Christmas Banana Bread: A Festive, Spiced Holiday Treat

This Christmas Banana Bread is the cozy, festive upgrade your holiday baking deserves. Imagine a supremely moist, tender banana bread, warmly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and packed with joyful pockets of tart cranberries and rich white chocolate.

Christmas Banana Bread is a simple, comforting recipe that feels effortlessly special, filling your kitchen with the most wonderful holiday aroma. It’s the perfect treat for Christmas morning, a thoughtful edible gift, or a sweet ending to a festive meal.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS CHRISTMAS BANANA BREAD

You will adore this holiday twist on a classic for so many reasons.

• Firstly, this Christmas Banana Bread is incredibly easy to make, requiring just one bowl and simple ingredients.
• Secondly, the combination of sweet banana, tart cranberries, and creamy white chocolate is a festive flavor explosion in every bite.
• Furthermore, it makes your entire house smell like the holidays, creating an instant feeling of warmth and celebration.
• Finally, it’s a wonderfully versatile recipe that you can customize with your favorite holiday add-ins.

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED

This Christmas Banana Bread recipe uses pantry staples with a few festive additions.

The Dry Ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of the bread.
• Baking Soda: To help the bread rise.
• Salt: To balance the sweetness.
• Warm Spices: Ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg are essential for that classic holiday warmth.

The Wet Ingredients:

• Very Ripe Bananas: The blacker, the better! You’ll need about 3 large ones for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
• Melted Butter: For rich, moist texture. You can use unsalted or salted.
• Light Brown Sugar: Adds a deep, molasses-like sweetness that pairs perfectly with the spices.
• Egg: One large egg to bind everything together.
• Vanilla Extract: For a warm, aromatic depth.
• Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt: The secret to an incredibly moist and tender crumb.

The Festive Mix-Ins:

• Fresh or Frozen Cranberries: Their tartness cuts through the sweetness beautifully. If using frozen, do not thaw.
• White Chocolate Chips: For creamy, sweet pockets. You can use chunks if you prefer.
• Optional: Toasted Pecans: For a nutty crunch.

TOOLS YOU WILL WANT

You will need a 9×5 inch loaf pan, parchment paper, a large mixing bowl, a whisk, a fork or potato masher for the bananas, and a spatula.

HOW TO MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS BANANA BREAD

Follow these simple Christmas Banana Bread steps for a perfectly domed, moist loaf.

Prep the Pan and Oven

1. First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Then, line your loaf pan with parchment paper and grease it lightly. This ensures a clean release and easy cleanup.

Mash and Mix the Wet Ingredients

1. In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth.
2. Whisk in the melted (and slightly cooled) butter, followed by the brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and sour cream.
3. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Combine Wet and Dry

1. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the wet ingredients.
2. Using a spatula, gently fold the mixture together until the flour has just disappeared. Do not over-mix!
3. Gently fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips (and toasted pecans, if using) until they are evenly distributed.

Bake to Perfection

1. Pour the thick batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
2. For a beautiful finish, you can sprinkle a few extra cranberries and white chocolate chips on top.
3. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (but no wet batter).

Cool and Glaze

1. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
2. Once cool, you can drizzle with a simple vanilla glaze (mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tbsp milk) for an extra festive touch.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR PERFECT CHRISTMAS BANANA BREAD

I want to share my best tips to make your Christmas Banana Bread flawless. The number one rule for a tender crumb is to avoid over-mixing the batter once you add the flour. Furthermore, using very ripe, spotty bananas is non-negotiable for the deepest banana flavor and natural sweetness.

If your Christmas Banana Bread is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking. For the cleanest slices, let the bread cool completely before cutting it’s worth the wait!

VARIATIONS YOU WILL ACTUALLY TRY

This Christmas Banana Bread recipe is a fantastic holiday canvas. For a Gingerbread Banana Bread, add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves to the dry ingredients. For an Eggnog Glaze, whisk powdered sugar with a little store-bought or homemade eggnog instead of milk.

You can also create a Dark Chocolate & Orange version by swapping the white chocolate for dark chocolate chips and adding the zest of one orange to the wet ingredients.

MAKE-AHEAD, STORAGE & FREEZING

This Christmas Banana Bread is a holiday lifesaver for planning. You can store the fully cooled loaf, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It freezes beautifully!

Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap and then in foil; they will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slices directly from frozen in the toaster.

TROUBLESHOOTING: COMMON QUESTIONS

Let’s solve any potential issues. If my Christmas Banana Bread is dense, it was likely over-mixed. Remember, a light hand is key. If my bread is soggy in the middle, it needs a few more minutes in the oven; bake until the toothpick test is clean.

Can I use dried cranberries? Yes, but they are much sweeter. I recommend soaking them in hot water for 10 minutes to plump them up before draining and adding to the batter.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

This Christmas Banana Bread is delicious served at room temperature or slightly warmed. It’s perfect for Christmas morning with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. For a decadent dessert, serve a warm slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It also makes a wonderfully thoughtful homemade gift for neighbors, teachers, and friends during the holiday season.

NUTRITION NOTES

This Christmas Banana Bread is a celebratory treat. For a slightly lighter version, you can substitute the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil or applesauce, and use a sugar alternative designed for baking.

MY STORY: WHY I ADORE THIS CHRISTMAS BANANA BREAD

This Christmas Banana Bread was born from a happy holiday accident. One December, I found myself with a bunch of overripe bananas and a pantry full of leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving. On a whim, I threw them together with some white chocolate, and the result was pure magic. It immediately became a new family tradition.

The red and white flecks throughout the loaf make it look so festive, and the flavor is the perfect embodiment of holiday cheer. It’s the Christmas Banana Bread recipe that my kids now demand we make the moment we put up our Christmas tree.

FINAL CHECKLIST BEFORE YOU BAKE

Before you start, do a quick scan:

• Oven is preheated to 350°F (175°C).
• Loaf pan is lined and greased.
• Bananas are very ripe and spotty.
• Butter is melted and slightly cooled.

CHRISTMAS BANANA BREAD FAQs