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.
Made this recipe with my six year old and we both loved it!!
Absolutely delicious. I made this recipe with a little bit of twist. I had to change the regular flour to gluten flour ,I use measured to measure, and I used coconut oil and olive oil instead of butter since I have family members that they are gluten-free and dairy free, it turned out beautifully. I use sour cherries instead of raisins since I didn’t have raisin and I did half a cup of brown sugar instead of the regular sugar and cut down a little bit of the sugar measuring and it turned out beautifully. I actually used one of the comments that it says that use a little bit of oil and a little bit of sugar on the bottom of the pan. I did it on the bottom and I did it on the top and it made it really crystallised and it really made a big difference so thank you again for all the recipe. I really enjoyed it.
I have the same recipe which is so easy to make, however, I only add walnuts to mine. I never thought of raisins. Toasting the walnuts sounds like a great idea.
I hope you love it, Jeanne!
I also am under snow alert. Been looking for a GOOD banana bread recipe. Sounds great, I’m making now. Will be Zero tonight, I’ll be using the oven for cozy evening
I hope you love it, Carol!
My go to for banana bread. Always comes out delicious! And so easy to make. I have one in the oven now.
Sometimes I sprinkle turbinado cane sugar on top before baking. Adds a nice crunch
I have 4 sons and trust me, I’ve made a LOT of banana bread for them and their friends!! This is by far the best recipe I’ve tried. SO moist and delicious. I take it out when the very top is not quite finished, put a piece of heavy duty foil and a dish cloth over it and let it sit for about 10 minutes. PERFECTION!
That’s wonderful to hear, Traci!
Hi I really loved it was delicious n easy to follow
I’m glad to hear you liked it, Farzana.
Hooray ! After months of making other recipes and tossing the results in the trash, your recipe is the end of my search. Thank you for this. I followed your recipe to the letter, and it was perfectly moist and exactly what I envisioned for a great banana bread. Thank you – looking forward to searching out other recipes of yours to try.
That’s wonderful to hear, Marl! Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m so glad you found my recipe.
Amazing and easy recipe. Perfect for those leftover bananas. Not a huge fan of raisins so I leave them out but it’s still perfect with just walnuts. Sent it to work with my boyfriend and his coworkers all loved it. Perfect. Thank you for sharing. This is my go to for banana bread!
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you love this Banana Bread recipe!
Hi I don’t have a bread loaf pan, can I use any pan? A square pan or a muffin pan? I saw you have a banana muffin recipe but I like the nuts in this recipe.
Hi Kim! You can use this recipe with the muffins baking instructions.
Hands down the best banana bread recipe!!!!
I absolutely love 💕 this banana bread… reminds me of my momma’s …it’s the best!
Getting ready to test this one out. When I make banana or zucchini bread I spray the pan with oil and then powdered sugar. It almost caramelizes the outside. It’s a big hit addition.
I just put a loaf of your banana bread in the oven. It was so easy to make, and it smells fabulous while it’s baking. I live in Ohio and today we are under a Level 3 Snow Emergency. What a good day to use your recipe! Thanks!
I made this last evening, delicious, why did I wait so long to bake this. I omitted the raisins. I have tasted others but this one was the best. It will become one if my favorites to bake. Simple and easy to follow this recipe. I love a lot of your recipes Natasha, thank you so much.
Yay great to hear that you loved my Banana Bread recipe. Thank you for finally trying it!
Baked this today. Omitted the walnuts as I didnt have any and used equal part of granulated sugar, honey and brown sugar in place of 3/4 cup of granulated sugar. Turned out great!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it is absolutely perfect.
I’m glad you love it, Lena!
tried it, it was a hit and i love how easy it is to take in and out of ingredients and substitute
I’m so excited to hear it was a hit, Ivy!
I’m getting ready to make this, but don’t want to include raisins. If I leave out the raisins, do I need to adjust any other ingredients?
Hi Kathy, it will work well without the raisins. Here’s what one of my readers wrote “The best banana bread recipe…period. I skip the raisins and walnuts because we don’t like them but add chocolate chips to half the batter. It’s so moist and delicious. It’s definitely my go to recipe whenever I make banana bread. Thank you for sharing it with us!!”
Made thus tonight but it came out dry, not sure why…
Hi Samantha, be sure to measure your flour correctly as this can cause the bread to be dry and not moist. I have a How to Measure Ingredients (Wet and Dry) VIDEO here for reference.
I love your banana bread recipe. It was absolutely delicious and very easy to follow step by step instructions.
Before placing the loaf in the oven, added walnuts with brown sugar, cinnamon sprinkled on top. It gave a beautiful and delicious finishing texture.
I bet those toppings made it extra beautiful, Nancy!
My favorite banana recipe I’ve tried. I love how easy it is to memories and add or subtract addins.
I’m so glad it was helpful, Crystal! Thank you for your review.