An easy and moist Banana Bread Recipe that is loaded with bananas, tangy-sweet raisins, and toasted walnuts. This is one of our favorite overripe banana recipes with hundreds of 5-star reviews.

Banana Bread on a cutting board with walnuts, raisins and ripe bananas to make healthy banana bread

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Banana Nut Bread Recipe:

This is my husband’s recipe which he has perfected over the years and he is known for his Banana Bread. He makes it frequently and it always disappears fast! It is simple to make and our favorite way to use up overripe bananas so they never go to waste. It’s super moist and makes a great breakfast on-the-go. We even created Banana Muffins from this recipe.

This loaf stays moist for days and also makes for a thoughtful and delicious gift idea for the holidays (I’ll take banana bread over fruit cake any day).

Banana Bread Video Tutorial:

Watch Natasha make this moist banana bread. You will be surprised at how easy it is. We will never stop loving this recipe. Now go forth and bake!

Ingredients for Banana Bread:

This is everything you need to make the best banana bread: flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, softened butter, eggs and of course very ripe bananas. Adding walnuts and raisins is optional but adds great taste and texture, turning it into a banana nut bread.

Can I Omit Walnuts and Raisins?

YES! The recipe will still work if raisins and walnuts are omitted. We make it nut-free all the time due to a walnut allergy in the family. You will still have the softest, super moist and scrumptious loaf. You can also replace them with some chocolate to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.

Ingredients for Banana Bread with ripe bananas, flour, sugar, eggs, butter, walnuts and raisins

How to Ripen Bananas:

  • Quick Oven Method: If your bananas are a little green and you want them to ripen quicker, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 250˚F for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the initial ripeness of the bananas.
  • 24 Hour Counter Method: If you are willing to wait 1 day, you can place the bunch of bananas (without separating them) in a paper bag, cover and leave at room temperature. Bananas emit ethylene which causes ripening. Adding an apple to the bag will speed up the process.

Can I Freeze Overripe Bananas?

If you have overripe bananas and aren’t ready to bake with them, DO NOT throw them away!

How to Freeze Bananas: place them un-peeled in a freezer-safe bag, remove any excess air and freeze up to 3 months. You can use thawed bananas for banana bread. You can also freeze them peeled and cut into pieces for easier use in smoothies. P.S. You can also freeze a whole banana bread with the same method!

Slices of banana nut bread on a plate

How to Make Banana Bread:

This is the easiest banana bread recipe. We mix it in a stand mixer because it’s easy, but you can use an electric hand mixer and can even make it work with a hand whisk. There is no fancy equipment required. Watch the video tutorial below and you will be a pro in no time!

  1. In the mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
  2. Mix in mashed bananas and eggs.
  3. Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, salt, and baking soda and add to batter.
  4. Stir in vanilla, walnuts, and raisins, transfer to prepared loaf pan and bake.

Substitutions for a Healthy Banana Bread:

  • My sister Anna made this into a honey banana bread; replacing sugar with honey.
  • Use organic whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
  • Replace 1 Tbsp of flour with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed.
  • Reduce sugar to 1/2 cup when using very ripe bananas; they add plenty of sweetness

Moist banana bread recipe sliced to show banana nut bread center

Love Sweet Breads? Try these Popular Bread Recipes:

We love sweetbreads because they are easy to make and are such a treat, especially when you top them with Honey Butter! Don’t miss these reader favorites:

Moist Banana Bread Recipe

4.97 from 6119 votes
Banana bread sliced on a cutting board
This Banana Bread Recipe is loaded with ripe bananas, tangy-sweet raisins, and toasted walnuts. It is one of our favorite ripe banana recipes and even better with overripe bananas.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 10 people

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bread loaf pan (9.25 long x 5.25 wide x 2.75 deep). Lightly roast walnuts on a skillet, continuously stirring so they won’t burn. Coarsely chop and cool to room temperature. 
  • In a mixing bowl, cream together 8 Tbsp softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar (or honey if using honey).
  • Mash bananas with a fork until the consistency of chunky applesauce and add them to the batter along with 2 eggs, mixing until blended. 
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together: 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking soda and 1/2 tsp of salt then add to batter.
  • Add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and mix in chopped walnuts and raisins. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350˚F for 55-60 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let banana bread rest for 10 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Per Serving

350kcal Calories45g Carbs5g Protein18g Fat7g Saturated Fat57mg Cholesterol243mg Sodium270mg Potassium3g Fiber20g Sugar354IU Vitamin A4mg Vitamin C26mg Calcium2mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Moist Banana Bread Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
350
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
18
g
28
%
Saturated Fat
 
7
g
44
%
Cholesterol
 
57
mg
19
%
Sodium
 
243
mg
11
%
Potassium
 
270
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
45
g
15
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
20
g
22
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
 
354
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
 
4
mg
5
%
Calcium
 
26
mg
3
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Breakfast, snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana bread, banana nut bread
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 350
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

This banana bread recipe was first published in 2009; one of the very first recipes on our blog! It has been a reader and family favorite ever since.

Moist banana nut bread on kitchen towel

This Banana Bread Recipe is loaded with ripe bananas, tangy sweet raisins and toasted walnuts making it a banana nut bread. One of our favorite ripe banana recipes and even better with overripe bananas! This banana nut bread is super moist, easy and makes a great breakfast on-the-go. | natashaskitchen.com
4.97 from 6119 votes (4,175 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Ernesto Ornelas
    August 12, 2025

    Thank you Natasha
    This bread was extremely easy to make
    And the entire family enjoyed it.
    Look forward to trying something new.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 12, 2025

      Hi Ernesto! I’m so glad they enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your experience.

      Reply

  • Autumn
    August 12, 2025

    Hi Natasha! Will this recipe be okay split into 2 6” round pans? Or should I double the recipe? Making this for my daughters smash cake

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 12, 2025

      Hi Autumn! I can’t say for sure because I have not tested it. I think you’ll have enough batter for that. Just be sure to not overfill the pans. Keep an eye on it in the oven because it will bake faster.

      Reply

  • Nicole
    August 12, 2025

    The bread burns on the sides and the top and the inside was raw like pudding so it was a sloppy mess I needed to microwave it all. Not easy to make at all. I guess I needed the pan lower in the oven but used a glass one. Or maybe covering with foil.The taste was good after cutting off all the well done hard pieces which was about a third. I would never attempt this again. I.5 cups of flour I think might not be enough to make a bread with all these ingredients. Plus, I only used two bananas. Yikes!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 12, 2025

      Hi Nicole. I don’t recommend using a glass pan for this unless you lower the temperature and bake it longer. It conducts heat differently. Also- I used a conventional oven, if you’re using a convection/fan oven it will bake faster and burn before it sets inside.
      I also recommend an internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to check the accuracy of your oven temperature. Make sure to fully preheat your oven before baking. This recipe has been made successfully by so many of my viewers, with over a thousand 5 star reviews. I hope you’ll try again.

      Reply

  • C.R. Martinez
    August 11, 2025

    I followed your banana bread recipe for baseline and it is delicious. To adjust for my allergy-plauged friend I used spelt flour, and in place of walnuts I used roughly chopped roasted salted macadamia nuts.
    I think your recipe is highly adjustable without sacrificing moistness or flavor. Thank you very much.

    Reply

  • Rachel
    August 11, 2025

    I used this as a base and added pecans, semisweet chocolate chips, dark spiced rum, and a bit of Grand Marnier. Delicious 😋

    Reply

  • Brianne
    August 11, 2025

    So this is ALWAYS so tasty!!! Lately though it has been bursting out on the top and still gooey but the rest of it is brown and getting harder so I don’t know what to do with being able to cook the middle without burning the rest? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you!

    Reply

  • Isabel Meine
    August 11, 2025

    Hi, I I love your recipe! Instead if walnuts and raisins I just put chocolate chips and frozen berries – and it‘s delicious. I want to make a vegan version for a friend. What do you recommend to substitude the eggs and the butter with best?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 11, 2025

      Hi Isable, I don’t think it would work the same without the eggs but again, I haven’t tested it without the egg to make it vegan or with a substitute. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.

      Reply

  • VALERIE
    August 11, 2025

    I made 4 banana nut bread with pecans and chocolate and raisins delicious I follow the recipe but added more ingredients with dried raisins and also cranberries it was so moist and yes I would recommend this recipe so easy to follow directions in baking also I use parchment paper to cover loaf pan

    Reply

  • Lisa Clegg
    August 10, 2025

    How long should they bake as mini loaves?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 11, 2025

      Hi there! You can use 350 °F for 25–30 minutes. Make sure to start checking after 25 minutes by using a toothpick. You can bake for another 3-5 minutes more until its fully baked.

      Reply

  • Chandra
    August 10, 2025

    Only hade 2 ripe bananas and it still came out amazingly delishes.

    Reply

  • Maria
    August 10, 2025

    We love your banana bread recipes so i am making it again.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 10, 2025

      I’m so glad to hear that you’re enjoying it, Maria!

      Reply

  • Jessica
    August 10, 2025

    I want to use honey instead of sugar. How much honey do I need? Should I decrease any liquids if I use honey?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 10, 2025

      Hi Jessica. You can sub it 1:1 with the sugar without making any changes. You can also use less if your bananas are very ripe and sweet.

      Reply

      • Susan
        August 10, 2025

        Banana bread is one of my favorites. This is a simple recipe and is delicious. The easiest way to mash bananas is to leave them in the peel and use your fist like a mallet, then peel and throw them in the batter. It does the trick, with no mess.

        Reply

  • Gigi
    August 9, 2025

    Excellent! No issues and tastes amazing!

    Reply

  • Paula Doogan
    August 9, 2025

    Amazing recipe. Comes out fantastic every time.My daughter doesn’t like raisins so I use cranberries instead.

    Reply

  • amanda :3
    August 8, 2025

    So so moist and tasty!! I love this recipe :3

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 8, 2025

      So glad to hear that, Amanda!

      Reply

  • Hamida
    August 8, 2025

    Best healthy banana/honey/cranberry, no sugar bread.

    Reply

  • Ileana
    August 8, 2025

    Hi! I dont have a bread pan. Can I use a square pan? Would the temperature and time change?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 8, 2025

      Hi Ileana! I don’t have the exact instructions for that. I’m sure you could but depending on the size you may need to modify the ingredient amounts to make it fit properly.
      Here’s what one of my viewers said:
      “ also made it in a 9×9 glass dish and baked it for about 35 min because I like nice big squares of banana bread rather than slices.”

      If you have a Bundt pan or muffin pan, you can follow one of my other recipes. I have a Banana Bundt Cake Recipe and Banana Muffins Recipe .

      Reply

  • Pia
    August 8, 2025

    Super delicious and moist. Videos really help me as it has been many years since I have baked.

    Reply

  • Darlene Schlagel
    August 8, 2025

    Can I add chocolate chips instead of raisins

    Reply

  • Ema
    August 7, 2025

    Hi, do you think I can use cake flour instead of the regular? Thank you

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 7, 2025

      Hi Ema! I’ve had a few viewers report negative results using cake flour. I don’t recommended using it unless a recipe specifically calls for it.

      Reply

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