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.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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.
This Banana Bread recipe is the BEST I have ever tasted and I’ve made banana banana pecans bread for 50 years and all have loved it. I thought I’d shake it up and try yours with tangy raisins, a little hesitant about the raisins but tried it anyway. Oh My Goodness!!! It is so good with just the right sweet tangy accent. I used pecans instead of walnuts. This banana bread was so much LIGHTER and enjoyable to eat than my normal heavy banana bread. Thanks Natasha!!
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! I’m so glad to hear that you love this Banana Bread recipe!
I have baked this banana bread for my friends and now every time they come over this banana bread is all they ask for! VERY DELICIOUS & MOIST!
That makes me happy to hear!
Oh my goodness Natasha, this recipe is just wonderful! I just finished making this banana nut bread and it is soooo good. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I’m so glad you loved it!
I only have sticks of salted butter, how can i make adjustments if thats what ill need to use.
Hi Samantha, I like using unsalted butter so I can adjust the saltiness easier but you can use salted butter too and omit/reduce the salt in the recipe.
Perfect recipe that turns out delicious every time!
So glad they came out good for you! Thanks so much for sharing, Gina!
Love your recipe. I recently was handed black ripe bananas. Your recipe was easy and produced 16 beautiful banana muffins. I added raisins and dried cranberries. Out of walnuts. Delicious 😋
I love this recipe! My only comment is I wish it got a bit bigger / taller. Perhaps doubling the recipe?
Hi CM! Unfortunately doubling won’t help, it won’t bake up properly unless you’re using a larger pan.
Did you use a 9×5 bread loaf pan! It doesn’t get super tall, but it should rise and not be flat. See the images above for reference.
Very good recipe. With my oven however banana bread was ready in 45 min
Thank you for the great recipe! I make this at least once a week! I make into mini muffins instead of a loaf and sub the raisins for dark chocolate. My family loves them!
Just made this banana bread for the first time! Absolutely delicious! Mine took 70 minutes for the knife to come clean. Why is it brown inside? Just curious.
I’m glad you loved it! The brown color insire is quite normal especially with very ripe bananas. Overripe bananas have more sugars, and those sugars darken in the oven.
The best banana bread recipe by far! Very moist
It’s Bananas How Perfect This Is
I’ve used this recipe several times and my siblings, friends, and parents have absolutely loved it. not gonna lie, even though I’m not really a fan of banana bread this was an absolutely exceptional. keep doing what you do Natasha!
That is high praise, and I’m so grateful you shared it with me! So happy this recipe was such a success, Sevinch!
This is probably the best banana bread I’ve ever eaten. I was skeptical of the raisins, but they were delicious giving a burst of sweet and a much healthier choice than chocolate chips. Much more guilt free for me.
Thank you, I’m happy you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe several times always receive compliments. It is delicious. Thank you!!!!!
My loaf is about to go in the oven! I had to leave out the raisins. Hubby isn’t a fan.
I’m genuinely curious if there’s a reason the vanilla goes is after the dry ingredients.
In this recipe, I add the vanilla near the end so its sweet aroma really shines! If you mix it in too early, some of that flavor can fade during baking—but stirring it in just before baking keeps your banana bread extra fragrant and delicious.
Loved it!!! Eating a slice as we speak. It’s delicious. The flavor, amazing. Texture, amazing also. A little bit to sweet bit maybe that’s just me. Usually i’m not into sweets that much.
Hi Iulia! You can use less sugar if you prefer a less sweet banana bread loaf. Especially if your bananas are very ripe, they can be more sweet.
Just made them for the 1 St time. Delicious .
I’m so happy you loved it!
This recipe is awesome! I do 3/4 cup vanilla protein powder and 3/4 cup of flour and make it into muffins 👌
Thank you for sharing that with me, Cameron!
Probably the best banana bread I’ve ever had
Love, love, love this recipe, as does my family! I’m all about texture, so I load up on nuts (lightly roasted walnuts) and raisins. Also, I bake it in a 9×13 pan. Only banana bread or muffin recipe I use, after trying many! Almost didn’t try because of the raisins (in banana bread??), but it’s amazing!
I’m so glad you gave it a try. It’s one of my family’s favorites.