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.
I have a question: isn’t baking soda supposed to work only with acid? There’s no buttermilk or lemon juice in the ingredients, so how does it work then? And can I be substituted with baking powder?
Hi Kat, the baking soda reacts to the natural acidity in mashed bananas.
I made it for the first time and it turned out perfect! I added honey (1/2 cup) instead of sugar, it wasn’t very sweet, but I didn’t want it very sweet. And I also added cinnamon. Delish! Baked for 65 min. Checked it at 55 min, was still pretty wet in the middle.
Hello Kate, that’s lovely to hear! I’m glad that it turned out great on your first try.
Can you use this batter to make muffins? I love the bread so I’m going to try making muffins with this batter
HI Janet, absolutely! Check out our Banana Muffins Recipe for exact instructions.
Hi Natasha, this recipe seems wonderful and I would love to try out but I unfortunately don’t have a loaf pan, is there another I pan I could use? Thanks!
Hi Lina, you could bake this as Banana Muffins. You could also try an 8″ or 9″ cake pan but those would all bake faster since the bread wouldn’t be quite as tall as in a loaf pan. We also have a really good Banana Bundt Cake based on this recipe. I’ve baked this exact one in a bundt pan without increasing it and it’s delicious but it doesn’t fill a bundt pan all the way and bakes a little faster. Check for doneness with a toothpick.
Roughly what is the total weight of the mashed bananas. I am using the small bananas from my backyard
Hi Regina, I wish I had measured it that way. This Ingredient Weight Chart can be useful. If you’re looking for cups, my measure for it was 1 3/4 cups mashed bananas.
So moist! Best banana bread ever!! Wasn’t sure about the raisins, but love it. Can’t wait to make another one!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Cathy!
This is the most delicious banana bread I have ever eaten. Couldn’t stop eating it. All of my friends commented on how good this was.
I’m so happy you loved it, April! That’s so great. Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I’ve made this recipe dozens of times and it is always delicious. I use bananas that were very ripe and then frozen. It seems to make them even sweeter. I add either walnuts or pecans but no raisins. I always have salted butter on hand, so I use it but skip adding additional salt. I’ve even made muffins with it. It’s my Go-to banana bread recipe. You won’t be disappointed.
can you use almond flour in the place of the all-purpose flour
I haven’t tested that to advise. We’d love to know how it goes if you try that!
I used almond flour and it came out great! I added a dash of almond extract. I used blood orange olive oil instead of butter, and orange blossom honey instead of sugar. My was really moist. I probably should have cooked it longer, but I wanted it to be super moist.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Sandra!
I have tried this recipe a couple dozen times using different ovens, gas ovens, electric ovens, tried tweaking the recipe and nothing has worked. It always has come out too dry, even when using extra extra ripe bananas, and way too brown. I wanted to love this recipe but I just couldn’t.
Hi Mia, I’m sorry to hear that – this is probably in the top 5 most popular recipes on our site and I definitely want everyone to have success with it. It sounds like the banana bread is getting over-baked. I suggest baking until a toothpick comes out clean. Are you baking in a convection oven? Or maybe some altitude adjustments are in order if you are in a high altitude location?
I agree with you, mine burned within 25 minutes of baking and had to take it out . I lowered the temperature to 325° but it was already ruined and couldn’t bake for 50 minutes as she suggested.
Hi Sherry, were you possibly using convection mode? Or have the bread to close to the burn unit? Also, if you are at a high elevation that may be the culprit. I hope you have better luck with this next time, I wish I could be more helpful.
Can I substitute some of the granulated sugar for brown sugar? Thanks!
Hi Alice, I have not tested that to advise.
Hello Alice! I actually have slightly tested this. I replace the sugar with half brown sugar and half clover honey. It works great for me! Adds a deeper flavor and doesn’t seem to effect the texture or moisture content. I highly recommend trying with brown sugar!
I have to use lower GI sweeteners, so I subbed 1/2 cup of coconut brown sugar and 1/4 cup of honey for the granulated sugar and it turned out fantastic. It has an amazing depth of sweetness with notes of caramel from the coconut sugar hitting late and balancing out the immediate sweetness of the honey, more complex than granulated sugar without being overly sweet, nor is it coconut-y. The first time I made it, I used half whole-wheat flour. The texture was great as well with the added moisture of the honey. also subbed pecans for walnuts just because I like them better and omitted the raisins because I didn’t have any. My whole family loved it.
I’ve tried it multiple times with subbing part of the sugar for brown sugar and it always comes out amazing!
Hi Natasha
How many cup measurements of bananas do you use in your Banana bread recipe?
Hi Lana, I didn’t measure the bananas that way but any 3 very ripe bananas, (medium/large) should be fine.
I love this recipe. I make for gifts too. Since I have pecan trees I use them instead. Thank you for sharing❤️
This is a great gift idea, Grace! I’m so glad you loved it.
My favorite recipe yet! Can you use self rising flour as an alternative for all purpose flour?
Hi Bridget, I have not tested self rising flour, but if you do so, you will need to add baking soda to it because it does not contain baking soda. One of my viewers reported using cake flour and NOT having good results.
Favorite banana bread recipe! When using Kerrygold Irish butter, I only use 6 tablespoons instead of 8. I used an 8×8 glass dish and baked at 350 degrees for 30-33 minutes. Perfection!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, S!
WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST FOR COOKING TIME for the common allumimum pans that are 5.0″L- 2.5″ W — 2.0 T. these are common sizes that many make for quick breads
thank you
I haven’t tested different size pans to provide specific instructions. You’ll have to experiment with them in the oven and keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Temperature would likely stay the same, but the baking time will be different.
My family wishes to drop the raisins. Will this make for any changes? Love the ingredients in recipe and anxious to bake.
Hi Jane, you can omit them! I address this topic in the recipe post. See the “Can I Omit Walnuts and Raisins?” section. I hope this helps.
I made this recipe a lot before, its my favorite one, but I needed to make muffins. Just follow the recipe exactly, fill muffin tin with two heaping tea spoons of batter. (The kind you eat with, not the measuring kind) and cook foe 20-25 minutes. Makes 12-15 muffins, at least it did for me.
I had to make another change for someone debetic who doesn’t like fake sugar taste. I just didn’t add sugar, everything else the same doesn’t taste as good but its a really close second for someone who can’t have that much sugar.
Don’t have unsalted butter, can I use the salted one? If so, what do I need to change from the ingredients?
Hi Yvette! That would be fine. You can omit the salt.
I doubled the recipe, it was the perfect banana bread I ever made. Later that evening I offered some to my mother and she wanted to know who I bought it from,I laughed and told her I made it that evening.
Perfection. I used the banana ripening technique from one of your YouTube videos and it worked.
Personally, I prefer a slightly less sweet banana bread, so I reduced the sugar by about 1/4 cup. It was still SO tasty and moist, totally sweet enough!
Looking forward to making another loaf soon.
Sounds good, I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it!