My foolproof 3-ingredient banana bread is super moist and fluffy, and it’s made in one bowl! No butter, cake mix, eggs, or oil is needed.

 Pantry-staple baked goods are always a win in my house- especially when I’m short on eggs or butter (my two baking non-negotiables). This 3-ingredient banana bread has become mine and my partner’s go-to whenever there’s a bunch of overripe bananas on the counter (and let’s be honest, there always is) and a spare can of condensed milk in the pantry.

I first made it on a whim years ago, loosely adapting a whole-milk version from my mom’s cooking magazine. It wasn’t super flavorful, so I tested it with condensed milk, and after a few trials, finally nailed it: a loaf that’s soft, fluffy, and incredibly moist, with that classic banana flavor. It not only sweetens the bread but keeps the crumb moist for days. The best part? There’s no boxed cake mix in sight, which is what many few-ingredient banana bread recipes call for. 

Table of Contents

1. Key Ingredients
2. How to make 3 ingredient banana bread
3. Arman’s recipe tips
4. Storage instructions
5. 3 Ingredient Banana Bread (Recipe Card)
6. More banana bread recipes

Banana bread recipe highlights

• One bowl. This makes clean-up an absolute breeze.
• No gummy banana bread. I know many banana breads without butter or oil can turn out gummy or dry, but not this one. Condensed milk is magic!
• Quick and easy. Less than 5 minutes prep work and about 30 minutes in the oven.

Key Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this three-ingredient bread, along with my kitchen notes. Measurements are in the recipe card below.

• Bananas. Overripe bananas are a must for any good banana bread; I purposely save all my brown bananas for this.
• Coconut condensed milk OR condensed milk. I opted to use coconut condensed milk instead of traditional condensed milk to keep it dairy-free. If you don’t have any dairy restrictions or don’t follow a vegan diet, you can use standard condensed milk. 
• Self-rising flour. A combination of flour, baking powder, and salt. Skip the store-bought kind and make my homemade self-rising flour. Be sure to always sift your flour carefully before adding it to any recipe. 

How to make 3 ingredient banana bread

Step 3- Cool the bread in the pan completely before slicing.

Arman’s recipe tips

• Do not overbake the bread, as it will continue to bake as it cools down in the pan. Once a toothpick comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are fine), the bread is done.
• Cover the pan with tinfoil. I sometimes do this if I notice the top of the banana bread browning too quickly (fun fact: it has to do with how ripe the bananas are. The riper they are, the more likely this is to happen). I tent the bread with tinfoil and bake it as usual.
• Ovens differ in terms of how quickly this bread cooks. For me, it took around 35 minutes, but some readers have found that it can take up to 50 minutes. Again, do the toothpick test.

Storage instructions

To store: Banana bread will keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you’d like the bread to keep longer, store it in the refrigerator, and it will keep well for up to 1 week.

To freeze: Place bread slices in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

More banana bread recipes

• Strawberry banana bread
• Blueberry banana bread
• Almond flour banana bread
• Low calorie banana bread