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 am not a fan of loaf breads as they tend to be dense and doughy. In just made your Banana Bread recipe and it turned out PERFECTLY! Thanks for sharing!
That’s so great to hear, Joy! Thank you for trying the recipe.
Wow! This is so moist, flavorful and super simple to make! I wasn’t sure about the 3 bananas…but followed the recipe and use 3 large very ripe bananas and oh my! Sooo good! Will be keeping this recipe for sure!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Annie!
Hello! Im wondering Does this recipe make 2 loafs?
Hi Baylee. It makes one loaf which yields about 10 slices.
Was delicious! Made 2. My house guests devoured them! I have a photo but can’t see how to post it
Hi Judi! I’m so glad it was enjoyed. You can’t post the picture here but you can tag me on Instagram or Facebook. #natashaskitchen
Your recipes never fails. Banana bread turned so good 😊
That’s wonderful to hear, Rachel! Thank you. This is our favorite banana bread recipe!
LOVE this recipe!!! I replaced the nuts for chocolate chips since my family isn’t a nut family. The banana bread was really easy to make and absolutely delicious!! Can’t wait to make it again!
That’s wonderful, Eliza!
I doubled the recipe and made 2 loaves for my son who took them to his work. Just received a text that said it was amazing. Will define making this again
I’m so glad it was a hit at his job, Aliaon! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Good morning. Can I substitute apple sauce for some of the sugar? If so, what would be the measurements? Please and thank you.
Hi Sonia, My sister Anna made this into a honey banana bread; replacing sugar with honey, but I have not tried it with applesauce to advise.
Delicious. Made it several times if I divide the recipe in two junior loaf pans. Will it still be properly? Thank you.
Hi there! Thank you for sharing that with us. I imagine that will be fine!
Perfect recipe! Made them into muffins and they were moist and delicious.
I didn’t have any raisins, but I had some mini chocolate chips. Also, I like the walnuts a little softer, so they weren’t toasted. Still turned out great😋
Love this recipe. Question: when cooking with a glass pan, would you lower the oven temperature?
Hi Jen, while I haven’t tried this specific recipe in a glass pan, it is recommended to lower the temperature by about 25 degrees or so when baking in a glass dish if the recipe doesn’t call for a glass dish. I hope that helps.
I love this recipe! The inside is super moist. However, for me the bottom and edges get a little dry and overdone while the middle is perfect. I wonder if a better pan would do me some good? Still a 5/5 recipe!
I wrap the bread while it is still warm is plastic wrap and let it cool. The whole loaf is moist this way.
The best banana bread I have ever eaten! Incredibly moist and delicious. I toasted some pecans and soaked my raisins in butter in a sauce pan after simmering for 5 mins. Let them sit for about 45 mins. They really plump up that way. Subbed 1/4 cup of the white sugar for dark brown. Gave the bread a beautiful dark color. You can’t go wrong with Natasha’s recipes! This one is a real winner. 👍👍💕
I’m so happy this was a winner, Susan! Thank you so much for sharing that great review with me.
Hi how much in cups should the mashed bananas be. Our sizes can differ and might end up getting the batter too wet. Thanks!
I was not able to measure it in cups. I used 3 very ripe bananas, (medium/large)
Hi, its usually about 2 cups of banana. Try adding some blueberries too if you have any…it’s even better with more fruit.
Hey Natasha, just made it. It is so soft and delicious. I actually made two separate breads, one with nuts and raisins and the other without nuts as my son doesn’t like nut bread. Instead of 3/4 cup measure sugar I used only half and added bit of cinnamon. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. My whole family loved it. Will be sharing few pieces with our friends too. 🥰❤️ God bless you!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Sherry! I’m so happy the family loved it. God bless you!
I made it with the addition of a tbsp of milk because the batter seemed too dry, and also added dried cranberries rather than raisins. I’m enjoying my second piece now with a Lil butter, it’s delicious. The time of 1 hour at 350 is perfect.
Great recipe! I doubled the recipe and made one loaf + a pan of muffins. Muffins were a tad dry (baked 20 min) but the loaf was fine. Added ice cubes to the oven to ensure loaf was moist. Used pecans & cranberries and added cinnamon. Will definitely make again and adjust to 3.5 med bananas per batch.
What do you mean about adding ice cubes to the oven? I have never heard of that before and I’ve been baking for close to 70 years
They were kinda bland.
Hi Beckie! Did you use ripe bananas? If they were not ripe enough, it would be lacking flavor.
I had 4 ripe bananas so I upped most the ingredients by 1/3. I have 16 muffins in the oven as I type. Easy recipe and I can’t wait try one or maybe two!
I made exactly the recipe but added one more riped banana. I think it came out good but should I up the rest of the ingredients next time?