Grandma’s Banana Nut Bread
My grandma’s recipe for banana nut bread is a classic banana bread recipe packed full of mashed bananas and chopped walnuts; it can be prepped in 10 minutes and bakes up super moist and dense. A family favorite!
Growing up, there was never a lack of things to eat at my grandma’s house. There were tins filled with pizzelle and biscotti that were never empty. I mean, never. They were always sitting, filled to the brim, on the last step near the dining room.
My favorite days were the ones when I would walk in and see my grandma in the kitchen, surrounded by loaves upon loaves of pepperoni bread. My second favorite day was banana bread day. Smelling the air infused with bananas and warm bread was intoxicating. These also got churned out many at a time. And nothing could beat a thick slice slathered with soft butter. Divine.
I’m thrilled to be sharing her recipe with you; this bread is super moist, packed full of banana flavor, and best of all – it comes straight from my grandma’s kitchen. Which makes it the best banana bread ever, naturally.
The Secret to Super Moist Bread
There might not be anything worse than dry banana bread, am I right? The lineup of ingredients for making my grandma’s banana nut bread is pretty standard, but there are two key ingredients in this recipe that ensure it stays supremely moist:
- Vegetable Oil: The first key in keeping the bread incredibly moist and maintaining a tender crumb.
- Bananas: Look for bananas that at the very least are spotty brown, but the browner the better! The riper the bananas, the sweeter it is and the more moisture it will impart.
Recipe Success Tips
A few extra notes to ensure you are sitting down to the absolute best banana bread that you’ve ever had…
- As mentioned above, be sure to use the ripest bananas you can find. It amps up the flavor, plus ensures that the bread retains ultimate moisture.
- Make nut substitutions if you’d like. Walnuts are a classic, but pretty much any other nut will work – try pecans, peanuts, anything! You can also omit the nuts if you’d prefer, as well.
- Add chocolate chips if you’re feeling it. You can swap them in for the nuts, or do half and half.
- Storage: Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This bread freezes exceptionally well. Wrap in plastic wrap, then tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Converting to Muffins: If you’d like to turn this banana nut bread into banana muffins, line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each about ¾ full. You should get around 18 muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
As you might be able to tell, this banana bread recipe doesn’t make a super-high loaf, but it’s one of the things I love most about it. It’s condensed, moist and packed full of flavor. It makes a perfect breakfast bread, and is also an amazing dessert to have with coffee.
I feel so fortunate that I was able to spend so much time with my grandma as I grew up, and that I have so many incredible memories tied to her house and to the food that she made.
Each time I make one of her recipes and have a simple smell bring me back to her kitchen, I know she is thrilled that I’ve carried on making so many of the recipes that our family has loved over the years, including this banana bread.
If Banana Bread Is Your Jam, Try These Recipes:
- Ultimate Banana Bread
- Dark Chocolate Chip & Walnut Banana Bread
- Zucchini-Banana Bread
- Peanut Butter-Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
- Bananas Foster Banana Bread
If you make this recipe and love it, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you so much!
Grandma's Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (99 g) vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1⅓ cups or 303 grams)
- 1 cup (113 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the bananas and stir gently to combine. Add the flour mixture and stir until completely blended. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts.
- Divide the mixture into the two loaf pans. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If the loaves begin to get too dark before they are done in the middle, cover with foil. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The bread can be stored, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap then in aluminum foil and freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Be sure to use the ripest bananas you can find. It amps up the flavor, plus ensures that the bread retains ultimate moisture.
- Make nut substitutions if you'd like. Walnuts are a classic, but pretty much any other nut will work - try pecans, peanuts, anything! You can also omit the nuts if you'd prefer, as well.
- Add chocolate chips if you're feeling it. You can swap them in for the nuts, or do half and half.
- Storage: Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This bread freezes exceptionally well. Wrap in plastic wrap, then tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Converting to Muffins: If you'd like to turn this banana nut bread into banana muffins, line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each about ¾ full. You should get around 18 muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Originally published in 2010, this has been updated to include new photos, a helpful video tutorial, and more in-depth recipe tips.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
I have made this recipe a few times now. Great recipe. Last time I made it I had 3 large very ripe bananas and found out I didn’t have all the ingredients the recipe called for so I melted some coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, no vanilla so I used coconut rum and used 1/2 cup of walnuts and 1/2 cup toasted coconut. I also added 1/2t. baking powder Fantastic bread! I use 3 small loaf pans instead of 2 bigger ones since I like to freeze some for later. My old recipe is history.
Solid, solid recipe for those of us who rarely bake. I’ve used this recipe a few times and, as my friends will attest, the results are incredibly delicious.
Side note: I needed to use up some bananas and was about to make this bread, but found that I had only about a half cup of sugar. I used that, and augmented it with another quarter cup of medium brown sugar- this is now my favorite way to make it.
Love this recipe! I’ve made it many times and it is by far my favorite, and now only, way to make banana bread. I also find it hilarious that some who rate it low stars, and complain about it, admitted they changed the recipe. I follow the recipe exactly, and it comes out perfect every time. Thank you!
This is the second time I have made this recipe and I think it is great.
I have made this Recipe many times and Love it. Instead of the Vegetable Oil and Salt, I use a stick of melted Salted Butter. It Always turns out perfect. I do make sure that eggs are whisked well before adding them and that the Bananas are not too Chunky.👍
Love this recipe! Use it all the time! Bread comes out perfectly!
My Family absolutely loves this Banana Nut Bread and it is my favorite to bake during the Winter Months. The Recipe is eazy peezy!
Absolutely scrumptious!
Are the loaf pans supposed to be full? Mine are half way full
Can I use canola oil instead of vegetable oil.
Thank you
Loved your recipe. Reminds me so much of my Grandmother ‘s recipe. Really easy and taste so good.
I have made 5 loaves and it is amazing. We are now sending them out as Christmas gifts to our loved ones.. 5 stars indeed. thanks so much.
This was a fun article! It was something different from “who invented the wrench “I’ve done in the past, and came about because of a special request for my grandma’s banana bread recipe when we had a meeting in her church. Grandma’s Banana Nut Bread is delicious, and there are many versions of it across the country (literally). Different states tend to add their twist on the recipe. My own can be found on page 281 in my eBook The Gluten Free Vegan.
Very moist and delicious
I have made this recipe many times. I’ve always used pecans since I’m allergic to walnuts. I’ve also made it with dates, turns out fabulous. I love this recipe.
Tried this recipe and it is super fast and absolutely delicious!! I wished I had made more. I did muffins for easy to go and lunch box. They were perfect. You must try this one it is a must.
Easy to make and smells yummy. Got Little too done but that was my fault. No where to post a pic
I made this for breakfast today. It turned out perfectly!
I didn’t have loaf pans, but used an 8 x 8 pan.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Cyn,
Houston, Texas
I won’t be serving this to my family tomorrow (Thanksgiving), that’s for sure. I followed the directions to the letter. But the batter was so thick that I had to add a little milk to it to thin it out. When I put it in the oven, it was the right consistency for banana bread.
Also, 1 cup of nuts is just way too much. I wanted to stop at 1/2 a cup but decided to press on with the recipe and see what happens. I had to stop at 3/4 of a cup because it was just too many nuts.
At 350 degrees, which should have been the right temperature, it got dark on the outside very quickly and uncooked on the inside. That may be a problem with my oven, I don’t know. I just moved into a new house and the stove is still new to me. Anyway, at 45 minutes, I realized I either had to reduce the temperature of my oven or I was going to have burnt banana bread on my hands.
It just finished cooking, and the inside is perfect, but the outside is rock hard. I can’t yet say if it tastes good or not, but I know I won’t be serving it at my family gathering. I guess I can cut the crust off and serve it to my husband for breakfast. He’ll eat anything!
So so so good!!! I will forever use this recipe! Thank you for using your gift to spread love to others!
Very moist and tasty! Made banana bread, banana nut bread, banana nut with milk chocolate chips and banana peanut butter chocolate chip all turned out wonderful.
Great recipe. I didn’t have any vegetable oil so I used coconut oil. Came out moist and delicious. Also threw in a little toasted coconut along with toasted pecans that I had left over.
Great , quick and delious
Best and easiest ever!
I have been making this recipe for a few months now and the kids love it!
I add either nutmeg or allspice, and sub pecans for walnuts. This recipe is super easy to make and comes out consistently every time I make it.
My husband said this was his favorite banana bread EVER!
Oh my gosh! This is my first time making banana bread myself. It is so amazing! I usually do not like banana bread, but now I know I can make one that I love! Thank you for sharing your Grandma’s recipe! I will now pass it on! (P.S. I made one with walnuts and one with walnuts and chocolate chips) YUM!
Going to make them first thing in the morning thank you
Thank you for your sweet story and it’s great that you have those memories for I’m even a great grandma now and I hope mine have such good thoughts of me you were very blessed!
It was like the one my mom used to make. I added a cup of zucchini and some pumpkin seeds. I had lots zucchini to use up.
I use this recipe frequently! I love it! It turns out perfectly. Thank You!
The best banana bread. Grandma new what she was doing. Thank you!!!!!
FYI – Just made this and halved the recipe because I only have one bread pan – Princess House glass. I will need to make the full recipe next time in order to fill the pan.
This is my go to banana bread recipe! I absolutely love it and it’s a hit with my family every time I make it. Thank you!
This will be the 2nd time I make this bread in a month. Love it.
Excellent Definitely 5 Stars. Really Quick, Simple and Fantastic Results. Nothing better than Grandma’s Cookn. Thanks
Seems very simple I will be trying it.