Brown Sugar Blueberry Banana Bread — 🫐🍌🍞Super moist blueberry banana bread made with Greek yogurt and dark brown sugar. Smear some homemade blueberry butter onto a slice of this blueberry brown sugar banana bread and prepare to fall in love!
Table of Contents
Banana bread and blueberry muffins are two of my favorite things. So I combined them into one heavenly mashup.
This blueberry banana bread is ridiculously moist, soft, and bursting with blueberries in every bite. It’s like blueberry coffee cake with the comforting, homey qualities of banana bread.
It’s a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes.
The blueberry and yogurt banana bread is falling-apart soft and tender, and even though the batter is very thick before baking, the bread turns out soft and fluffy with just the right amount of density.
The cinnamon and nutmeg gently perfume the bread, and when served with a smear of blueberry butter, it’s total comfort food worthy of your ripe bananas.
Best banana-anything I’ve ever made!
Ingredients in This Recipe
To make the brown sugar blueberry banana bread, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Greek yogurt – sour cream my be substituted
- Coconut oil – or canola oil
- Light and dark brown sugar – both are preferred, but you may use just one kind if needed
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Bananas – should be well speckled and fragrant
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Blueberries – I used frozen, see FAQs if you want to use fresh
And to make the homemade blueberry butter, all you need is:
- Unsalted butter
- Blueberries
I got the coconut oil, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, flour, baking powder, and baking soda from Vitacost. It’s nice to be able to save money on my shelf-stable dry goods and pantry staples, and they show up on my doorstep, which is great. One less grocery trip to make!
Vitacost has a huge array of items from organic cinnamon to Organic King Arthur All-Puprose Flour, my favorite brand.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Banana Bread with Blueberries
This is a super easy banana bread recipe!
- Combine the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, along with some cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Add the mashed bananas and stir to incorporate before adding in the dry ingredients.
- Fold the fresh blueberries in with a spatula, being careful not to over mix the batter.Pour the blueberry banana bread batter into two greased 8×4-inch loaves and bake until the top is domed, golden, and set in the center.
- Let the blueberry brown sugar banana bread cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes before turning it onto a wire rack.
Recipe FAQs
You can use either! I used frozen blueberries since they’re readily available and inexpensive. Not being reliant on fresh berries is nice, but if you have them go for it. Keep the berries frozen when adding them to the batter because they run and bleed less if kept frozen.
I haven’t tried with fresh, but baking time would be reduced. Also note that the batter is extremely thick. I used 2 cups flour because I knew that the frozen berries would release a fair amount of juice while baking, so I created an extra-thick batter to compensate. If you’re using fresh berries, start with 1 3/4 cups flour and use your best judgment.
During the last 5 minutes this blueberry banana bread was in the oven, I tented the loaf pans with a sheet of foil so the tops wouldn’t get too browned before centers cooked through. Note that baking times will vary based on moisture content of bananas, blueberries, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.
Light brown sugar typically has about 1 tablespoon of molasses per cup, whereas dark brown sugar has about 3 tablespoons. The extra molasses adds moisture and creates a richer flavored, amber-hued bread. Using both is preferred, but if you’ve only got one or the other on hand that’s fine! Use what you have.
The blueberry banana bread recipe uses Greek yogurt to provide moisture and richness without adding as much fat as sour cream, although it can be substituted.
I love baking with coconut oil and this quick bread doesn’t taste like coconut whatsoever. Rather, it adds a nearly imperceptible undertone that’s sweeter and more fragrant than canola or vegetable oil, but those may be substituted if you’re concerned.
Storage Instructions
At room temperature: Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week.
In the freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and / or seal inside a freezer bag; bread will last up to 6 months.
Blueberry butter: Will last up to 1 week in the fridge, so you can enjoy it on your morning toast, waffles, pancakes, and more!
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Brown Sugar Blueberry Banana Bread with Blueberry Butter
Ingredients
Blueberry Banana Bread
- 1 large egg
- 6 ounces plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, sour cream may be substituted)
- ½ cup liquid-state coconut oil, canola or vegetable oil may be substituted
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or to taste
- 1 to 1 ¼ cups mashed ripe bananas, about 2 large or 3 small/medium
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour* (See Notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- about 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, keep them frozen and don’t thaw; fresh may be substituted
Blueberry Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, very well softened
- about 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, make sure they’re well-drained)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two 8×4-inch loaf pans with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pans; set aside.
Make the Banana Bread
- In a large bowl, add first 8 ingredients (through nutmeg), and whisk to combine.
- Add the bananas and stir to incorporate.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix. Batter is extremely thick.
- Fold in blueberries with a spatula.
- Turn batter out into prepared pans, smoothing the tops lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
- Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes (if using fresh berries, baking time will likely be reduced), or until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
- Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. While bread cools, make the Blueberry Butter.
Make the Blueberry Butter
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, blueberries, and whip vigorously with a spoon to combine. Optionally, instead of blueberry butter, try Strawberry Butter, Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, or Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze.
Notes
- * I used frozen berries for this loaf, knowing they will release water during baking. Therefore, I used 2 cups flour rather than 1 3/4 cups. Start with 1 3/4 cups, see how your batter looks, if you’re using fresh berries, that’s probably enough. If you’re using frozen berries AND the batter seems a bit thin, then add the additional 1/4 cup. Baking isn’t always an exact science especially when baking with two fruits and no two are ever exactly equal. Use your best judgement. 1/4 cup either way of flour really isn’t the biggest of deals.
- I baked 42 minutes total, and during the last 5 minutes, tented the pans with a sheet of foil so tops wouldn’t get too browned before centers cooked through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of bananas, blueberries, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.
- Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Blueberry butter will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week
- Adapted from Banana Yogurt Muffins and Little Banana Bread Loaf
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Banana Bread Recipes:
ALL OF MY BANANA BREAD RECIPES!
Blueberry Banana Zucchini Bread — This is an easy zucchini bread recipe that’s packed with bananas and juicy blueberries. I guarantee this will be your new favorite quick bread!
Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread — This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! This banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!!
Strawberry Banana Bread— This strawberry bread is packed with fresh, juicy strawberries in every bite! This is an easy, no-mixer quick bread recipe you’re going to love!
Flour’s Famous Banana Bread — The banana bread is soft, very moist thanks to the use of oil rather than butter, and perfectly dense. If you like denser banana bread with substance, you’ll love this one.
Six-Banana Banana Bread — Six bananas in one loaf of bread means an extremely soft, moist, and richly flavored bread
Browned Butter Buttermilk Banana Bread with Strawberry Butter — The browned butter and buttermilk add richness, softness, and moisture, and the strawberry butter makes it that much better
Pineapple Coconut Oil Banana Bread – Buttermilk, bananas and coconut oil keep this bread super moist, tender and it tastes like a tropical vacation
This post was brought to you by Vitacost. Recipe and all opinions expressed are my own.
I am not usually a fan of banana bread. I do love blueberries so that is why I made this recipe. It was so very good. Even though I dusted my frozen blueberries with flour, hoping they would stay up in the mix. Most were at the bottom of the bread and loaves were maybe 2″ thick or so. That said, there was only 1 slice left from 2 loaves taken to church with other things I made for snacks after service. Today I’m making this again using fresh blueberries and may add some nuts as I love them too. Thanks for a great recipe.
I am not usually a fan of banana bread. I do love blueberries so that is why I made this recipe. It was so very good. Even though I dated my frozen blueberries with flour, hoping they would stay up in the mix. Most wre at the bottom of the bread and loaves were maybe 2″ thick or so. That said, there was only 1 slice left from 2 loaves taken to church with other things I made for snacks after service. Today I’m making this again using fresh blueberries and may add some nuts as I love them too. Thanks for a great recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Dynna, and I am glad that you made this despite not being the biggest fan of banana bread but that this was great, gobbled up, and that you’re making more! Toss your berries in a bit of flour before adding them to the batter which can help prevent some sinking.
This is the best banana bread I have ever made! I didn’t have just frozen blueberries, so subbed mixed frozen berries and added turbinado sugar to the top of the loaves before baking. Made 2 loaves, intending to give one away, but my husband and I loved it so much, we kept both loaves.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Debbie, and for letting me know it’s the best banana bread you’ve ever made and that you and your husband enjoyed both loaves!
Hi Averie! Would you please confirm the amount of flour used?
In the narrative, under “Tips for…”, you said you used 2c, due to the excess moisture from the frozen berries. On the recipe card, it says to use 1 3/4c. I’d really hate to mess up when I bake these, as I plan on making them as minis and distributing them to my apartment building neighbors.
Many thanks! It’s currently 33°, and we’re supposed to be getting snow within the hour, followed by freezing rain this afternoon. Hopefully it will also hit other parts of the province, and help the wildfire situation, which has been ongoing for a month already in some areas.
Sorry for the verbal vomit. Welcome to spring in Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦! 😖
In the blog post I state this which is what I recommend. It’s impossible for me to know how juicy or not someone’s berries are, frozen vs fresh, their brand of flour if they’re not using the best flour ever IMO https://amzn.to/44bah26 So it does go back to using your judgment. 1/4 cup either way isn’t going to make a huge difference in the recipe recipe “working” or not. It will just effect baking time.
“The batter is extremely thick. I used 2 cups flour because I knew that the frozen berries would release a fair amount of juice while baking, so I created an extra-thick batter to compensate. If you’re using fresh berries, start with 1 3/4 flour and use your judgment.”
My husband loved this and proclaimed it the best banana bread I had made! Because I had larger pans, my loaves were not very high as another had commented. I have also wondered about making one large loaf and glad to see that one succeeded. I did not have any dark brown sugar on hand so I used all light brown and also threw in a few pecan pieces as my husband loves nuts. I will make it again.
My husband loved this and proclaimed it the best banana bread I had made! Because I had larger pans, my loaves were not very high as another had commented. I have also wondered about making one large loaf and glad to see that one succeeded. I did not have any dark brown sugar on hand so I used all light brown and also threw in a few pecan pieces as my husband loves nuts. I will make it again.
Thanks for the 5 star review I am glad this was proclaimed the best banana bread you ever made and you will make it again!
great
I made this last night and we had it for breakfast. I didn’t have any dark brown sugar and was low on light brown sugar, so I used 3/4 cup light brown sugar and 1 TBS molasses with fresh blueberries and 1.25 cups mashed banana and I split the batter into 2- 7×3 inch loaf pans and both loaves turned out beautiful (pans were full with a nice round top when done) and tasted great. The blueberries and spices melded together nicely.