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.
Tried this twice because I thought that I had messed something up the first time the center would not bake. Second time a round same issue…. Very disappointed
Hi Kya, I haven’t had that happen but I am always happy to help troubleshoot – is your oven heating properly? Are you seeing that with other baking projects? Also, are you changing anything in proportions of ingredients and you might double check that the leavening is not expired.
Without a doubt, a big winner in my family. Moist and delicious.
So easy and fail proof! I used really, really ripe bananas.
Excellent. Delicious. Easy. Printed for my recipe file folder….
I’m glad you liked it, Ivy!
Best banana bread recipe ever!! Thank you for posting so many delicious recipes 💛
Yep. This deserves 5 stars. The best banana bread ever. I’ve made it twice and the second time I added double the raisins by mistake and I ended up loving it more! Only took 50 minutes in my oven for the toothpick to come out clean so I would check early! So moist!
Came out super moist and delicious (i made them into muffins instead) taste phenomenal warmed up. Love this
Used this recipe and this came out amazing
Taste quite good for a home-baked banana bread. Might have to try other recipes for it to taste more like banana
Turned out absolutely amazing I substituted the walnuts for pistachios in the raisins for chocolate chips made four different loaves right away I made a regular banana a chocolate chip banana a pistachio banana and a chocolate chip pistachio banana every single one of them was easy every single one of them is absolutely amazing the outside is a crispy delicate amazingness the inside is moist and fluffy very incredible recipe extremely happy satisfied will definitely be making again it will not allow me to upload pictures I have pictures of the way they turned out
Followed the recipe and directions completely, and the bread came out dry, sad day.
Sorry that didn’t turn out well for you. We also use this same recipe and it’s always a huge success! Could it be that you have overmixed the batter? Try mixing just until everything is combined to avoid overdeveloping the gluten. If you also added too much flour, it could make the bread dry so I would make sure that the ingredients are measured correctly.
FIVE BIG BOOMS FOR THESE MUFFINS! literally so delicious, really good recipe
I’m so happy you loved them! Thank you for the feedback!
Hi! I changed the servings to 20 as I wanted to use all the very overripe bananas I have on hand;
When you change it, ingredient list says 1.5 cups of sugar, but the instructions only use 3/4 cups.
When is the other 3/4 cup of sugar used?
Thank you in advance!
Thanks for the awesome recipe! My 3 year old and I made this one together and it was very easy and fun to do!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! My kids love this recipe.
Our favorite banana bread recipe! I make it at least twice a month. Would this freeze well?
Hi Julie! Yes, it freezes great!
I don’t like raisins can I just leave them out? and why do you not use any baking powder in this recipe ?
Yes you can omit the raisins. There is no baking powder because it relies on baking soda as the leavening agent instead.Hope you will love it!
Can I substitute self rising flour for all purpose?
Hi there! You would have to make some adjustments if you will be using a substitution. For every cup of self-rising flour, reduce the amount of baking powder and salt in the recipe. Omit the baking powder entirely (since self-rising flour already contains it).
Reduce the salt: If the recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of salt, cut it down to about 1/4 teaspoon.
I’m confused. The recipe says baking soda not baking powder. ???
Hi D.D! That’s correct, this recipe uses baking soda. My reply above was in reference to using self-rising flour which contains baking powder so modifications would be needed since it already contains leaving. My reply should have said to omit the “baking soda” in the recipe. I hope that helps clarify.
This is an absolutely THE best recipe that I found on the banana bread. I would highly recommend it. It’s hard to stop making it for breakfast or snacks. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Great recipe! Easy and delicious! Definitely will use it over and over
Thank you for the wonderful review. I’m so happy you found a recipe you’ll use again.
It came out wonderful the only thing I did was reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup. Thank you for a yummy recipe!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Karin!
How long to do muffin pan instead of loaf pan? Guessing around 30 min?
Hi Sam, check out our Banana Muffins Recipe for detailed instructions.