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This is simply the best Banana Nut Bread recipe out there! We’re talking moist, delicious, perfectly sweetened and nutty. No mixer needed, super quick and easy to make!
Is there anything better than warm banana nut bread fresh right out of the oven? I probably say that a lot, but seriously, good moist banana bread truly is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world, especially with a good cup of coffee.
I love to make banana bread, although I hardly ever have ripe bananas on hand. Sometimes I buy bananas and won’t let anyone eat them just so they could ripen and I can use them for banana bread!
The Best Banana Nut Bread
I love the banana bread from Costco, but I always find it quite sweet for my taste, however, I love how moist it is. I made it my mission over the years to make my own version but slightly sweetened, or perfectly sweetened to my taste. It’s safe to say I’ve been making this banana nut bread for decades and I’ve had plenty of time to perfect it.
Be sure to check out the tips below for the best banana bread ever, and if you follow all my tips and instructions, it will be impossible for you to fail with this recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- Banana – Large bananas, very ripe, peeled.
- Vegetable Oil – Substitute with applesauce for a lower fat banana bread.
- Yogurt – Substitute sour cream.
- Eggs – Large eggs.
- Vanilla Extract – Without vanilla our banana bread may taste a little flat.
- Sugar – Both packed brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder – These will act as our leaveners and give us super tender banana bread.
- Salt – Imperative in baking, don’t skip it!
- Nuts – I like using softer nuts like walnuts or pecans.
How To Make Banana Nut Bread
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the ripe bananas to a medium size bowl and mash them using a fork or a potato masher. Add the vegetable oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract and quickly whisk everything together.
- Add Ingredients: Whisk in the sugars then add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the walnuts.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then remove the bread from the loaf pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Know When My Banana Bread Is Done?
Every oven is different, so don’t worry if your bread isn’t ready after 45 minutes. Have a couple clean toothpicks ready to go, and test your bread by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the loaf. If it comes out with some batter, add an extra 5-10 minutes at a time until the toothpick comes out clean.
Can I Make This Recipe Dairy Free?
If you wanted a dairy free version skip the yogurt and add applesauce instead. This is something I have always made often because hubs goes through phases and the last phase he went through he thought he was lactose intolerant, so I had to make all sorts of recipes dairy free.
How To Quickly Ripen Bananas
There are two great methods that you can use if you’re craving banana bread, but your bananas just aren’t quite ready.
1. Place the bananas on a baking sheet and bake them at 250°F for 10-20 minutes. This will depend on how ripe your bananas are to start out with. Keep an eye on them and add time as you see fit.
2. If you are okay with waiting an extra day, place your bananas in a paper bag and fold the top to seal off the outside air. This leaves them in a bag full of their own ethylene, which is what causes them to ripen. Adding an apple, fig, or pear to the bag will help them ripen up a bit more.
What Else Can I Add To My Banana Bread?
Now it’s your opportunity to customize this heavenly bread! I love to mix some chocolate chips in my banana nut bread. Switch up the type of nuts you use, or dried fruits like raisins or cranberries are also fantastic additions!
Tips For Making The Best Banana Bread
- Ugly brown bananas make the best banana bread. However, make sure you don’t use fermented bananas, or those where the peel is split.
- Choose oil over butter. While we’re always tempted to use butter in baking because it tastes better, oil is best in banana bread. Butter tends to emulsify and coat the flour, preventing it from absorbing too much water, which will result in dry banana bread. Nobody likes a dry banana bread!
- Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, instead of mixing using a whisk or mixer, this will give us a tender crumb.
- I have, in fact, many variations of this banana bread. I’ve used applesauce instead of oil, and I quite love this substitution because the bread still comes out moist, sour cream vs yogurt, chocolate chips vs nuts, whole wheat flour vs white flour, etc. However, here I wanted to give you the basic version, and my favorite version, but feel free to add/change things to your preference.
- Don’t over-mix! Once everything is evenly incorporated, the batter is ready to go.
- Be generous with the cooking spray in your loaf tin, especially in the corners.
- Use a cooling rack once the bread is done baking to avoid the exterior from becoming too dark.
Storing
Wrap the banana nut bread tightly with plastic wrap or you can store it in an airtight container. It will last on your counter for 3 days, or in the fridge for about one week. I love to microwave my slices of banana bread for 20-30 seconds to let it soften up, especially if it’s been in the fridge.
Freezing
You can absolutely freeze banana bread. Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices. It will last in the freezer for 3 to 4 months!
Wrap the loaf or the individual slices extremely well with plastic wrap, even if they’re being stored in an airtight container. The bread will give off some moisture which can cause freezer-burn without the plastic wrap. Let it thaw completely at room temperature.
More Great Recipes To Try
Banana Nut Bread
Video
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas very ripe, peeled
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup walnuts chopped (or pecans)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the ripe bananas to a medium size bowl and mash them using a fork or a potato masher. Add the vegetable oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract and quickly whisk everything together.
- Add Ingredients: Whisk in the sugars then add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and whisk until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the walnuts.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then remove the bread from the loaf pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Tips & Notes:
- Variations: Stir in about ½ cup dark chocolate chips for a chocolate chip banana bread. For a healthier version, use applesauce instead of vegetable oil.
- Ugly brown bananas make the best banana bread. However, make sure you don’t use fermented bananas, or those where the peel is split.
- Choose oil over butter. While we’re always tempted to use butter in baking because it tastes better, oil is best in banana bread. Butter tends to emulsify and coat the flour, preventing it from absorbing too much water, which will result in dry banana bread. Nobody likes a dry banana bread!
- Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, instead of mixing using a whisk or mixer, this will give us a tender crumb.
- I have, in fact, many variations of this banana bread. I’ve used applesauce instead of oil, and I quite love this substitution because the bread still comes out moist, sour cream vs yogurt, chocolate chips vs nuts, whole wheat flour vs white flour, etc. However, here I wanted to give you the basic version, and my favorite version, but feel free to add/change things to your preference.
- Don’t over-mix! Once everything is evenly incorporated, the batter is ready to go.
- Be generous with the cooking spray in your loaf tin, especially in the corners.
- Use a cooling rack once the bread is done baking to avoid the exterior from becoming too dark.
- Storing: Wrap banana bread in plastic wrap while still a bit slightly warm, but not hot. This will keep it from drying out overnight.
