The enticing aroma of bananas will permeate your kitchen with this Banana Walnut Bread. A warm slice of this slathered with butter is one of those comfort moments that will take you back to grandma's breakfast nook. You'll find this easy bread recipe to be super moist, perfectly dense, and delightfully satisfying.
Banana Bread Recipe with Walnuts
This classic banana nut bread recipe is taken from a torn and tattered Hallmark Recipe Organizer that my mom wrote out for me years ago. So it's been tried and true through several generations. I am so pleased to share one of my favorite family treasures with you here in this post. A few other family bread recipes that you will want to grab are Grandma's Dill Bread Recipe, Homemade Dinner Rolls, and Sweet Cornbread.
Ingredients for The Best Banana Bread
- All-Purpose Flour. All-purpose flour has a lower protein content which results in a lighter bread texture.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda. Both of these ingredients are leavening agents which help it to rise.
- Salt. Salt is an essential baking ingredient that enhances the overall flavor and balances the sweetness. But it will not taste "salty."
- Granulated Sugar. The measurement is perfect for the right amount of sweetness.
- Eggs. Eggs help produce a lighter, fluffier result.
- Buttermilk. This gives baked goods a softer texture.
- Butter. Melt the butter as it will produce denser bread that is less crumbly.
- Bananas. These are the star of the show.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. Vanilla intensifies the flavors in baked goods. Without it, cookies and cakes would taste flat and boring.
- Walnuts. Adds a crunchy nutty aspect to the bread. You can leave these out if you prefer. It doesn't change the finished result.
How to Ripen Bananas
Overnight Method. I've got good news on how to speed up the ripening process. Put the bananas in a brown paper bag and close it loosely. Bananas release a plant hormone called ethylene which builds up and circulates within the bag. This is what hurries along the process. It takes anywhere from 12-24 hours. You can also place an apple or a tomato in with it which helps as well.
Oven Method. If you're impatient like I usually am, there is a much quicker way to get your bananas ripe. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place unpeeled bananas about two inches apart and bake for 20 minutes or until they are evenly browned on the outside. Let the bananas cool completely before using them in the recipe. Just to note though, naturally overly ripened bananas are sweeter with a more intense banana flavor.
Can You Freeze Ripened Bananas?
Yes, and it is a great opportunity to keep the ones that have sat too long on the counter. Instead of throwing them out, place unpeeled ripe bananas in a large freezer plastic bag and squeeze out all of the air. They will last in your freezer for up to three months. Thaw completely when ready to use.
How to Make Moist Banana Nut Bread
- Mash the Bananas. This recipe calls for two cups of mashed bananas which works out to be about four large bananas. If the bananas are good and ripe, all that is needed is a fork. Peel and slice in half, then use the fork to press down on them until they are nice and mushy.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine beaten eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- Gently fold in the mashed bananas.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan.
- Bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Tips for the Best Banana Bread
- When you're mashing the bananas, leave some larger chunks. Don't smash all of them to a pulp. This will add character and extra banana flavor to the baked banana bread.
- Use very ripe bananas. Picking the right bananas is really the key to flavor and a moist outcome. Really ripe bananas have more sugar and add more flavor. Choose brown spotted ones that show just a little yellow peeking through.
- Remove the buttermilk and eggs from the refrigerator and give them about 30 minutes to come to room temperature. This creates an emulsion that traps air in the batter. Therefore, when the bread is baking, that trapped air will expand and produce a fluffier baked good. Remove these ingredients from the refrigerator and give them about 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
- Make sure to use fresh nuts. They tend to go rancid when they are exposed over time to warm temperatures. If you plan on using them right away, store them in your refrigerator. For longer storage, place them in your freezer in an airtight container.
- You can make your own buttermilk if you don't have any on hand. For each cup of buttermilk, use one tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice and add enough whole milk to measure one cup. Let it stand for a good 5 or 10 minutes. You could also use one cup of plain yogurt as a substitute.
- This recipe uses melted butter instead of softened butter. If you cream softened butter with sugar you will get a more cake-like and finer texture. The melted butter produces dense bread and is less crumbly.
- Baking time varies per oven, so timing your bread is not the best option. At about the 50-minute mark, insert a toothpick in the center and see if it comes out clean. If not, try it every five minutes until it does.
- Let the baked bread sit for three to five minutes in the pan before turning it out on a cooling rack. If the bread sits too long in the pan, it will collect condensation and can become a little soggy on the sides and bottom. Also, the rack helps as well because of the air circulation.
What Can I use If I don't have a loaf Pan?
A muffin tin is perfect if you want to make this recipe into individual muffins. You could use a bundt pan or a 9x9 square cake pan. Just make sure and adjust your baking time as these will all be done at different times.
Can this bread be made ahead of time?
Yes! Banana bread actually tastes better the next day because the natural sweetness and moisture from the bananas actually absorbed into the bread more into the second day. You might want to make a double batch though. Because if your house is anything like mine, no one can resist the warm bread straight out of the oven. Banana bread will last on the counter at room temperature for up to four days.
Can you Freeze Banana Nut Bread?
Absolutely. Just make sure you let it cool completely and wrap the loaf tightly several times in plastic wrap so that the shape is held together and the freshness is locked in. Then place the wrapped loaf into a large ziplock bag for extra protection. In this way, the banana nut bread will stay fresh for 2-4 months in your freezer.
Substitutes for Classic Banana Nut Bread
- Walnuts and Pecans are the most popular for banana bread. But really, you can use a variety of nuts. Macadamia, cashews, or hazelnuts would work great as a substitute.
- Add one cup of chocolate chips to the batter.
- Raisins or craisins are a great addition.
- Sprinkle in Β½-1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
And there you have it, warm banana bread fresh out of the oven ready for a brunch get-together, an afternoon break, or a midnight snack. There is nothing about this piece of heaven that is wrong, no matter how you slice it.
More Bread Recipes
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PrintBanana Nut Bread Recipe
A warm slice of this Banana Nut Bread slathered with butter is one of those comfort moments that will take you back to grandma's breakfast nook. You'll find this bread to be super moist, perfectly dense, and sure to satisfy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 Loaf 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- Β½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ΒΌ cup Sugar
- 2 large Eggs, beaten (room temperature)
- ΒΎ cup Buttermilk (room temperature)
- Β½ cup Butter (melted)
- 2 cups ripe mashed Bananas (about 4 large)
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 cups Walnuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, Β½ teaspoon salt, 1 ΒΌ cup sugar.
- In a medium mixing bowl, Combine the 2 beaten eggs, ΒΎ cup buttermilk, Β½ cup melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gently fold in 2 cups mashed bananas.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones only until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes to one hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 3-5 minutes in the pan before turning it out. Place the loaf on a metal rack to cool slightly before slicing.
- Slather with butter and ENJOY!
Notes
- Choose brown spotted ripe bananas that show yellow peeking through.
- How to speed up the ripening process: put the bananas in a brown paper bag and close it loosely. It takes anywhere from 12-24 hours.
- Just be careful to use fresh nuts. They tend to go rancid when they are exposed over time to warm temperatures. If you plan on using them right away, store them in your refrigerator. For longer storage, place them in your freezer in an airtight container.
- Make sure buttermilk and eggs are at room temperature when you start. Remove these ingredients from the refrigerator and give them at least 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
- Substitute for buttermilk: use one tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice and add enough whole milk to measure one cup. Let it stand for a good 5 or 10 minutes.
- Use melted butter instead of softened. It produces a denser bread that is less crumbly.
- To freeze: Let the loaf cool completely and wrap the loaf tightly several times in plastic wrap so that the shape is held together and the freshness is locked in. Then place the wrapped loaf into a large ziplock bag for extra protection. It will stay fresh for 2-4 months in your freezer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10th of Loaf
- Calories: 414
- Sugar: 33 g
- Sodium: 249 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg
Carrie Tyler says
Kristy, this looks simply delicious! I mean who doesn't love banana bread!? I love that you added walnuts to yours, as that's how I like it too. My husband has some strange aversion to walnuts in foods, so I never get to make mine this way. Such a comforting recipe during these challenging times. Thanks so much!
Kristy Murray says
Thanks so much Carrie. I've definitely been enjoying a little too much "comfort" lately. LOL. This is a great recipe from my grandma.
Katerina says
I love that this recipe uses so much mashed banana, I am ALWAYS swimming in ripe bananas and love a super soft banana bread, so this sounds right up my alley. I am also firmly in the "go nuts" camp - there's something about the combination of that soft juicy bread and the crunch of the nuts which I love. And yay for using recipes which have gone through generations and stood the test of time - thanks so much for sharing your family recipe with us!
Kristy Murray says
Katerina - thank you so much. I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to comment! And I do love recipes that have stood the test of time. There's such comfort in them. Enjoy.
Olivia Fleming says
I shared this recipe with my mom and she loved it! The banana bread was super moist and had such great flavor! We paired it with some salted caramel vanilla ice cream and it was amazing.
Denise says
This is delicious. Only had pecan pralines which I crushed up and added. Oh so good!!!!
Kristy Murray says
Hi Denise. Love the pec praline idea. What a great addition. Thanks so much.
Eric says
There is nothing like the aroma of freshly baked banana bread out of the oven. And this recipe of yours looks amazing and I can almost taste it.
Kristy Murray says
I know! I can hardly wait to slice it before slathering it with butter and stuffing it into my mouth. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
Betty says
I have been searching for a Banana Nut bread recipe for 40 years that tasted like my mothers!! I found it, awesome flavor!! The only change I only used 2 1/2 bananas!! This recipe is a keeper!!
Kristy Murray says
Oh Betty that just makes me so happy that you found this recipe. This banana nut bread recipe has been in my family for several generations. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment.
David @ Spiced says
Growing up, there was almost always a loaf of banana bread in the kitchen. I love it! This recipe sounds fantastic, although I agree with you...I usually lose patience and mash up the bananas before they've quite hit that "sweet spot." Maybe I'll pick up some bananas at the store this week and see if I can find some patience!
Kristy Murray says
Thanks, David for sharing. I do love the aroma that fills the kitchen with banana bread, heck any kind of bread actually. But something about banana bread takes me back to my grandma's kitchen.
Cesare says
Exactly as described:
Moist, great texture, flavorful! I followed this recipe and made muffins, I added about 7 dark chocolate 50% cocoa chips and crushed pecans and sprinkled the top with raw pumpkin seed for the kids. Made about 24 muffins in a regular sized muffin pan. took about 20 min for a batch of 6. Thanks, Linger! The site caught my eye due to the step-by-step pics with instructions. I'm a visual person - the site is well done.
Kristy Murray says
Hi Cesare. Thanks so much for your comment. And I'm so thrilled that you found my site! I love the additions that you made with cocoa chips, pecan, and pumpkin seeds to this recipe. Such great ideas.
Neil says
A great way to use up any leftover ripe bananas. I do love a banana walnut bread. So tasty. The addition of walnuts takes the banana bread to a whole new level if you ask me!
Susan Galbraith says
Turned out perfect! I reduced the sugar slightly as after pouring batter I topped with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar. I also only used 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Baked at 325 in my convection oven for 40 minutes and it popped out of my loaf pan perfectly!
Kristy Murray says
Hi Susan. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. I'm so happy you enjoyed the banana bread and I appreciate your added input.