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.
My wife made it today, and it was excellent. She used very little walnuts, roasted them in unsalted butter and used 1 teaspoon less sugar than the recipe suggested. Those were her only changes, and it came out very well. Thank you!
So glad you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
My husband’s grandmother makes banana bread often and she adds whatever canned fruit or preserves she may have on hand to add moisture and to just mix it up a little. It’s always delicious.
Sounds good, I’m sure it’s always delicious!
This recipe is so east and great ! I did add some of my personal touches to it that you may like. I add cinnamon and nutmeg to the dry mix . About a teaspoon of both and than I sprinkle brown sugar on top of the the mixture after I put it in my loaf pan. Bake. The brown sugar creates a really great crispy crust !! Enjoy Gabe
That sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Gabe!
I love how this recipe shows you the measurements of the ingredients in the instructions! Its so useful because you don’t have to scroll up and down to find out how you need to mix in.
Thank you for the feedback, Becca! 🙂
Can you make muffins with this recipe? Reg size and mini? I don’t have a pan that size but I’ve got some very ripe bananas.
Hi Denise! Yes, you can. Follow my recipe for banana muffins HERE.
I have made many banana bread recipes but this is probably the best. I used GF flour and subbed pecans for the walnuts but otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Linda! That’s wonderful. Thank you for sharing your results.
Excellent!
Following your suggestions, I did substitute the sugar with Blue Agave Nectar (was out of honey) and swapped the raisins with Craisins (was what we have on-hand), and the results were an OH-SO tasty loaf that was not as sweet as other recipes I’ve tried. Thank you!
That’s great, Rhino! Thank you for sharing your results with us! 🙂
Blended everything together with a fork. No nuts or raisins. Delicious
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I don’t have almond flour on hand and I really need banana bread. Can I use almond flour?
Hi Sofia, Do you mean All-purpose flour by chance? I haven’t tested using almond flour to advise. I think it’s worth experimenting with; if you try that, please share with us how it goes.
It turned out moist and super fluffy, tasted great! I really loved it, I had not tried banana bread before this, I can now say I love banana bread! 10/10
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Lupe!
This is my new favorite banana bread recipe! It was so moist and delicious. I will be making this again and again. I used brown sugar instead of white sugar and added cinnamon. Thank you for the recipe. All your recipes are great!
You’re so very welcome, Laura! Thank you for the feedback.
I made this recipe and tweaked it a bit and it was just delicious. I used white chocolate chips instead of raisins & hazelnuts instead of walnuts since that’s what I had on hand. I also added my favorite vanilla bean paste along with some cinnamon. I will definitely be making this loaf again! Thank you Natasha for your wonderful recipes 🙂
You’re very welcome! Glad you loved it, thank you for sharing!
Had a better result with your banana loaf when I used baking powder instead of b. soda
Hi Heather, I always recommend making the recipe as directed since different ingredients in a specific recipe work to activate various kind of leavening.
Hello from India. I made this for my mum’s birthday today and she loved it. I reduced the sugar to half a cup and added 1 tsp cinnamon powder. I made it in a heart shaped cake pan:). It was done in 47 min tho’. Many thanks.
Hello! Thank you for sharing. Happy Birthday to your mom! I’m so glad she loved the recipe.
Made this banana bread yesterday. By far the best banana bread I have ever tasted. The toasted walnuts and raisins add such an amazing flavor!
That’s great! I’m so glad you tried the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I was doubtful about the raisins, but man this turned out well! Super moist and perfectly cooked. I have an 8 inch loaf pan, so I cooked for 62 minutes and let it sit for 40. I’ll be making this again.
Hi Anne! Thank you for trying my recipe. I’m so glad you loved it!
This is my new favorite banana bread recipe. I roasted the walnuts as you suggested and didn’t change a thing. The Boom. Thank you
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for trying my recipe.
Loved this recipe , thank you for sharing all your delightful recipes
You’re welcome, Joan! I’m glad you loved it.
Im on my second loaf with overripe frozen and thawed bananas. turned out great.
Sounds great! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Made this with raspberry flavored cranberries ( didn’t have raisins ) and was delicious. It added a slight different taste as I’m sure the raisins would. This is a keeper recipes for sure.
So glad you found a keeper! Thank you for sharing your experience.
Great recipe, just made it. Easy and delicious. I added chocolate chips. It is more moist and less dense than any of the last number of previous banana breads I have had. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.