Snickerdoodle Banana Bread

The Banana Bread That Tastes Like a Snickerdoodle Cookie

If you have ever pulled a batch of snickerdoodles out of the oven and thought, I wish this were a loaf I could eat all week, this recipe is your answer. Snickerdoodle Banana Bread brings together everything you love about the best banana bread recipe, moist crumb, deep banana flavor, golden crust, and layers it with the warm cinnamon sugar personality of a classic snickerdoodle cookie. The result is a sweet bread that is impossible to stop slicing.

This is one of those easy banana bread recipes that looks and tastes like you spent all day on it, but comes together in about 15 minutes of prep. It is the kind of thing you make on a Sunday morning and somehow find yourself eating for breakfast, dessert, and a midnight snack by Sunday night.

What Makes This Banana Bread Different

Most banana bread recipes lean sweet and simple. This one has a secret weapon: cream of tartar. It is the single ingredient that separates a snickerdoodle from every other cinnamon sugar baked good. It adds a barely-there tang and a tender, almost chewy quality to the crumb that you will notice immediately and probably not be able to explain but will absolutely love.

Combined with a generous hit of cinnamon in both the batter and a crunchy cinnamon sugar crust baked right onto the top, this loaf delivers layers of flavor that a standard moist banana bread just cannot match.

Here is what makes this the best banana bread for snickerdoodle lovers:

• Double cinnamon in the batter and the topping
• Cream of tartar for that signature snickerdoodle flavor
• Sour cream for an incredibly moist, tender crumb
• Brown and white sugar for depth and a slightly caramelized sweetness
• A crackly cinnamon sugar crust that forms on top as it bakes

The Right Tools Make the Difference

For a moist banana bread with a perfectly domed top and even bake, a quality 9x5 loaf pan is worth every penny. A light-colored metal pan bakes more evenly than dark nonstick and helps you avoid an overdone bottom crust.

Tips for the Moistest Banana Bread

This is a forgiving recipe, but a few small habits make a big difference.

Use very ripe bananas. This is non-negotiable. The bananas should be deeply spotted, mostly brown, or almost completely black. The riper they are, the sweeter and more intensely flavored your bread will be. If your bananas are not quite there, you can ripen them quickly by placing unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet in a 300 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the skins turn black.

Do not overmix. Once the wet and dry ingredients come together, fold gently with a rubber spatula and stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks of flour. Overmixing develops gluten, which turns your soft, pillowy loaf into something dense and rubbery.

Do not skip the sour cream. It is the ingredient that takes a good banana bread to a great one. Greek yogurt works equally well if that is what you have on hand.

Chef's Tip: If your cinnamon sugar topping starts to brown too quickly before the center is done, loosely lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan after about 35 minutes. This shields the crust while the inside finishes baking through.

Serving Ideas and Variations

This bread is wonderful completely plain, but here are a few ways to take it further:

• Warm with salted butter. A thick slice toasted in a skillet with a little butter on each side is something special.
• Add mix-ins. A handful of chopped walnuts or pecans turns this into a riff on classic banana nut bread. Fold them in just before pouring the batter into the pan.
• Cream cheese spread. A schmear of whipped cream cheese with a little honey and cinnamon makes this feel like a bakery dessert.
• Mini loaves. Divide the batter into two mini loaf pans and reduce the bake time to about 30 to 35 minutes. They make wonderful gifts.

As far as banana dessert recipes go, this one punches well above its effort level. It feels special enough for company but simple enough for a Tuesday.

Ready to Bake?

Everything you need is right below. Here is the full step-by-step recipe:

Snickerdoodle Banana Bread

This Snickerdoodle Banana Bread is the ultimate mashup of two beloved classics, ultra moist, warmly spiced with cinnamon sugar, and impossibly easy to make from scratch.

Prep:15 mins

Cook:55 mins

Total:70 mins

Yield:10 servings

Cuisine:American

Yield: 10 servingsCalories: 268Protein: 4g

Carbs: 42gFat: 10gSat. Fat: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gSodium: 210mg

Ingredients

Units

USM

Scale

1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, the secret snickerdoodle ingredient
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed, about 1 cup
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/8 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, pure
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar, for cinnamon sugar topping
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, for cinnamon sugar topping

Instruction

1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray and lightly flour it, or line it with parchment paper.

2

In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 0.5 teaspoon of cinnamon for the topping. Set aside.

3

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt until combined.

4

In a separate medium bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly until smooth with very few lumps. Whisk in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until well blended.

5

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. A few small streaks of flour are fine.

6

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping evenly over the entire surface.

7

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent it with aluminum foil after 35 minutes.

8

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Equipment

• 9x5-inch loaf pan
• Large mixing bowl
• Medium mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Fork or potato masher
• Wire cooling rack
• Parchment paper

Notes

Store cooled banana bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 6 days. To freeze, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and place them in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 20 seconds. For the most moist banana bread, use bananas that are deeply spotted or almost completely black. Do not overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, as this develops gluten and leads to a tough, dense loaf.

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Storing and Freezing

Once cooled completely, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store slices in an airtight container. It keeps at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

To freeze, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and tuck them into a zip-top freezer bag. They will keep beautifully for up to 3 months. Pull out a slice the night before or warm it from frozen in the microwave for about 20 to 25 seconds.

This is one of those sweet bread recipes that actually gets better overnight as the cinnamon sugar crust softens slightly and the flavors settle into each other. If you can wait until the next morning to cut into it, you will be glad you did.