The Best Banana Nut Bread

This ultimate Banana Nut Bread Recipe will become a staple in your kitchen. This easy-to-make treat is moist and delicious and will get rave reviews from your loved ones. Perfect for breakfast on the go, as a snack, or a delightful dessert with its soft crumb and crunchy exterior. It freezes well and tastes amazing any time of the year.

This is the only recipe you will need for Banana Nut Bread. It’s that good. It is so easy to make and tastes fantastic! Sugar, shortening, eggs, bananas, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pecans.

Waiting For The Bananas To Get Ripe

I’ve had a taste for banana nut bread lately. I bought bananas last week at the grocery store and waited–what seemed like forever– for them to get good and ripe.

After patiently waiting for an eternity, my bananas were perfectly ripe and ready to be transformed into mouthwatering Banana Nut Bread. Finally, after 4 days, the bananas were ready for me to mix up the ingredients, which was a breeze, and before I knew it, the batter was ready to be poured into the loaf pan. This is a fabulous recipe and a great way to use overripe bananas.

What Is Moist Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Banana Nut Bread is a timeless treat that combines sweet, ripe bananas with crunchy pecans, creating a comforting bread that satisfies the soul. It is moist and flavorful and the best recipe for using overripe bananas. It’s popular and known for its moist interior, crunchy exterior, sweet aroma, and nutty taste. It only takes about 10 minutes to throw together and an hour to bake.

Why This Recipe Works

If you find yourself with overripe bananas on your kitchen counter, don’t toss them out. Instead, use them to make banana nut bread. Overripe mashed bananas are combined with other ingredients to make the best banana bread recipes around. This recipe works because it combines quality ingredients, proper techniques, and flexibility to produce a moist, flavorful, and satisfying baked treat that is loved by many. 

Balance of Ingredients:  The recipe includes just the right balance of ingredients. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in contributing to the bread’s texture, flavor, and overall success.

Using Ripe Bananas: Using ripe bananas ensures natural sweetness and moisture in the bread. As bananas ripen, they become sweeter, enhancing their flavor and making them ideal for baking.

Versatility: This recipe is versatile and can be adapted to suit your taste preferences. You can customize the bread by adding chocolate chips, vanilla extract, or a dash of ground cinnamon.

Freezer Friendly: The bread freezes well, allowing you to make it ahead of time and store it for future enjoyment. This makes it a convenient option for busy schedules or unexpected guests.

If you’re looking for more bread recipes, try Easy Frozen Biscuits or my Cranberry Orange Bread. They are both fantastic, and they can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients Needed for Banana Nut Bread

The ingredients are simple and mostly pantry staples. By using these ingredients, you’ll be well on your way to making a loaf of delicious banana bread for your family or guests. For a complete list of amounts, see the printable recipe card below.

• Sugar – Sugar is used to sweeten this classic banana bread recipe. Feel free to adjust the sugar as needed. It is not overly sweet and adds to the texture of the bread.
• Shortening – Shortening is a solid fat used in baking and helps to achieve moist bread.
• Eggs – Eggs act as a binding ingredient and help to hold this delicious loaf of banana bread together. I use large eggs.
• Bananas – Ripe or overripe bananas are the star ingredient and provide natural sweetness and moisture to the quick bread. Mash bananas well.
• Flour – Flour serves as a base ingredient and provides structure to the bread.  I use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
• Baking Soda – Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps the bread to rise and gives it a fluffy texture.
• Baking Powder – Another leavening agent that aids in the rise of the bread.
• Salt – Just a pinch of salt is needed to balance the sweetness and flavors in this bread. 
• Pecans – Pecans add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor to this banana nut bread. Feel free to use walnuts if so desired.

How To Make This Banana Nut Bread Recipe with Pecans

Following this easy recipe will ensure you will have the best results for this easy banana bread recipe.

1. Prepare Loaf Pan and Preheat Oven: Grease and flour a loaf pan to prevent the bread from sticking. Make sure to coat the pan well. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine Sugar, Shortening, and Eggs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, shortening, and eggs. Using a hand mixer, beat until creamy and well combined.
3. Mash and Add Bananas: Mash the ripe bananas and add them to the sugar, shortening, and egg mixture. Mix until evenly incorporated.
4. Sift Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the chopped nuts to the flour mixture and mix to combine.
5. Fold Dry Ingredients into Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet banana mixture. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing only until well moistened. Do not overmix.
6. Pour Batter into Loaf Pan: Pour the banana nut bread batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly with a spoon.
7. Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour (50-60 minutes) or until the bread is well browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool, Slice, and Serve:  Once baked, remove the banana nut bread from the oven and let it cool slightly in the pan for about 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove the bread from the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice the bread into individual slices and serve. I like to slice the banana pecan bread while it is still slightly warm and enjoy it with a cup of coffee. 

Expert Baking Tips

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to making the best banana bread your family and friends have ever tasted.

• Bananas: –Use ripe bananas. I like to use those bananas that have brown spots and are a little mushy.  As a tip–I like to buy bananas that are already getting ripe. This seems to speed up the process at least by a day or two.
• Flour: –Sift the flour to ensure no clumps or lumps go into the mixture.
• Nuts: –Use fresh pecans.  The crunch of pecans is one of the best things about this recipe. Feel free to swap out pecans for walnuts in this recipe.
• Mixing: — Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix only until moistened. You do not want to over-mix.
• Loaf Pan: — Use a well-greased and floured loaf pan. You might also line your pan with parchment paper.
• Baking: This bread usually takes about an hour to bake. Of course, oven temperature and cooking times vary, so adjust where needed. You want a nice golden brown crust. If your bread is browning too much to your liking, create a tent out of aluminum foil. Place over the top of your bread to complete the baking time.

This recipe is as easy as can be and will come out perfect every time. It’s moist, flavorful, and will melt in your mouth.

Recipe Variations

These are just suggestions to enhance your loaf of banana nut bread. 

• Sprinkle the top of the batter with additional chopped nuts or a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking for a crunchy topping.
• Add some cinnamon and sugar to the top of the bread after it comes out of the oven.
• Add some shredded coconut to the mix for more flavor and texture.
• Add some chocolate chips to the batter for chocolate chip banana bread.

 

Use the Right Pan

Make sure you choose a loaf pan for this recipe—my pan measures 9″ x 5″ with a non-stick coating. Be sure to grease and flour the pan to ensure there is no sticking. Even though my pan is non-stick, I still grease and flour to ensure I don’t have any of that delicious bread sticking to the pan.

Add-Ins

Any of these add-ins would work fine with this recipe.

Walnuts, Pecans, Chocolate Chips, Shredded Coconut

How to Store Banana Nut Bread

You never know when the craving might hit for a delicious treat. This is the best banana nut bread recipe and is great for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert. Good for any time of the day. Having some on hand for you, your family, or unexpected guests is nice.

To Store: 

Store at Room Temperature: Cover the room temperature bread tightly with plastic wrap for 2-3 days. 

Store in the Refrigerator: Cool banana nut bread to room temperature, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, or place individual slices in a zip-top bag or airtight container. This will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. My banana bread never lasts that long. I also find the flavor is better with each passing day. 

To Freeze: Wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil—place it in a freezer bag in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months. 

Great for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert. Really good for any time of the day.

Need a Gift

Giving banana nut bread with pecans as a gift is a thoughtful and delicious gesture. A pan of Banana Nut Bread would make any new mom, neighbor, teacher, preacher, or anyone for that matter–SMILE! It is sure to brighten someone’s day.

Here are some tips for packaging it. Allow the bread to cool completely before wrapping it to avoid condensation.

Select Container: Select a decorative tin, gift box, a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon, or a loaf pan wrapped in paper and tied with twine.

Add Personal Touches: Add a note card, a gift tag, or fresh flowers. You might also include a handwritten copy of the recipe.

Make a Gift Basket: Add the wrapped bread along with a card, some honey, homemade jams, and some flavored coffee. 

Be sure to check out my Apple Dumpling recipe and Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake for more delicious treats. Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Bars have never disappointed my family or guest. 

Recipe FAQs

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