Moist banana nut bread recipe makes delicious banana bread! Add nuts, chocolate chips, or other mix-ins for the perfect loaf of banana bread!
I love coming up with recipes that put a twist on classic foods. It’s fun to give an old recipe a new spin.
There are times, though, when nothing beat a classic, and this banana nut bread recipe is just that sort of classic recipe.
This moist banana bread recipe lets the banana flavor really shine. The banana bread is made with a combination of melted butter, mashed ripe bananas, and more brown sugar than granulated sugar for plenty of moisture in the bread.
This banana nut bread recipe is a great way to use up extra overripe bananas. It’s also really simple to make. I mix it up by hand while the oven is preheating. So you can make a quick loaf of banana nut bread with this recipe any time the craving strikes!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Bananas: It’s important to use very ripe bananas. I like to use bananas that are equal parts brown spots and yellow.
- Butter: This recipe uses melted butter. The butter shouldn’t be hot and sizzling. I melt it about 80% of the way and then whisk it to let it finish melted.
- Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar or golden brown sugar will work
- Flour: It’s important to properly measure flour to avoid heavy or doughy banana bread. The proper way to measure flour is to stir it to break it up. Then lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and level it off.
- Nuts: Chopped pecans or chopped walnuts work well; however, the nuts are optional. If you decide to sprinkle them on top, make sure you chop them finely so that the weight doesn’t keep the loaf from rising.
How to make banana nut bread
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this quick bread recipe. The full recipe is given below.
Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk the mashed bananas and melted butter together until well-combined.
Step 2: Whisk in the sugars until well-combined.
Step 3: Add the egg and vanilla and whisk in until combined.
Step 4: Whisk in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
Top tip >> Don’t overmix. Overmixing will give you a dense or heavy loaf.
Step 5: Whisk in the nuts just until incorporated.
Step 6: Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared pan.
Step 7: Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
Step 8: Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 9: Let the baked banana bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on the wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Recipe Tips!
- Mixing: I highly recommend mixing banana bread by hand. It’s easy and it helps to avoid overmixing, which can give you a dense or heavy loaf.
- Baking: Since banana bread has a fair amount of sugar, it can easily overbrown. I check the bread part-way through the baking time to check to see whether it’s browning too quickly. If it is, I tent a piece of aluminum foil over the top. You can also decrease the oven temperature by 25F.
- Banana flavor: Also, if you can wait, I find that the banana flavor is even stronger on the second day.
Recipe FAQs
You can! Bake as directed, and then let the banana nut bread cool to room temperature on a wire cooling rack.
Wrap the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap, and then wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze.
You can also freeze individual slices by tightly wrapping a slice in plastic wrap, and placing the slices in a freezer bag.
Using a 9×5 pan will give you a shorter, wider loaf. The bread will also cook faster.
Storage
I store the banana nut bread in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep for 2-3 days.
For longer storage, you can also store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
More banana recipes!
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Banana Nut Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 8×4-inch loaf pan
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed banana1
- 1/3 cup butter melted2
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour properly measured³
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2-2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts plus extra for sprinkling on top4
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk mashed banana and melted butter together until well-combined.
- Whisk in sugars until incorporated.
- Add egg and vanilla, and whisk until well-combined.
- Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until combined.
- Add nuts, and whisk until just incorporated.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, and sprinkle with additional nuts.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I check the bread around 35 minutes and tent with foil if it is browning too quickly.
- Let cool in pan for a 5-10 minutes.
- Remove bread to wire cooling rack, and let cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
- About 2 very ripe bananas, peeled
- The butter should just barely be melted. I melt it about 80% of the way and then whisk it until its completely melted.
- To properly measure the flour, stir it to break it up. Then lightly spoon it into the measuring up and level it off.
- Be sure to finely chop the nuts if sprinkling them on top. If nuts aren’t finely chopped, the weight can keep the bread from rising properly.
- Nutrition facts are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 8/22/17.
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Comments & Reviews
Alan Krantzler says
My favorite Banana bread recipe. Hubby does not like bananas but loves this!
Was wondering if there is a chance to use a muffin tin! Any thoughts on adjusting the cooking time or temp?
Kate says
Hi! I’m so glad that the bread has been a hit!
For muffins, I bake them at 350F for about 18-20 minutes. I also have a banana bread muffin recipe if you’re interested.
Suzan Fuhrmann says
Super easy. We added chocolate chips to appease our sweet tooth.
Kate says
Thank you!
Jacqueline Perkins says
Loved this banana bread. It is so moist and flavorful!! Glad I tried it. This recipe is a keeper in my recipe file.
Kate says
Thank you!
John in Arkansas says
This is now my go-to recipe. I have made it several times tweaking it until I found my sweat spot. I follow the recipe almost to the letter. I use a large farm fresh egg (we have 16 layers) and I add just a 1/4 teaspoon of clove powder to give it that holiday touch. (be careful clove is a powerful spice) Next I turn convection mode OFF on my oven, as it tries to bake the bread to fast, burning it and the center is still to moist. Simple and very good, Thank you.
Kate says
Thank you!
Rosa Maria Bonales says
The truth is that I did not like banana bread, I had tried some because “I had to”, but this week trying to use everything I have at home so I would not have to go out and buy things, I looked for a way to use the 3 bananas I had left… I changed nuts for cranberries, and used oats and almonds flour. I really, really liked it, I baked another one today… :) thanks you made my afternoons happy this week, may God bless and keep you and your family. greetings from Mexico City
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked it! =)
Sharalie Martin says
That sounds yummy to me too.
Janette says
Thank you so much for your recipe. I look through many recipes but yours caught my eye. With this lockdown from coronavirus I’ve been cooking and making new recipes and I have to tell you the banana nut bread came out delicious. Thanks again.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that it turned out well for you! =)
Lynn S. says
This bread is perfect! Moist, but not wet like other recipes I’ve tried. Added bonus, you will have all the ingredients on hand. I added chocolate chips to the batter, and cinnamon/sugar to the top before baking. This is my new go-to banana bread recipe…it was exactly what I was looking for!
Kate says
That’s so good to hear! That wet texture was exactly what I was trying to avoid with this recipe. Thanks so much for commenting! =)
Lois Chadwell Cruz says
I had 2 overripe bananas left and searched for a recipe that would work with that since I’m currently isolating myself. I am so glad I came across yours! It is absolutely delicious–moist, banana-y, and with a lovely crust. So good with butter! I only had dark brown sugar, but it worked great in the recipe.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad that you liked the banana bread and that it worked out well for you. =)