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]
This banana nut bread was amazing, I”ve never made any banana nut bread , and sorry I can’t send a picture it’s all gone. My family loved it !! Thank you !!
Thanks for sharing! What a satisfying snack to to make and share!
This look sso good! I might throw in some chocolate chips too!
This was absolutely amazing! I made a first-time-baker mistake and thought I could use olive oil instead of vegetable oil. It turned out disgusting. BUT THEN…I followed the recipe precisely and it turned out wonderfully!
Question: do we leave the bread out or refrigerate it? I put the remainder in Ziploc bags, but I’m not sure if I should just leave it on the counter.
Thanks!
Hi Crystal, I’m so glad you liked it! You can leave it out at room temperature for a few days, or keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
Awesome recipe! I can’t be specific on how many mini loaves were made because my husband and I were stuffing our faces of these delicious breads as they cooled. =] I added close to 2 cups of mashed banana, and each loaf came out perfectly soft and moist. This is my new go-to banana nut bread recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
This is the easiest and best banana bread recipe I have found.
It’s really good . Moist and cooked up nicely. It’s a dark but I may if cooked a a bit to long . But very good . Thx
This is my new go to banana bread recipe. It is so easy, minimal ingredients and by far the best tasting. Thanks for all that you share.
Thanks Michelle, looks yummy.
Amazing banana bread. Love love love! I gave this recipe to my mum and she took her banana bread to work and everybody love. Thank you for great recipe.
I have a question. Will one batch of this fill 5 of those mini bread pans? Or how many will it fill?
It will fill up 4 nicely.
These sound DIVINE!
I never made banana bread but I made this recipe two days straight it turned out great it is very most will make it again. I don’t have Instagram or Facebook so you get my email only
I tryed this recipe and i was a little skeptical at first but it came out beautifully and it was one of the best tasting and moist banana nut breads i have ever made or had.the only one I have ever had that even compare’s was my mother’s and she passed away 25 years ago.I don’t think it could get any better.
Just take your time and follow the instructions and it will come out DELICIOUS.
Made grandmas banana bread & it was yummy delicious we cannot go wrong with grandma’s recipes 💜💜
Im not much of a baker to begin with. My first time making Banana Nut Bread, I used your recipe and it DID NOT disappoint. I used unsalted butter instead of oil. Everything turned out just fine in my cast iron loaf pans. The top of the bread was sweeter, but I think that’s a “me” problem. I’m going to try substituting unsweetened applesauce and Stevia, just to satisfy my curiosity.
Thank you for the recipe.
This was my 1st try at recepi it is remarkable. The top of bread really sweet, yet crunchy. I can’t wait until tomorrow morning so that I may enjoy with a hot cup of java yaaassssss honey.
I am so sorry you felt you had to write your “statement” yesterday. Wow. Incredible that people would be making such comments to you, or about you and your family! Your statement was on point, and very well said. I applaud you for it.
I visit your blog to read about your family and get GREAT recipes. That’s all. I feel like I have gotten to know you through this medium. I never post things nor do I write comments. I gravitate to recipes and food, and I have made many of your posted recipes. They fit my tastes. So I am very appreciative of what you do, and know how much time it takes you to do it.
Sending good thoughts to you and your family.
I put a little chopped apple in mine. Made it even more moist and flavorful also half brown sugar half white. MMMM GOOD!!!
I can’t wait to try. Love family recipes.
My banana bread gets very dark around the edges. Any ideas why?
Thank you Michelle and bless your heart! My grandkids will be visiting on Thursday for the first time this year! Let the memories begin. :) Thank you for sharing your recipes and your stories of Grandma’s house with us. You have inspired me. The banana bread is flavorful and moist. Next up I am going to try the pepperoni bread. We have never had it before. I can’t wait to spring baked goodies on my grand kids.
Hi, Michelle. This recipe looks fabulous (can never have too many great banana bread recipes!).
I was so upset to see that readers left harassing comments on your site. As a fellow blogger, I can totally relate to your statement about food blogs being a place to “escape” the day-to-day. Your statement was spot-on. Thank you.
Hi Michelle,
I wanted to thank you for your “Statement” it was perfect and well said. Thank you for being bold and confronting the mean people. Bless you!!!
Hi Michelle, I made your Grandma’s recipe yesterday for the second time. The first time that I made it, I went the muffin route. However, yesterday I made the recipe as a loaf, and me and my DH both enjoyed it just as much as we did the first time that I made it. DELICIOUS!!! And so very moist! Please keep those wonderful family recipes coming. Be well, and take care.
Bread is the perfect comfort food.
I’ve made and eaten A LOT of banana bread over my lifetime. This recipe is good, great even, but definitely not mind blowing as is. I’d like a lil more flavor! I think it would benefit greatly from more salt 1/2 tsp+ and like others have mentioned, subbing in some brown sugar. Happy to have tried this out, it’s a good and easy base recipe!
I typically use Tyler Florence’s recipe that calls for melted butter, but I’m low on butter, so I landed on this recipe. Maybe my issue is going from butter to oil? Butter *does* taste better than oil. Hmmmm
I’m down to just 2TBS of salted butter in the fridge… Sad, I know… But hey, it’s just enough to slather on a slice or two of this banana bread :)
Thank you for detailing how many cups of mashed banana the recipe requires — I can never figure out what a “small” versus a “medium” banana yields, and have ended up with an overly wet batter in other recipes. One and a third cup was just the right amount! And it came from one large and two medium’ish bananas, go figure.
Substituted all brown sugar for white, for an extra moist bread. Lovely.
This is the best Banana bread ever!!! I’ve made it three times now .. the grandchildren love it.
I made this and did not care for it. It was not sweet at all, tasted like oil. I do not recommended this recipe. So disappointing.
Then you didn’t make it right! Don’t be negative because you didn’t follow directions!
It was so easy to make. I only needed to add the love. So nice and moist. It was a hit!! Thank you for sharing. 🥰
Hi Michelle,
I just made this delicious banana bread (with mixed nuts: walnuts, hazelnuts, cahews, almonds) – it’s the best I’ve had so far.
I am in Germany – where banana bread is not that big. But I was craving it for days, and I have been torn between your “ultimate banana bread” and this one. But since I only had 5 small bananas, I went for the grandma version. It’s wonderfully simple and has none of the flaws that other banana breads have. So thank you very much for sharing! I really like your website, I’ve been visiting it for years. Love from Europe – Cora
This is a really easy recipe and the banana bread is delicious. I added chopped pecans instead of walnuts and reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup, and it came out great. As I don’t want it to be too sweet, next time I might use 1/2 cup of sugar. My 2nd loaf had chocolate chips in 1/2 of it, plus still had the chopped pecans. It came out great, too. Sorry, I don’t do instagram.
I made this. I knew when I poured it into pans that it was messed up. But thought maybe I was wrong. I wasn’t. This might make one loaf . Now I have two miniature burned loaves and wasted ingredients.
I followed this recipe exactly, except I used 1/2 stick of butter instead of oil. I also did not divide up the mixture into 2 loaf pans. I just cooked for 60min and put foil on for the last 30min. This is a very tasty and easy to follow recipe! Thanks for sharing grandma’s goodies! Lol
Very good recipe. Easy and delicious. I altered couple ingredients. Still bake time and sizes for pans right on key.
Anytime I need a new recipe I start my search with a hundred year old recipe or gandmas and this one has not failed me. I have been using this one for a while now. I have not experimented too much other than oils and chocolate chips. 1 cup is a bit much for chocolate chips because we go with muffins so I cut it to 2/3 cup. This recipe makes 15 muffins if you like bigger muffins and fill them over 3/4 full.
We used canola oil. I can taste it in the finished product. Should I use less or try a different type of veggie oil?
Hmm I’ve never tasted the actual oil. I would perhaps try a different type.
SO YUMMY!! I put everything into one pan and baked it for about an hour and it was amazing!! Thank you for this recipe!! <3
I just made your Grandma’s recipe for Banana Walnut Bread this afternoon. However, I decided to go the muffin route, and they are absolutely delicious. I took the recommendation of one of your other posters and used 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar. I also added 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and a 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips. I also added a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and I doubled the amount of the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons. I have made Banana Walnut Bread several other times, but I think that the canola oil definitely adds the moisture to the finished product that butter does not seem to do. Thanks so much for passing this along to us, Michelle!
I just made this Walnut Banana Bread tonight and it turned out AMAZING!!! Thank you for sharing a family recipe. That was very generous and kind of you. I have just enough bananas left to make another batch tomorrow to give away and share. During these times, its extra important to be showing our Love and generosity to one another.
Up early bean making banana bread forever. I’ve tried all of the recipes and yours is the best! Oil is the key. It’s not as moist when you use butter
Rather then using two 8×4 pans, can I use a bigger loaf pan to make one big loaf?
Hi Jan, I’m not sure how well that would work out since it would need to bake for a much longer period of time. If you do, I would suggest tenting with foil from the get-go so it doesn’t get too dark.
I did use 1 loaf pan…I baked for 60 min. at recommended temp. I put foil on for the last 30 min. I hope this helps
Ooh! Your grandma’s bread looks so good! I love the walnut/banana combination. Thank you for the muffin instructions too!
You are right, I’m reading a thrilled banana recipe in grand ma’s kitchen. I am loving with here. I am going to make it soon.
This loaf was delicious. It’s become my favorite banana loaf recipe. I made a couple of modifications to suite my taste (1/2 cup ea of white and brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg). Thank you for sharing.
I love the idea of half white and half brown sugar. I’ll give your idea a try when I try this recipe ,
Thanks.
LOVE banana bread!
Great recipe loved by all, so simple to make and tasty.
Looks delicious. To get a higher loaf do you think you could do in 1 loaf pan?
Thanks
I have not tried that, but you would need to bake it for a significantly longer period of time.
Loved the banana bread recipe! It tasted amazing! 😄
I replaced oil with 1/2 stick butter as I din’t have vegetable oil. Would love to try more recipes!
I’m wondering if you could bake the entire batter in one loaf pan to get a taller loaf? It probably would change the bake time a bit. I have a 9x4x4 pan that I think would do the job well and also a 9×5 that would probably work as well. What are your thoughts on baking one loaf from this recipe?
This recipe is very similar to my mom’s. It’s so dense I sometimes use it to make banana bread French toast! Decadent, but delicious.
Oh, I also used raw sugar when I baked this last weekend, will again today.
Interesting you use oil instead of butter. I have a super old cookbook that I use any time I make banana bread…I’ll have to try it with oil to see what the difference is. I always put some cinnamon in as well. Adds some extra flavor and a splash of vanilla always too. Love the Grandma recipes. Hope you share more😊
I lost the recipe I had used for years. I found this one and used it last week one, and am getting ready to use again in a few mins.
Excellent recipe!
I substituted unsweetened applesauce for the oil, and added 1 tsp cardamon.
Thank you for sharing!