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.
So easy to make. Everyday ingredients
Love it ❤️
I swapped out 1/4 of the sugar for lightly packed brown sugar. I remember my grandmother doing something similar, but I forgot the recipe. Doing that here made it taste exactly like when she would make it. It makes the loaf a bit more rich.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Love this recipe!
Can i make it in an airfryer?
Hi Katya! I haven’t tested this in the air fry to know how to adjust the time/temp.
If I wanted to add cinnamon into this recipe how much do I add in?
Hi Hiba! I would add 1-2 tsp or add it to taste.
Love this easy and very tasty banana bread recipe. Natasha’s Kitchen never disappoints. Neither does the banana bread! 🤗
I haven’t made this recipe yet but my sister has!! I’m just wondering if there is anything I need to do if I want to substitute the nuts for chocolates?
I actually have another recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread that you can follow.
Use this recipe once a month. Curious what the cook time should be changed to if doing muffins instead? Thanks!
Hi Handz, I’m so happy you love the Banana Bread recipe! Here is my full tutorial on making this into Banana Muffins with the bake times, portioning, etc. I hope you love the muffins just as much.
By far the best I’ve ever made and baked. I tried with and without nuts and raisins as well, both were deliciously superb
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Jeff! I love that you can adjust it to your preference.
When your sister replaced the sugar with honey did she do an even exchange? Would you change anything else as honey is more of a liquid not dry like sugar
Hi Cathy! It works to substitute it equally. You can use less or adjust to taste of your bananas are very ripe and sweet.
Just made mine and it looks and smells incredible! Thanks for the recipe
You’re very welcome!
Moist and flavorful! I’d even pull it out a little earlier. Saving this for my next bread!
Do you think I could use 2 large bananas instead of 3 for this recipe?
Hi there! Yes, you can use 2 large bananas instead of 3 but it might affect the moisture and flavor.
Love this recipe. Have made three loafs. Great. Thanks
Natasha, like all the other recipes, your banana bread is always my go to. I tell all my family and friends about your recipes and they i have yet to have ANY of them fail.. the croissants although it did fail for me but I’m sure it was a ingredient that wasn’t right. But being a gramma that is not a surprise. I plan to try again though. In the mean time, THANK YOU for all your great post and recipes. I did get your cookbook too for a gift from my NEW son- in-law!! Thanks again Natasha for making recipes fun!!
It says leave it to rest before wire rack. Leave it to rest in the oven? Or out?
Hi Vickie, you would take it out of the oven and let it rest in the pan, before taking the bread out of the pan and onto a wire rack. I hope that helps.
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda?
I have not tested that but it’s possible. If you choose to use baking powder, you’ll need to adjust the quantity and possibly modify other ingredients:
Best banana bread ever i keep coming back to this recipe
Hi Shivana, I’m so happy you love my Banana Bread. That’s so wonderful to hear!
Love this recipe! Have used it many times and I’m always getting compliments. Just a question, when I prepare my batter the ingredients always seem to separate after adding the mashed banana and eggs, and all ingredients are room temp. Any suggestions why?
Hi Shannon, that is normal for the mixture to look like it has separated or even slightly curdled when you add the bananas and eggs since liquids and fats don’t blend together easily. No worries though, this recipe is very very forgiving. Just proceed as usual.
Absolutely delicious and extremely addictive! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I replaced raisins with dark chocolate chips – its divine!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Hi! Just to let you know I and my family n friends love your banana bread. I have made over 200 loaves in the last 5yrs.
I put vanilla, chocolate, and peanut butter chips. So good. Thank you!!!!
Wow! 500 loaves! you are a Banana Bread master! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
This bread is amazing and forgiving. I omitted the raisins and nuts in the recipe and instead used 1 tsp of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon (sorry I love cinnamon). I also sprinkled a mixture of crushed nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon on the top of the bread. I seperated my egg whites from the yolks and whipped my egg whites, then folded it into the batter to make it very light and fluffy. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this recipe.
You’re so welcome, Wendy! I’m so happy you loved this recipe!