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An award winning banana bread recipe to help give those overripe bananas a new lease on life! This is the BEST Banana Nut Bread recipe you’ll ever make. Perfectly moist, tender and nutty, it’s super easy to make from scratch with a few common kitchen ingredients.
My moist banana nut bread has a tall, tender crumb and toasted walnuts. Just 10 minutes of prep time, 55–65 minutes of baking, for 1 perfect loaf. No mixer needed.
Very moist, bold banana taste. I added 1/2 tsp vanilla extract because I think it adds another layer of flavor. Topped with a pat of butter, of course.
– John
Why This Banana Nut Bread Is the Best
- 10-minute prep: No mixer, no fuss – stir, pour, bake.
- Ultra-moist crumb: Ripe bananas and balanced sugar for soft, tender slices.
- Big nutty crunch: Lightly toasted walnuts stay crisp in every bite.
- Reliable rise: Proper leavener ratio for a tall loaf that won’t sink.
- Flexible fat: Butter for rich flavor or oil for extra softness, both work.
- Pan & muffin ready: Clear timing for 9×5, 8×4, mini loaves, and muffins.
- Freezer-friendly: Slices freeze beautifully for grab-and-go breakfasts.
Pro tip: Remove the loaf when a toothpick has a few moist crumbs (internal temp 205–210°F).
I always have bananas that are just on the edge of being totally and utterly useless, and I always make this amazing homemade Banana Nut Bread. It’s like a staple in our house.
Totally easy to whip up and it gives your really brown bananas a purpose beyond getting lost in the back of the freezer because you thought they’d be great in a strawberry banana smoothie.
I LOVE making the best banana bread recipe. Banana bread recipes are so totally versatile and all of mine are based off my basic banana bread recipe which is insanely moist and packed with pure banana flavor.
This easy Banana Nut Bread recipe is such a great snack or quick breakfast for busy weekday mornings. It’s wonderful when you warm it up in the microwave for about 10 seconds and then slather with a thick schmear of butter or cream cheese.
Ingredients You Will Need
To make sure you end up with a super moist Banana Nut Bread recipe, using the right ingredients is key. I always use really ripe bananas because they’re less dry and starchy than yellow or underripe bananas. Underripe bananas can suck the moisture out of the other ingredients leaving you with dry, crumbly banana bread. Not good eats, at all.
So, always be sure to use high quality, moisture rich ingredients like I do for my go-to banana bread recipe. I could easily eat a whole loaf by myself in one sitting.
- Bananas – Very Ripe mashed bananas, the darker they are the sweeter your banana bread will be without adding additional sugar. You want the bananas leaning toward brown but not black….heavily freckled bananas with lots of brown spots will work well, too.)
- sugar – White sugar is my go-to but light brown sugar or dark brown sugar adds a richer flavor.
- butter – I use salted butter for this recipe but if using unsalted butter be sure to add a pinch more salt to the batter. Do not use melted butter, room temperature butter works best.
- greek yogurt – Plain, low fat works best but feel free to experiment with flavors although they have more sugar than plain yogurt.
- eggs – Large, room temperature.
- flour – Regular all purpose flour provides the best texture.
- baking soda – Don’t skip the baking soda and make sure it’s not expired for the fluffiest banana bread.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract adds light floral vanilla flavor.
- salt
- nuts – Use whatever nuts you have on hand but we love the buttery texture of walnuts.
Feel free to add your own twist to the banana nut bread recipe by experimenting with your favorite extracts, sometimes I like to add a splash of vanilla or almond extract. Sometimes I like to add chocolate chips to my banana nut bread. The choice is your’s. As long as you stick to the core list of ingredients for your banana bread before adding in your extras, you will be rewarded with tender, moist banana nut bread guaranteed!
For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Banana Nut Bread
The best Banana Nut Bread recipe is incredibly simple to make with just a few kitchen staples. I made this recipe with walnuts but you can make your Banana Nut Bread recipe with pecans or any other kind of nut you like.
- Heat oven & prep pan (9×5).
- Mash bananas (1¼–1½ cups packed).
- Whisk wet ingredients (eggs, sugar, butter/oil, vanilla).
- Whisk dry ingredients (flour, leaveners, salt).
- Combine wet and dry ingredients; fold in the nuts.
- Fill the pan and top with extra nuts.
- Bake; cool for 15 minutes; lift and cool fully.
See how easy it is to make perfect banana nut bread? And kids absolutely LOVE this banana bread recipe. My little guy even likes it with a bit of marshmallow fluff and peanut butter.
Kellie’s banana bread Variations & Substitutions
Give your loaf a little glow-up with one of these easy twists:
- Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread: Fold in 1/2–3/4 cup semisweet chips with the nuts.
- Cinnamon Swirl: Mix 2 Tbsp sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon; layer half the batter, sprinkle the mix, then add the rest and swirl with a knife.
- Brown-Butter Banana Bread: Melt 1/2 cup butter and cook 4–5 minutes until amber and nutty. Cool 10 minutes, then use as directed.
- Healthier(-ish) Swap: Use 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour for part of the AP flour and replace 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 cup honey.
- No-Nut Version: Skip the walnuts and add 1/2 cup chocolate chips or shredded coconut.
- Muffins: Scoop into 12 lined cups and bake at 350°F for 20–24 minutes (start checking at 18).
Pro tip: Lightly toast the nuts at 350°F for 6–8 minutes and cool—big crunchy payoff.
How To Make Banana Bread Muffins
There are simply no limitations to what you can add to your Banana Nut Bread. And if you want to exercise portion control you can turn this recipe into Banana Muffins just by dividing the batter among the wells of a muffin tin and baking for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top bounces back when gently pressed with your finger.
Light, airy, moist and tender, this easy Banana Bread recipe may end up being a weekly addition to your meal prep.
Pan Sizes & Baking Conversions
| Pan/Format | Temp | Bake Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9×5 loaf | 350°F | 55–65 minutes | — |
| 8×4 loaf | 350°F | 60–70 minutes | Tent if browning too early |
| 12 muffins | 350°F | 20–24 minutes | Start checking at 18 minutes |
| Mini loaves (3×5) | 350°F | 28–34 minutes | — |
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
Make it today, enjoy it all week (or longer):
- Room Temperature: Wrap banana bread airtight in plastic wrap or a zip top bag; keeps 2–3 days on the counter.
- Refrigerator: Wrap well in plastic wrap and foil; will last for up to 1 week.
- Freeze (Best Way): Slice banana bread, then double-wrap (plastic wrap and freezer bag). Freeze 2–3 months.
- Thaw: Overnight in the fridge or 30-45 minutes at room temp for single slices.
- Reheat: Place the whole loaf on a baking sheet in the oven at 300°F for 8–10 minutes; banana bread slices can go right into the toaster.
More Easy Banana Bread Recipes
- Maple Glazed Pumpkin Banana Bread
- Triple Chocolate Banana Bread
- Blueberry Banana Bread with Cinnamon Streusel
- Chocolate Chip Ricotta Banana Bread Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread
- Pina Colada Banana Bread with Coconut Glaze
- White Chocolate Macadamia Banana Bread
- Banana Bread with Chocolate Glaze
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Banana Nut Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 hand mixer
- 1 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 2/3 cups mashed ripe banana about 3 bananas
- 1/4 cup 2% milk
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar and butter beating at medium speed until fluffy. On low-speed, add the banana, milk, greek yogurt and eggs mixing until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Keeping the mixer on low-speed and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat just until blended. Fold in the nuts.
- Pour the batter into a 9×5 inch metal loaf pan coated with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool on rack.
- Serve warm or room temperature.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Bake whole, unpeeled bananas on a sheet pan at 300°F for 15–20 minutes until dark and soft. Cool completely before using.
A 9×5-inch loaf pan bakes in about 55–65 minutes. An 8×4-inch pan bakes taller and may need 60–70 minutes. Tent with foil if the top browns early.
Yes. Skip the nuts or use pecans or hazelnuts. For a nut-free loaf, add 1/2–3/4 cup chocolate chips or shredded coconut.
Yes. Portion batter into 12 lined muffin cups and bake at 350°F for 20–24 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes, muffins overbake quickly.
Usually overmixing, underbaking, or too much leavener. Mix just until the flour disappears and bake until a toothpick has a few moist crumbs (internal temp 205-210°F).
Cool fully. Keep airtight at room temp 2–3 days or refrigerate up to 1 week. For longer storage, double-wrap slices or the whole loaf and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge; rewarm at 300°F for 8–10 minutes or lightly toast slices.
Yes, this recipe is designed for a whisk and spatula. Gentle mixing prevents a tough crumb.
Lightly toast walnuts or pecans at 350°F for 6–8 minutes, cool completely, then fold into the batter just before baking.
Can I substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt?
You sure can! It is an even swap!
Very moist, bold banana taste. I added 1/2 tsp vanilla extract because I think it adds another layer of flavor. Topped with a pat of butter, of course.