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.
Great recipe, muffins came out real moist.
Best banana bread I’ve made. A friend said, I perfected this. Perfect as written. Honey a game changer! Thanks for this superb recipe.
You’re welcome, Gen! I’m so glad to hear that.
Great recipe and thanks for all of your other recipes as well 😀
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Angela!
Made it without nuts and raisins
With nuts and raisin
And raisins chocolate chips and heath chips
We didn’t use raisins nor walnuts but it still turned out so dang good! Best recipe I’ve used and I’ve used a lot.
It was the first recipe ever I used and it was delicious and moist. But the second time I used it, I made some tweaks: I used 2,5 bananas (all I had at the time, 1,25 cups of flour (half all purpose, half whole wheat, 1/2 cups of brown sugar (turned out a bit too sweet for my liking, the first time I used 1/2 cups of honey and it was better). This time it wasn’t as moist as the first time, more on the dryer side. Do you know which of my alterations could have caused it?
Hi Kate, I suspect it was due to adding the whole wheat flour – that can make a bread a little more dry. Without testing those substitutions, it’s difficult to guess.
My spouse and I love this banana bread recipe . Thank you so much for sharing it .
really good and the measurements are spot on..added brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and used craisins in place of raisins
This recipe is easy to make and very tasty! The whole family loved it!
This banana bread is the best recipe 1 have found in 30 years! Everyone just loved it at Christmas, baking it again to take to an event this week. No additions or substitutions! I do double this recipe, ‘cause it’s such a hit!💕💕
This banana is delicious. I followed the recipe exactly. I used smaller pans 8 x4 to make two. The only problem I had was that the sides and edges of the breads were slightly overcooked and brown. I used light colored pens. Should I lower the temperature by 25°?
Hi Marcella! That might help, although lighter pans don’t bake as fast are dark metal pans. Also, I highly encourage the use of an internal oven thermometer (affiliate link) to check your ovens temperature accuracy.
I love this recipe! I have made it so many times. I always add chocolate chips though and only sometimes add the walnuts. Super good!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Ade!
First time using this recipe and just wasn’t as tasty as the one I’ve used in the past.
Hi Jamie, did you make any changes in the ingredients or instructions? We haven’t changed the recipe and this is one of our most popular recipes for many years now.
I switched walnuts with pecans and subbed craisins instead of raisins. I added 4 bananas and added 2 whole cups of flour instead of the 1 1/2 you originally called for. Added a pinch of cinnamon cause I felt fancy lol DELISH bread we packed for our road trip!
The best banana bread I make. I have used this recipe many times!
That’s so great to hear. We sure do love this one too!
Great lively video. One thing I missed is seeing the list/quantity of ingredients. I like to make sure I have everything AND like to double check the quantity. Well done keep stiring!
Hi Cliff. There is a button at the top of the page “jump to recipe”. It will take you to the recipe card which is located at the bottom of the page.
How much in grams is three bananas? Bananas in our place have dofferent sizes and kinds. Thanks.
Hello Athina! On average, one medium banana weighs around 120 grams, so three bananas would be approximately 360 grams. Hope that helps.
I was out of raisins, so I used apricots and I’m not a nut fan so I omitted that. Delish!
I used apple sauce for eggs and omitted nuts and raisins. Family and friends love this!
That’s great, Grace! Thank you for sharing.
Made it with my 12 year old granddaughter using blueberries instead of raisins. Amazing!
I bet it was so good with blueberries!