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
Donna G says
This is the 3rd recipe I have tried, and it is the very best. It is moist and very tasty.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the banana bread! Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
bev says
was very good and moist. easy to make
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it and found it easy to make. Thanks for commenting! =)
Mary J Cady says
MY husband said it was the best banana nut bread he has ever had! And he is fussy !
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that he liked it! Thank you for coming back to comment. =)
Jim says
I’ve never made anything before. Had a few bananas that were about to go bad so I did a search for banana bread recipes and came across this one. Easy to make and it tastes great. Sure surprised my wife, I’ve now made it 4 times. Now I’m the banana bread guy, lol.
Kate says
That’s awesome!! Congrats on going from never having made anything to becoming the banana bread guy! That’s fantastic! =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Becky Hill says
Very easy to make and delicious
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked the banana bread! =) Thanks for coming back to comment.
Tim Hufford says
Prepared pan? Explanation would be nice.
Kate says
“Prepared pan” refers to the pan that you greased (i.e. prepared) in step 1 of the directions.
Julie cameron says
I made banana nut bread for the first time with this recipe and made four loafs. Everyone I gave it to asked for the recipe lol it was sooo good. I have my second batch in oven as I type this. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Kate says
Congrats on making banana bread!! Thank you! I’m so glad that it was a hit. =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Christa says
I made this for a family reunion. It is delicious! I reduced the temperature to 325 since I used a dark nonstick pan. I think the cinnamon is what makes it perfect!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that you liked it! Yes! That’s a great note about lowering the temp when using a dark nonstick pan. Thank you!
Shawna says
Just made this and my bread split at the tips in a few places. How do I prevent it from doing that if that’s possible.
Kate says
The cracks are pretty normal with quick breads. If they bother you, you can try tenting the bread with aluminum foil for part of the baking time. Sometimes that will help to prevent the cracks. Hope that helps! =)
Amy Buchanan says
The best I’ve made and I’ve baked many! Excellent! ?
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked the banana bread. =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Yvette says
Enjoyed the process of making this bread. Very good.
Kate says
Good! I’m so glad that you liked it! =)
Linda Collins says
Made this today. It is delicious. I now have my “go to” Banana Nut Bread recipe.
So easy and so tasty. Thank you for posting!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment. =)
JuliaAnn says
Since i had Bought many bananas My grandson siad any
Left over i could Use them for banana bread
So i looked Up a recipe and You’s was the 1st one that came up
It looked very easy so i tried It
I made One loaf Then made bite size muffins
They didn’t last long
My g-s asked if i knew How to make coffee flaovered frosting.
I’ll leave that up tp him.
Thank You for sharing
Kate says
How fun! I’m so glad that you liked the banana bread and muffins! =) Thanks for coming back to comment.
Patti Horbal says
I have 4 of them in the oven now, will let all know how they come out.
Kate says
Hope you liked them! =)
Jose says
I had some banana bread not too long ago and was curious to make it so I looked up a recipe and this one seemed the easiest, it definitely was and it was soooooo good, I’ve made some for my family and coworkers and everyone loves it! Thank you!
Kate says
How nice of you! I’m glad that the banana bread has been a hit. =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Jennifer says
Thank you for the recipe, it was my first time baking and making banana nut cake. It was delicious! Thank you for such a clear and concise recipe. Following you for other baking recipes ;)
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked it, and congrats on making your first banana bread! =) I’m glad that you found the recipe to be clear, too. I always hope that they are easy-to-follow. Thanks for your comment!
Roa Rincon says
Thank you! First baking recipe to do with my 5 year old girl!
Kate says
Yay! I hope you both enjoy it! =)
moofin man says
Made this as muffins… followed your recipe and replaced plain fat free yogurt for butter (I didn’t have any) but baked for 17 minutes (…. every oven is different)… Pretty nice! Would make again~
Kate says
Great! I’m glad that it worked out well as muffins for you. =) Thanks for coming back to comment!
Rose Rosales says
Thank you for the recipe!
Just googled easy banana nut bread recipe and yours looked the best.
It was easy and fast, decided to make muffins and they came out great!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked them! Great to know that it will work as muffins, too! Thanks for coming back to comment. =)
kristine d says
I have been looking for a moist banana bread forever! Mine always taste overdone, but have a mushy/under-cooked center. This bread recipe baked up beautifully! Definitely getting added to the cookbook of favorite recipes!
Kate says
Thank you! Yes, I can’t tell you how many loaves I’ve baked that have ended up that way. I’m glad that it came out well for you. Thanks for coming back to comment! =)