Copycat Starbucks Banana Bread Recipe – Best Ever

Craving that perfectly moist, sweet, and nutty banana bread you grab with your morning coffee at Starbucks? Look no further! This ‘Best Ever’ Copycat Starbucks Banana Bread Recipe delivers all the flavor, texture, and pure delight of the original, right in your own kitchen. Get ready to bake a loaf so good, you’ll swear it came straight from your favorite coffee shop!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 medium bananas)
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, for that authentic Starbucks crunch)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for sprinkling on top, optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Add the mashed bananas and sour cream (or yogurt) to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough banana bread.
7. If using, gently fold in the chopped walnuts.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. If desired, sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar evenly over the top of the batter before baking. This gives it a lovely crunchy crust similar to Starbucks.
9. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
10. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before carefully removing it and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slicing warm banana bread can cause it to crumble.
11. Once cooled, slice and enjoy your homemade Starbucks copycat banana bread!