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
Carol says
I loved the ease of making this recipe all in one bowl! Mine turned out a little dry but it is delicious! I will definitely make it again!
Kate says
Thanks! If you’d like to do some troubleshooting, please let me know!
Mary says
Hi. Yummy recipe. Question- am I reading this right 1 serving = 1 gram = 207 calories?
Mary
Kate says
Hi! It should say 207 kcal = 1 serving, not 1 serving = 1 gram. I’ve updated that. Thanks for the question! =)
Charles Hopper says
I am looking forward to make this recipe.l enjoy baking!Charles
Kate says
Great! I hope you enjoy it! =)
Stephen Leggat says
We Are Just back from the states, everyday started with me going for a walk along the beach and detour to starbucks and banana nut bread & latte to take back to the hotel, for myself & wife ! Had to try making some and my first attempt turned out delicious. Would like to get it a bit more moist and see from previous answers to turn the heat back slightly ! Interesting to read all the comments and may try a few tweaks , but great recipe to start with. Agree with the comments on the Aroma, hard to resist !
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked it! Yes, it’s amazing how much difference slight differences like oven temperature or the type of baking pan can make. Thanks for commenting!
Phyllis says
Your easy bannana bread is a piece of cake (sorry pun) =) it passed the hubby test! I made it early in the morning for breakfast, so quick so good!
Kate says
Thank you (and I love puns)! =) Glad that you and your hubby enjoyed the banana bread! Thank you for coming back to comment. =)
MAGDALENA says
I love your easy to follow recipe. I made it today and it was amazing. Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m glad that you liked the banana bread and that you found the recipe easy to follow. Thank you for coming back to comment! =)
Christy says
New Go-To Banana Nut Bread. Perfect! I’ve made it three times in the last 5 weeks. It’s our new favorite. Thank you!
Kate says
Yay!! I’m so glad that you like the banana bread. =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Betty a capuano says
I made it today and it turned out delicious I am not a baker by far and it is so good . I almost ate the whole thing. I will be making it again. Also some muffins. Thanks
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad you liked the banana bread! =) Thank you for coming back to comment.
Essie middleton says
I used this recipe this for
muffins ,baked for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 325 degrees. They were great, easy to store in a zip lock bag so they can be popped in mico for a quick bite or with coffee for breakfast
Kate says
Thank you! I’ve had a couple people ask about using this recipe to make muffins. Thanks again! =)
jessica kuzmick says
Mine came out a little dry. I also think it could use more cinnamon. I do like that it is not greasy, as many of these fruit breads can be (i.e pumpkin, zucchini,
Kate says
If it came out dry, you might try turning your oven temp down 25 degrees F next time. Since ovens vary so greatly in how they bake, you may have a hotter oven, and a hotter oven can lead to an overbaked, drier bread. Hope that helps for next time!
Eileen says
I have made this delicious banana bread several times with some ingredient substitutions. I use unsweetened apple sauce instead of butter and granulated stevia instead of sugar, making the bread both fat and sugar free. I also sometimes add plumped raisins or chocolate chips.
Kate says
Thank you! I get quite a few substitution questions, and it’s always so helpful to hear the changes that have worked. Thank you again! =)
Gomecinda Palomino says
First time making banana nut bread. I hope it’s as good as it smells right now. ?
Kate says
I hope so, too! Hope you enjoy it! =)
Kelsey says
Best banana bread I’ve tried.
Mary and Rosa says
Super easy. I have all the materials sitting in my kitchen. For us at least it didn’t involve any shopping.
Kate says
Great! It’s always nice when you don’t have to make a special trip to the store. =)
Dawn says
I’m definitely no Martha Stewart , I usually despise cooking but this was thrown together in no time (I’ve always hated throwing bananas away) glad I found this recipe! Delicious!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it. Thank you for commenting! =)
Shirley says
Delicious…..made in a loaf pan and then made another batch and made muffins. Both turned out great!
Kate says
That’s great! I’m so glad that you liked it. =) Thank you for your note about making it into muffins. I’ve gotten that question a few times and haven’t had a chance to test it out. Thanks again!
Sandy says
I am about to make this recipe. Is it possible to bake it in muffin tins? How should I bake it?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t baked this as muffins, so I’m not sure. Sorry that I can’t be of more help!
Ashlynn says
45 minutes left until heaven. I can already tell that this is an amazing recipe, and I haven’t even tasted it. My house smells amazing!!
Kate says
I’m so glad! I hope that you enjoy the banana bread, and thank you for commenting! =)
Pat says
Best banana bread recipe ever. Made by the recipe added chocolate chips. And I loved the easy clean up.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so happy that you liked it! =) Thank you for coming back to comment.
Cyndi says
I just made this with almonds. It was the first banana bread for me.
I did it in mini-loaf pans and this made 3 loaves.
The house smells amazing, and this is delicious!
The only issue is Step 10 in the recipe. It was impossible to wait till it completely cooled. I don’t see how anybody can do that!
Thank you!!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it!! Step 10 is optional. =) It’s easier to cut once is has cooled, but you’re right – it’s hard to resist! Thank you for commenting!