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Banana Nut Bread

5 from 12 votes
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I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like banana nut bread. Personally, I’m absolutely nutty about it! This delicious snack is perfect for breakfast, dessert, kids lunch boxes, or daytime snacks! If you haven’t tried a slice with some peanut butter and hot chocolate, you haven’t lived. My pumpkin banana bread recipe is another neat twist!

If you want a basic recipe, try my Mom’s banana bread recipe. It’s my day-to-day fave.If you want a banana muffin recipe try my banana bread muffins, they are spectacular

a loaf and slices of Banana Nut Bread in a wood cutting board

I like to make my banana nut bread with any bananas I have lying around that are starting to brown, but it’s not absolutely essential that they’re overripe. As long as they have a good yellow color, you can buy some new in the store and use them instead!

This banana nut bread recipe is soft, moist, and SUPER easy to make. It’s seriously addictive too, I find it so hard to pass by it without having a nibble!

How to make Banana Nut Bread

  • Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
  • Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated. Stir in the bananas and vanilla until mixed in,
  • Stir in the walnuts.
  • Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until incorporated, mixing on the lowest speed.
  • Bake for 60 to 70 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
  • Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire baking rack.
  • Store at room temperature in a closed container or bag for 2-3 days.

How do you know when Banana Nut Bread is done?

Test your banana nut bread for doneness about 10 minutes before you expect it to be ready. You can do this by inserting a cake tester (or even a toothpick) near the middle of the loaf. You’ll know the center of the loaf is done if the tester comes out clean.

close up slices of Banana Nut Bread in a wood cutting board

How to keep Banana Nut Bread moist

If your banana nut bread keeps coming out a bit dry, try using oil instead of butter. The oil emulsifies and coats the flour which stops it from absorbing too much water and drying out the bread! Your bread is more likely to be a bit dry if your bananas aren’t very mushy, so keep that in mind beforehand and swap in some oil if needed. Also make sure that you wrap your banana bread in plastic wrap when it’s still a bit warm so that it doesn’t dry out overnight.

What’s the difference between Banana Bread and Banana Cake?

These two taste pretty similar but there are a few differences in the recipe that make banana cake a little sweeter. Generally, banana bread will have more of a bread-like grain taste, whereas banana cake is lighter and will taste more like a sweet dessert.

Is Banana Nut Bread good for you?

Long story short – yes! Bananas are incredibly healthy; they help to reduce sugar cravings, improve digestion, reduce stroke risk, provide energy, help our bodies to fight infections, and lots more! And when you add walnuts to the mix, the nutritional value of this easy to make snack goes through the roof.

Walnuts are super rich in antioxidants (more than any other type of nut!) and they support good brain function and healthy aging. Plus, they’re really really yummy – which matters a lot too!

I hope you love this awesome banana bread recipe as much as I do! And remember, you can also swap out the walnuts for any nut you prefer! Happy baking!

More Banana Recipes For You To Try:

close up loaf of Banana Bread with nuts
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Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread is a thicker, denser yet still delicious and moist banana loaf that is loaded up with walnuts or nuts of your choice. 
5 from 12 votes
banana bread
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
12
Calories
260
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup salted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup mashed bananas
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and set aside.
  • Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated. Stir in the bananas and vanilla until mixed in,
  • Stir in the walnuts.
  • Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until incorporated, mixing on the lowest speed.
  • Bake for 60 to 70 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
  • Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, the remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire baking rack.
  • Store at room temperature in a closed container or bag for 2-3 days.

Recipe Notes

There is no baking powder in this recipe on purpose : banana nut breads are supposed to be thick, dense and moist, not light and airy!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 260kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 282mg, Potassium: 121mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 285IU, Vitamin C: 1.2mg, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Banana Nut Bread is a thicker, denser yet still delicious and moist banana loaf that is loaded up with walnuts or nuts of your choice. #banana #walnuts #bread #dessert #loaf #quickbread

Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Jamie Ginther says

    Hey There, I baked your mom’s banana bread recipe and added walnuts. Was amazing. my question is what is the difference from that recipe to this banana nut recipe?
    I also read your bio info and now I know why I love the moms banana bread recipe, I’m from Alberta lol.

  2. Wendy says

    Hello, I was looking for a banana nut bread recipe and since I usually check out your recipes first I was not disappointed. I have a question that may seem silly but….when you say mix on lowest speed are meaning in a stand mixer or can a hand mixer be used. I do not have a stand mixer so before I actually do this recipe I want all my ducks in a row. In fact, can it be done by hand if necessary?

    • Karlynn Johnston says

      Oh absolutely, you can make this by hand! You don’t want to over mix it.

  3. Heather says

    This is a delicious recipe
    Use convection so usually 55 min till done. I always use 1/4c butter and 1/4 cup oil. Never dry5 stars

  4. Meg says

    What adjustments do you recommend for high elevation?

  5. Skc says

    My husband loved loved this. In fact I just made another one today after just making it last week. I’m not a banana nut bread person but he more than makes up for it. I wanted you to know he loves this recipe best! Thank you!5 stars

  6. Nawarat says

    KJ could u include metric measurement in this or further recipes It would be a lot easier for us to follow . If you prefer to have it in cups fine have cups n metric so that any body Who like to try should have no problem. Different countries cups measure are not the same. But metric will always be the same for every country. Tq. I love this recipe at the same time I do not like to be disappointed. Regards nc

    • Mira says

      Hi Karlynn. I baked today banana bread. And it is delicious. From now on I will use only this recipe. I only put a little less white sugar. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. DELICIOUS.

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