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
Michelle says
Delicious! Made it following the directions. Baked 45 minutes. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it! =) Thanks for commenting!
Lola says
I liked this. It’s not far off from my usual banana nut bread recipe. I added an extra banana and halved the sugar content because I don’t like it too sweet. Realistically, I could have added a little more sugar. My gripe with this recipe was that the bake time varied. I know everyone’s oven is different but boy if I wouldn’t have checked my bread at the half way mark like I usually do then I would have had a brick.
Kate says
Hi! Were you using convection setting to bake the bread? I ask because it’s unusal for a standard-sized loaf of quick bread to bake in less than 25 minutes. Every quick bread recipe I have seen bakes in 40-60-ish minutes.
Loretta Fulton says
Super easy had all the ingredients in closet
Kate says
Thanks! So glad that you liked it! Thanks for commenting. =)
Terri says
Delicious! This is my go to recipe as soon as the bananas get too ripe to eat. I use both pecans and semi-sweet chocolate chips. My family and co-workers love it.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that it’s been a hit! =) Thanks for taking the time to comment!
J says
Thanks for sharing a great and easy to follow recipe! Made my first loaf and I’m very happy. I think I sprinkled too much nuts over so it didn’t rise as much but it taste very good and is moist. I will try it again for sure since I always end up with too many ripe bananas.
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked it! Yes! I’ve found that I needed to finely chop the nuts to keep them from weighing the bread down as it rises. Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment!
Melissa says
Mine came out a little dry. Tell me what I did wrong. PLEASE!!!!
Otherwise, flavor was great. Not too sweet will do it again.
Kate says
Hi! Could you please give me more information? If the bread was a little dry, it could be anything from overbaking it to too much flour in the batter.
Stanalee Young says
I have never made banana nut bread from scratch and I’ll be 65 in June! This recipe is really good. Turned out very moist. It wasn’t hard to put together and since I’m in a wheelchair, that’s a plus in my book. Will be making this again! Thanks for the recipe.
Stanalee Young says
Meant to give recipe 5 stars!
Kate says
Thank you!!
Kate says
Yay!! Congrats on making your first banana bread! I’m so glad that you liked it and that you found the recipe easy to make! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back to comment. =)
Lynne says
It was a great, quick and easy recipe! It got rave reviews. I tweaked it by putting a little less brown sugar and added some blueberries that needed a higher purpose. Saving this one! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked it and were able to make it yours. =) Thank you for commenting!
PJ says
This is excellent banana nut bread! I have to make 2 loaves so it is around a few days for everyone to enjoy?
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you like it! =) Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Georgia W says
I don’t like my banana bread real sweet so I cut down some on the sugar, a half cup brown sugar and maybe a tblps white sugar. It was really good! I plan to make another loaf today, last weeks is long gone.
Kate says
Good! I’m so glad! Thanks for your notes about cutting down the sugar. It’s helpful to hear what changes work.
Momof3 says
I made this bread and it turned out delicious. I didn’t have white flour so I used whole wheat flour instead. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that the whole wheat flour worked out well! Thanks for that note. It’s always helpful to hear what else works.
Leticia says
Batter was more like cookie dough. I’m not sure what I did wrong since this was a pretty simple recipe. Bread did bake just fine and was really yummy! Will use the recipe again.
Kate says
Great! I’m so glad! I’m happy to help you troubleshoot. Was the butter hot?
Ni Ben says
Will this recipe still be moist, if I put the batter in a muffin pan?
Kate says
Here is the link to my muffin version of this recipe. Hope that helps! =)
Sharon says
Am planning to make this I love banana nut bread but never knew the recipient till now thanks
Kate says
Great! I hope you enjoy it! =)
Sylvia says
I’m a true believer that everything works out well for those who love God and I am also daring. The first time I made this it was a double batch. It’s delicious and easy. Ty for sharing.
Kate says
So glad that you liked it! =) Thank you for coming back to comment!
Melissa says
Doubled the recipe as I had bananas to use up and it came out picture perfect and so good! Easy recipe too! I’ve made several different versions but this one contains stuff I always have on hand in the house
Kate says
Thank you! I’m to hear that doubling the recipe worked out well. Thank you for commenting! =)
Anna C says
Thank you for sharing this deliciously moist banana nut recipe. My bananas weren’t as ripe as it should have been so I added 1/2 banana more, and still it turned out awesome. My entire family loves it!. Once I realized it was a perfect recipe, I made a second batch, this time, in the shape of hearts.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad! How fun! That sounds perfect for this time of year. =)
Kiffany says
I used this recipe yesterday to use up some of my ripe bananas, and the bread turned out perfect! It was so quick and easy, I was able to whip it up and throw it in the oven while my 3 month old was taking a little catnap. My husband said that it was one of the best banana breads he had tasted. I will definitely be making this my go to recipe.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you two enjoyed the banana bread. =) Enjoy those baby catnaps! My youngest is 1 1/2 now, and I miss those sweet little naps.
G. Banks says
What is the icing recipe I see on the bread? Thanks
Kate says
Hi! That’s just butter on the bread. =)
Terri J Hillier says
Best ever banana nut bread! The brown sugar & hint of cinnamon gives this recipe more dimension than just the white sugar recipes.
Thank you for sharing.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you liked it! Thank you for commenting. =)