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.
Wow, just wow, I followed the recipe to the T.. even the baking time was on point.. absolutely delicious and very moist. Will be making this again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tamara!
Hi Natasha!
I am following you since 2019, I love your recipes. This is one of my favorites.
That is amazing! Thank you so much for following us all these years. That means so much to me.
Can I make Banana Bread with self rising flour since that is all I have?
Hi Priscilla, without testing that substitution, I’m not sure how it will work with the leavening that is in the recipe.
I can’t wait to cook this and eat it your recipes are so good Natasha my family love them all thank you for sharing with us
I hope you love it!
I made this recipe and it was delicious!! I did add an extra banana because I had 4 overripe at the time and did t use raisins. It came out perfect! I’m about to make it again . Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Paula!
To avoid over-cooking a loaf of banana bread, should I take it out of oven when a little dough left on toothpick (it should finish cooking as long as left in pan 10 mins??)
Hi Donna, I always pull it once the toothpick is clean and haven’t had an issue with it overcooking. I worry if any dough is left, it may not be done enough just sitting in a pan.
Looks fabulous! If I use salted butter (all I have on hand), how much additional salt should I add?
I love your recipes, thanks so much for making evenings fun, easy, and delicious!
Hi Charles. You can omit the salt completely if you use salted butter. I’m glad you love my recipes. 🙂
I love this recipe! Substituted raisins for chocolate chips, put some cinnamon, nutmeg with extra vanilla. Walnuts and cut up banana on top. You can make minor changes to adjust to your preferences.
That sounds wonderful, Ali! So glad you loved this recipe.
I’m baking this right now in a glass loaf pan and it’s taking much longer to bake. I’m at 1 hour 20 min and counting…
I omitted the raisins and used pecans instead of walnuts and three giant Costco bananas. It smells delicious but just wanted to warn about the glass/longer bake time!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Caroline. It is likely due to the glass plan since the glass pan is slower to heat, but it does a better job retaining that heat once hot. I recommend ensuring your oven is also calibrated.
I’m eating this right now! Delicious. I added walnuts but not raisins. Thanks!
I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Cyndi. Thank you for sharing.
Natasha, I have a question about the banana bread. Can I use chocolate chips and raisins instead of walnuts? My grandson is allergic to nuts.
Thank you.
Hi Diana! Yes, many of my readers use chocolate chips in this recipe. 🙂
I made this recipe and it was yummy! I’m gonna try it with chocolate chips instead of raisins. I’ll let you know.
Hi Pamela! I’m sure it will be wonderful. 🙂
I just baked a loaf of your banana bread and am extremely disappointed with how salty it is. I will be going back to my old recipe that requires just a “pinch” of salt, not a 1/2tsp. Without the salt, I would still rate this a 3.
Hi Gary! This is one of the most loved recipes on my blog with excellent reviews. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy it. I use unsalted butter, if you used salted butter, that would add to the saltiness. You can always adjust the salt amount you add. We found this recipe to be a good balance but you can omit completely.
For the past 30 years I have always made banana bread with sour cream, thinking the sour cream was needed for moisture. But I didn’t have any on hand and found this recipe online. I have to say I will never make it with sour cream again. No need. This recipe produced an extremely moist bread. I sifted the flour. I used 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 sugar. Did not add nuts or raisins. And as I look back at the recipe, I just realizes I forgot to add vanilla extract. Ugh, next time) But it still turned out incredible!
No worries,I’m happy to hear that it was a success! Thank you for sharing that with us.
How many calories a serving without the walnuts and raisins?
I did not calculate this recipe without those ingredients.
Very Good!!
Fast and easy. I did not use raisins and would like to try it with less sugar or with honey next time.
Sounds good, thanks for the great feedback!
Hi, Natasha! I followed this recipe multiple times, and it’s been a favorite at my house! One question I have is, if I don’t add nuts to the dough, what other ingredients should be adjusted?
Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing. I think you do not need to make any adjustments. Please let us know how it goes if you try it!
I did this recipe in a muffin pan. Makes a whole muffin pan with no space to spare. 12 muffins!
I baked them for 45 minutes instead and they came out PERFECT! Best portion control idea.
I’m so glad it all worked out, Bobby! That’s just awesome!
Delicious bread. I did add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, only change I made.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Debbie! The addition of cinnamon sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.
The banana loaves are out of the oven , I did 4 mini loaves.
It’s so good
Thanks Natasha
So glad to hear that, Gail. I’m glad you loved this recipe.
How long did you bake the mini loaves? I’m about to make these as well.
Hi Valerie, just in case you need the reply now, one of our readers reported the following: ” I made them in 4 mini loafs and baked them for 35 minutes. No top cracking!”