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.
Delicious banana bread! My daughter in law always makes it and is always a success! ♥️
Thank you for the recipe! 😋
I have made this a few times and it always comes out good and I don’t have to adjust anything for high altitude baking which is great! I usually read ingredients in the directions section but this time I didn’t see the flour measurements correctly. Would you edit written instructions for the amount of flour to be on one line. The 1 is on a separate line for the 1/2 cup and I missed it this time and only used a 1/2 cup of flour!!😥😥😥! Still taste good but it effected the rise and had to cook it longer than recommended. Thank you!
HI Pam, it might just be the screen you are reading it on. I’m seeing it all on one line as 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, both in the recipe instructions and list of ingredients.
Made the banana bread with my Grandson while I was visiting my Dtr, her husband and & my granddaughter in Arlington. It was a great hit and good built good memories. Since I live in a different state. This was for dessert. Dinner was your chicken tetrazzini, Which by the way my grandson said was BOOM.
Thank you
Natasha
This is by far THE best tasting & super moist scrumptious banana bread I’ve had in my entire 53 years of age. I did swap regular white sugar to brown sugar & did use salted real butter. Still, just beyond this world.
Delicious!!! I put everything in the blender and baked it. I just don’t use raisins. I also seem to have trouble getting the middle cooked all the way through when baking banana bread. This is by far my favorite recipe! Thank you!
Everyone loves this recipe. Instead of nuts or raisins, I took peppermint candy and smashed them. I added the crushed peppermint to my banana bread and baked it. It was awesome.
I made this recipe, but with a few tweaks. I changed the sugar to 2/3 white sugar and 1/3 3 dark brown sugar. I have only used brown sugar in my banana bread recipes and wasn’t ready to make the full switch to only white sugar. I also added a third egg because I thought that my eggs looked small. I used four bananas instead of three because they were small. I added coconut, chopped pecans and chocolate chips. I really like the recipe because the bread itself wasn’t too sweet, especially with the sweet extras I added.
This recipe is a keeper to me and I will definitely make it again.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Mary! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Best recipe. I have made this so many times and it is perfect each time. When Fall hits I add more spices to give it that Fall feel. Today I made muffins and they were a huge hit. Great recipe.
This is one I look forward to each fall! I’m so glad you loved ita.so, Margaret!
Can you use a 8x4loaf pan ? Or would you need to use 2 of that size ?
Hi there! It’s too much batter for a smaller loaf pan. If you’re using two pans, it would be very thin and would also bake much faster.
You could bake it in a smaller loaf pan, but don’t overfill the pan and use another smaller oven safe pan/dish for the remaining batter. Just watch them in the oven because the baking time will not be the same.
OMG, so soft and moist! I added a tablespoons of cocoa powder and yum! It won’t last 2 days.
I’ve been using this recipe for a couple of years now and it’s the best. I do up the bananas by one or two, use half honey and sugar, and add chocolate chips depending on the mood. I have made it several times as written and it comes out the best by far. I’ve made it in bread pans, mini bread pans and muffin pans, and it always wins everyone over. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Does this recipe still work if you add zucchini or does the extra moisture change the rise?
I think that can work but with some adjusments. Let us know how it goes if you do an experiment!
Taste delicious, great consistency and taste like pure banana bread, it’s not over powered by cinnamon o nutmeg like other recipes I’ve tried.
Out of this world delicious and moist. What oven shelf do you bake your breads on? I ask because you mention you can make muffins out of bread recipes and you stipulate middle shelf for muffin baking. I am making another loaf today and also trying it as muffins.
Hi Sandy! The middle of the oven works great.
Great recipe I just made it with my grandaughter. Just added cinnamon and a tablespoon of sugar free maple syrup.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I love this recipe. I make this for my family and they literally inhale it
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Recently I have been making banana bread using your recipe. It is amazing. I add different fruit to the mixture. My family and friends love it. Every time I see bananas at the product reduce table I buy them and if I have time I will bake a loaf if not I freeze them until I’m ready to bake. Thank you for this great easy recipe 👍
You’re very welcome! I love how versatile this is. My kids devour these loaves!
I am an innkeeper who serves fresh baked goods daily. There has been another banana bread recipe I used religiously before this one, and after trying this last night, I will never go back! The bread is perfectly moist and the crumb is spot on. Here are the additions/alterations I would suggest for those making it:
– Use fresh bananas, not frozen. It took quite a bit extra time in the oven due to the extra liquid from the frozen bananas. Not an issue for me since we make it the night before, but could be an issue for someone in a time crunch.
– Toss add-ins (chocolate chips, walnuts, etc.) in flour before mixing in! This was quite a thin batter for me (probably the extra liquid from bananas) and the chocolate chips most sunk. Not an issue, just affects aesthetics! Flour will prevent them from sinking in the future. It slipped my mind before I added them haha.
– I added cinnamon and vanilla to my batter, something I do with most baked goods. Tasted great!
I’m so glad you found a new favorite on my blog, Will! Thank you for your feedback and wonderful review. I hope your guests love this banana bread.
I use this recipe but leave out the nuts and add one cup of dry oatmeal. I also use wax paper instead of greasing the pan. Works splendidly every-time!
Hi! Could I replace the all purpose flour for almond flour?
Hi Karla! I have not tested that to advise. I think that will work, let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Been making banana bread for years every-time I see leftover bananas getting too ripe. I have never had a favorite recipe until now. The recipe is simple but maybe it’s how the ingredients get incorporated? Regardless followed it to the tee. Only addition was an extra ripe banana and crushed up some chocolate bars and WOW. I have immediately saved it to my favorites and will print it out and throw out my other one. Thank you for sharing it.