The Best Banana Nut Bread

How to make banana bread with walnuts using five over-ripened bananas. It’s moist and perfect for using up older bananas.

This recipe makes two 9″x5″ pan loaves.

This is the best banana nut bread.

I’m not kidding when I say that either. It is my tried and true recipe that never fails.

I have eaten many banana nut and banana breads over the years, but they simply don’t compare.

I even worked in a local bakery for a couple of years and this is better than theirs!

Want more fall desserts? Check out these fun fall cupcakes!

Banana Nut Bread Ingredients

• Over-Ripened Bananas
• Large Eggs
• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Granulated Sugar
• Shortening
• Chopped Walnuts

Can you use ripe bananas for banana nut bread?

To make the best banana nut bread you must use over-ripened bananas. This means that they are turning from yellow to brown.

The browner the better, but not rotten.

This allows for more of a rich banana flavor, they’re softer and blend very well for mixing and baking, and the starch has had a chance to sweeten.

I’ve used fresh ripe bananas that were still yellow and had no browning to them and the bread lacked any banana flavor.

And definitely avoid using green bananas!

They do best when they’ve aged a bit more, which only takes a few days after being home from the grocery store.

How to Make the Banana Nut Bread

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 9″x5″ loaf pans and set aside.

Grab those brown bananas I talked about and put them in a medium-sized bowl with your eggs. Let the mashing begin!

Break up as many lumps as possible, which is what’s great about the over-ripened bananas, they’re so soft! I use a potato masher for this part.

Cream together your shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl. You can use a large bowl with a hand mixer, or use your free-standing electric mixer.

Add your banana mixture into your sugar/shortening mixture and blend.

If you have a sifter, add your dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sifting helps break up any lumps before you add it to your wet ingredients.

Use wax paper or parchment paper underneath so that way you can pick it up and pour it into the mixer afterward.

Don’t have a sifter? Place all your dry ingredients into a bowl and use a whisk to break up lumps.

If you want banana bread without nuts stop here and add the batter to your greased pans without doing the next steps.

If you like a different texture to your banana bread try adding chopped walnuts. Chopped walnuts in the store tend to still be rather large so it’s best to hammer them down with a mallet.

Place a cup of chopped walnuts into the batter and blend. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 75-95 minutes.

Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the thickest part of the loaf. It should come out clean if it is done.

Once it is done baking, allow it to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan and slicing.

This banana nut bread makes two loaves of 9″x5″ bread pans, but I unfortunately only have one. If that’s the case for you too, place the rest of the batter in the fridge while you wait for the first loaf to bake.

What makes banana nut bread moist?

If your banana nut bread is dry it needs more oil, butter, or shortening. They help baked goods gain moisture.

Additionally, adding too much flour and/or other dry ingredients can cause it to dry out as it bakes.

Because banana nut bread is dense it needs to bake at a low oven temperature over a longer length of time.

Baking it at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, for example, would cause an overcooked dry bread on the outside before the center is cooked fully.

Does banana nut bread have to be refrigerated?

It doesn’t have to be refrigerated but does need to be kept in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out like other bread loaves.

How to know when banana nut bread is done baking?

To ensure the middle has cooked fully, insert a toothpick into the thickest part of the loaf. If it comes out clean it’s done baking.

If you see the top is still jiggling or does not spring back when lightly touched, it definitely needs more time.

Can you freeze banana bread?

Yes! Like other breads, banana nut bread can be placed in the freezer as well.

How to Freeze Banana Bread

Allow it to fully cool after baking.

The bread can be pre-sliced or left as a whole loaf for freezing.

To freeze it, wrap in plastic wrap first, then aluminum foil, and place in an air tight container or Ziploc bag. Store it in the freezer for up to 3-4 months for best quality.

How to Thaw Banana Nut Bread

Remove the bread from the container and take off foil and plastic wrap.

Allow to sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours until the center is no longer frozen.

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Enjoy!