Starbucks Copycat Banana Bread
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, I earn a small commission. Thank you! Read our disclosure policy
This Starbucks Copycat Banana Bread is moist, buttery, and packed with rich banana flavor—just like the one you grab with your morning coffee. Made with simple pantry ingredients, it’s an easy, cozy bake that tastes even better fresh from your own kitchen, like my Blueberry Crumb Cake!
This homemade version tastes just like the Starbucks favorite—soft, sweet, and loaded with banana flavor in every bite. The best part? You can enjoy that same bakery-style slice warm from the oven, without ever leaving home. This copycat recipe is spot on, like my Copycat In-N-Out Burger.
What Readers Are Saying
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’ve tried many different banana bread recipes, and this one is my favorite!
– Alexa
Quick Look: Starbucks Copycat Banana Bread
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 1 hour
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 8
- 📊 Calories: ~443 kcal per serving
- 🥣 Ingredients: flour, cinnamon, sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, vanilla, bananas, walnuts.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, great for potlucks and freezing.
Summarize & Save This Content On
Why this Recipe Works
Ultra moist and full of rich banana flavor. Every slice is soft, buttery, and packed with real banana goodness—just like the Starbucks version!
Made with simple pantry ingredients. No fancy ingredients here—just everyday staples you likely already have on hand.
Easy, no-fuss recipe. Mix, pour, and bake. It’s a cozy, beginner-friendly recipe that turns out perfect every time.
For even more copycat recipes, try this Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, and Copycat Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes.
Ingredients Needed
- All Purpose Flour: Using all-purpose flour keeps it soft and moist without being too dense—perfect for that Starbucks-style texture.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and enhances the banana flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the bread and helps create a soft, golden crust.
- Oil: Keeps the banana bread incredibly moist for days
- Buttermilk: Adds a subtle tang and extra moisture.
- Vanilla: A little vanilla brings depth and rounds out the flavors.
- Egg: Acts as a binder and adds structure.
How to Make Starbucks Banana Bread
- Step 1: In a medium bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk together.
- Step 2: In another bowl, add the sugar, oil and egg.
- Step 3: Mix together, the batter will be dry.
- Step 4: In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork.
- Step 5: Add the mashed bananas, vanilla and buttermilk to the batter and mix.
- Step 6: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake.
Can I use Frozen Bananas?
Absolutely, and they are perfect for my Double Chocolate Banana Muffins! Just defrost them in the refrigerator overnight or in the microwave, and you're good to go! They will be mushy once they've been frozen, and that's normal. Try to remove any extra liquid they get from the freezing process.
Recipe Tips
- For the best flavor, use overripe bananas—the darker and spottier, the better.
- Banana bread often tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld and the texture softens.
- You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar to 1/2 cup of whole milk, letting it sit for 10 minutes, mixing, and then use accordingly.
- If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil to prevent getting darker.
Starbucks Copycat Banana Bread FAQ'S
Yes, Cool completely. Tightly wrap the loaf in plastic wrap. Then wrap them in aluminum foil or a large ziplock freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3-4 months—Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
Once the bananas get those brown freckles, it's time to bake this Banana Crumb Cake or freeze them. If you're not ready to bake, just put the whole banana in a ziplock freezer bag.
More Banana Recipes
Let’s stay connected! 🍴Follow Butter Your Biscuit for cozy comfort food inspiration
Starbucks Copycat Banana Nut Bread
Equipment
- 1 8x5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour spoon and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 1/8 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk see notes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 extra ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees, spray an 8x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper if desired.
- In a medium bowl add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and whisk just until combined.
- In another medium bowl add egg, sugar, and oil and whisk until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well, the mixture will be thick and dry.
- Add in the buttermilk, vanilla, and mashed bananas and mix until combined.
- Pour into a loaf pan, and sprinkle walnuts over the top.
- Bake on the center oven rack for 60-75 minutes or until the knife comes out clean.
Video
Notes
- You can also use a 9x5 pan but you'll have to cut back on the baking time.
- You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk and let sit for 5 minutes. (The recipe only uses 2 tablespoons)
- Muffins: Add the batter to a muffin tin with liners. Bake at 425 for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for another 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- To freeze let the banana bread cool completely then wrap the loaf in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or a large ziplock freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
I always use all purpose flour and have never had a crumbling issue. The sinking in the middle can be that it simply wasn't cooked long enough. Make sure you pull it went a knife comes out clean.
This is so good!! I’ve made several times and all of my family loves it. I have one question.. Why does it sink down in middle? Also, when I go to cut it, it crumbles a little. Is it the flour? Can you use regular flour or does it need to be self rising?
Thanks in advance!
Debbie
I have made this recipe to be years and it turns out perfect every time.
So happy you love it Holly!
I am entirely in love with this recipe and make it... way too often. I'm autistic and this has been my go to repetitive snack many, many days in a row over many months. 🤣 I do have a small suggestion, however! although I make it often I typically don't buy buttermilk and just use vinegar and milk. works beautifully! but as I make this recipe so often I end up with way too much after using the two tablespoons. so I actually do a 1/4 milk, and roughly 1/4 or 1/2 tsp of vinegar. has the same outcome and I waste much less, in the long run.
also because I've got a huge sweet tooth I like sprinkling a fair amount of white sugar on the top before putting it into the oven and it gives it a nice slight crispness to the top. I don't use nuts so the extra texture of the crispy top is superb. hahaha. anyway, thanks!
I'm so sorry, but without having all the info, it's really hard to say. Is your oven temperature accurate? Did you use too much banana? what size pan did you use? feel free to email me and we can trouble shoot to try and find out why.
Why is it not cooking in the middle??? It’s been in the oven for 75 minutes- the outsides are crisping up but the middle is raw.
What a great recipe! I will definitely try again maybe this time as mini muffins.
it's baking now.licking the bowl lmk how delicious it is!👍
Sounds delicious thanks for the tip 🙂