Moist and Easy Banana Nut Bread

This scrumptious Banana Nut Bread is so moist with just the right amount of banana flavor, walnuts, and a touch of cinnamon.  In about ten minutes, you too, can have this bread prepped and in the oven.  It makes the house smell so good, and it tastes better than any bakery loaf.  This is one of our favorite classic banana bread recipes with the perfect balance of sweetness and flavors of banana and cinnamon spice. 

If you love bananas, you must try my banana fritters, banana milk, banana muffins, or banana cream pie. My husband and daughter just love bananas, so they are a real thing around here.

How to make Banana Nut Bread

Start by whisking the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.  Then using a stand or hand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.  Now, turn the mixer to medium-low and beat the eggs in one at a time until incorporated.  Then beat in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract.  Next, turn the mixer to low or stir and add the flour mixture to the wet mixture beating just until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Do not overmix the batter.  Remove from the mixer and fold in the nuts. Remember, do not overmix.

Pour into a loaf pan that has been greased or sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Sprinkle a little bit more chopped nuts on the top. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the top comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Once completely cool, store in a larger zipper bag or wrap with plastic wrap and store on the countertop for about 3-4 days.

Banana Nut Bread Ingredients

This recipe calls for ripe bananas. Remember to plan that out early, as most stores do not sell over-ripe bananas. The riper the banana, the better. For best results, the skins should be black or at least have black and brown streaks.

Use chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, or pistachios to keep the bread moist and flavorful.

The very best way to store banana bread is to wrap it with plastic wrap and store it in a Ziploc storage bag right on your kitchen counter.  At room temperature, the bread will remain moist and taste very similar to the day that you baked it.  Make sure you remove as much of the excess air from the storage bag every time you open it.

You can prolong the shelf life of the bread by wrapping and storing it in the refrigerator, although the cold from the refrigerator will dry the bread out some.  Be sure to wrap it well with plastic wrap and a Ziploc storage bag. The bread will last about one week in the refrigerator.

For longer storage, freeze the bread.  Banana bread freezes extremely well.  Wrap in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil and place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag removing as much of the air as possible.  Freeze for up to three months.  To thaw, simply place it on the counter overnight.  You can even freeze individual slices in quart-size heavy-duty freezer bags.

What nuts go in banana bread

• pecans
• walnuts
• almonds
• pistachios
• cashews
• macadamia

More banana recipes you will love!

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Best Banana Nut Bread Recipe

An easy, moist banana nut bread with a healthy serving of chopped walnuts for protein and a hint of cinnamon that is prepped and in the oven in about ten minutes.

• Author: Beth Pierce
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 70 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings
• Category: sweet bread
• Method: bake
• Cuisine: American

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 2 cups mashed bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray an 8×4 inch loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.  Using a stand or hand mixer on medium, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.  Turn the mixer to medium-low speed and beat the eggs in one at a time until incorporated.  Beat in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
3. Turn the mixer to low or stir and add the dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated.  Do not overmix the batter.  Remove from the mixer and fold in the nuts just until combined.
4. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the top comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, and then invert bread onto cooling wire rack.  Cool completely before wrapping.

Notes

• Use very ripe brown bananas.  The riper the bananas the naturally sweeter and more moist the bread will be.
• Pecans can be substituted for the walnuts.
• Do not overmix the bread as this can make the loaf tough. The mixer should be on low when the flour mixture is incorporated and should only be mixed until combined.
• For a change of flavor add 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or 2/3 cup raisins.  
• Start checking the loaf after 50 minutes.  The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool fully before wrapping.  Store wrapped in plastic wrap or in a Ziploc storage bag on the counter for up 4 days.

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