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.
Thanks for this recipe Natasha and I’m looking forward to making this one, my favorite. About a few months ago, I made this banana bread using overripe banana and it came out so good, with added oats for fiber. Yummy!
Hi John! You’re very welcome! I hope you love it.
Can I make mini loaves with this recipe? If so, how many does this recipe make and how much time needed to bake the mini loaves?
Hi Jill, I haven’t tried this recipe as mini loaves myself, but my readers mentioned in the comments they did. They reported the following: “I made them in 4 mini loafs and baked them for 35 minutes. No top cracking!” I hope that helps!
made this for the first time. No raisins on hand so added 3/4 mini chips instead and sprinkled 1/4 c walnuts on top – this was AWESOME. Husband LOVED it. This is now my ‘go to’ for ripe bananas 🙂 Thank you so much
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Kelly!
I made two batches, one with sugar and the other with honey. Hands down, honey came out much better, not as dense as the loaf with sugar. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Ryan. We appreciate it!
Natasha, I have used a few of your recipes, to get different ideas for weeknight dinners.
Kids are gone, always trying something new to get away from the usual. This is nice recipe, it is moist and my family enjoyed. It will be one of my go to recipe.
That’s great, Shelley! I’m glad it was enjoyed.
Love it!
Obsessed!
Making too much now is my problem. I need a blog on how to stop🤣!
Is there a banana bread anonymous?
Perfect base recipe to change it up with the extras!!! You did a Great Job Thank You!!!
Thank you for sharing, Jessica! So glad you loved the recipe. It’s our favorite! 🙂
I made this wonderful recipe. I added cinnamon & pecans. I also baked in muffin pans. I did the muffin pans because we enjoy the brown edges and you get that all over and underneath in muffins. I used a dark coated muffin pan X 2. I did not use cupcake liners as that takes aways from the outside browning. I love this recipe. I highly recommend. Thank you!
Thank you for the wonderful feedback. So glad you love the recipe. 🙂
Natasha,
Unfortunately this bread was extremely dry. Never have I given you a bad review and I apologize! I did leave out raisins so maybe that’s why??
I’ve found a recipe with buttermilk that is superb!!
Hi Jackie! I’m sorry to hear that. The buttermilk banana bread sounds amazing! This recipe has thousands of 5 star reviews and I’ve never had this be dry. I don’t think the raisins would have effected this, many of my readers leave them out. If it’s dry, it’s usually due to either using too much flour or over-baking. I’ve attached my tutorial on how to measure your ingredients HERE . I also recommend using an internal oven thermometer when baking to check your oven temperature and make adjustments if needed.
Turned out absolutely amazing! 😋
Thanks for such an awesome recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This has become a family favorite. I’ve made it several times and everyone loves it! Thank you, Natasha, for sharing this recipe! (P.S. I 86’d the raisins…because we are a funny bunch. LOL!)
Aaaw, thank you for the awesome review!
I just love love all your recipes you post thank you so much…
You’re welcome! So glad that you are enjoying them.
I substituted gluten free flour mixture in the same quantity the recipe suggested for flour. It turned out well. I also used the batter for 2 small loaves instead of one fill size.
Hi Jeri! Thank you for sharing that with us. 🙂
Sounds like a wonderful recipe.
Can I bake this in two smaller loaf pans.
I love your recipes.
Hi Pamela! Yes, that should work fine. I can’t give you the exact time since I haven’t tested this recipe in all the different sizes but it will get done faster so keep your eye on it in the oven.
Wow! Delicious recipe! Thank you also, for the tips on ripening bananas in oven, I cant stop eating it, its soooooo good!
You’re very welcome, Sally! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Amazing recipe…it rises perfectly and the flavour is spot on.
Followed the recipe as is but
I didn’t add nuts or chocolate chips but added peeled small apple cubes – you won’t regret trying this.
It didn’t affect the rise or bake time as far as I could tell.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hi Jenn! Thanks so much for sharing. I’m glad you loved it. This is our favorite banana bread!
Super easy and mouth watering. yummy! Googled and found your recipe for Banana Bread and chose it because of the 5 star rating. Really easy to make and the end results came out great. I had so many over ripe frozen bananas in the freezer. I had enough to make 4 loaves. 1 plain banana bread, 1 with walnuts on top (so those that don’t like nuts can pick them off the top), and 2 with chocolate chips. The house smelled fantastic and the banana bread was DELISH!
My only suggestion is to add next to the 3 bananas an approximate measurement (example: 2 cups of mashed bananas), as all my frozen bananas were in chunks so I didn’t know how much was “3” bananas. I guestimated to 2 cups each, and it came out great.
Hi Marcia, thank you for your comments and suggestion. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I subbed the butter for canola oil and the walnuts for pecans and put the pecans on top before baking. Also added cinammon to the batter. The edges browned a bit in my oven (60 min) but the inside was moist. I drizzled honey on top while it was still hot, next time I’ll do maple syrup. Came out great
Thank you for sharing, Morgan! 🙂
will it affect the outcome if I omit the raisins and nuts ? My family is not fond of these items in banana bread.
Hi Patti! No, you can leave them out if you prefer. Many of my readers have done this or replaced with other things like chocolate chips and cranberries.
Live this recipe? Can I make it the night before, store in fridge, and cook in the morning?
Hi Sarah! I have note tested that. In general, it’s best to bake cakes right away or they can get gummy and not rise when baking.
Used ground pecans
Very highly recommend extra 1/4th cup of brown sugar to the recipe to make muffins instead of bread
For cupcakes
24 minutes at 350 degrees
Thank you for sharing, Iris!