Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep: Mash the banana until mostly smooth. If your bread machine has a mix-in signal, measure the nuts separately for later.
- Add to pan in this order (unless your machine states otherwise): Milk, mashed banana, oil, vanilla (if using), sugar, salt, and milk powder (if using). Sprinkle in the rolled oats.
- Add flour: Add the bread flour, leveling it gently. Make a small well in the flour and add the instant yeast (keep yeast away from the wet ingredients at this stage). Sprinkle cinnamon over the flour if using.
- Choose program: Select BASIC or SWEET (whichever gives a medium crust and a normal rise on your machine). Set loaf size to 1kg and crust to Light or Medium.
- First check (important): After 8 to 12 minutes of mixing, lift the lid and check the dough. You want a soft, slightly tacky ball that cleans the sides of the pan. If it looks like thick batter, add 1 tbsp flour at a time. If it looks dry or the machine is struggling, add 1 tsp milk at a time.
- Add-ins: At the mix-in beep (or near the end of the first knead), add the chopped nuts if using.
- Bake and cool: Let the program finish. Remove the loaf promptly, then cool on a rack for at least 60 to 90 minutes before slicing for the cleanest slices (banana breads are fragile when hot).
- Serve: Slice for breakfast, toast for extra oatiness, or spread with butter, nut butter, or yogurt.
Notes
Programs: BASIC works well for most machines. SWEET is a good choice if your machine tends to underbake enriched dough, but avoid very long sweet cycles if your loaf overproofs.
Crust: Light or Medium keeps the banana flavour gentle and prevents a thick crust that can feel dry.
Hydration varies: Banana size and ripeness change moisture a lot, so the early dough check is key for a not-cake-like crumb.
Mix-in timing: If your machine has no beep, add nuts 5 minutes before the end of the final knead.
Pan size: This formula is designed for a 1kg loaf pan. If your machine is smaller, use the 750g option. Tips:
- For a less sweet breakfast loaf: reduce sugar to 35g and keep the banana the same.
- For more oat character without heaviness: keep rolled oats at 60g, or replace 20g of the bread flour with 20g oat flour (finely ground oats).
- To prevent a gummy line near the bottom: cool fully before slicing, and avoid too much banana. Measure the mashed banana by weight if possible.
- No milk powder: It is optional, but it helps tenderness and keeping quality. For dairy-free, omit or use soy milk powder if available.
- Freezer friendly: Slice, then freeze with small pieces of paper between slices. Toast from frozen. Approximate nutrition, calculated for the 1kg loaf sliced into 14 portions. Values vary with banana size, flour brand, and optional nuts.
Crust: Light or Medium keeps the banana flavour gentle and prevents a thick crust that can feel dry.
Hydration varies: Banana size and ripeness change moisture a lot, so the early dough check is key for a not-cake-like crumb.
Mix-in timing: If your machine has no beep, add nuts 5 minutes before the end of the final knead.
Pan size: This formula is designed for a 1kg loaf pan. If your machine is smaller, use the 750g option. Tips:
- For a less sweet breakfast loaf: reduce sugar to 35g and keep the banana the same.
- For more oat character without heaviness: keep rolled oats at 60g, or replace 20g of the bread flour with 20g oat flour (finely ground oats).
- To prevent a gummy line near the bottom: cool fully before slicing, and avoid too much banana. Measure the mashed banana by weight if possible.
- No milk powder: It is optional, but it helps tenderness and keeping quality. For dairy-free, omit or use soy milk powder if available.
- Freezer friendly: Slice, then freeze with small pieces of paper between slices. Toast from frozen. Approximate nutrition, calculated for the 1kg loaf sliced into 14 portions. Values vary with banana size, flour brand, and optional nuts.