It started with six very brown bananas and a Twitter post that reads like peak Chrissy Teigen. She tweeted that she had overripe bananas going to waste and asked if she should bake banana bread — to which hundreds of thousands of people immediately said yes. What followed wasn’t just a recipe going viral. It was a cultural moment that landed Chrissy Teigen banana bread on the tip of every home baker’s tongue for the better part of two years.
The recipe itself comes from her second cookbook, Cravings: Hungry for More (2018), page 236 and it is genuinely different from any banana bread you’ve made before. Three secret ingredients set it apart: a box of vanilla instant pudding mix, shredded unsweetened coconut, and a chopped dark chocolate bar (not chips Chrissy is very specific about this). Baked low and slow at 325°F in a bundt pan, the result is a moist, tender crumb with a golden-brown crust that stays fresh for days.
This guide covers the full original recipe, a complete without-pudding version with two substitution options, a banana nut bread variation, bundt pan tips, a troubleshooting guide, and every FAQ we could find. By the end, you’ll have everything you need to make this recipe your absolute best yet.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Banana Bread Different From Every Other Recipe
Most banana bread recipes are pretty similar: bananas, flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking soda. Chrissy Teigen’s version plays by different rules. Three unconventional additions work together to create a bread that’s noticeably more moist, more complex in flavor, and better structured than the standard loaf.
The Pudding Mix Secret — Why It Works
Vanilla instant pudding mix is the ingredient that surprises people most. A 3.4 oz box of Jell-O vanilla instant pudding — Chrissy jokingly calls it the brand that “rhymes with Smello” — goes directly into the batter dry, without any preparation. This does two things simultaneously: the modified starches in the mix bind moisture into the batter, producing an exceptionally tender crumb that resists drying out, and the vanilla flavoring gives the bread a deeper, bakery-style sweetness that plain extract can’t quite match. It’s a trick used in moist cake recipes for decades, and it works brilliantly here.
Coconut + Dark Chocolate — The Flavor Combo You Didn’t Know You Needed
One cup of shredded unsweetened coconut adds a subtle chewiness and a faint tropical note that plays beautifully off the banana. Crucially, it’s unsweetened — sweetened coconut would tip the bread into cloying territory. The dark chocolate, chopped from a bar rather than poured from a bag of chips, melts into large, irregular pools throughout the loaf. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers that prevent full melting; a hand-chopped bar gives you molten pockets of chocolate in every slice. It’s a small detail that makes a meaningful difference in the eating experience.
Chrissy Teigen Banana Bread Recipe (Full Original Cravings Cookbook Version)
This is the recipe as it appears in Cravings: Hungry for More, with detailed notes added for clarity. Pay close attention to the banana quantity — Chrissy explicitly warns that fewer than six bananas will compromise the moisture.
Chrissy Teigen’s Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 6very overripe bananas, mashed
- 3 cupsall-purpose flour
- 2 tspbaking soda
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1 boxvanilla instant pudding mix (3.4 oz)
- 1 cupgranulated sugar
- 1 cupvegetable oil
- 4 largeeggs
- 1 cupshredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cupdark chocolate, hand-chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (162°C). Generously grease and flour your bundt pan, working the fat into every ridge and crevice. This step prevents sticking more than anything else.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the 6 overripe bananas thoroughly. Aim for a smooth consistency with very few chunks.
- Add the vegetable oil, eggs, and sugar. Whisk together until fully combined and slightly glossy.
- Add the dry vanilla instant pudding mix straight from the box. Stir to incorporate — it will dissolve into the batter.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold until just combined. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry flour — overmixing develops gluten and makes the bread tough.
- Fold in the shredded unsweetened coconut and hand-chopped dark chocolate chunks.
- Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 60–80 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist (not wet) crumbs.
- Allow bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack. Slice once fully cooled for cleanest cuts.
Chrissy Teigen’s Banana Bundt Bread — Why the Bundt Pan Matters
The Chrissy Teigen banana bundt bread recipe is worth following precisely when it comes to pan choice. The tube at the center of a bundt pan isn’t decorative — it conducts heat directly into the middle of the batter, solving the single biggest challenge of banana bread: the gooey, underbaked center. A dense batter this size (six bananas plus a full box of pudding mix) takes a very long time to cook through in a loaf pan. The bundt pan distributes heat from the outside and from the inside, resulting in an evenly baked loaf with a better crust-to-crumb ratio in every slice.
Pan conversion note : If you don’t own a bundt pan, use two standard 9×5 inch loaf pans and divide the batter evenly. Reduce baking time to 55–65 minutes and begin testing earlier. The center tube can’t be replicated, but two loaves get you closer to even baking than one oversized loaf.
Chrissy Teigen Banana Bread Without Pudding Mix — 2 Best Substitutes
The Chrissy Teigen banana bread without pudding question is the most-searched variation of this recipe, and it deserves a thorough answer. Maybe you don’t have pudding mix on hand, maybe you’re avoiding processed ingredients, or maybe you simply can’t find it. Either way, there are two reliable substitutes.
Option 1: Powdered Milk + Powdered Sugar + Vanilla Extract
The closest thing to pudding mix from pantry staples
This is the substitute Chrissy herself has referenced in cookbook notes. Instant pudding is essentially a blend of powdered milk, sugar, vanilla, and modified food starch. You can approximate it at home:
- 3 tablespoons non-fat dry powdered milk
- 3 tablespoons powdered (icing) sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (add to wet ingredients)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (for the starch component)
Mix the dry components together and add where the pudding box would go. Add vanilla extract with the wet ingredients.
Option 2: Cornstarch Substitute for Instant Pudding
Streamlined two-ingredient method
If you don’t have powdered milk, a simpler approach focuses purely on the moisture-binding function of pudding mix:
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons extra granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (added to wet ingredients)
Cornstarch binds moisture in the batter similarly to the modified starches in pudding mix. The bread will be slightly less creamy in flavor but still noticeably moist.
Does the No-Pudding Version Taste as Good? Our Honest Review
After making this bread three times — once with the original pudding mix, once with the powdered milk substitute, and once with the cornstarch-only version — here’s the truth: the original pudding version is noticeably superior. The texture is creamier and the vanilla flavor is more rounded. The powdered milk substitute gets you about 85% of the way there and is genuinely excellent. The cornstarch-only version is a solid banana bread but loses some of the distinctive richness that makes this recipe famous. Use the original pudding mix when you can; reach for Option 1 when you can’t.
Chrissy Teigen Banana Nut Bread Recipe — Add Walnuts the Right Way
The Chrissy Teigen banana nut bread recipe isn’t a separate creation — it’s the original recipe with one smart addition. Chrissy’s original doesn’t include nuts, but the flavor profile of the bread (especially with the coconut and dark chocolate) pairs beautifully with walnuts or pecans. Here’s how to do it properly.
How Much Walnut to Add — and When to Fold Them In
Use ¾ cup of walnuts, roughly chopped. More than that and the nuts start to overwhelm the other mix-ins; less and their presence barely registers. The critical step: toast the walnuts first. Spread them on a dry skillet over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden. Toasting removes the slight bitterness from raw walnuts and deepens their flavor dramatically. Add the toasted walnuts at the same step as the coconut and chocolate — folding all mix-ins in together.
Can You Use Pecans Instead of Walnuts?
Absolutely, and some bakers actually prefer it. Pecans are sweeter and more buttery than walnuts, which makes them an even friendlier pairing with the chocolate. Use the same quantity (¾ cup, toasted, roughly chopped) and the same method. The bread will be slightly sweeter overall — which isn’t a complaint.
Pro Tips for the Moistest Banana Bread You’ve Ever Made
Why You Need EXACTLY 6 Bananas (Chrissy’s Own Warning)
Chrissy Teigen is emphatic about this in the cookbook: six bananas, no fewer. The banana is doing the heavy lifting in this recipe — it’s providing the liquid, the sweetness, the fat content from the fruit’s natural oils, and the flavor. Drop to four or five bananas and the batter becomes too dry and the bread loses its characteristic moistness. Six very ripe, fully browned bananas is the minimum. If yours are on the smaller side, lean toward using seven.
How to Ripen Bananas Fast for Baking (3 Methods)
- Oven method (best): Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet at 300°F for 20–30 min until skins are black. Cool before peeling.
- Freeze-thaw: Freeze overripe bananas in their skins. Thaw overnight at room temp. The texture will be very soft — perfect for mashing.
- Paper bag method: Place bananas in a brown paper bag with an apple for 24–48 hours. Ethylene gas speeds ripening naturally.
Loaf Pan vs Bundt Pan — Which Gives Better Results?
The bundt pan wins on every metric: more even baking, a better crust, and a more dramatic presentation. The only real advantage of loaf pans is accessibility most kitchens have one. If you’re making this recipe for the first time and want the full intended experience, the bundt pan is worth using. If you own neither, a standard tube pan (angel food pan) produces nearly identical results.
Banana Bread Troubleshooting — Common Problems & Fixes
This is the section most banana bread articles skip. These are the seven most common problems people encounter with this specific recipe — and how to fix each one.
Problem: Gooey, underbaked center
The fixThe center is almost always the last part to bake through. Cover the top of the pan loosely with foil and continue baking in 10-minute increments, testing with a toothpick each time. If you’re using a loaf pan instead of a bundt, this issue is significantly more common — the tube pan exists precisely to solve it.
Problem: Sunken or cratered top
The fixSunken tops almost always indicate underbaking or an oven that’s too hot on the outside and cool in the middle. Make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking, and avoid opening the door in the first 40 minutes. Also check that your baking soda is fresh — baking soda more than 6 months old loses potency.
Problem: Bread is too dense and heavy
The fixOvermixing is usually the culprit. Once the flour goes in, fold gently and stop the moment the streaks disappear. Measuring flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling off (rather than scooping from the bag) also helps — scooped flour can be 20–30% heavier than properly measured flour.
Problem: Bread stuck in the bundt pan
The fixGreasing a bundt pan requires more thoroughness than a standard pan. Use solid shortening or softened butter (not spray) and get into every ridge with a pastry brush or your fingers. Then flour the pan and tap out the excess. After baking, wait the full 15 minutes before inverting — a too-early flip means the bread hasn’t finished contracting from the pan walls.
Problem: Not sweet enough
The fixThis usually means the bananas weren’t ripe enough. Properly overripe bananas (brown-to-black skin) are dramatically sweeter than yellow or spotted bananas. If your bananas were only lightly spotted, increase the sugar by 2–3 tablespoons. You can also use semi-sweet rather than bittersweet chocolate to add sweetness from the mix-ins.
Problem: Bread is dry or crumbly
The fixOverbaking is the most likely cause. Ovens vary, so start checking at the 55-minute mark rather than waiting for 70–80. You may have also used too few bananas or measured too much flour. Spooning flour rather than scooping it — and leveling the cup off with a knife — makes a measurable difference in hydration.
Problem: Burnt edges, raw middle
The fixYour oven is running hot. Use an oven thermometer to check calibration — many ovens run 25–50°F hotter than indicated. Reduce your temperature by 10–15°F and extend bake time slightly. You can also place an empty baking sheet on the rack below the bread to deflect some bottom heat.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Chrissy Teigen’s Banana Bread
One of the best things about this recipe is how well it keeps. The pudding mix and oil base (rather than butter) help maintain moisture over several days better than most banana breads.
Room Temperature3 Days
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Keep away from direct sunlight or heat.
Refrigerator1 Week
Wrap each slice or the whole loaf in plastic wrap. Let come to room temperature before serving for best texture.
Freezer3 Months
Slice before freezing. Wrap each slice individually in plastic, then place in a zip-lock bag. Thaw at room temperature overnight.
Reheating: For the best texture, warm individual slices in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch (20–25 seconds on medium power) but can create uneven hot spots and slightly alter the crumb texture. A warm slice with cold salted butter is — objectively — one of life’s great small pleasures.
Make-ahead tipThe batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated in the pan, covered with plastic wrap. Allow it to come to room temperature for 20 minutes before baking. Alternatively, bake the bread fully and freeze — it reheats beautifully.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chrissy Teigen’s Banana Bread
Can I make Chrissy Teigen banana bread without pudding mix?
Yes — the most effective substitute is a combination of 3 tablespoons powdered milk, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. This mimics both the moisture-binding and flavor functions of vanilla instant pudding. A simpler alternative is cornstarch plus extra sugar — see the full substitution section above.
What pudding mix does Chrissy Teigen use?
She uses a standard 3.4 oz box of vanilla instant pudding mix. Chrissy jokes in the cookbook that it’s the brand “that rhymes with Smello” — meaning Jell-O. Any store-brand vanilla instant pudding mix will work equally well; the key is that it’s instant, not cook-and-serve.
Why does her banana bread use a bundt pan?
The central tube of a bundt pan conducts heat directly into the middle of the batter — the area that takes longest to bake through in a dense loaf. The result is more even baking, a better crust all around, and a consistently moist interior. It’s a technique borrowed from cake baking and it works brilliantly here.
How ripe should bananas be for this recipe?
As ripe as possible — ideally with brown-to-black skin. The ripening process converts starches to sugars, making the banana sweeter and much easier to mash into a smooth consistency. A banana with only a few spots will produce a noticeably less flavorful, less moist bread.
Yes — fold in ¾ cup of toasted, roughly chopped walnuts or pecans along with the coconut and chocolate. Toasting the nuts first (4–5 minutes in a dry skillet) removes bitterness and deepens flavor. If adding nuts, consider reducing the coconut or chocolate slightly to keep the total mix-in volume in balance.
Can I add nuts to Chrissy Teigen’s banana bread?
How long does this banana bread take to bake?
60 to 80 minutes at 325°F (162°C) in a bundt pan. Oven temperatures vary, so start checking at the 55-minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the thickest part of the bread. It’s done when the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs — not wet batter.
Can I make it in a loaf pan instead of a bundt?
Yes — divide the batter between two standard 9×5 inch loaf pans. Begin checking at 55 minutes. The center will take longer to cook through than in a bundt pan, so be patient and test carefully. Tent with foil if the tops are browning before the center is done.