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.
Banana bread in oven right now. So excited to taste it when it comes out of the oven. Will comment later .
We’d love to know how it goes!
This recipe always turns out. I’ve made it 4 or 5 times. The last time, which was Tuesday, I only used chocolate chips for my add ins…oh my…so good. You will succeed in making this bread. I’ve tried several recipes in the past. I will never need another recipe. Thanks Natasha.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Sally!
Made this last night and it was delicious! I followed your recipe exactly except I substituted the sugar with monk fruit and I accidentally added 1 tsp baking powder…. Then I added the baking soda. Whew! It stilled turned out great!!! Will definitely make this again!😉
I’m glad it all worked out, Phyllis! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I’d have to use monk fruit too. Did you use the regular or baking kind?
Excellent recipe! I adjust just a few things and it still came out wonderfully. I cut the sugar to 1/2 cup and used dark brown sugar, added 1 tsp of cinnamon, left out raisins and walnuts from the inside and topped it with cinnamon brown sugar and chopped toasted walnuts. The banana bread was really moist, soft and not overly sweet. It was perfect! Thank you for recipe!
Nice to know that the substitutions that you used worked! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Absolutely delicious! Made one batch without nuts or raisins and one with just the nuts (not a big raisin fan) Incredibly moist! Mine did require an extra 20-30 minutes to cook all the way through, but so worth it! Make sure you mix wet and dry separate first it makes all the difference!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Joy!
Banana bread going in the oven
This is by far the best recipe ever
Made well over 20 times now
Thank you
I bet the house smells wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe, Wil! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Every recipe from you I used is the best and never failed! Every one! Now my banana bread is in the oven! Made it so many times! Thank you!
Aaaw thank you, that is so sweet!
Hi Natasha!
I just wanted to tell you that I absolutely love both of your banana bread recipes! They are a huge hit in my family. Every time I make them my whole family wants me to make them one. Most of the time I make them I’m making a minimum of 6 loaves. I make them for Family, friends, work, and church socials. I printed the recipes out and I keep them in my little puppy binder of my favorite recipes. They will probably be the only banana bread recipes I will every use. They will forever be made in my house. Thank you so much for sharing!
Best banana bread recipe ever!
I make your banana bread recipe at least twice a month. I added chocolate chips for a long time. Now I’m adding dried cherries and toasted pecans. Also, making it with chopped dates and toasted walnuts. I also always add one teaspoon of cinnamon in all loaves. Family and friends love it.
That sounds amazing! So glad you love this recipe, Ann!
Hello Natasha!! I love banana bread!! Can I substitute gluten free gluten flour in this recipe ?
Hi Dora. I have not tested it but I think it could work. One of my readers said, “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.”
Excellent taste and texture. Simple and easy. Can always trust a banana bread recipe with a little cinnamon in it 🙂
THanks for the awesome feedback!
Hi Natasha. Can I freeze this bread? I know it’s probably yes but I looked at soooo many comments hoping to come up with this answer. I quit looking so I asked myself. I’m getting ready to make it. I just happen to have 3 Very Ripe bananas,
Hi Cheryl! Yes, I believe that is possible. This never lasts long enough for us to freeze but it should work.
It’s in my oven right now! Will let you know how it comes out SOON!!! We are so excited!
We’d love to know how you liked the recipe, can’t wait for the feedback and review!
The best ever, I used golden raisins and mini chocolate chips.
Iced with a lemon glaze.
Fantastic!
Sounds delicious!
I love Banana bread I make it all the time my recipe about the same. I love you show!
I usually am not a great fan of banana bread until I had this recipe very easy to make and turned out true and delicious. Thank you.
I’m so happy to hear that, Janet! Thank you for the review.
I made the banana bread 🍞 for the first time and it came out great and tasty. I added some peanuts 🥜 along with everything else which added to the taste. I will have it at breakfast in the place of toast.
The perfect breakfast! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, William!
Thanks for this recipe. I used frozen bananas and it worked well. the bread was slightly burnt though as I used 175 degree Celsius and baked for 55 minutes. Do you have any advice on the bakeware? I am using a darker color tray. Would that affect the temperature?
Hi Josephine. Dark metal pans generally absorb and distribute heat more quickly than lighter-colored pans. I would recommend using an internal oven thermometer to see how your oven heats up. You may need to turn the temperature down a bit to allow more even baking.
I want to make this. It sounds delishious!. What would be the cup measurement for 3 bananas since bananas come in all different sizes.
Hi Peggy! I didn’t measure this in cups. I generally use 3 medium/large bananas. I’ve used more or less banana each time I make the recipe and it’s always turned out well, no issues.
Made this at the cottage and everyone LOVED it! I used salted butter because that’s what we had on hand, I still added the salt. I used 1/2 a cup of honey and 1/4 of sugar. Since we had a walnut allergy, I omitted the walnuts but added bran and sweetened shredded coconut for some texture instead. Will be making again 100%
Thank you for the wonderful feedback and for sharing your experiment with the recipe. I’m so glad it was enjoyed.