Grandma’s Banana Nut Bread
Straight from my grandma’s kitchen, this banana nut bread recipe is a tried and true family favorite. This quick bread takes 10 minutes to prep, is loaded with mashed bananas and chopped walnuts, and bakes up super moist and dense.
I’ve tasted a lot of banana bread in my lifetime, and I can confidently say this is the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever had.
This recipe has been in my family for decades, and every time I make it, I’m transported back to my grandma’s vanilla-scented kitchen, where I sit at the table munching on a thick slice of warm banana bread slathered with butter.
This banana bread is:
- Made with basic baking ingredients
- Simple and quick to prep
- Packed with intense banana flavor
- Ultra-moist and perfectly dense
- A versatile base banana bread recipe
- Great any time of day – for breakfast, snack, or dessert
Power Ingredients
Avoid dry, flavorless banana bread with two key ingredients that keep each slice moist and flavorful.
- Vegetable Oil: Instead of butter, my grandma’s recipe uses vegetable oil, creating a moist, tender crumb.
- Bananas: The best bananas for banana bread are very ripe (the riper the bananas, the sweeter they are) and spotted brown – the browner, the better.
How to Make Banana Nut Bread
It truly could not be easier!
First up, mash your bananas. I like to use a fork; it doesn’t need to be perfect; totally okay if it’s a little chunky!
Then, whisk together your dry ingredients. Whisk together the sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a separate mixing bowl. Add the mashed bananas to that mixture and mix gently. Finally, add the dry ingredients and fold gently to combine. If using, gently fold in the chopped walnuts.
Divide the batter between two 8-inch loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Banana Bread Success Tips
For perfect banana bread every time:
- Use the ripest bananas you can find. If you don’t have ripe bananas on hand, try this tip for ripening bananas in the oven from AllRecipes.
- Cover the baking bread with foil. If you notice the tops of the loaves begin to get too dark before the centers are cooked through, cover the loaves with foil about halfway through baking.
- Don’t worry if the bread doesn’t rise much. This recipe is for very dense banana bread and doesn’t make super-high loaves, but it’s one of the things I love most about it. Each slice has an ultra-concentrated banana flavor and is delightfully moist.
- Before storing, let each loaf cool to room temperature. Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap, then tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
Banana Nut Bread Variations
This base banana bread recipe is customizable. Keep total add-ins to about 1 to 1.5 cups.
- Loaf Pans: If you don’t have two 8-inch loaf pans, add all the batter to one 9-inch loaf pan. The baking time will increase, so I recommend checking on it around 55 minutes, though it may take longer.
- Nuts: Walnuts are traditionally used in banana nut bread, but almost any other nut will work. Try chopped pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, or peanuts. If you prefer, you can also omit the nuts for nut-free banana bread.
- Cinnamon: A little touch of cinnamon can add something extra if you like an extra punch of flavor. Try starting with ½ teaspoon and go from there.
- Chocolate Chips: I love adding chocolate chips to banana bread. Peanut butter, white chocolate, or butterscotch chips are also delicious options.
- Dried Fruit: Add raisins, cherries, cranberries, blueberries, or apple chunks.
- Muffins: Instead of banana nut bread, use this recipe to make banana nut bread muffins! For about 18 muffins, line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each about ¾ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If You Enjoy Banana Bread, Try These Next:
- Ultimate Banana Bread
- Dark Chocolate Chip & Walnut Banana Bread
- Zucchini-Banana Bread
- Peanut Butter-Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
- Bananas Foster Banana Bread
Watch the Banana Nut Bread Recipe Video:
If you make this banana nut bread recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
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 8×4-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
- Loaf Pans: If you don’t have two 8-inch loaf pans, add all the batter to one 9-inch loaf pan. The baking time will increase, so I recommend checking on it around 55 minutes, though it may take longer.
- Bananas: Use the ripest bananas you can find; they should be covered in brown spots. The riper the banana, the sweeter the bread, and the moister it will be.
- Nuts: Walnuts are traditionally used in banana nut bread, but almost any other nut will work. Try chopped pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, or peanuts. If you prefer, you can also omit the nuts for nut-free banana bread.
- Cinnamon: A little touch of cinnamon can add something extra if you like an extra punch of flavor. Try starting with ½ teaspoon and go from there.
- Chocolate Chips: I love adding chocolate chips to banana bread. Peanut butter, white chocolate, or butterscotch chips are also delicious options.
- Dried Fruit: Add raisins, cherries, cranberries, blueberries, or apple chunks.
- Muffins: Instead of banana nut bread, use this recipe to make banana nut bread muffins! For about 18 muffins, line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each about ¾ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 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!
This recipe was originally published in 2010.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
Love this banana bread. It does get a little too brown in my oven. But that’s okay, it’s still delicious. I give it 5 stars 😋
This has been my go to recipe the last few years for Banana Bread. Always a hit with whomever I’m sharing with. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe
Great recipe. Only thing was I had to add more minutes since 35 an 45 wasn’t enough. I did about 60min
Recipe is great. The time to cook is way off. I had these in for over an hour before they were ready.
Very easy and delicious!
Wonderful! Just like my Mom made every Christmas 🎄.
This recipe is so fast, easy and so tasty!
If you had more stars, I would have selected them. This is a gorgeously moist bread that feels too easy to make. I even forgot to add the walnuts into the bowl, so added them to the pan with a few swirls of a spoon. I added ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon and the batter was wonderfully fragrant but it’s additional was beautifully toned into the loaf. It was moist a couple of hours later when I tried it, but waiting until the next morning really gives the bread a chance to take in all the moisture. Thank you thank you!!!
Made these and they came out great!…added a tablespoon of baking powder and it took 21 mins..I think it would have been better at 19mins..but I love it..the overripe bananas made sense as I used less sugar..my kids love these.thabk you so much for the recipe.
After reading your recipe I rather use butter and 2/3 cup of sugar the bananas contain the extra sweetness sometimes I add fresh lemon Julia about 2 teaspoons or I put half the dough in the baking pan and line the with blueberries then add the tensing dough. I also refrigerate after cooling.
The first time I tried this recipe it was a bit dense. The second time I added an egg and used chopped pecans because my wife hates walnuts and it came out perfect. She thought it could be a little sweater, I used ripe bananas, over ripened would’ve probably been sweeter. So if you don’t have time to let your bananas over ripen then just use a little more sugar.
I’m a 53 year-old man who had never made anything like this before. It turned out amazing. I even took my mother a mini loaf of it. She was impressed. My wife loved it, too. I only had 3 very ripe bananas so I also used a cup of apple sauce. My add-ins were walnuts and cranberries. This is a great recipe!!! Thanks so much for sharing it.
The absolute best banana bread I’ve ever had! Thanks for sharing!
I have been making this recipe for a couple years now. I ran out of eggs one day and with them being $8 a dozen I thought is there anything I can do to substitute them. I substituted The eggs with applesauce and it is the most delicious moist banana bread I have ever had in my life.
Great and easy!!!
I really enjoyed this recipe. It’s very good. We used 100% whole grain wheat flour. It was moist and delicious.
Even with foil wrap the exterior gets too dark and dry waiting for interior to bake . I used 2-8” pans and checked them 1/2 way thru . Bottom of loaf especially dark and yes I checked the temperature of the oven it was 350. I will not use this recipe again .
This is the easiest banana bread I’ve made. It turned out great.? Wish I would have made more than 2 loaves! Highly recommend. Yummmy
First time I made it, reminded me of my grandma’s banana bread.
This recipe was absolutely delicious. It was perfectly dense. Perfect amount of nuts. The only thing I changed was I added six bananas instead of four cuz I really like a concentrated’s taste but it was absolutely wonderful. It came out great. I made a loaf for a friend and he also ate his and a whole day.
Such a delicious recipe. Very easy to follow I made a loaf and muffin will defiantly use again. Thank you
Quick and easy! Delicious. I have tried several variations!
BEST Banana Bread recipe I have found. My husband is VERY VERY Pickey about his sweet breads. He LOVED this bread. I used some frozen bananas that I had and made it in the one 9 x 5 bread pan. It did take longer to cook but came out beautifully.
I have been using this recipe for years. It’s perfect! I have used a variety of nuts, depending on what we have in the kitchen. Walnuts are crunchier than pecans. Harder. As for using cranberries or raisins, it can be done.Add a cup. But why? Simplicity is key, or you are ending up with a fruit cake.
Yes added oats and fresh walnuts delicious thank you
Sticks in a greased non-stick pan. Update recipe to not only grease, but to grease and flour. And it would be even better if you used a cut to size parchment paper in the pan.
Use glass (Pyrex) pans. If you don’t have these, buy them! I’ve been using the same ones for decades and never has anything stuck. From banana nut bread to meatloaf to zucchini. Perfect!
Hey Rocco. How are you. Try using whole grain wheat flour and organic ingredients. Also use sunflower oil. Hope your next recipe will be as moist and delicious as ours was.
Thank you, for the recommendation, regarding how much longer to bake if you use a 9 inch loaf pan.
Bread turned out great. ty, :)
Great recipe! I divided sugars between brown and white and I also added 1/2 cup sour cream. It was delicious!
Great recipe….. Except I think it needs more than a pinch of salt. Don’t get me wrong it tastes good, but I think it needs more salt 🧂.
Moist, delishous, and super easy to make. Awesome that you don’t need a mixer.