The BEST Banana Nut Bread

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This is the Best Banana Bread recipe in town, using only 1 bowl and simple pantry ingredients. You’re only an hour away from this lightly sweet, flavorful, and moist banana nut bread! If you have spotty bananas lying around, this recipe is for you. Similar to my Classic Banana Bread and family favorite Banana Bread Muffins, only loaded with walnuts for a buttery crunch.

 

A Family Favorite Recipe

Today, I’m so happy to be sharing the Best Banana Nut Bread Recipe because, truth be told, I prefer banana bread with nuts. Some people love banana bread in its classic form, and others prefer it with added chocolate chips, but I am in the nut category (though, if I’m being honest, I’ve never met a banana bread I didn’t like).

This is a delicious, adaptable, moist banana bread recipe that is nearly fail-proof. It’s the epitome of comfort and happiness, and by the end of the week, I always seem to have spotty bananas around.

Pro Tips For Banana Nut Bread Success

There are a few tips and tricks you should know about when making banana bread. Check them out!

Use Very Ripe Bananas

The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more delicious banana flavor you will get in your bread. You can even freeze ripe bananas and then thaw them when you’re ready to bake. 

Don’t Overmix the Batter

Overmixing can cause your bread to be tough and dense. Mix the ingredients until they’re just combined.

Use Room Temperature Ingredients

Room-temperature ingredients mix together more easily, resulting in more evenly baked banana bread. When ingredients such as butter, eggs, and milk are used at room temperature, they are easier to mix and blend together, resulting in better consistency. 

Room temperature ingredients also help the bread to rise more evenly and hold its shape better. Allowing ingredients to come to room temperature before baking can make a huge difference in the outcome of the recipe.

Keep Banana Bread Super Moist

I have created this recipe using specific ingredients to keep this loaf as moist as possible. Things like mashed bananas, oil, butter, and buttermilk all add moisture to banana bread, so when it’s baked, it’s still soft and tender.

Also, watch the clock when you’re baking this so you don’t overbake it! Overbaked, dark and dry banana bread is not delicious.

Use the Right Loaf Pan

I use this lightly colored loaf pan that doesn’t darken the sides too quickly. Since loaves usually take about an hour in the oven, you want to limit how brown the sides get. 

If you’re using a non-stick, darker metal pan, you’ll end up with really crispy edges. If you like crispy edges, then all the more power to you. I personally love a soft loaf the entire way around, and I find a lighter-colored loaf pan as a way to achieve that softer texture.

If you happen to pull your loaf out of the pan and it has a few crispy edges, wrap it in plastic wrap when it’s still lukewarm (not to be confused with warm) for an hour or two. This will help soften those edges right up.

Use Fresh Walnuts

Nuts have oils in them and if they have been sitting on your pantry shelf for a little too long, those oils will go rancid. This goes for any nut, not just walnuts! If you try a walnut out of the package, you should be able to tell if it has gone rancid. (It should have a stronger, unpleasant flavor.)

Since half of this recipe is bananas and the other half is basically nuts, you want to make sure you use the tastiest and freshest ones.

Add Cinnamon or Nutmeg

Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg to your banana bread batter can give it a warm and cozy flavor.

Bake at the Right Temperature

Bake your banana bread at 320°F for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let Your Loaf Cool Completely

This is just a rule of thumb for any sort of loaf recipe. If you want clean and beautiful slices, wait until it’s cooled completely. If you don’t really care, slice away! Warm banana bread is hard to beat, even if it isn’t completely picture-perfect.

How to Make Banana Nut Bread

My wonderful recipe for banana nut bread obviously calls for walnuts (classic), but be sure to check out my adaptations below. For full recipe details and ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card down below.

Prepare Your Pan

Preheat the oven. Spray a light-colored loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Make the Batter

In a large bowl, stir oil, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and mashed banana together until mostly smooth.

Add in dry ingredients slowly with buttermilk until a uniform batter comes together. Stir in chopped walnuts by hand. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and top with more nuts.

Bake Your Loaf, Cool + Slice

Bake until completely cooked through and a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring from the hot pan to a cooling rack and slicing once fully cooled.

Love bread as much as I do? Check out these quick bread recipes: Soft Zucchini Bread Recipe (super easy!), Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, EASY Homemade Bread Recipe, and Seriously *the best* Cornbread Recipe.

Variations to Try

If walnuts aren’t your thing, here are a few common and delicious options!

• Purist– simply omit nuts and bake plain banana bread.
• Change the nuts – if you don’t like or don’t have walnuts on hand, chopped pecans, almonds, or cashews are a great option to add to this excellent recipe!
• Chocolate chips – substitute the chopped walnuts for chocolate chips. 1/2 cup in the batter and 1/4 cup sprinkled on top. Delicious!
• Dried fruit – introduce some fruity flavor to this classic banana bread recipe by adding some dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries.

Storing Banana Bread

Store any leftover banana bread in a zip bag or airtight container to retain the moisture and softness for as long as possible: usually for 4 days when kept on the counter. After then, it’s still fine to eat, you’ll just notice it’s drying out a little.

To freeze: Allow the loaf to cool completely. Wrap the loaf in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil before placing it in a zip bag or freezer-safe container. Banana bread will stay fresh in the freezer for up to three months.

Even More Banana Bread Recipes to Try!

• Classic Banana Bread
• Banana Bread Muffins
• Spiced Banana Bread
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

The printable recipe card is below. Save/Print/Pin/bookmark this glorious Banana Bread! Well worth it to have this recipe in your arsenal. It’s worth every calorie for sure 🙂

Have a great day, friends!