Hebba Gouda
Ah, banana bread. It’s a dessert, it’s a breakfast, it’s the pastime that kept us sane during the pandemic. But you don’t have to wait for a bunch of bananas to go black before you make it. You can use a mix. Which banana bread mix? Well, that’s what we set out to find out.
I may not be able to offer life advice, but I can (and will) offer thoughts on banana bread. Even though from-scratch banana bread is relatively accessible, sometimes you just want the box. Sure, you still have to add a few simple things, but having the base of dry ingredients is a non-negligible time-saver.
Would you rather measure flour or take a few extra minutes in the shower? Spoon out baking soda or stop and smell the roses? Scoop sugar or go to your granddaughter’s college graduation? We don’t know how long you take to scoop sugar, but we don’t want to take any risks. Also, you might be using too much sugar. But that’s not a problem with mixes! Also, a shocking number of shelf mixes don’t even call for you to add your own bananas! Science truly is amazing.
I conducted my test by preparing each banana bread mix according to box instructions. I baked them all as loaves (as opposed to muffins), using vegetable oil when oil was specified and butter when given the option. I didn’t add any optional mix-ins, but did I go back and smother some in chocolate chips and peanut butter? Of course I did.
There were no losers, but here are the very best banana bread mixes.
Best Banana Bread Mixes, Ranked
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- Simple Mills Almond Flour Banana Bread Mix
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If you want a dense, decadent banana bread, this isn’t the mix for you. But if you’re prepping for a tea party and in need of a sweet treat to nibble on while mingling, snag this banana bread mix. There isn’t a ton of banana flavor—the bread is pretty almond-forward, which makes sense, considering it’s almond flour—but it’s simple and uncomplicated in a great way. I could snack on this for hours without feeling weighed down. It did come out just a touch on the dry side, but not a deal-breaker by any means. It’s also not only gluten free, it’s also grain-free, corn-free, and paleo friendly.
Credit: Liv Averett / Simple Mills
- Krusteaz Banana Quick Bread Mix
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For how easy the mix was to prepare, I was pretty happy with this product. It only needs oil, water, and eggs—the banana was already included in the mix, in the form of dried bananas. So it does end up tasting a little bit like banana chips, but I’m not mad at that “trail mix” flavor. The outside crust is crispy, but the inside is chewy and melts in the mouth. I personally like a little bit more punch of banana in my banana bread (both in terms of flavor and moisture), but this would be a crowd-pleaser if you’re catering to a lot of people with varying levels of banana tolerance.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Chiquita Banana Bread Mix
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Warning: This bread is not for the faint of banana-loving hearts. Chiquita did not pull any punches with this mix, which essentially makes a loaf of banana paste. The mix does contain dried banana but also calls for the addition of mashed banana, which might explain why it tastes a little like artificial banana layered with real banana. It’s dense and rich and unapologetic and a little like a hockey puck but let’s be clear: I love it.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Go Nanas Original Banana Bread Mix
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I didn’t want to like this mix, purely because it was ever so slightly more work than the others. I had to add banana AND milk AND oil AND honey? Did they want me to mill the flour, too, which I ask purely to be hyperbolic because this is gluten-free? My bitterness aside, I have to admit that the bread ended up pretty darn tasty. As much flavor as the dried bananas in the other mixes contributed, I really felt the difference in texture here with the addition of fresh bananas. You get a moist, dense, chewy bread that tastes somehow like every bite is coated in cinnamon sugar. This tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch with banana slices.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- King Arthur Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix
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I didn’t have high hopes for this gluten free banana bread mix. It smelled like farm animal feed and there was no trace of banana. Could King Arthur have its first slip-up in all of my taste tests? I should have known better than to doubt, because the first thing I wrote in my notes when tasting the bread was “good sh*t.” I don’t know what magic Merlin pulled out of the bag while this banana bread was baking, but it came out with a surprising amount of banana flavor. It’s missing the stickiness and gooeyness that I personally love, but it has a crunch to the crust and a soft crumb to the inside that makes it a light but flavorful bite that I kept going back for.
Credit: Liv Averett / King Arthur
Best Almond Flour Banana Bread Mix
Best Classic
Best Extremely Banana-y
Best Sweet Banana Bread
Best of the Best Banana Bread Mix
Other banana bread mixes we tried:
Pillsbury Quick Bread, Miss Jones, Lakanto, Gonananas Chocolate Chip, Krusteaz Banana Nut
Matt Crowley
Jessica Block
Justine Sterling
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!