Amazing Banana Nut Bread (Easy & Moist)

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This easy Banana Nut Bread recipe yields supremely moist, perfectly soft banana bread studded with bits of crunchy walnuts. With just a few minutes of hands-on time, you can have the best ever banana bread loaf that leaves your house smelling like a bakery. Whether made as individual muffins, classic loaves, or in a Bundt pan, it is an irresistible treat to serve for breakfast, feed to a brunch crowd, or freeze ahead.

Golden brown crust on banana bread loaf with tender crumbs and walnuts. — With the perfect golden crust and moist with walnuts throughout, this banana bread is completely addicting!

The perfect banana nut bread recipe needs to be moist and tender, not dense and certainly not dry. It needs to have sweet banana flavor perfectly complemented with crunchy walnuts. It needs to form a perfect crust on the top and stay wonderfully tender on the inside.

This, my friends, is the best banana bread recipe. For the last 15 years we have been perfecting it. The original recipe was by Ina Garten’s Banana Crunch Muffins, but I simplified the mix-ins and removed the chunky banana pieces. They do make fantastic muffins, but I prefer to make them in loaf pans and occasionally in a bundt pan.

If you love quick bread as much as we do, an all-time favorite recipe for an afternoon snack is this orange loaf covered in fresh orange glaze. In close second is this lemon loaf cake that's made moist with greek yogurt. If chocolate is more your thing, this triple chocolate bread is a decadent treat.

🏅Why this recipe is great!

It's an incredibly delicious loaf of banana bread with a soft crumb. That's thanks to the method of adding melted butter to the dry mix before adding in the liquid. This technique makes the most perfect banana bread.
It's a great jumping off point for trying different variations. See the full list below.
The best thing about this recipe is that it is perfect for freezing. I keep one or two in there all the time for special weekend treats.
It fits so many occasions, whether a weekend brunch, after school snack, neighbor gift or weekday treat. Our favorite is to take a loaf in the car on road trips.

🍌 Ingredients

Flour: All-purpose flour.
Sugar: Just regular granulated sugar.
Baking powder: Rising agent #1…
Baking soda: Rising agent #2… Both create fluffy, tender bread!
Salt: Kosher salt is best.
Butter: Use real butter for the best flavor. Both salted and unsalted will work.
Bananas: The more ripe the sweeter and more flavorful the banana bread will be! Choose medium bananas that are covered in black or brown spots and are very soft.
Eggs: Use large eggs for best results.
Milk: Whole milk is best, although I have had good results with 2% as well.
Vanilla extract: I know it can be pricey, but this recipe really benefits from the vanilla. Don’t skip it if you have it.
Walnuts: Just give them a quick chop before using. They add great texture to the bread. Feel free to use pecans, cashews, or macadamia nuts.

🥣 How to make banana nut bread

Adding in melted butter to dry ingredients to the banana nut bread batter.

The batter starts by whisking the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl to make sure there are no lumps. Then pour melted butter over the top of the flour mixture.

Blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until small lumps form.

Eggs and milk added into banana bread batter.

In a separate medium bowl mash the bananas, and then add in the milk, eggs, and vanilla.

Combine the wet ingredients.

Wet and dry ingredients mixed together in a large mixing bowl.

Combine wet banana mixture in with the dry ingredients to form a thick batter. This can be done by hand or with a hand mixer.

Then gently mix in the chopped walnuts.

Two loaves of banana bread batter in prepared loaf pans.

Pour batter into greased loaf pans, muffin tins, or a bundt pan.

Baked loaves on banana bread on counter in loaf pans.

Bake at 350°F in the middle of the oven until the bread is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert and finish cooling on a wire rack.

For full instructions on baking banana muffins, mini loaves, or a bundt loaf see the recipe card below.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For a crowd

This is a really fun recipe to serve for special brunch gatherings or even baby/bridal shower parties. Who doesn't love moist banana nut bread? The easiest way to serve to a crowd is to make it in a bundt pan, which will serve at least 14-18 people.

You could also double the recipe to make additional loaves or muffins. If you double the recipe, I highly suggest making each recipe in its own large bowl. This will help prevent overmixing, which makes the bread tough and dense.

Loaf of banana bread studded with walnuts on counter. — If you want to have some on hand for later, place a loaf in the freezer. It becomes even more moist and delicious!

🙋 Questions and Answers

How do I tell when banana bread is done baking?

Banana bread typically forms a firm crust on the top, which can make it look finished before it actually is. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few large crumbs.

How do I prevent banana bread sinking in the middle?

The biggest culprit of sinking banana bread is taking it out of the oven before it is finished. If the center of the loaf is still raw or too soft, it will collapse as it cools. Make sure to cook it until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few large crumbs.

How do I store banana bread and does it need refrigerated?

Store banana bread in an airtight container or serving dish (such as a covered cake stand) at room temperature for 2-3 days. It isn’t necessary to store the bread in the fridge, but you most certainly can if you prefer it cold.

Can I freeze banana bread?

Yes, this is a great freezer bread! Allow it to cool all the way to room temperature, then wrap in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3-4 months. Thaw at room temperature on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.

To freeze individual slices wrap in plastic wrap and place in a freezer plastic bag. They thaw quickly and are perfect for on-the-go breakfasts or snacks.

Is banana bread healthy?

This is a very subjective answer depending on how one defines healthy. Due to the level of sugar and butter in classic banana bread recipes, I wouldn't call them healthy. It is great in moderation.

🥥 Variations

Instead of walnuts try pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds, cashews.
Add in 1 cup of chocolate chips.
Add in 1 cup of shredded sweetened coconut. ( A personal favorite!)
Try spices like a teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg.
Swap out one cup sugar for brown sugar.

Slice of banana bread with walnuts on cutting board. — Once the bread has cooled, slice and serve! Careful, it won't last long.

📖 More breakfast winners

Need something everyone will love? You really can’t go wrong with this Lemon Curd Coffee Cake… it’s what breakfast dreams are made of!
Another lemon treat are these Lemon Scones. Drizzled with a bright lemon glaze, these are a fun breakfast option.
The ultimate breakfast side dish: easy, sweet, and perfectly crispy Oven-Baked Bacon. It's such and easy recipe, you’ll never cook bacon on the stove again!
For classic breakfast lovers, try these Famous Farm Buttermilk Pancakes. With simple ingredients you get moist, golden brown pancakes that are just begging for syrup 🤤.

👨🏼‍🍳 Tips & tricks

Use very ripe bananas for the most flavor (they should be heavily streaked with black and brown spots). Then mash them thoroughly until smooth to avoid chunks of banana in the bread.
If you need to speed up the ripening process, place bananas in a brown paper bag clipped shut.
Fully incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients. If any dry spots are left, it won’t mix into the wet ingredients as well.
Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula often. Ingredients tend to hide out at the bottom of the bowl or cling to the sides, so scrape, scrape scrape after each step.
If the top of the loaf is getting too brown, lightly tent with aluminum foil until the cake tester comes out clean or with just a couple large crumbs attached.

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