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.
I’ve been using this recipe for almost two years now! It’s perfect, did Have a small question… I’m out of vanilla extract what could I substitute or should it be fine without?
Hi Kat, its adds flavor so you will miss it, one of my readers mentioned omiting it however shared it lacked flavor without it. Another replaced it with vanilla sugar and still loved it. One of my other readers also mentioned they were out of vanilla, “but added a little brown sugar, ground clove, and ground cinnamon instead.” I hope this is helpful.
Hello Natasha,
My 12 yr old granddaughter wanted to surprise me by making this recipe.
She converted all ingredients except the butter, Her comment was it said 8tbs, so she used
a whole stick of butter for 4 persons. It was a butter bomb!
Hi Lynn, this recipe does call for 8tbps of butter which is equal to ½ cup unsalted butter
When using cast iron bread pan what time and temp should I do?
Hi Michele! I would lower the temperature by 25 degrees and start checking early.
Would love to try the honey version – any tips on subbing in honey for the sugar? I assume it’s not just a 1-to-1 switch
Hi Brandon, You can use 1/2-3/4 cups of honey. You can substitute it equally, but if your bananas are very ripe and sweet or if you prefer a less sweet loaf, you can use 1/2 cups.
I accidentally added 3/4 cup powdered sugar (thinking it was flour). I didn’t have any more bananas so I just went with it. Turned out great! 😂
Oh yay at least it turned out great! Haha
Hi Natasha- can I bake 2 pans at once- does anything change with the oven temp? And can I melt the butter or definitely needs to be room temp? Thank you.
That should be fine, the baking time might be a little longer. You can check doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, it’s done
Ken I make this recipe all the time it’s great! I use cranrasins for a little tart flavor and a small amount of honey to replace some of the white sugar also half over ripe and half fresh ripe bananas keeps little less moist texture
This recipe was a good base recipe! I added it to my recipe box.
My tweaks were adding blueberry’s and chocolate chips along with a teaspoon of almond extract. I sprinkled powdered sugar over top o vr cooled and served with ice cream. This is my son’s favorite way to have banana bread-leave it up children to have the best ideas.
Thank you for sharing that with us! Those additions sounds delicious!
Hi Natasha—as usual , another great, healthy recipe from you. Can I substitute avocado
oil for the butter. if yes, is it an equal amount switch? Also can I use 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2
cup honey? Will that be too sweet? Thanks so much for you help!!
Hi Moma! I haven’t tested oil, but some of my viewers have reported good results using oil in its place. Yes, you could use a mixture of sugar and honey.
Could I cook this in small loaf pans? And if so, how long and what temp?
I would fill each pan about 2-3/4 to 3/4 full so there’s enough room for the batter to rise without overflowing. I’d keep the same temperature and start checking after around 25 minutes. You can check by using a toothpick.
Natasha your banana bread recipe is excellent. I substituted raisins with 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chunks and reduced the sugar by a 1/4 of a cup. The bread still came out perfect and delicious. Thank you.
Hi Natasha! I first found you a few years ago looking for the best Rueben recipe – yours, with the homemade Russian dressing is the BEST! I LOVE your recipes, videos and everything “Natasha”! Oh yea, my question, LOL- if I substitute honey for sugar in this recipe what is the measuring adjustment? Thanks & God Bless you in the new year!
Thanks so much, Karen! You can use 1/2-3/4 cups of honey. You can substitute it equally, but if your bananas are very ripe and sweet or if you prefer a less sweet loaf, you can use 1/2 cups.
I made this with chocolate chips and in a normal-sized bread pan. I had to cook it so long for it to be done that the outer edges were tough and almost burned. I might try this one in a larger, bakery-sized bread pan. It won’t be as high so it should cook quicker and taste better and not so tough.
Hi Rosemary. The size and type of pan matters because it effects hows it bakes. Did you use a 9×5 loaf pan? If you used a smaller pan, it would be too full and it won’t bake quite right. Be sure to fully preheat your oven before baking, and if you’re using a dark metal or glad pan, you should lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees.
I made this and it turned out great. I used choc chips instead of raisins and cut back sugar a bit since bananas were very ripe.
I haven’t made this yet but it looks good and moist.
I’d like to add some rum to this recipe.
How much should I add, and what sort of adjustments should I make, if any, to the rest of the recipe?
I haven’t tried adding rum but one of our readers shared this comment “I split the difference on the sugar and honey using both. Added 2tbls of rum and used vanilla bean paste vs extract. Made two loves. They came out great.” Hope that helps!
Natasha, if I double this recipe will a Bundt pan work? Thank you.
Hi Marty! I have a Banana Bundt Cake Recipe here.
Absolutely delicious banana bread! I made an original and then with walnuts and chocolate chips. I had to oven ripen some bananas so it wasn’t as banana-y as I thought it would be, but I’ll try again with properly ripened bananas soon. I will definitely be keeping this as my go to recipe!
Just made this. Totally yummy and not too sweet. Used gluten free flour and cooked 1 hr and 10 minutes. Family loves it.
Best banana bread recipe that I have made, and I have tried many. I added a dew chocolate chips and pecans, reducing the walnuts and raisins
I also substituted 1 cup of whole wheat flour fir the white.
Everyone loved it. My kids and husband and it’s almost gone in a day!
That’s so great, Preeti! I’m so glad it was enjoyed!