Air Fryer Banana Bread

$1.14 per slice, ready in 10 minutes

Author

Three Buck Suppers
September 10, 2025

Hey there!

You don’t need an hour-long bake or a hot oven to get fluffy, caramel-scented banana bread. An air fryer’s turbo heat browns the loaf faster while keeping the crumb ultra-moist. What’s the secret? Mini 6-inch pans that let hot air hit every side, so you’re slicing into warm banana bliss with just 10 minutes of prep.

Want 80 more creative recipes like this? You can grab them in my cookbook so you never worry about dinner again.

Ingredient

Amount

Est. Cost*

Ripe bananas

3 large (about 1 lb)

$0.75

Unsalted butter

4 tbsp, melted

$0.50

Light brown sugar

½ cup

$0.25

Large eggs

2

$0.35

Pure vanilla extract

1 tsp

$0.20

Self-rising flour

1 cup

$0.34

Optional: pinch cinnamon or ¼ cup chocolate chips

—

$0.10

Total Cost: $3.49 (serves 3) = $1.14 per generous 2-inch slice

Recipe (10 min active, 25 min cook):

  1. Preheat: Heat air fryer to 320 °F. Grease a 6-inch round cake pan or mini-loaf pan that fits your basket.

  2. Mash: In a bowl, mash bananas until mostly smooth.

  3. Whisk: Stir in melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla just until blended.

  4. Fold: Add self-rising flour (and cinnamon/chips if using). Fold gently; a few lumps are fine.

  5. Air-fry: Pour batter into pan. Cook 22-25 min, covering loosely with foil after 15 min if top darkens fast. Toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs.

  6. Cool & slice: Rest 5 min, lift out with parchment, and cut into thick slices.

The Secret Ingredient
Self-rising flour means you skip measuring baking soda and salt—perfect for speed baking and consistent lift in the smaller air-fryer pan.

Pro tip: Freeze over-ripe bananas whole. Thaw in the microwave for 45 sec; the extra liquid makes an even moister crumb.

Know someone still buying $4 coffee-shop banana bread? Forward this and help their wallet (and kitchen) smell amazing.

See you next week,
Andrew