Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping
This moist and light cream cheese banana bread recipe with a sweet cinnamon topping is the best banana bread on the planet. Period.
It has been years since I’ve mustered up the desire to make a banana bread recipe that isn’t this one because why mess with a good thing, right?
But when my virtual friend Heather told me this cream cheese banana bread really needed to be in my life, like now, I couldn’t resist.
I am fairly powerless when it comes to trying new recipes from people I trust. In this case, I made it the same day (where art though self-control?).
And it certainly did not disappoint. In fact, it totally banished every bit of skepticism waiting in my soul.
Comparing this recipe to my favorite banana bread in the whole world is like comparing chocolate to cheese.
There’s no point because both of them belong in this world for very different reasons (chocolate for my personal therapy, cheese because, well, it’s cheese).
However, just so you know what you are getting yourself into, I will tell you that this cream cheese banana bread is ethereally soft with a creamy texture while the buttermilk banana bread is slightly more dense with a bit more buttery sweetness.
And just to clarify, there are not swirls of cream cheese running through this banana bread – no, no, the cream cheese is used in the batter, which is why the crumb of the bread is lusciously smooth and tender.
The sweet cinnamon topping doesn’t hurt matters either.
Knowing that I’ve waited almost five years to post another banana bread recipe worthy of your attention should speak volumes. I take banana bread very, very seriously.
Yes, I can definitely say that I will be making this banana bread version right alongside the tried-and-true favorite.
It’s pretty amazing, my friends. I encourage you to throw away your self-control, also, and just make it today. You’ll never know what you are missing until you do and I don’t want you living your life with regrets.
FAQs for Cream Cheese Banana Bread
Yes, it freezes pretty well! Make sure you freeze it right away instead of waiting a few days, as it will get stale.
I would suggest using the same temperature, but check them at about 15-16 minutes.
No, I just store them covered at room temperature.
One Year Ago: Cowboy Spaghetti
Two Years Ago: Orange Cashew Rice {With Baked Tilapia}
Three Years Ago: Baked Kettle Corn {The Loaded Version}
Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping
Ingredients
Bread:
- ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (318 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (about 226 g) mashed ripe bananas, about 3 large bananas
- 3 cups (426 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping:
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar until very light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and bananas.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
- In a small bowl, mash together the topping ingredients until combined and crumbly.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared loaf pans. Sprinkle with the topping.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the bread is nicely domed and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let rest in the pans for 5-10 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack to cool completely.
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Recipe Source: adapted from my friend Heather (I cut down the sugar and increased the bananas among a few other minor changes)
177 Comments on “Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping”
My boyfriend (now my husband since Aug 2022) made this recipe during covid to share with neighbors. Huge hit. I finally made this for my mom and dad. My dad couldn’t stop raving about it. He said it should be in a contest and that it would win first prize! My mom of course wanted the recipe so I hooked her up with your website Mel! She also needed a zucchini bread recipe. Of course I pointed her in the right direction!!
Oh yay! Congratulations on your wedding, Kelli!! Love that you two cook and bake together.
Wonderful, and a perfect texture for banana bread. I had to use up 5 medium-ish bananas, and when my batter didn’t seem wet enough, I added 1/4 c banana liqueur. Perfect, although I am inexperienced enough to not really know if the liqueur was needed. Thanks for the recipe.
So so good! I normally make your sour cream banana bread but wanted one with less eggs these days (lol), decided to try this one. I think the cinnamon changes it up a bit. Not quite as banana-y as that recipe either; it’s almost more like a coffee cake with the crumble topping. So excited to have this in my collection and hopefully will make it again to serve as a breakfast cake. 🙂
I made one normal loaf and three mini loaves. I had never made a banana bread where the batter was thicker, almost like a dough- but I filled them all up about halfway and am so impressed with how high they rose!
For the mini loaves I baked them for about 35 minutes. I was skeptical about the crumb topping bc of the lack of chunks (was like a thick sugar) but the way it sits on top of the textured top of the loaf makes it perfect!! Wouldn’t change a thing.
Anyway those are my notes, haha. Thank you for always posting the most delicious things Mel- you’re my go to, forever and ever!
Excellent. I followed the recipe exactly (totally unlike me!) and it was delish. Remarkably tender, but still a solid banana flavour. I’m headed to look up more of your recipes now…right after I share this one with everyone!!! Thank you
Yes!!
Best Banana Bread ever even without the topping. I added a hint of cardamom.
How can i use whole wheat flour?
Try subbing in half whole wheat flour and using half all-purpose flour.
I’ve tried so many banana bread recipes in my 50 years of baking. This one is by far the best. It will be the only one I’ll use from now on. It is so moist it melts in your mouth. The cinnamon crunch on top is just enough without taking any flavor away from the banana. Everyone loves it. Should you have extra it freezes exceptionally well.
I always lightly grease my pans then line them with parchment paper.
Used this recipe and it was incredible. I had to sub out a bit of Greek yogurt because I only had about 100g’s of cream cheese, and I used a mix of brown and white sugar, poured these into muffin tins and skipped the topping and it turned out imcredible!! Great base recipe! Delicious.
I will be making this tomorrow, I can’t wait, my friends tell me I make the best banana bread they ever had, and always want to give me bananas. I can’t wait to give them your banana bread to hear their remarks
A couple of years ago a wildfire destroyed our California town, our homes and possessions. Sadly my recipes are all gone. I’ve been looking for a new banana bread recipe and this is perfect. It’s not very sweet and the cream cheese makes the texture a little creamier. The topping was just perfect. This is a new tradition for my family now.
Lisa, I’m so, so sorry for the devastation you’ve experienced. I’m happy you loved this recipe and hope you find many other recipes to replace the ones you’ve lost.
Wow! Delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
This was delicious and simple make!
I feel tricked. This is ok, but doesn’t come close to the buttermilk banana bread
Love this recipe, the cream cheese and the way it’s put together give this a different type crumb, it’s a sweeter bread than some. I make it also with a cinnamon streusel topping for more of a dessert and just for a change. Have made this several times and always give one to a friend or one of my neighbors and have only received compliments galore‼️♥️
I’ve made this over 4 times and it’s so delicious that I end up trying to give it away because otherwise I’d eat two loaves in one week and gain 10lb.
Made muffins today, actually was able to get 24 out of the batter. They were delicious! Neighbors enjoyed them, as well as the guys that were cleaning up all the dead branches off the streets from our storm last week in Atlanta. Thanks for a terrific recipe. Love recipes that make 2 loaves or muffins, etc., instead of just a single loaf. While making a mess in the kitchen, I like to get as much bang for the mess as I can! Thanks again! So enjoy your blog/recipes!
This was a great recipe. I did modify it a bit I used 4 small eggs, as that’s what my girls give me at the moment, 1 tsp cinnamon & 1/2 tsp allspice. I also added walnuts . I baked in a jumbo muffin pan for 20 mins and they were perfect! Also tired the rest in a Bundt pan layered in the strudel the results are not in yet as it is still baking…
Well they didn’t turn out too badly. Nice and light and airy…but I broke my mixer because it got too doughy. Which was my own fault because my bananas were frozen and I was trying to thaw them in the mixing Bowl. Added all the set ingredients before putting the creamed butter/cream cheese.
Forgot the crumb topping because I was trying to see if my mixer would come too after it cooled down. It’s a complete goner .
But hey the bread turned out nice!
I made the banana bread with cream cheese and it turned out very dry? Csn you give me advice? I had to put butter on it in microwave to be able to eat it!
Is it possible you added too much flour? Also over baking it can cause it to be dry as well.
I used this recipe to make muffins and added some semisweet chocolate chips, my family LOVED them!! Thank you so much for sharing, making again right now and taking them to work tomorrow ❤❤
This recipe needs to be doubled because intentionally serving one loaf and with plans to freeze the second gets automatically thwarted. True story, was such a crowd favorite that the loaf that went into the freezer was taken and shared hours later. THANK YOU!!!
Will try as muffins, do you have a recommended baking time and temp?
For muffins, I’d suggest same baking temp but check around 15-16 minutes.
Great thank you very much.
So delicious! But for some reason the crumb topping on both loaves rose above the top of the bread (I.e., there was a layer of air/space between topping and the bread) and much of it cracked off when taking loaves out of the pans. Any suggestions or insight into what I did wrong?? Thank you!
Hi Lisa, I’m sorry, I don’t know what would have caused that! What was the texture of the crumb topping when you put it on the bread? Crumbly or wet?
Tried this cream cheese banana bread recipe with some self modifications and it taste amazing! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe!:)
I’m more of a cook than a baker so not very confident in my bakes. Love this receipt but think I underbaked?! I didn’t dare leave it in any longer in case it burnt. It was browned right the way round but uncooked right through the middle. Any advice?
What kind of bread pan are you using? Glass? Dark coating?
Omg!! Absolutely the best banana bread I ever tasted. I did have two loaf pans so I baked it in an 11.5x 7.5 glass pan. It is spectacular and I do t bake very much. Next time I may add chocolate chips. Yum!!
Holy moly. This was beyond delicious. I’ve been struggling to find a banana bread recipe that produces a lighter texture – found it! I made one large loaf and several muffins with the leftover batter. I also skipped the topping and mixed a cup of chocolate chips into the batter. I also reduced the sugar by about 1/2 cup. Beautiful, full loaf and the perfect texture! Five stars, no doubt about it. Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks, Lori!
Best banana bread I’ve make in years!
I made this recipe today and posted pictures! This is the best Banana Bread recipe I ever tasted! It was amazingly moist and the taste, made my taste buds happy!
Suuuuper soft and moist banana bread. I followed the recipe exactly and it was amazing. I added a streusel topping and was great. Will be saving this recipe to make again!
Update! I tried a different recipe the other day that called for coconut oil and sour cream and the result was drastically different. Both your recipe and the sour cream recipe were equally as good but very different. The one with oil and sour cream was dense and moist and the top became soft and shiny. I loved that part the most but I also loved your recipe too!!!! I think your recipe would keep longer and be better to freeze for sure. Just food for thought and experimentation!
Absolutely delicious! I have made these like the recipe, into loaves, and I also have made them a few times into muffins! They always get rave reviews. Super moist and full of flavor. You can never go wrong with a crumb topping! I bake my muffins around 16-18 minutes they come out perfect every time! Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Mel’s other recipe “Buttermilk Banana Bread” is my favorite, but BOTH banana breads are delicious.
The banana bread recipe I’ve made!! So moist and not overpowering with banana flavor! This is definitely my go to recipe from now on ♥️
I had tried banana bread before and I thought I actually didn’t like banana bread, because I don’t really like bananas. So, when I made this, I was just going to use up some bananas and give it to my husband to eat.
……. But this bread is AMAZING. I keep going on about how good it is. I brought it to work and everyone who tried it had seconds, and one person asked for the recipe! Usually when I want to bake something, I just google around until I find a recipe I have all the ingredients for but not this time. I am saving this recipe and I will definitely be making it again and again.
I’m so happy this was such a great success, Lily! Thanks for letting me know!
Mine is in the oven now! I added chocolate chips because #pregnacy. I plan to keep a loaf for my husband and I and will take the other one to my teaching co workers on Tuesday!
I want to make this! What do I add for high altitude baking? Thank you
I’m not entirely sure – but I’ve read that adding a couple tablespoons extra flour should help but you might want to do a quick google search about varying baking soda/baking powder for high elevation.
My husband have this an A+! I’m back to make it again!
This is the best banana bread recipe ever!!
Yum! I love banana bread (because who doesn’t?) and this looks good. I like the sound of the cream cheese and the topping. On my “to bake” list!
Mel, I was visiting my Daughter and had some overripe Bananas left over and I decided to make some Banana Bread. Ihave tried numerous recipes over the years finding them in Cookbooks and now Online. . I was very Happy to Discover your Receipe . I made the Bread and it turned out Great . Very Tasty, Moist, and makes A very Large Loaf plus 4 muffins which was fine. I didn’t do the Topping or add Spices because she didn’t have any Cinnamon but will definitely make theTopping the day next time I make it❣️ This Recipe will definitely go in My Tested Tried and True Receipe File ❤️ Thanks Mel Continous Success wished for You and all Your Future Endeavors .
Oh Mel! Mind blown right now. My son wanted your Aunt Marilyn’s chocolate chip cake, my daughter wanted this cream cheese banana bread… just combined the recipes and made a delicious concoction! Used this recipe as the base for the “cake” and then layered in the cinnamon sugar mixture and chocolate chips in a 9×13. You have to try!
Oh wow… that sounds AMAZING!!
Queda espectacular y huele delicioso cuando se esta horneando.A mi me salieron cuatro panes grandes con esta receta en esos moldes descartables qye son de aluminio.La super recomiendo,una delicia!!,a los proximos que haga les agregare manzana verde ,han de quedar tsn espectaculares como estos.Gracias por compartir tu receta.
This bread is incredible. It is so fluffy and moist and divine. And that pairs super well with the crunchy topping!
I added 2/3rds of the sugar called for (first by accident but then I tasted it and it was sweet enough so I went with it) and added chopped walnuts. The batter was on the very thick and sort of sticky side so I was apprehensive but persevered because of my deep trust in Mel. And of course it came out amazing! It tastes like a delicious hybrid of coffee cake and a traditional banana bread.
Thanks for your feedback on this one, Chelsea!!
For sure the best banana bread in existence.
This is by far, hands down, the best banana bread I have ever made! And ive made a lot of banana bread!
Very good! I baked it in a glass 9 x 13 dish and it turned out great though more cake like than bread. Only left it in for 45 minutes and it was perfect. Next time I’m going to replace the bananas for blueberries or another fruit and see how that goes. Can’t wait until morning to have this with my coffee. Thanks for posting!
Just made this into a cake pan because I don’t have loaf pans. So yummy. I need to slab some butter on my next piece. The batter quantity is huge.. I was going to do muffins, but would take a while to get all of it used up. Being 36 weeks pregnant, I don’t have the energy for all of that. I started at 350 for 20 minutes, Checked it and put it on for another 10 minutes, checked again and put back in for another 5. My oven cooks hot so I do it in small increments to not over bake. So altogether 35 minutes.. Great recipe!
By far the best banana bread recipe out there. I had been making a old favorite for years and was always told it was the best, but when I made this one it blew everyone away!
I made this- delicious!. Very easy. Thank you very much for sharing.
1/2 batch recipe for 12 muffins:
1/2 c butter
1/2 c cream cheese
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 medium bananas
1.5 c flour
1/2 tsp bp
1/4 tsp bs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
shake of nutmeg
bake for 20 mins at 350 degrees. I omit the crumb topping as these muffins are stand-alone good. Thank you Mel!!!!
I made this about a month ago, and immediately made it again! Very moist, with a delicious topping. Turned out perfectly both times! I would use two smaller loaf pans, as this really is quite a lot of batter. You would need to increase the amount of topping, to allow for the two loaves.
Oops! I meant to say that you could use 3 smaller loaf pans, rather than 2 large. This makes very large loaves.
This banana bread was so moist and delicious. Easy to make and the end result had my children asking for more next weekend. My one daughter does not even like bananas and she wanted a second piece. Thank you for sharing this recipe
This recipe is soo good! I didn’t have 2 bread pans so I use my 11×14 casserole dish, didn’t need to adjust time and it was perfect! Will make this again and again
So just made this recipe and had to substitute a few things. I didn’t have enough banana for 2 cups because I doubled the recipe as I had 2 packs of cream cheese that I wanted to use up,
So I had some cut up peaches and cherries in the frig and that was about 3/4 cup and that gave me just enough for the 2 cups of bananas that I needed, I saw that some else had to substitute with some strawberries so I figured why not something else that I already have on hand. I also put a few nuts and some coconut in the batter and in the sugar crumbles.
They look really good and I got 2 regular bread pans and 5 what I call personal size give away bread pans.
I won’t be able to tell you how it tastes as I can’t eat flour and sugar, but I do love to bake and cook.
Mel this is a really easy recipe to follow and yes it was very thick.
I have put it in the oven to back for 35 minutes and will check from that point especially for the small loaveas.
I’ll get back to the review and let you know how my husband likes it when he gets home and if the baking needed more time.
Absolutely the best banana bread I’ve ever made! Delicious, moist bread with perfect crunch topping.
I had to write about our banana bread bc it’s still the best. As shania says, “you’re still the one I run to.” Lol
https://writeitout2017.wordpress.com/2017/03/22/whats-cookin-wednesday-cream-cheese-banana-bread/
My first time visiting this site and since I had all the ingredients already, I decided to try my hand at this recipe. Whoa! It. was. perfect! And made a great accompaniment to my tea. My son enjoyed his with a glass of cold milk too… Now I’ll have to check out the other recipes here… Thank you!
Glad you liked the bread, Marjorie! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Just made this tonight as muffins in my pampered chef brownie pan! Turned out great. I got a dozen and a half baked them at 350 for 25 min!
Just as a close guess. If I used the small loaf pans 5×3 how long should I bake them? I have seen 50 -60 min for a larger loaf, and 25min or so for muffins. I also seen the wooden pick come out clean thing. Thought maybe you could get me closer to a number than for me to just start picking at them at 30 to 40 min. thanks so much. this is a first for me 62 year old male wanting a good moist Banana bread for Christmas. Thank you so much.
Hi Douglas, for the smaller loaf pans, I’d suggest 40 minutes. Hope that helps!
Thank you for the info, I just went ahead and jumped in. I too guessed 40 min. and it came out great. I don’t know of any one who makes better Banana bread than myself now. Ha ha ha much thanks to you.
I can’t view the directions,
I made this recipe. OMG!! So fluffy, so delicious, so easy to make. This recipe is the new banana bread favorite on my family. Thanks so much for sharing!!
I don’t like bananas very much, but I make banana bread still for my children when the bananas get brown. This bread was still delicious, even to me, a nonbanana person. Thank you for another delicious and simple recipe!!
Can’t wait to try these! Do they freeze OK?
Yes, this bread freezes pretty well.
My mom loves banana bread, so I decided to make this today for her. She called and couldn’t stop talking about it. She said that even my dad, who doesn’t like banana bread loved it and he plans to have it as his breakfast tomorrow! It was also super easy to make, and this coming from someone new to baking. Thank you for a delicious recipe!
Yay! So happy they loved it, Natalie!
OMG….just made this tonite. SOOOO good!
I wanted to take a “test bite” before going to bed, & I ended up eating 2 slices!! :O
Did not do the topping. Don’t care for nor need all that extra sugar. Super good!!
Will probably eat a slice in AM with my coffee!!
Well my son could NOT wait for the loaves to cool so we dug in 15 minutes after they were out of the oven, and even that long was torture for him. Poor kid. 🙂 We both give this recipe two thumbs up! i really love the wonderful soft texture. I put a brown butter glaze over the top, which for me was perfect b/c I like sweeter banana bread, and without it, I don’t think it would have been sweet enough for me. Next time I will try the 2 cups sugar, and then it will probably be perfect for my personal tastes! Thanks, Mel!
Finally got around to trying this recipe. They’re baking now and the house smells amazing. Can’t wait to try them.
Can I substitute 10-inch tube pan for the cream cheese bannana bread. I’m cooking it tomorrow. Sounds delicious — and it’s for company, but I trust your recipes completely!
I haven’t tried baking this in a tube pan, my only concern is if there’s enough batter to fill it up.
I chickened out and used the loaf pans. Afraid all my work would be wasted on tube pan. I licked the bowl –loaves are in oven — and if the bread tastes anything like that, I have a winner. They are beautiful and just waiting for weekend guests arriving tomorrow. Thanks so much for your feedback. I’m fixing the bar-b-que macaroni tomorrow — it sounds awesome.
This is the BEST bread ever — the texture is so smooth, it’s a recipe I’m already planning to make to give as a b-day present to my best friend. One problem: my topping got hard in baking and fell apart when I took out of pans. Did not ruin the bread, but it’s not pretty. Do you know what I may have done wrong? Thanks.
Hmmm, I’m not sure, Nancy. You might try adding a bit more butter or less flour to the topping.
I just made this with some strawberries that I had getting a little too ripe, it is so good! I like to experiment with recipes, but this one just looked to good to play with, so all I added was the strawberries to make it a strawberry banana bread. I am in love! I may not be playing with banana bread recipes anymore! My kids kept coming into the kitchen while it was baking and asking when it was going to be done, it smells phenomenal!! Thank you for sharing!
This is delicious and I hate to ask because it is just SO GOOD, but do you have nutrition info? Thanks
I don’t, sorry!
Hi Mel! First of all, I wanted to say thank you so much for making baking so easy! I have never “baked” anything that didn’t come out of a package and my poor mixer I got as a wedding gift has sat in the pantry for 9 years 🙁 Now it’s going non stop and I am at the store constantly for flour! You have taught me so much! Anyhoo, could you tell me what the consistency of the batter should be? Mine is in the oven already, but it wasn’t very liquidy, a little less dense than cookie dough I would say… Is that ok?
Hi Tiffany – so happy you have found a love for baking! The consistency of this batter is pretty thick. The way you described yours might be slightly thicker than when I make it – try measuring the flour with just a bit of a lighter hand (don’t compress it into the cup).
I made this recipe it was out of this world I substituted the plain cream cheese for jalapeno cream cheese it was fabulous.
I am going to make this tomorrow – I came to print out the recipe. My sister has made this and raves about it, so she has convinced me to stray from your buttermilk banana bread. I notice this didn’t make your ‘best recipe’ page. Do you still add to those? I thought the roast potatoes would have made the side dish page 🙂
Hey Lauren – yep, I still update the Best Recipe page, I’m just really, really particular about what gets there. I mean, to be honest, I think 90% of my recipes could go there because I love them all so much so I try to stick with just the classics. Good idea on the roast potatoes, though, and actually now I’m thinking I should probably add the banana bread. Too much deliciousness!!
I made this recipe today while enjoying a snow day with my four children. It was delicious! We made four small loaves and gave two away. I had to hide half a loaf to make sure we had some for daddy when he gets home! We will definitely make this again. Thanks for this and all of your great recipes. I have yet to try one that we didn’t like!
I’m anxious to try your recipe, it sounds delicious. Can I add nuts to it? Or would it make it too heavy?
I haven’t tried it but I think you could definitely experiment with nuts.
Thank you so much for this recipe, it was absolutely delightful!! Thank you for all the time and energy you put into this blog for people you may never meet. Bless you!! – Allie 🙂
Anyone do any subs for this recipe? I’m wondering about subbing out 1/2 the butter for applesauce. When I make the buttermilk banana bread recipe I always do that so I feel slightly less guilty when I consume entirely too much. That and I add an extra banana and put in a bit less sugar. I’m wondering how those changes would do on this beauty. Anyone try any of that?
Joy – I haven’t tried either of those adjustments but I’d say it’s certainly worth experimenting especially if it has worked well in the past!
Forgive me if you’ve already mentioned this before, but what loaf pans do you use? Your bread always looks perfect – not too dark and nicely domed.
Veronica Miller – Most of my loaf pans are the aluminum ones by Chicago Metallic.
The uncoated or nonstick? If the former, is it hard to keep the bread from sticking?
Veronica Miller – I use the light colored uncoated ones. I use cooking spray with parchment on the bottom or the Baker’s Joy spray with flour in it and it works great.
Is the batter suposed to be thick? I substituted Greek yogurt for butter and used coconut flour and batter was thick. Tasted good tho. Find out how it cooks
amanda – The batter is fairly thick although I’m not sure if omitting the butter will change the consistency. Hope it works out!
I don’t know I missed this recipe, but I stumbled on it today and made it. It is delicious! My husband couldn’t keep his hands off the second loaf that was meant for a neighbor. Oh, well–more for us!
Mel!!!! After too many years of being to busy to cook/bake for real- my family has LOVED everything fajitas, whole wheat bread, chili etc. With 3 very ripe bananas daring me to make them into a tempting treat…this was the choice:-) Son number 4 wants to know if you have a daughter his age! Thanks for being such a fun blessing!
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Anne! If your son is right around the advanced toddler stage, I’d say let’s set he and my daughter up in about 16 years! 🙂
Made this today. Delicious. I used whole wheat flour for one of the three cups of flour, and I found it to be delicious.
And it made my house smell like love.
I don’t usually leave comments but this is too delicious!! This is not your typical moist / super fragrant ‘banana’ bread, instead, this has hints of banana and definitely more like a very light pound cake. I also only used 1 cup of sugar and it was perfect. I made 1/2 cup of a classic cinnamon streusel topping for more crunch + drizzled a coconut milk salted caramel on top (after baking)! The salty sweet and silky caramel fuses and sticks to the cinnamon crumb and has the perfect crunchy addition to this cake like bread – to absolutely die for!! Thanks Mel
I’m wondering about refrigerating these, since they contain cream cheese. Do they need to be refrigerated?
LC Ishida – I just store covered at room temperature.
I made these 2 weeks ago and they were great! beautiful and moist! however, i ended up baking it in a cake pan because i didnt realize the recipe was for 2 loaves! usually a recipe only makes 1 and i didnt realize this until i got all my ingredients out to room temperature and i was greasing the pan. so i ended up making banana CAKE lol. oh well….it was too much cake so i ended up giving half away to friends. the topping was nice too but i found it too sweet to have it too often and i make banana breads quite often. I think i’ll stick to my original banana bread recipe and make this one for special occasions :).
Love it – when my husband tasted it, he said, “This is it. From NOW on, when I ask you to make banana bread, THIS is the recipe I want you to use.” (he gets a little weary of me trying new recipes all the time). The whole family went crazy for it. 🙂 Thanks!!
Also, you should check out the succanat with honey granules that http://www.breadbeckers.com sells. It’s a GREAT alternative to white sugar or even the regular organic sugar. Much less processed and not as dark as regular succanat. Not sure how to convert recipes to plain honey so I love this sweetener!
Finally made these! I used all hard white wheat (same amount as called for in regular white flour though I just made half the recipe). I made muffins as well. Turned out amazing!!! The topping is a nice touch! Bread a are so much better tasting with wheat! Give it a try!!
I have a banana bread recipe which I have been VERY faithful to… But given the reputation of Every.Single.Recipe from your site that I have made, and the fact that I love cream cheese in a big way, I am about to stray for the very first time. I can’t wait to taste it! (Please don’t tell my other recipe)
Hi Mel,
I have a question for you. I made this into muffins today and substituted coconut oil for the butter (1:1) as I have never baked or cooked with coconut oil and I wanted to try it in this recipe as others have said it worked well. I am wondering if I can freeze them the same way even though I made them with coconut oil…I just wasn’t sure. Thanks a bunch!
Melissa – Yes, you can definitely freeze even with coconut oil.
I was a little nervous because I’ve never made banana bread but my kitchen aid made it super easy and it is HANDS DOWN the best banana bread I’ve ever had in my life. I would hate to admit it to her, but it’s better than my moms.
Hands down the best banana bread I have ever made – thank you for this recipe! I halved it last week and it came out beautifully using 2 large ripe bananas. Incredibly moist, flavorful, and not “heavy” tasting, like some recipes. Thanks again for another winner!
been making this since you posted it. i use the smaller disposable bread pans and can get three out of it. i used half butter half coconut oil since i didn’t have enough butter the first time and it is delish!!! everyone loves it. thanks for another tasty recipe.
I just pulled it out of the oven, they look and Smell Delicious!!
Have you made this with whole wheat yet?
Amanda – Nope. Not yet. Good luck if you try it though!
This is my new favorite banana bread recipe! Thanks so much for sharing! I’m still getting used to my high altitude baking so next time I will decrease the cooking time, but it is still moist and yummy!
I love the buttermilk banana bread and nearly have the recipe memorized. I only need to look at amounts, no longer need to know the process. When I made this bread the batter seemed AWFULLY thick, almost to cookie dough consistency. It made me nervous it wasn’t going to turn out. Thankfully it still tastes fantastic.
I always struggle with the topping recipe. The softened butter never seems to make it crumby enough(but yet I can always makes scones or biscuits). I always end up just melting butter and stirring it into the other ingredients. Do you think it matters much on the state of the butter when it comes to a topping recipe like this one has?
Fmandds – No, I don’t think it really matters, as long as the butter/sugar mixture is pretty evenly combined. I am glad you liked the new banana bread recipe!
This bread was delish! The crumb was soft…more like a coffee cake rather than a dense bread. It was a nice change to an old favorite.
Hi, Mel. Thank you for this recipe! I have been looking for a ‘less dense’ banana bread recipe for a while now so I was so happy to find yours. I made this yesterday and it’s fantastic. The topping just takes it over the edge making an already delicious banana bread even better.
Awesome. A bit more like cake than bread. Mmm.
My 10 year old made this for us. We didn’t have a loaf pan so she made these into muffins instead. Uh-mah-gawd these were so wonderful. We didn’t even have 8 oz. of cream cheese…more like 6 oz. and they were scrumptious. They were gone within a day. These are keepers.
As muffins, of course, the cooking time was much less. I can’t remember the time we took them out but I’m guessing it was around 30 minutes.
I am a banana bread junkie (tried about a billion recipes, not too many more than twice!) and this is completely, totally, insanely AMAZING!!!! Try it, try it, try it!! Thank you Mel, it is/was absolutely delicious!!
Hi Mel – I am a new follower of yours and you have inspired me! I had NEVER made buns before, ever, until I cam across your blog. Well, I think I have tried them all now and my family truly thanks you! I want to try this cream cheese banana bread recipe – but all I have is the whipped cream cheese and I really need to use it up – I have 6 large containers of it (don’t ask haha). Do you know of a way I can convert the brick cream cheese qty to the whipped?? Appreciate any advice! thanks again!
Katherine – The best way would be to probably use the same weight of whipped cream cheese (8 ounces for this recipe). I’m not positive that converts exactly but it’s a good start. Good luck!
My anti cream cheese family LOVED the bread! It was great!!! Another hit from the famous Mel! (You are like a celebrity around here)
I made this bread into muffins this morning. Worked out beautifully! Amazing texture, did mix it up a bit. Replaced 1/4 cup of coconut oil for part of the butter and used half white wheat flour and half regular flour. The crumb topping takes them to another level of yummyness!! Thanks for sharing!!
I had been wanting to make this ever since you posted it the other day on facebook, and I finally made it last night. Quite possibly the best banana bread I have ever made. Delish! Thanks so much for sharing.
I just made this and all I can say is OH MY WORD!!! They are so tender and so light and I have NO IDEA how they will make it to breakfast tomorrow morning. 12 hours is a LONG TIME for these muffins to sit and tempt me. I’m never going to lose this baby weight! Lol
I know every oven is different, but this recipe worked beautifully as muffins. I put the batter in muffin cups and baked them for 20 minutes. They didn’t brown as beautifully as Mel’s loaf, but they are super moist and tender. I’m in heaven — again. Thanks for sharing, Mel.
I made this tonight and all the above comments are right on. Wonderful twist to an old favorite — cream cheese and the topping is oh so good! Thank you Heather and Mel!
Thanks for the great recipe! I made one loaf and muffins – really delicious! Mel would these keep okay stored in an airtight container for 3 days and then afterwards freeze what we don’t finish?
Melissa – I would probably freeze them right off the bat and then defrost, gently reheat the ones out of the freezer. I think they would be a bit stale after three days. I am glad you liked it!
Yummy!
Okay, after a few more bites, it’s official…this is my new favorite! I love the texture and topping!!!
I made these into muffins, and they are delicious! This recipe yields a perfect 24 muffins! Thanks for sharing!
Okay, I’m the same way. I always only make my mom’s banana bread but I might have to make this. Cream cheese? Perfect. And that topping!
I meant to put a topping like that on the last banana bread I made but forgot. Guess I’ll just have to make another!
I made your sausage/tortellini soup last night and holy cow!! Delish! My aunt told me about your site when I was in a recipe rut a few weeks ago. (apparently we are related…I think she said your dad and my mom are Johnson cousins.) I have loved everything I have made so far, the soup and the linguine with ham and peas and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies were my favorite. My husband loved the soup but said the smothered chicken with mushroom gravy was the best meal he has ever had in his life. So, thanks! Keep up the good work!!
It’s pretty good!!! I overbaked it a smidge, it really only needed 50 minutes. Crumb topping is delicious!
It’s in the oven! Can’t wait to try it tonight!
Made a loaf and a dozen muffins. Success! Amazingly delicious! Wow we can’t get enough of it. Think I’ll incorporate that yummy crumb topping to your coconut cinnamon sugar muffins as well. It’s awesome! Thanks for another home run! You rock!
Congrats on the homie win!
Wishhh me luck….banana bread on the brain!
Thanks for the recipe….it looks really good! I will do one loaf and muffins with what’s left over….which me luck!
My husband’s favorite dessert is your frosted banana bars, he is away now but I will have these waiting for him when he returns!
This bread looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it!
Two loaves are cooling on my kitchen counter, as I type. Smells so yummy and looks just as yummy:) perfect for our snowy day!
Just in case you don’t have any over ripe bananas laying around, you can put your yellow bananas in the oven (on a baking sheet lined with foil for easy clean up). Put the oven on the warm setting (170 – 200) until the bananas get mushy and the skins are a lovely banana bread black (about 20 minutes). It really brings out the flavor and sweetness of the banana.
It’s the perfect solution for those Banana Bread Emergencies! 🙂
Good idea. I’ve also, in a pinch, thrown non-overly ripe bananas in the microwave (inspired by America’s Test Kitchen) until they get mushy. The time depends on the ripeness of your bananas, but I’d start with a couple minutes and work up from there. I help cool them down by mashing them with the milk because I found they will dry a bit if you leave them out sitting too long while you’re mixing your other ingredients.
So excited! I have had 2 pounds of cream cheese languishing in my fridge (I know, really?) for awhile and I need to make multiple loaves of banana bread this week…win/win! I am off to the store in search of overripe bananas.
Well, I had to make this today. I had exactly half of a package of cream cheese left over from making your garlic alfredo sauce last night. So I made one loaf. Oh, it is so delicious. Very tender, like you said, and so different than the buttermilk one, which I also love. I did eliminate the topping (and the cinnamon and nutmeg), but I loved the crispy outside and soft cake inside. A delicious winner again!
Teresa – I love that you tried this already! Thanks for checking in with the results!
Yum! I love banana bread, and this one looks especially delicious!
This banana bread looks so good!!
I’m so glad this recipe can move on to others. It’s just too good to share and it is great for muffins as well:) keep up the great work Mel and thanks for the trust;)
Too funny! I just made your buttermilk banana bread on Friday for the first time, but I added a streusel topping, because…streusel. It was delicious and gobbled up at work in minutes! Love your blog.
Could you do these as muffins? I have bananas on my counter and planned to make my favorite banana chocolate chip muffins today when I saw this. Muffins are perfect for my 2 year old to eat… And me. 🙂
Bethany – good question on the muffins. I haven’t tried the banana bread as muffins but I’ve found that {usually} quick breads transition pretty well to muffins.
Hello, Mel! I was attracted by your blog when I saw that we sort of share the same ‘cooking philosophy’! I love easy, simple recipes that are great for day-to-day, busy-people cooking, too! I also made some banana bread yesterday for the first time in a while … and put cream cheese frosting on the top! Yours with cream cheese actually in it sounds great!
I need this in my life. That cinnamon topping is calling my name!!