry Staples: Made with ingredients you probably already have on hand.
Our single-banana banana bread recipe is the perfect way to use up one ripe banana, creating a moist, flavorful treat just for you. Made with one banana, this recipe is perfectly portioned, giving you all the deliciousness of banana bread without the extra leftovers.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this mini banana bread recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base. If you need a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute.
- Baking Soda: Helps the bread rise. For the best results, make sure your baking soda is fresh.
- Butter: Adds richness. You can substitute with coconut oil for a dairy-free alternative.
- Egg Yolk: Binds everything together. Hang onto that egg white and use it in one of our egg white recipes like mini Texas Sheet Cake and Coconut Macaroons.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and enhances the banana flavor.
- Sugar: Sweetens the bread to perfection.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and a hint of spice.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Banana: The key ingredient! Use an overripe banana for the sweetest, easiest-to-mash texture. If you have extra bananas, try them in our Chocolate Banana Bread or a Frozen Chocolate Banana recipes!
Recipe Variations
Get creative with this banana bread recipe to match your cravings—there are plenty of ways to make it your own!
- Add Nuts: Fold in chopped walnuts or pecans for extra crunch.
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: Mix in chocolate chips or a bit of cocoa powder for a chocolaty twist.
- Tropical Touch: Try shredded coconut and pineapple chunks.
- Extra Spice: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom.
- Berry Add-In: Toss in blueberries or raspberries for a fruity kick.
How To Make Banana Bread For One
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make banana bread with one banana. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly grease a 10-ounce ramekin. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Mash the banana with a fork and add to a medium-sized bowl. Add the sugar and whip the banana and sugar together with an electric mixer or a wire whisk.
- Add the melted butter, the egg yolk, and the vanilla; mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour into the ramekin and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly before eating.
Expert Tips
- Use Ripe Bananas: The riper the banana, the sweeter the bread. Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best flavor.
- Freeze Overripe Bananas: Keep a stash of ripe bananas in the freezer. If you have some on the counter that are turning brown, freeze them unpeeled. The skins will darken, but the banana inside stays perfect for baking.
- Keep the Batter Lumpy: When mashing, leave a few banana chunks for texture. Avoid overmixing the batter to keep your bread soft and tender.
Serving Suggestions
Enhance your banana bread with these easy, delicious toppings—perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.
- Nut Butter: Spread almond or peanut butter on top for extra protein.
- Yogurt and Honey: Add a dollop of Greek yogurt and drizzle with honey.
- Fresh Berries: Pair with berries for a burst of freshness.
- Ice Cream: For a dessert twist, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Whipped Cream: A little whipped cream adds a nice touch.
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 pecans or walnuts to the batter.
You can use a small 10-ounce ramekin or a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet in this mini banana bread recipe.
Consider using the leftover egg white in any of these recipes:
Small Batch of Meringues
Two Vanilla Cupcakes
Two Chocolate Cupcakes
Mini Texas Sheet Cake
Place the banana bread in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To freeze banana bread, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To thaw, remove banana bread from the freezer and leave to defrost on the kitchen counter. Enjoy as is, or gently heat in the microwave.
Yes, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the banana bread overnight in the refrigerator before eating.
Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time and bake it later. Simply chill the batter in the ramekin for up to 24 hours before baking.
RELATED: Comfort Food Recipes For One
Easy Overripe Banana Recipes
Looking for recipes to use up a couple of overripe bananas? Check out these simple and delicious banana-based dishes:
- Small Batch Banana Muffins (2 bananas)
- Grilled Pound Cake with Bananas (1 banana)
- Banana Oat Pecan Muffins (2-3 bananas)
- Banana Cream Pie For One (1 banana)
- Bananas Foster For One (1 banana)
- Frozen Chocolate Banana (1 banana)
- Banana Pancakes (1 banana)
- Mini Hummingbird Cake (1 banana)
- Tropical Smoothie (1 banana)
- Green Smoothie (1 banana)
- Caramelized Banana Pudding (1 banana)
RELATED: The Best Small Batch Cookie Recipes
Nutritional Information Note
The calorie count provided in the recipe is an approximation derived from an online nutrition calculator.
Remember, this recipe produces a generous portion of banana bread baked in a 10-ounce ramekin. You can savor it in a single serving or spread the enjoyment over several days.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
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 (One Banana)
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium banana , mashed
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salted butter , melted (plus more for greasing the ramekin)
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly grease a 10-ounce ramekin. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- Mash the banana with a fork and add to a medium-sized 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.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour into the ramekin and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool slightly before eating.
Notes
- Use ripe bananas. Ripe bananas make the sweetest banana bread. When bananas have plenty of brown spots on the skin, they’re perfect to use. The browner the skins, the sweeter the banana bread.
- Buy bananas and freeze them. It’s a great idea to keep overripe bananas handy in your freezer ready for baking. If you’ve got a few forgotten bananas on your counter, freeze them, unpeeled. Freezing bananas will turn the skin black, but once peeled the flesh will be perfect for making banana bread or banana muffins.
- Leave the batter lumpy. When mashing the banana, leave some of the banana chunks. Overmixing the batter can also result in a tough bread.
Nutrition
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.
So delicious! I ran out of white sugar so I used 3T white sugar and 1 T brown sugar. Also – I doubled the recipe and used one large egg. The two single serving breads turned out perfect.
Love this recipe! Soooo delicious and so easy to make. I like to add mini chocolate chips because that’s just the kind of person I am. Thanks so much for creating the perfect recipe for my banana bread cravings 🙂
Thanks for letting me know you love the recipe, Natalie. I love that you added chocolate chips, I’m that kind of person too 😉
I made the Banana Bread for One recipe this evening and found it to be very tasty. Thanks for posting this recipe. I’m not a big banana eater so I usually only get one or two at a time and they usually go bad before I ever eat them but now I can make bwana bread with them. I didn’t have a ramekin so I used the tiny tin loaf pans they have at the store. I used half all purpose flour and half whole wheat flour but kept everything else the same. Turned out very well.
I freakin love your website! Mini desserts are my favorite! I tried your banana bread twice and loved it. One night I was craving pumpkin bread so instead of banana I added a heaping 1/4 Cup of pumpkin puree, 1/16 t cloves, 1/16 ginger, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 nutmeg. I also added an extra tablespoon of brown sugar to make up for the sweetness of the banana. It…was…fantastic!
Hi Katie,
You totally made my day!! I’m so happy you are enjoying our recipes, thank you SO MUCH for letting us know! I love your idea of subbing pumpkin for the banana, I bet that was delicious. Have a great day!
Joanie this looks great! I’m a new English teacher in Korea and I’m working on figuring out what I can do with the equipment I have here. Most apartments don’t have ovens in Korea! I will probably buy a toaster oven (they do have them in the stores) but in the meantime I did a search for skillet bread recipes. I love the skillet you recommend and I can buy it on Amazon! But can you make this bread on the stovetop, or do you put the skillet in the oven? For a toaster oven I think I’d use a little toaster oven loaf pan because I’m not sure that skillet would fit in the little toaster ovens they have here. Do you think you could make bread without any oven at all?
Hi Allison,
I’ve never made banana bread on the stovetop so I’m not sure how it would turn out. You can most definitely make this banana bread in a toaster oven though. Just adjust the cooking time a bit – I would start out by checking the bread after it’s been in the oven for 20 minutes to see if it’s done. If it needs more baking time, keep the banana bread in the toaster oven to bake and check again after 5 minutes. For your toaster oven, I would recommend using toaster oven-safe bakeware. Nordic Ware has a line of bakeware that is ideal for toaster ovens. Smaller-sized toaster oven safe ramekins that hold about 8-ounces work well for this recipe too. This is the set I have and use – https://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic-Professional-4-Piece-Non-Stick/dp/B0001WPNA4/ref=sr_1_1?
You can find others on Amazon. Best of luck with your job in Korea!
Mmm!! So yummy!! Next time I'm gonna try brown sugar in it! Thanks for this great recipe!
You are welcome, Bri. I'm glad you liked the recipe. Please let me know how you like the brown sugar version.
Can this be made in a regular oven?
Yes it can be made in a regular oven. Bake it at 350 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes. It is done when the top is golden and a toothpick or tip of a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
DO THESE FREEZE WELL? I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEM IN BATCHES TO USE THEM OVER TIME WHEN I WANT A SWEET.
To freeze banana bread, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Ok so, I am a 57 year old divorced male lurker here. I like to cook but no one to share my creations. Single serving meals and desserts seem perfect for some one like me. Thanks for great idea!
Hi John, I’m so glad you like the recipe. I have a special section on ZagLeft with many other single-serving recipes (https://onedishkitchen.com/cooking-for-one-recipes/). Cooking for one person can be a challenge sometimes, I hope you can find a few other recipes here that you like. Thanks for taking the time to comment, have a great week!
Joanie,
Love the idea of these recipes for one. A dessert for one can still be shared by 2. Sometimes I want a dessert , but not wanting it to be there for days. …. good idea.
Thank you Cynthia! I agree, there are times I want a little something sweet too and don’t want to make a big batch. Glad you like the recipes.
If you are going to freeze these Bread’s, wrap tightly in saran wrap first then wrap in aluminum foil, they freeze well and up to 3 months ..