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
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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 was just wondering if you can blend the bananas? Thank you!
I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why not. Let us know how it works out for you.
The banana bread was a little bit more tighter for me but it still tasted great.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It tastes perfect ! I can’t wait to share this bread with my family. That’s if I don’t eat all before they get home lol.
You are so very welcome.
I just tried this recipe and I must say it’s delicious.!!!! I used brown sugar instead of regular sugar, flex seeds and little bit of honey.
I will be honest, I picked this recipe because it looked easy, i didn’t want to compare recipes, I had all the ingredients and I love raisins in my banana bread. I M SOOO GLAD i picked this recipe. The banana bread turned out AMAZING!!! Super moist and just delicious. Thank you so much!
I didn’t use regular sugar, I used brown sugar and honey and I added some flaxseed too… 5 stars all the way!!!!!
Fantastic! Made last night – only reduced by 1/2 cup sugar (for my own good) and I added fresh lemon zest (prior recipe I have used). Only problem now is stopping myself from eating the whole thing !
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This came out really moist and good! I added cinnamon and nutmeg, I saw another comment saying to add that. I also mixed the vanilla w the egg and banana.
I first tried this recipe with frozen bananas and incorporated all the juices after the bananas thawed and the loaf did not rise and the centre registered 205F… The flavor was great so I tried again but this time I reduced the thawed bananas (to keep all the flavor but to drive off most of the excess water)in a skillet until they were thick but still moist. I also beat the eggs and vanilla with the creamed sugar/butter until lots of air was incorporated but before the eggs were over beaten (roughly equivalent to the soft peaks stage of using just egg whites) I then folded in the (cooled) reduced banana mixture and finished by gently folding in the dry ingredients. I’m really glad I tried a second time! The loaf turned out great! Great other suggestions from the other readers many of which I plan to try next week!
I did it, today i made banana bread with your recipe, i used coconut oil for changes margarine, because at my house doesnt have margarine, thanks for your recipes, im from Bekasi Indonesia.
I made it today. Everyone enjoyed the banana bread. Just one thing my bread kept breaking while cutting it. So not sure why that happened 😔 I cut it when it was completely cold, please help with this. Otherwise flavour was very good.
Hi Fatima! It could be because of several reasons. One of them is because it was underbaked. If it’s not fully cooked, it can break apart when you cut it since it’s too soft. You can test for doneness by inserting a toothpick. You can also avoid overmixing. check the oven temp and be careful in following the ratio of ingredients.
Hi there, is it possible to use coconut flour? Thank you.
Hi Missy! Coconut flour is not equivalent to all purpose flour and without testing it, I don’t know what changes you’d need to make.
Can you use bread flour instead of AP?? If so, any special instructions??
Thanks!!
Hi Melissa! It has a higher protein count and can make cake a lot more dense so I do not recommend using it.
great recipe and easy to follow! was my first time making banana bread and came out great! the only thing is i should’ve waited for my bananas to ripen a bit more to add some more sweetness and also i replaced the raisins with chocolate chips, would advise if you are chocolate lover.
Thank you for this recipe. the fam loves it.
I would say the only thing to update in this recipe is to add the vanilla extract at the time you add the eggs and bananas so it can incorporate better. But that little thing is not enough to knock it from 5 stars. Good job on the recipe
I don’t usually leave reviews on recipes but this is my tried and true favorite banana bread recipe. So moist and easily adaptable. I add cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom with a 1/2 to 1 cup of shredded carrots and switch half of the sugar to brown for carrot cake bread. I’ve also added zucchini. I’ve made a sugar and oat crunchy topping and I’ve added chocolate chips. Always comes out delish!
My grocery store marks down browning bananas and I buy them up and throw them in the freezer just to make this bread.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Ericka!
This is amazing. I didn’t have regular sugar so I used 1/2 vanilla sugar and 1/2 brown sugar. I added the chocolate chips and it is heaven.
Loved this recipe! Would it be good to do as muffins?
Great to hear that you love this one! I have another recipe for Banana Muffins, you can use that one.
BEST recipe I’ve ever tried (and I’ve used the Betty crocker one for years (until now))
I don’t use raisins though and always triple the recipe 😂
Hi Natasha, can I use apples instead with this recipe, thanks
Hi Sylvia, while I haven’t tried that substitution, my readers have and mentions success with it. Here’s what one of my readers wrote: “I have used unsweetened apple sauce instead of sugar, works great. I’ve used brown sugar and Truvia as well not a whole lot of difference” I hope that helps.
Yes! Diced apples instead of raisins is Amazing! I fry my apples with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon (I am making 6 loads RIGHT NOW 😂)
BUT this time I used pumpkin spice and omitted 3 of the 9 bananas (I’m making 3 batches so 1/3 of the bananas) and replaced with a large can of pumpkin puree! 👍
THE HOUSE SMELLS AMAZING!!!! 🥰
Best banana bread ever made then into small muffins sooooo freaking good
Absolutely delicious! I substituted cranberries for raisins and added some cinnamon and cardamom. It was gone in 2 days.. Great recipe very versatile to my swaps/add-ins. I now have a reason to smile when my bananas ripen before I am ready eat them.
Sounds delicious!