Snickerdoodle Banana Bread (Printable Version)

Moist banana bread with a cinnamon-sugar swirl, inspired by snickerdoodle cookies. Ideal for breakfast or a sweet treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)
07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon-Sugar Swirl and Topping

12 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
04 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent a dense crumb.
05 - In a small bowl, stir together the 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon until well blended.
06 - Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the surface.
07 - Spread the remaining batter over the swirl layer and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture, then draw a butter knife through the layers for a marbled effect.
08 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
09 - Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cinnamon-sugar swirl creates a crunchy, crackly top that tastes exactly like the edge of a snickerdoodle cookie
  • It solves the eternal problem of boring banana bread by adding a layer of texture and warmth in literally seconds
02 -
  • The cinnamon-sugar layer can sink if your batter is too thin so make sure your bananas are mashed well but not liquefied
  • Every oven runs differently and this loaf can go from perfect to dry in about five minutes so start checking at the 50 minute mark
03 -
  • Let your bananas go fully black on the counter instead of rushing them in the oven because the natural sweetness you get from waiting cannot be replicated any other way
  • The butter knife swirl should be gentle and quick because too many passes will blend the cinnamon-sugar into the batter instead of leaving distinct ribbons

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