This Banana Bread with Streusel Topping is a classic, moist and sweet banana bread with the twist of a thick and luscious streusel crumb topping.
Take your banana bread recipe up a notch with this version that I've made hundreds of times. Make it ahead for kids' after-school snack, or with a cup of coffee or tea.
This banana bread comes together quickly and does not require any special techniques or ingredients. This recipe embraces a coffee-cake approach, including sour cream in the batter for extra moisture and cinnamon in the streusel topping.
Because I have made hundreds of loaves of banana bread, I've learned all the tips and tricks to making a great banana bread, which I've compiled in this detailed Guide to Making Banana Bread, including when to use sour cream and how to balance flavor with sweetness.
For other banana bread recipes with a twist, try Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread or Banana Raisin Bread.
Variations
- Sour Cream: Plain full-fat Greek yogurt can be substituted for the sour cream. If you do not have sour cream or full-fat yogurt, leave out the sour cream/yogurt and reduce the flour by ¼ cup to 1 ½ cups of flour total in the banana bread batter.
- Brown vs Granulated Sugar: You can use granulated sugar and brown sugar interchangeably in banana bread. The brown sugar does not noticeably alter the flavor or sweetness of the bread. It just adds a slightly darker color. See my Guide on Banana Bread for more details.
- Oats for Streusel Topping: If you have rolled oats, you can add ¼ to ½ cup of rolled oats to the topping mixture.
- Muffins: Turn it into muffins with this Jumbo Banana Bread Muffin Recipe as your guide. Divide into 12 muffin cups and add the streusel topping to the muffins.
- Swap Streusel for Frosting: Rather than adding a streusel topping, use this Banana Bread Frosting or try this Glaze for Banana Bread.
Using Sour Cream in Banana Bread
Using sour cream in banana bread results in a banana bread that is extra moist and fluffy. However, it softens the banana flavor. This is because you’re adding an additional wet ingredient (sour cream) as well as additional flour to compensate, diluting the amount of bananas compared to the rest of the ingredients in the batter.
See my Detailed Guide on Baking Banana Bread, which compares the results of baking a loaf of banana bread made with sour cream vs. a loaf made without sour cream.
I chose to add sour cream in this recipe to create a coffee-cake style banana bread that pairs perfectly with a crunchy, decadent cinnamon streusel topping.
Ripe vs. Overripe Bananas
As bananas change from unripe to ripe, the sugar content increases significantly. However, the sugar content actually decreases (slightly) when bananas go from ripe to overripe. Overripe bananas do not have more sugar than ripe bananas!
The big difference is that the banana flavor increases when bananas go from ripe to overripe. See more about choosing bananas and how the sugar content changes for banana bread in my Comprehensive Guide to Baking Banana Bread.
Expert Tip: Overripe bananas are not sweeter than ripe bananas. They just have a stronger banana flavor.
With this in mind, I prefer bananas that are between ripe and overripe. These are bananas that are no longer green. They are bright yellow, but have a good amount of brown spots. Ones that you might still consider eating, or at the tail end of that “still okay to eat” window. They should be more yellow than brown. I prefer these bananas because they have a good banana flavor, but the flavor is not overpowering.
Bananas that are overripe are more brown than yellow and will lend a very strong banana taste to banana bread. This might be your preference, or what you have to work with, not wanting bananas to go to waste. This is okay too. The banana bread will still turn out great. It will just have a very strong banana flavor.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make the Streusel Topping.
- Butter: Ensure the butter is softened to room temperature. I use salted butter.
- Flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour.
- Dark Brown Sugar: The key ingredient for the streusel. It adds flavor and moisture. If needed, dark brown sugar can be substituted for light brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness.
- Salt: To balance and bring out flavor.
- Cinnamon: For a coffee cake-like flavor.
Below are the ingredients needed to make the Banana Bread.
- Butter: I use only ¼ cup, which is less than typical. There is plenty of moisture and flavor in the bananas. Adding more butter tends to give the banana bread a greasy feel and taste. I use salted butter. If you prefer to avoid butter, use this Olive Oil Banana Bread.
- Granulated Sugar: I use only ½ cup, also less than typical. I find that the bananas are sweet enough. This bread is not too sweet for an afternoon snack. If you prefer a sweeter banana bread, increase the sugar to ¾ cup or 1 cup (this will be very sweet).
- Mashed Bananas: Two cups mashed, which is 4-5 medium bananas.
- Eggs: Use large eggs.
- Vanilla: Use real vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla.
- Sour Cream: Adds moisture, creating coffee cake texture.
- Baking Soda: Helps the bread rise.
- Salt: To bring out and balance the other flavors.
- Flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour, or for einkorn flour, use this Einkorn Banana Bread Recipe. For the best results, weigh the flour in grams. I use a conversion of 140g to 1 cup of flour. If you do not have a kitchen scale, use the America's Test Kitchen method of dip and sweep.
How to Make Banana Bread with Streusel Topping
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Banana Bread with Streusel Topping.
*Note that the recipe card with instructions and ingredient list is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Butter and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
Step 1. Streusel Topping: In a medium bowl, add the butter, flour, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Use your hands to combine the ingredients, scrunching them up together to form crumbs of different sizes.
Place the bowl with the streusel topping in the refrigerator while you make the batter for the banana bread. This will help cool the butter.
Step 2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. This can be done with a hand mixer, stand mixer, or by hand if needed.
Step 3. Add Mashed Bananas: Add the mashed bananas and combine.
Step 4. Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla extract and combine.
Step 5. Sour Cream: Add the sour cream, baking soda, and salt, and combine.
Step 6. Flour: Add the flour and mix with a spoon or spatula until just combined. Incorporating the flour with a spoon helps to prevent overmixing.
Step 7. Transfer to Loaf Pan: Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Step 8. Bake: Evenly distribute the crumb topping on top of the banana bread batter.
- Ceramic 9x5 loaf pan: Bake at 350℉ for 1 hour and 5 minutes up to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Metal 9x5 loaf pan: Bake at 350℉ for 50 minutes up to 1 hour and 5 minutes.
Check and tent with aluminum foil to prevent the streusel topping from burning, if needed.
The banana bread should have a deep golden color and have a raised domed top. You can check to ensure that a toothpick comes out clean. However, keep in mind that the streusel topping can "clean" the toothpick of any wet batter as you remove it from the loaf. So it is not necessarily the best indicator of doneness.
Tips for Making the Best Banana Bread
Loaf Pan Material: A ceramic loaf pan will take 5-15 minutes longer to bake than an aluminum loaf pan. Adjust the timing accordingly. Baking times also vary by oven type. If you want to be precise, you can use an oven thermometer to monitor the temperature inside the oven.
Measuring Bananas: It is important to measure the amount of mashed bananas. Too much and the bread will turn out gummy, too little and the bread will turn out dry. Add the bananas to a large 4-cup measuring pitcher in 1 to 2-inch chunks. Beat them with a hand mixer to mash them. Check to make sure that the total amount of mashed bananas is at the 2-cup line.
Incorporate Flour By Hand: Use a large spoon or spatula to incorporate the flour by hand. This helps to prevent overmixing, which causes a dense, tough loaf.
Don't Overbake: The best way to keep banana bread moist is to not overbake it. If a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs, that is okay, as long as you do not see wet batter. If there is wet batter only at the very top of the banana bread, it will likely finish baking in just a few minutes. So check back soon.
Keep in mind that if you end up checking the banana bread multiple times, the temperature inside the oven will fall and prolong the overall baking time.
To Store, Freeze, Reheat
- To Store: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days (though it's often good beyond that point).
- To Freeze: Place the loaf whole, or cut into thick slices in a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw the banana bread in the fridge or at room temperature overnight. If you're short on time, microwave on a plate in 30-second to 1-minute intervals at 50% power.
Banana Bread with Streusel Topping FAQs
Banana bread will sink in the middle if it has not been baked long enough. To prevent the banana bread from sinking in, check to make sure that it is fully baked with a toothpick. Ensure that there is no wet batter before removing it entirely from the oven.
One other reason the banana bread might fall in the middle is that the wet-to-dry ingredient ratio is off. Check to make sure that you are measuring each ingredient correctly. In particular, measure the amount of mashed bananas that you are using in a large measuring pitcher.
Banana bread will be dry if it is baked in the oven for too long. Be sure to check your banana bread a few minutes before the allotted baking time is up, as ovens vary quite a bit in their internal temperature.
For More Banana Bread Recipes You May Love:
If you tried this Banana Bread with Streusel Topping or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
Banana Bread with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 6 tablespoon butter, softened
- ½ cup flour
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Banana Bread
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups mashed bananas (about 4-5 medium bananas)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Butter and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
Streusel Topping
- In a medium bowl, add the butter, flour, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Use your hands to combine the ingredients, scrunching them up together to form crumbs of various sizes. Place the bowl with the streusel topping in the refrigerator while you make the batter for the banana bread.
Banana Bread
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
- Add the mashed bananas and mix to combine. You can mash the bananas with a handheld mixer or fork in a large 4-cup measuring cup to ensure that you have precisely 2 cups.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and combine.
- Add the sour cream, baking soda, and salt and combine.
- Add the flour and mix with a large spoon or spatula until just combined. Incorporating the flour with a spoon helps to prevent overmixing, which helps prevent a dense loaf.
Assemble and Bake
- Pour the batter in the prepared baking dish. Top with the streusel crumb topping.
- For a ceramic 9x5 loaf pan bake at 350℉ for 1 hour 5 minutes up to 1 hour and 10 minutes.For a metal 9x5 loaf pan bake at 350℉ for 50 minutes up to 1 hour and 5 minutes.If the streusel topping starts to burn, tent the pan with aluminum foil midway through baking.
Notes
- 8x8 ceramic dish: 35-40 minutes
- 8-inch cake pan: 40-45 minutes
- 9-inch cake pan: 30-35 minutes
kim schwan says
Hands Down the best banana bread recipe there is.
Lauren says
Thanks, Kim!!