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My one-bowl blueberry banana bread recipe guarantees moist, fluffy banana bread with blueberries bursting in every bite. Made with simple ingredients and NO eggs!
Love all things banana bread? Try my strawberry banana bread, flourless banana bread, or banana pecan bread next.
You can never go wrong with banana bread, especially when there are fresh blueberries thrown into the mix.
My banana blueberry bread uses the same tried-and-true pantry staples as regular banana bread, just with one extra special ingredient. The result is a moist, tender loaf of bread with baked blueberries in every slice.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Healthier. I used white whole wheat flour to add a fiber boost, and it’s naturally egg-free. You can even skip the dairy with a few simple swaps.
- Perfect texture. Golden brown on the outside, moist in the center, and studded with warm, tender blueberries.
- Works for any time of day. I love starting my mornings with a cup of coffee and a slice of banana bread, but it’s just as good for a midday snack or late-night treat!
- Made in one bowl. So clean-up and prep-time is a breeze.
Ingredients needed
- Mashed bananas. As always, use the brownest, ripest bananas you’ve got, as those will make for the sweetest loaf.
- Butter. I used unsalted butter from a block, NOT a tub. Tubs of butter almost always have water added, which will throw off the texture of the bread.
- Sugar. I like to use white sugar since it bakes more evenly, while brown sugar tends to sink in the middle. That said, you could use a mix of half and half.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good banana bread recipe!
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk but any milk works.
- Apple cider vinegar. You won’t taste it, but when combined with the baking soda, it helps leaven the loaf and give it some rise. White vinegar also works.
- Salt. Brings out the natural sweetness.
- Baking soda. Acts as a rising agent when paired with apple cider vinegar. Don’t use baking powder since it won’t have the same effect.
- All-purpose flour. As mentioned earlier, I used white whole wheat flour just to add some extra nutrients.
- Cinnamon. Adds some warming spices to it.
- Blueberries. I prefer using fresh blueberries, but frozen blueberries work too. If you use frozen, don’t worry about thawing them beforehand.
How to make blueberry banana bread
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the batter. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture, except for the blueberries, and mix until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries.
Step 2- Bake. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and top with extra blueberries. Bake until a toothpick comes out just clean. Let the bread cool in the pan briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use a stand mixer. I usually make banana bread by hand, but when I’m feeling especially lazy, I find a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to be a bit quicker.
- Toss the blueberries in flour. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom.
- Don’t overmix the batter. More mixing means more gluten gets developed, which can make for a dense loaf.
- Cover in foil. If you notice the tops of your banana bread browning too fast, add some aluminum foil for the final 10-15 minutes of baking time.
Variations
- Gluten-free. Use gluten-free flour with xanthan gum added.
- Vegan. Use plant-based butter and dairy-free milk.
- Add lemon zest. If you love the lemon blueberry duo as much as I do, add the zest of one lemon for a flavor boost.
- Add mix-ins. In addition to blueberries, I find white chocolate chips, pecans, or coconut flakes all make wonderful mix-ins.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for at least three days. If you’d like the bread to keep longer, store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Wrap slices of the bread in plastic wrap, keep them in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to six months.
Frequently asked questions
A foolproof method to avoid your blueberries from sinking (and being evenly distributed throughout the entire loaf!) is to toss them in a 1/4 cup of flour.
Yes! Make banana blueberry muffins by distributing the batter amongst a 12-count muffin tin. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
More ways to use ripe bananas
- Chocolate chip banana bread
- Banana bread with Greek yogurt
- Banana bars
- Banana bread cookies
- Banana blondies
Blueberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour gluten-free, if necessary
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups bananas mashed
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk any works- I used oat milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda and mix well. Add the bananas, butter, vanilla extract, milk, and apple cider vinegar and mix until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold through your blueberries.
- Transfer your batter to the loaf pan and top with extra blueberries, if desired. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out just clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan completely, before removing and slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally updated May 2023, updated and republished August 2024
Can I put more bananas so that is had more flavour?
I make banana bread often and I seem to use a different recipe every time but this is the only recipe I’ll ever use again. It was so easy and hands down the most delicious banana bread ever! Luckily I had a lot of over ripe bananas so I already have a second loaf on the oven. The house smells amazing and everyone is happy!
Thanks, Sara!
This bread is delicious. I made is and will make again. I added pecans and walnuts on top. Yummy!!
Substituted butter with a mixture of walnut oil + coconut oil; and used frozen mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries and blueberries). Still turned out great!
Moist and delicious bread! I only had a cup of mashed banana so increased the blueberries to about 3/4 cup. I used white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar, reduced the butter to 1/3 cup and reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup. Baking time was significantly longer. Even with these adjustments the flavor and texture of the bread exceeded my expectations. Shared some with my daughter and her husband, he even mentioned how delicious it was. Will definitely make again.
Delicious recipe. Very moist and full of flavour. The texture was also really enjoyable.
I made the recipe exactly as described except for using about 1/4 t butter extract and 3/4t vanilla. I’d took quite a bit longer to bake through but in the end my husband absolutely loves it. He brought some to work and just texted me to say it’s delicious.
Delicious recipe!
I used coconut sugar and almond milk, this came out fantastic! Thank you!
Absolutely wonderful. I made two batches and varied the recipe to have slightly less sugar (as it was for the kids mainly) and one with mango pear as we didn’t have enough blueberries left.
Scrumptious and soooo good.
I’ve frozen some portions for school morning teas. Thank you so much for providing such easy and wonderfully nourishing recipes!
Is gluten free all purpose flour or 1:1 flour best as a substitute for this recipe?
Either works provided they have xanthan gum added to it- that’s the most vital ingredient 🙂