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.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Bonnie Watley says
Very good! Just made and is very good! I have a large size muffin pan. If I use it how long should I bake them for?
Kate says
Thank you! I’m not sure, but for jumbo muffins, I would start with 20 minutes and go from there. Hope that helps! =)
Em says
Lovely banana bread! It was just what I was looking for. Thank you!
Kate says
You’re so welcome! I’m glad that you liked the banana bread. Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Missy says
I like to lightly toast the walnuts in the oven under the broiler first! (Before adding to batter.) I do the same thing with pecans. I toast nuts before adding them to chocolate chip cookie batter too!
Kate says
Great tip! Yes, toasting the nuts really helps to bring out their flavor. Thanks for commenting! =)
Missy says
Thanks for replying! What do you grease your pan with? Do you also flour it after greasing?
Kate says
Of course! =) I usually use a baking spray with flour in it like Baker’s Joy. I have had really good luck with both Baker’s Joy and the Pillsbury version.
Melanie says
I have never attempted to make banana nut bread or any bread for that matter, but I definitely want to try this!
Kate says
Yay! Please let me know if you have any questions! =)
Jenny says
Made my very first banana walnut bread with this recipe! It rocks! Flavorful, nice texture..and my son adores it! He never likes any new food!! Completely smashed it with this recipe! Definitely coming back to you for more recipes!
Kate says
Yay!! Congrats on making your first banana bread! I’m glad that your son likes it. It sounds like that’s a big win. =) Thank you for coming back to comment, and I hope you find more recipes that you like!
Jenny says
Hi Katie! Was wondering if the recipe could be made with apples? My husband was so jealous coming in last night and not being able to eat it (he is deathly allergic to bananas) so I was thinking I could s9 thing like this but with apples and maybe pecans? Any advice?
Ps- great recipe…the bread is amazingly delicious!
allison says
You can do zucchini. In my opinion, it tastes just like banana bread (tricked my sisters and mom).
Kate says
Zucchini is a great suggestion! I have a zucchini bread recipe if you’re interested. =)
Kate says
Thank you so much!! I would try applesauce in place of the bananas in the recipe. It should sub at a 1:1 ratio. You may also want to bump up the spices a little. Hope that helps! =)
Summr says
Just wanted to mention that I use applesauce for moisture in my banana nut bread (a different recipe) and the flavor doesn’t come through at all, no one knows it’s in the bread. Thinking you may not get what you’re looking for if you use it.
Zelmer Dawes says
Love this recipe. I add raisins along with the nuts, little banana extract also. Family lives it also.
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad your family liked it. =) I’ve never seen banana extract. I have a bit of an extract collection so I’ll have to keep an eye out for it. Thanks for commenting!
Chelsea says
Delicious!! This is my new banana bread recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the banana bread! Thank you for coming back to comment. =)
Amy Buchanan says
Love this recipe!!!!! Moist and delicious ❤❤❤
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked the banana bread. =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Barbara3175 says
Internal degrees is 205 degrees f was perfect.
Kate says
Thank you so much! That is a helpful note about the internal temp. =)
Cheryl says
Best Banana nut bread recipe I have ever used! Everyone loves it and asks for more!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for commenting. =)
Cassi says
Perfect banana bread recipe! The banana bread is soft and it has good banana flavor. Next time I’ll try it with chocolate chips.
Kate says
Thank you! That sounds like a tasty addition. =) Thanks for coming back to comment.
Aileen says
I find it very yummy. I love baking and i will keep this recipe. Thanks for sharing
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it. Thank you for coming back to comment. =)
B.Davis says
I made Banana Nut Bread for the first time, using your recipe and I am so in love! I feel so empowered and cool that I just made such a beautiful and tasty treat. I would give it an 8.5/10. I found the center to be a bit dry for my liking and I thought that the banana flavor wasn’t present enough. I read the undernote – stating that the flavor should increase by day two, so we shall see.
I’m so excited to get to baking that I’m looking for my nexr recipe now!
Kate says
Congrats! I’m glad you feel empowered after making the banana bread. =) If you find that your banana bread is a little drier than you would like, you can let it cool to room temp and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Either chill it or leave it at room temp. The next day, I find that the loaf is moister and has a stronger banana flavor.
Carolyn L Byrd says
My family loves it. The cinnamon really makes it.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad your family likes it. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
lisa says
I love banana bread, but lost my recipe, I know that this recipe will be delicious. Sharing is caring,
Thanks for caring.
Kate says
Thank you! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! =)
lisa says
I love baking, but my memory for my banana but bread” not so good”, I found you. Sharing is caring, thanks for caring. I just know it will be delicious Thanks again
Linda says
I made this banana bread, it’s a keeper! The banana bread was moist and it had good flavor.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for coming back to comment! =)
Randy says
So that is really baking soda and not baking powder?
Kate says
Yes, the recipe is correct as-written with baking soda.
Em says
I made this banana bread and it’s really good. I’m throwing out my other banana bread recipes. Thanks for sharing!
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for commenting. =)
Jess says
Great recipe! I added some chocolate chips and it was SO good!
Barbara Nunn says
My husband liked this one better than my old recipe. This is a keeper.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you and your husband like it! Thank you for taking the time to comment. =)