An easy and moist Banana Bread Recipe that is loaded with bananas, tangy-sweet raisins, and toasted walnuts. This is one of our favorite overripe banana recipes with hundreds of 5-star reviews.

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Banana Nut Bread Recipe:
This is my husband’s recipe which he has perfected over the years and he is known for his Banana Bread. He makes it frequently and it always disappears fast! It is simple to make and our favorite way to use up overripe bananas so they never go to waste. It’s super moist and makes a great breakfast on-the-go. We even created Banana Muffins from this recipe.
This loaf stays moist for days and also makes for a thoughtful and delicious gift idea for the holidays (I’ll take banana bread over fruit cake any day).
Banana Bread Video Tutorial:
Watch Natasha make this moist banana bread. You will be surprised at how easy it is. We will never stop loving this recipe. Now go forth and bake!
Ingredients for Banana Bread:
This is everything you need to make the best banana bread: flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, softened butter, eggs and of course very ripe bananas. Adding walnuts and raisins is optional but adds great taste and texture, turning it into a banana nut bread.
Can I Omit Walnuts and Raisins?
YES! The recipe will still work if raisins and walnuts are omitted. We make it nut-free all the time due to a walnut allergy in the family. You will still have the softest, super moist and scrumptious loaf. You can also replace them with some chocolate to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
How to Ripen Bananas:
- Quick Oven Method: If your bananas are a little green and you want them to ripen quicker, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 250˚F for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the initial ripeness of the bananas.
- 24 Hour Counter Method: If you are willing to wait 1 day, you can place the bunch of bananas (without separating them) in a paper bag, cover and leave at room temperature. Bananas emit ethylene which causes ripening. Adding an apple to the bag will speed up the process.
Can I Freeze Overripe Bananas?
If you have overripe bananas and aren’t ready to bake with them, DO NOT throw them away!
How to Freeze Bananas: place them un-peeled in a freezer-safe bag, remove any excess air and freeze up to 3 months. You can use thawed bananas for banana bread. You can also freeze them peeled and cut into pieces for easier use in smoothies. P.S. You can also freeze a whole banana bread with the same method!
How to Make Banana Bread:
This is the easiest banana bread recipe. We mix it in a stand mixer because it’s easy, but you can use an electric hand mixer and can even make it work with a hand whisk. There is no fancy equipment required. Watch the video tutorial below and you will be a pro in no time!
- In the mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
- Mix in mashed bananas and eggs.
- Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, salt, and baking soda and add to batter.
- Stir in vanilla, walnuts, and raisins, transfer to prepared loaf pan and bake.
Substitutions for a Healthy Banana Bread:
- My sister Anna made this into a honey banana bread; replacing sugar with honey.
- Use organic whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- Replace 1 Tbsp of flour with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed.
- Reduce sugar to 1/2 cup when using very ripe bananas; they add plenty of sweetness

Love Sweet Breads? Try these Popular Bread Recipes:
We love sweetbreads because they are easy to make and are such a treat, especially when you top them with Honey Butter! Don’t miss these reader favorites:
- Apple Bread – a pull-apart moist apple bread
- Pumpkin Bread – so easy and we love it year-round
- Banana Chocolate Chip Bread always disappears fast
- Persimmon Bread – great way to use ripe persimmon
Moist Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, (medium/large)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (8 Tbsp) at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup walnuts
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bread loaf pan (9.25 long x 5.25 wide x 2.75 deep). Lightly roast walnuts on a skillet, continuously stirring so they won’t burn. Coarsely chop and cool to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together 8 Tbsp softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar (or honey if using honey).
- Mash bananas with a fork until the consistency of chunky applesauce and add them to the batter along with 2 eggs, mixing until blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together: 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking soda and 1/2 tsp of salt then add to batter.
- Add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and mix in chopped walnuts and raisins. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350˚F for 55-60 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let banana bread rest for 10 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This banana bread recipe was first published in 2009; one of the very first recipes on our blog! It has been a reader and family favorite ever since.







Made this for my work and everyone LOVED it. It was very helpful seeing the video too. Everyone was asking me the recipe.
That makes me happy to hear! Thank you for sharing that with us. I’m glad that the Banana Bread recipe was a huge hit!
Just made this today for my family after dinner, Everybody loved it. I used king Arthur keto flour and swerve granular sugar substitute and zero sugar chocolate chips. These are Amazing! So fluffy!!! Thank you!
So happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing that with us.
Can I follow the same recipe but make them into muffins?
Hi Brie! You may use my Banana Muffins Recipe instead.
I tried your recipe and my banana bread was delicious, super moist. If I want to substitute butter with oil, how much oil would I have to use?
replace the ½ cup (8 Tbsp) butter with ⅜ cup (6 Tbsp) oil and you might want to use neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
Crowd pleaser. I have made this recipe a few times and it is winner. I add a little shredded coconut as well.
Super tasty! Extremely moist end product with an easy to follow set of instructions that were straight to the point. Appreciated the section about substitutions.
I’m so glad to hear the recipe was easy to read and follow, Hannah. That’s so great!
I’ve tried so many banana bread recipes and this is the absolute best! It’s so delicious! It’s very moist but with a perfect texture and density for cutting clean serving slices. Since I’m just cooking for one, I bake the recipe in two 3 x 6 loaf pans. I can enjoy one right out of the oven (because I just can’t wait) and freeze the other for later. This small size is also perfect for gifting. Thanks Natasha for THE best banana recipe!
You’re very welcome, Marsha! I’m so glad you loved the recipe!
Doctor said I need to eat bananas. I don’t like bananas. Than I found this receipt. Now it’s a staple at my house.
I’m glad you found this recipe, Henni!
Best banana bread recipe I have ever tried. I used 1/2 cup of sugar and it still turned out delicious.
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Pam!
If I use 1/2 cup of sugar, do you recommend substituting the 1/4 cup with something else?
Hi Moon! You don’t need to substitute it, you can just use less if you prefer. This banana bread is pretty forgiving and it should still be great.
Best banana bread yet, you must be a wizard! Makes me wish you had a plain cake donut recipe.
Hi Dan! Thanks so much, I’m glad you loved it. Have you tried my other donut recipes- Glazed Donuts and Baked Donuts Filled with Jelly?
This was a great new recipe for banana bread 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
CEO APPROVED!
My boyfriend took some to work and the CEO said he liked it!! Might make it monthly!
That’s wonderful! I’m glad to hear it was a hit.
This recipe is much better using one egg. It’s too wet using two. Or use one less banana. It’s still incredibly moist and delish.
Hi Steve! I’m glad those ratios worked for you. We believe we have a good balance with the current ingredients, but if you’re using extra large eggs, or larger banana, it could make a difference. However, I’ve found this recipe to be very forgiving if you use a little more or less banana.
Can i make this as muffins using the same recipe?
Yes, here is my Banana Muffin Recipe for reference.
I did 1/2 cup sugar and split the flour in half with almond flour – worked great!
Greeat to hear that! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Tried this recipe and my product came out tasty, delicious on point I didn’t include nuts only added ground cinnamon, very moist I was very satisfied
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi I was wondering if I could use monk sugar I’m dibetic can’t use reg sugar thank you for your wonderful recipes
Hi Peggy! One of my readers left this comment, “I made this recipe today and replaced the sugar with Monk Fruit. The bread came out moist and delicious, you can’t tell that it doesn’t have sugar in it.” I hope that’s helpful.
This makes delicious banana bread! I supplemented raisons for chocolate chips the secon time I made it, and it was just as good!
That’s just awesome Izzy! I’m so glad to hear that.
This makes the best banana bread! I have tried many many recipes over the years but somehow only came across yours recently!
This is not too sweet and perfectly moist. We omit the raisins and nuts but otherwise don’t change a thing. As with other banana bread recipies, careful not to overmix; I end up mixing the dry into wet by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula and it turns out perfect. We accidentally overmixed it once – my 12 year old was helping and mixed it with the stand mixer until it as smooth and I was not paying attention – and it was more dense but flavour was still spot on. I have made this twice in 3 days and will likely make it again next week !
Awww, thank you for your great comments and feedback. I’m happy to hear that you love the Banana Bread a lot!
Made this recipe many times with much success. Today I added 1/2 cup slightly drained crushed pineapple, and 1/2 cup coconut flakes; use a little less sugar and it came out great.
Thank you for shraing that with us! I’m so glad you enjoyed the Banana Bread recipe using differemt variations too!
Can you use salted butter as well? Sometimes that is the only thing I have in my kitchen. I use a lot of unsalted but I have a lot salted left over.
Hi yes, you can use salted butter and omit the salt in the recipe.