Brown Sugar Blueberry Banana Bread — 🫐🍌🍞Super moist blueberry banana bread made with Greek yogurt and dark brown sugar. Smear some homemade blueberry butter onto a slice of this blueberry brown sugar banana bread and prepare to fall in love!
Table of Contents
- Moist Blueberry Banana Bread Recipe
- What’s in Blueberry Banana Bread?
- How to Make Banana Bread with Blueberries
- Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Blueberries?
- How to Store Blueberry Banana Bread
- Tips for the Best Blueberry Banana Bread
- Brown Sugar Blueberry Banana Bread with Blueberry Butter Recipe
- More Banana Bread Recipes:
Moist Blueberry Banana Bread Recipe
Banana bread and blueberry muffins are two of my favorite things. So I combined them into one heavenly mashup.
This blueberry banana bread is ridiculously moist, soft, and bursting with blueberries in every bite. It’s like blueberry coffee cake with the comforting, homey qualities of banana bread.
I have 40+ banana bread and banana recipes, nor do I lack for blueberry muffin or blueberry coffee cake recipes. I don’t know why I haven’t paired blueberries and bananas together before now. Better late than never, right?
This blueberry brown sugar banana bread is a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes. I adapted my Banana Yogurt Muffins and Little Banana Bread Loaf recipe. I stuck with Greek yogurt, but changed up the sugars. Rather than using any granulated sugar, I used both light and dark brown sugar.
Light brown sugar typically has about 1 tablespoon of molasses per cup, whereas dark brown sugar has about 3 tablespoons. The extra molasses adds moisture and creates a richer flavored, amber-hued bread.
The blueberry banana bread recipe uses Greek yogurt to provide moisture and richness without adding as much fat as sour cream, although it can be substituted.
There’s no butter in this moist banana bread either, and for the fat source I used coconut oil. I love baking with coconut oil and this quick bread doesn’t taste like coconut. Rather, it adds a nearly imperceptible undertone that’s sweeter and more fragrant than canola or vegetable oil, but those may be substituted if you’re concerned.
I got the coconut oil, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, flour, baking powder, and baking soda from Vitacost. It’s nice to be able to save money on my shelf-stable dry goods and pantry staples, and they show up on my doorstep, which is great. One less grocery trip to make. Vitacost has a huge array of items from organic cinnamon to Organic King Arthur All-Puprose Flour, my favorite brand.
The blueberry and yogurt banana bread is falling-apart soft and tender, and even though the batter is very thick before baking, the bread turns out soft and fluffy with just the right amount of density.
The cinnamon and nutmeg gently perfume the bread, and when served with a smear of blueberry butter, it’s total comfort food worthy of your ripe bananas. Best banana-anything I’ve ever made!
What’s in Blueberry Banana Bread?
To make this brown sugar blueberry banana bread, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Greek yogurt
- Coconut oil
- Light and dark brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Bananas
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Blueberries
And to make the homemade blueberry butter, all you need is:
- Unsalted butter
- Blueberries
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Banana Bread with Blueberries
This is a super easy banana bread recipe! First, combine the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, along with some cinnamon and nutmeg. Then, add the mashed bananas and stir to incorporate before adding in the dry ingredients.
Fold the fresh blueberries in with a spatula, being careful not to over mix the batter. Pour the blueberry banana bread batter into two greased 8×4-inch loaves and bake until the top is domed, golden, and set in the center.
Let the blueberry brown sugar banana bread cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes before turning it onto a wire rack.
How to Make Blueberry Butter
Flavored butters are so simple to make, but they taste incredible! To make the homemade blueberry butter, whip together 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 1/2 cup blueberries (if you’re using frozen berries, make sure they’re drained well).
The blueberry butter lasts up to a week in the fridge, so you can enjoy it on your morning toast, waffles, pancakes, and more!
Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Blueberries?
You can use either in this blueberry banana bread with oil! I used frozen blueberries since they’re readily available and inexpensive. Not being reliant on fresh berries is nice, but if you have them go for it.
Keep the berries frozen when adding them to the batter because they run and bleed less if kept frozen. I haven’t tried with fresh, but baking time would be reduced.
How to Store Blueberry Banana Bread
This blueberry banana bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Tips for the Best Blueberry Banana Bread
The batter is extremely thick. I used 2 cups flour because I knew that the frozen berries would release a fair amount of juice while baking, so I created an extra-thick batter to compensate. If you’re using fresh berries, start with 1 3/4 flour and use your judgment.
During the last 5 minutes this blueberry banana bread was in the oven, I tented the loaf pans with a sheet of foil so the tops wouldn’t get too browned before centers cooked through. Note that baking times will vary based on moisture content of bananas, blueberries, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.
Lastly, homemade blueberry butter will keep up to 1 week in the fridge. If you can’t eat all of it in a week, I recommend freezing the leftovers to enjoy atop future baked goods.
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Brown Sugar Blueberry Banana Bread with Blueberry Butter
Ingredients
Blueberry Banana Bread
- 1 large egg
- 6 ounces plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, sour cream may be substituted)
- ½ cup liquid-state coconut oil, canola or vegetable oil may be substituted
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or to taste
- 1 to 1 ¼ cups mashed ripe bananas, about 2 large or 3 small/medium
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour* (See Notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- about 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, keep them frozen and don’t thaw; fresh may be substituted
Blueberry Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, very well softened
- about 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, make sure they’re well-drained)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two 8×4-inch loaf pans with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pans; set aside.
Make the Banana Bread
- In a large bowl, add first 8 ingredients (through nutmeg), and whisk to combine.
- Add the bananas and stir to incorporate.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix. Batter is extremely thick.
- Fold in blueberries with a spatula.
- Turn batter out into prepared pans, smoothing the tops lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
- Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes (if using fresh berries, baking time will likely be reduced), or until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
- Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. While bread cools, make the Blueberry Butter.
Make the Blueberry Butter
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, blueberries, and whip vigorously with a spoon to combine. Optionally, instead of blueberry butter, try Strawberry Butter, Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, or Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze.
Notes
- * I used frozen berries for this loaf, knowing they will release water during baking. Therefore, I used 2 cups flour rather than 1 3/4 cups. Start with 1 3/4 cups, see how your batter looks, if you’re using fresh berries, that’s probably enough. If you’re using frozen berries AND the batter seems a bit thin, then add the additional 1/4 cup. Baking isn’t always an exact science especially when baking with two fruits and no two are ever exactly equal. Use your best judgement. 1/4 cup either way of flour really isn’t the biggest of deals.
- I baked 42 minutes total, and during the last 5 minutes, tented the pans with a sheet of foil so tops wouldn’t get too browned before centers cooked through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of bananas, blueberries, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.
- Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Blueberry butter will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week
- Adapted from Banana Yogurt Muffins and Little Banana Bread Loaf
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This post was brought to you by Vitacost. Recipe and all opinions expressed are my own.
I currently can’t eat any dairy due to my breastfeeding daughter being sensitive to cow milk proteins. I subbed the greek yogurt with coconut creme and it worked great! I wasn’t sure if it would be too coconut flavored, but I really couldn’t taste it at all. I also used one 9″x5″ loaf pan because I didn’t have the smaller size and I upped the cook time to one hour. This recipe tasted great! I have made a couple other banana bread recipes and they have not been great, but this one was good.
Hi,
Just wanted to leave a note to say that I have used this recipe for years now and it is by far the best banana bread recipe I have ever come across. It has never failed me. Thank you so much xxx
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you’ve used this recipe very successfully for years!
How many slices in each loaf though 😂?
8 – 10. If the stats are super important to you and it sounds like they are, add up the stats of every single ingredient and divide by the slices you choose to slice it into. Very simple.
How much of this is classed as a serving?
1 slice
I made this recipe exactly as you stated. I was concerned that the loaves wouldn’t rise high & I was right. My bread is yummy but only an inch
high. Next time I would just bake all of it in one pan.
Blueberry butter is yummy!
Thanks for great recipe!
Patti
Redwood Valley, CA
This is like your 10th recipe I’ve made and all delicious. Haven’t had time to leave reviews (kids!!) question about the blueberry butter. I’m using frozen, do I need to defrost then drain 😬
Thanks again Averie
Thanks for the nice comment and glad you’ve been having so much success with my recipes! And yes I would say defrost then drain.
thank you , thank you. Your recipes are great and always come out perfect.
Will it be alright if I bake this in a 9×5 loaf pan and how long does it have to be baked?
Thank you.
A fan from Melbourne, Australia
No, it will likely overflow in a single 9×5 pan.
I reduced the oven temp to 325° and baked it in a 9×5 loaf pan with no problem. Turned out beautiful!
Glad to hear that worked out great for you!
Deelicious!!! Averie – your recipes are ALWAYS a huge success. Two things I can count on…Averie’s recipes and KA multi-purpose gluten free flour. Due to food allergies, I followed the recipe only subbing GF flour for the all purpose, and avocado oil for the coconut oil. No gums and it rose beautifully! The combination of brown sugars added a level of depth kissed with sweetness, but not sickly sweet. The loaf was moist and bursting with flavor. Another winner Averie – pinned and hand written on a recipe card.
Fluffy and moist! I can’t eat dairy, so I tried this with some canned coconut milk instead of the yogurt. It turned out great! It didn’t dome in the middle, but it’s still good and fluffy. I usually prefer a denser banana bread with more bananas, but that’s just because lighter breads were usually dry. Not this one! It’s a good recipe when I only have a couple bananas on hand.
So glad it’s a winner for you and that you were able to sub with the canned coconut milk. And I love a good, uber-dense banana bread too usually but this one is a nice change when you only have a couple bananas on hand like you said!
My blueberries all baked in the bottom half of the bread, but other than that it is delicious! I love your recipes and photos!
If you toss them with flour, that can help prevent sinking. Some blueberries just sink more than others. The mini/wild ones tend to sink less but they’re generally about 3x the price :)
Love this – and it’s heart-healthy for my husband when using egg substitute. This is my new go-to banana bread recipe!
Glad you love it and it works well for you and your husband and it’s your new go to!
Oh my goodness this looks absolutely delicious, and so wholesome. My favorite part is the ingredients list, it’s simple. I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love thinking about where food comes from so I work with a company called Cayisa to promote learning gardens, sustainable gardening, and reforestation. They’ve educated 78,000 kids about where their food comes from through their Seed for Seed program! Cayisa also sells some awesome jewerly to support their cause. You should check out the website (www.cayisa.com) and the blog (www.cayisa.wordpress.com)! Thanks!
Thanks for the great recipe. I was looking for something to use my overripe bananas and my “a little tired” blueberries. This was perfect, although I only had light brown sugar and canola oil.
Sounds like your bread turned out great and perfect use for your bananas and tired berries. Thanks for trying the recipe!
It’s even better today! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thanks.
Keep me posted what else you try and yes, I think so too about better the 2nd day. I think most good banana bread recipes get better in a day or so after the flavors marry!
Hm. Something’s not right about this. Mine didn’t rise. It tastes good, but it came out looking like cake rather than bread. No dome while it baked, and almost no rise. I’m wondering whether Greek yogurt contains enough acid to activate the baking soda. Followed the recipe to the letter, although I substituted canola oil for the coconut oil. (I don’t like the coconut flavor imparted by coconut oil.) Anyway…it didn’t work for me. Sorry to be a killjoy.
Sorry it didn’t work for you. I had no issue and I remade it and tested it before I posted it, just to make sure it works, and it does. Maybe something about your blueberries, your flour, your oven, the kind of Greek yog you used, how old or new your baking soda was; with baking there are so many variables. I make SO MANY cakes/quickbreads with Greek yogurt and don’t ever have any issues. Many on this page are made with Greek yogurt or you can use it in most places, even if not expressly stated https://www.averiecooks.com/category/dessert/cake I honestly think it could be your baking soda OR your flour. I swear by King Arthur. It has a higher than typical gluten content which tends to give baked goods more structure and prevent things from falling and/or not rising. I would look into either of those ideas – if you retry it, LMK!
Don’t you just love that “Why didn’t I think of this sooner?” moment? ;) This bread looks crazy good!! I love blueberries and bananas together! Pinned!