How to bake banana bread in a jar. Mason jar banana bread makes a great homemade gift.
banana bread in a jar
Why banana bread in a jar? Because it’s adorable. Right?
But, more practically speaking… baking banana bread in a jar means you can give these as homemade gifts.
Or, you have a convenient portion to throw in a lunch bag (carefully, the jars are glass) to bring to work. The little round slices are also cute if you pop the loaf out of the jar.
For these, I used my best-ever banana bread with wheat germ and flax seed. If all that healthy stuff is just too much, feel free to use your own favorite recipe for banana bread.
Or, try it with any other quick bread (that is, bread that does not require kneading or yeast).
I can’t believe how perfectly this baked, too. Evenly baked and just the right texture for banana bread. Mason jars, you really are magical things.
can you bake in mason jars?
SAFETY NOTE: Baking in mason jars worked beautifully for me, even better than baking in a loaf pan as the smaller portions allowed for even baking.
By baking at the at the same, relatively-low temperature and let the bread cool-to-the-touch at room temperature before removing from the jar, everything worked perfectly and I’m pretty sure I’m baking every quick bread this way forever.
However, baking in glass–while it does NOT carry the risk of adding unwanted chemicals to the food, as plastic would–DOES carry the risk of breakage. So please be wary of this as you set out to bake in jars. Of course, if the jar breaks during the baking process, the bread can’t be eaten.
The Ball Jars do not recommend baking in the jars because of possible breakage, but I do find these jars to be the highest quality. You do NOT want to use thin, imitation mason jars. Use the real deal. And again, do so at your own risk.
How to make banana bread in a jar
You will need:
- banana bread recipe
- half-pint-size mason jars (8 ounces, the small ones with wide mouths)
- cooking spray
- gallon-size ziploc (optional)
- baking tray
- parchment paper
What to do:
Prepare your banana bread recipe (CLICK HERE for the banana bread recipe shown in the video). Grease the mason jars with cooking spray.
If desired, pour the bread batter in a ziploc, snip the tip, and pipe to fill the jars.
Or, you can use a spoon. (In retrospect, I think a spoon may even be better because you have less batter wasted.)
Fill the jars half-way only.
I was able to get five jars from my recipe.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the jars on the baking tray, being sure they do not touch.
Lower the middle rack in the oven down a slot.
Preheat the oven and bake the bread according to the recipe, but reduce the baking time. For my banana bread, which ordinarily takes 50 minutes, baking took 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
When cool enough to touch, overturn and gently tap the mason jar. The bread should pop right out.
TIP: If you put lids on when the bread is a bit warm, the heat will seal the jars.
(Make sure you check out the SAFETY TIP above!)
banana bread in a jar
Delicious, healthy banana bread in a jar!
Ingredients
- BANANA BREAD INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 plus 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 1/4 cup flax seed meal
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 very ripe bananas
- TOOLS
- half-pint-size mason jars (8 ounces, the small ones with wide mouths)
- cooking spray
- gallon-size ziploc (optional)
- baking tray
- parchment paper
Instructions
Prepare your banana bread recipe: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a bread pan and set aside. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the flat beater, blend the butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend in the eggs and bananas. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.
Grease the mason jars with cooking spray. If desired, pour the bread batter in a ziploc, snip the tip, and pipe to fill the jars. Or, you can use a spoon.
Fill the jars half-way only. I was able to get five jars from my recipe. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the jars on the baking tray, being sure they do not touch. Lower the middle rack in the oven down a slot. Preheat the oven and bake the bread according to the recipe, but reduce the baking time. For my banana bread, which ordinarily takes 50 minutes, baking took 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
When cool enough to touch, overturn and gently tap the mason jar. The bread should pop right out.
TIP: If you put lids on when the bread is a bit warm, the heat will seal the jars.
Notes
See blog post for SAFETY NOTES.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 431Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 655mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 5gSugar: 36gProtein: 8g
dawn Boudreau says
I think your Recipes look Great I am going to start using them ,I like the idea of Banana Bread in the bottles Tkanks somuch
Kate says
I love the idea! I also like that you don’t mash your bananas first! Thanks!
meaghanmountford says
Thank you Kate!! The not mashing the bananas thing is mostly laziness. But I like the pieces that aren’t emulsified IN the bread itself, so a win for laziness!
Annette says
Banana bread in a jar is so interesting and convenient. Thank for your idea
Judy says
How long of shelf life do the sealed jars have
meaghanmountford says
Hi Judy. If you seal the jar when the bread is a bit warm (and it pops) these should last several weeks!
Lori Miller says
Several weeks refrigerated or unrefrigerated? I would like to give as Christmas gifts and need to know how long they last in the jar!
meaghanmountford says
Hi Lori, if you put the lid on when it’s still warm (so it seals as it cools, you should hear a “ping!”), I would keep them in the fridge. I’d say make them 1 to 2 weeks out so they are at their best when giving!
Lyn says
Can you let me know the measurements of the jar? I have several 1/2 pint jars and want to use the right one. (height of jarand maybe inches across)
meaghanmountford says
Hi Lyn! They are 3 3/4-inches high with a 2 1/2 inch diameter. Make sure to use the wide-mouth jars (I think all half pints are wide mouth, but just in case) so the bread comes out in a cylinder.
Jennifer says
I’ve made banana bread in a jar before and sealed it and sent it (wrapped crazy in bubblewrap) to my husband who was deployed and it was still good when he got it and it was at least a month
meaghanmountford says
It’s such a brilliant idea Jennifer! I had a couple other readers who did the same. I wish I had thought of it when my husband was deployed! I had sent cookies, but even those don’t last as long in the trek over there.
Jennifer says
When my hubby was deployed back in the 80’s, I was pregnant and trying to strictly watch my diet and stay away from added sugars (not a fad diet, just no sugar) Anyway, so I slaved away baking him a banana-nut bread and some cookies… mind you I couldn’t even lick the beater. It took a month to get to him and the bread was moldy…. I cried 😭. So wish I had known your trick then!
meaghanmountford says
Oh no!! I remember sending my husband cookies to Iraq and it taking forever! I don’t know if they got moldy, but I don’t think many were in one piece. Hopefully he’s had plenty of banana-nut bread in the years since!!
Kate Stratton says
Where is the recipe???
meaghanmountford says
It is linked in the post above. You may use any recipe for quick bread, but here is the banana bread with wheat germ and flax seed shown in the video: https://thedecoratedcookie.com/2016/02/banana-bread-with-wheat-germ-and-flaxseed/
Kim klingenberg says
Could u use big soup cans instead? I’m afraid of jars breaking
meaghanmountford says
Hi Kim! I’ve never used cans, but I believe that yes, you can. I remember my mom baking date and nut bread in cans! It used to be very popular.
Brenda Lamarre says
Can you possibly process them as you do in canning ?
meaghanmountford says
Hi Brenda! Yes! I know a lot of people baking in cans. My mom used to bake a date-nut bread in a can that was fabulous!
Lisa says
Do you put the jars in a pre heated oven or put them in as the oven heats? Thank you !
meaghanmountford says
Hi Lisa, great question! I’ll amend the post. I DO preheat the oven and bake as usual, and I’ve had great luck. Although do read the bit about safety! There is always the possibility of breakage. It’s never happened to me, but it’s certainly possible.