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.







Can you use oil as a substitute for the butter if you don’t have it ?
Hi Emmanuel, I haven’t tested that substitution but it should work. Here’s what one of our readers wrote “I made the same recipe but I just replaced the butter with the oil … It is very successful and delicious … Thank you Natasha …” I hope that helps.
I am having a little trouble with this recipe, I have it baking for almost an hour now and the bottom is cooked through but the top seems kind of raw yet. I am worried that if i leave it in any longer that my bread will burn as its a very dark brown. This is the second time i am making it as last night the top was raw and the bottom was done. I was hoping tonight would be different.
Hi Christine. If you followed the ingredients and instructions correctly, I would say it’s possibly an oven issue. Be sure to fully preheat your oven before baking the bread. I would also recommend getting an internal oven thermometerto check to see if your oven is heating correctly and make adjustments as needed. Also, be sure that your oven shelf is in the middle and not too close to the bottom.
Now seeing this very true i responded and saw yours after but facts it happens a lot and if someone new to baking they don’t always know the difference between Celsius and Fahrenheit so that can be an issue hope she get through
Maybe it’s your oven you need to adjust because some ovens don’t cook evenly once the temperature isn’t set proper meaning your oven and her oven can be on the same temperature but yours can be hotter than it should be so a thermometer can be use if you not sure how to adjust it on your own. so I think from experience start with a lower temperature, then raise it to the end after checking after the 1hr for doneness to give it color If necessary.
I had the same concern. It was in for the allotted time but the toothpick came up wet but the bread looked quite browned. Just leaving it in a few extra minutes made a huge difference! It didn’t burn at all and came out nice and moist.
This is my first time making banana bread and it turned out amazing. Thank you. I followed the recipe except I used 4 bananas and omitted the raisins. I used a glass baking dish and cooked it for 55 minutes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!
Do I have to toast the walnuts? I’ve never made Banana bread but my daughter in law is pregnant and craving it…with walnuts.
Hi Jennifer, I used store-bought toasted walnuts for this recipe. You can toast them to bring out the best flavor of the walnuts.
I made this yesterday and it was a hit. So moist and delicious. The only thing I would change is to cut the sugar a little bit. Thank you for sharing this recipe Natasha.
Thank you for the feedback, Merilyn. So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
This was the best banana bread recipe. I added peaches and it is the most moist bread I have ever made. OMG!
So glad you love this recipe, Jennifer!
I’m dairy free so I subbed coconut oil for the butter and it came out delicious! Only baked for 45 mins as well.
That’s great to know. Thank you for sharing, Julia!
I made 2 loaves today. One I made it exactly as your recipe indicated and the other one I left out the nuts and raisins (kids who think those are vegetables lol) this is a delicious recipe and I plan on using this as my go to from now on.
I’m so glad both worked out great, Nancy! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
M not a baker but tried your recipe because my husband wanted to eat home baked banana bread (yea I know 🙄)…
And it came out so well. Perfect sweet and perfect moist. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Loved it…
I’m so glad he loved it! I bet he was so happy knowing you made it!
it’s in the oven now. I used organic whole wheat flour and honey. But I mixed the bananas honey and sugar, then added the flour OMG forgot the eggs! So I added the eggs to the batter but hoping I didn’t ruin it! lol
Fingers crossed it all works out & you love it!
I made these yesterday. The perfect consistency, I must say, and I have tried many different banana bread recipes. I made them in 4 mini loafs and baked them for 35 minutes. No top cracking! I wonder how rum-soaked raisins would do in this recipe…I might try that next time for an extra pop.
Sounds great and good to hear that you enjoyed the result too! I’m sure raisins will also be a nice addition to the recipe.
I add 1/2 cup sour cream to the wet ingredients and it makes the banana bread very moist. My friends loved it. Thank you for the recipe. We have the same ingredients and the only thing I add is the sour cream.
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing, Lynn.
Great Banana bread! I used dried cranberries instead of raisins and it was the best banana bread I’ve ever had! Thank you!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Susan!
Made this for the first time today and it’s delicious. Such a simple recipe (I followed it exactly) that took minutes to mix. Next time I will try using 4 bananas for addt’l flavor. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Susan! So glad you enjoyed it.
Amazing recipe! I used King Arthur gluten free flour and omitted the raisins…turned out fantastic and was a hit with my family!
So glad to hear this worked well with gluten-free flour. Thank you for sharing, I’m sure many of our readers will find this helpful.
Has anybody tried to double this recipe? Any advice, Natasha? 😉 TIA
Hi Mel, I one of our readers shared this “I doubled the recipe. Used less sugar and added some light brown sugar. I had leftover dates from my Italian fig cookies, so I chopped them and threw in as well as raisins and craisins and the toasted walnuts. I made two loaf pans and half dozen muffins. So good! The only recipe I will use for banana bread!” I hope that helps.
Hi! I just found your site recently and I have made this recipe twice in the last month! It is SO GOOD. =)
I just wanted to hop on and say that I made these gluten free for our family and it turned out amazing! I used 1/2 King Arthur’s all purpose gf flour and half oat flour- I make it myself by grinding up oats in my blender.
Welcome to our blog, Mindie! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes!
Thank you for this comment. It makes me confident to try the recipe with the GF mix I use. Much appreciated!
One of the best I’ve had. I baked it for 2 days in a row. First try, it seemed slightly burnt after about 50 mins in oven. But to my surprise, inside is perfect and moist. I baked the second one for 40 minutes. Crust is softer but inside is perfect. But my daughter still prefers a crunchier crust of the first one. I only added half the sugar and added 3 eggs as my eggs were small. Didn’t have nuts at home, so I added dark chocolate chunks. Love it! I’ll be sticking to this recipe for some time.
Hi Jojo, I haven’t tried those substitutions and that or any substitutions may hinder the recipe outcome. I always suggest making a recipe as written 🙂 I’m glad you both still loved it!
The best banana bread recipe 😋😋, many many thanks 🙏 🙏 😊😊😊
I’m so glad you found a favorite on my blog, Nadereh! That’s just awesome!
This is my favorite banana bread recipe so far. The only change I made was using pecans instead of walnuts because that’s what I had. I used three fairly large bananas. It’s so moist and the raisins give it that something extra. I could see adding a little bit of cinnamon, but really this is great as is.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Colin!