This is our favorite banana bread! Sour cream banana bread is made with brown sugar, two bananas, butter and sour cream. I love to top it with chocolate chips for an extra treat!
We absolutely love this banana bread.
This recipe has become a family staple — we’ve been making it regularly for nearly two years. I meant to share it earlier and photographed it last year, but it’s finally getting the spotlight now.
When it’s not the holiday season, I like to bake a batch on Sundays for the week ahead. The kids enjoy it as a snack, Max often puts a slice in his lunch, and baking together has become one of our little rituals.
I also always wanted to be the kind of mom who keeps a simple, delicious snack on the counter — this banana bread helps with that.
So here it is: our favorite classic banana bread.
While I have several banana bread variations I adore, this one is the most traditional — straightforward and reliable, much like the version my mom still makes. A scattering of chocolate chips on top elevates it into something a little more special.
Why this banana bread is our favorite
- It only requires about two medium bananas (roughly one cup mashed). That makes it convenient when you don’t have a pile of overripe bananas on hand.
- Sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) keeps the bread incredibly tender and moist. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times with either option and both work beautifully.
- Sprinkling mini chocolate chips in a single layer on top creates a light chocolate crust that’s delightful. When the chips are only on top they’re less likely to sink into the middle and instead form a slightly crisp, chocolatey finish.
- This is a simple, unspiced banana bread without nuts — a classic, clean-flavored loaf that’s perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
Let’s be honest: banana bread is cake disguised as breakfast, and that’s perfectly fine.
Feel free to customize: add nuts, omit the chocolate, or stir chips into the batter. It’s forgiving and easy to adapt.
It’s the perfect treat to bake this weekend.
Sour Cream Banana Bread
Our Favorite Banana Bread
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 to 2½ medium bananas
- ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
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In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each. Stir in the vanilla and the mashed bananas.
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Fold in the dry ingredients just until combined, then stir in the sour cream until incorporated.
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Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Arrange the mini chocolate chips in a single layer on top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool completely in the pan before inverting and slicing.
Notes
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That chocolate crust gets me every time.