Of all the versions I’ve tried, this is the absolute BEST banana nut bread recipe ever, and this recipe + video will show you how to make it for your family.

Why I think this is the best banana nut bread.

I’ve never been a fan of banana bread~until I created this version.  I’ve tried so many recipes throughout the years and have never found one that struck my fancy. Of course I know there are many great recipes out there that I’ve never seen; this one is just the first one I’ve found that my family and I love. None of us have ever loved a banana bread until this one. It really is unique and delicious.

This banana bread texture is fabulous.

The texture of both the inside and outside of this banana bread is unlike any I’ve ever eaten. The inside is ultra moist and dense, and the walnuts complement it perfectly. The outside crust is similar to the consistency of a chewy sugar cookie. It is amazing.

This banana bread recipe makes a double portion.

I love that this recipe makes two standard size loaves of banana bread. You can eat one~freeze one. Or better yet, you can eat one~share one. There is likely no one who wouldn’t be thrilled to receive a loaf of banana bread. You can also make miniature loaves of this bread, as you can see me doing in the photo and video. 

What size pan is best for banana bread?

In this post, the bread pans I used are one standard and three miniature.  Cook’s Illustrated recommends the 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan for its banana bread recipe. This size loaf pan translates to a 1.25 pound loaf pan. I just purchased two of these USA loaf pans in this exact size here. I’ve been wanting USA pans for years and decided to go ahead and buy them. They are currently on back order, likely because so many people are now making bread.

Can you freeze banana bread?

This bread is absolutely its best an hour or two after being pulled from the oven. But since it makes two loaves, you will likely want to freeze one at some point. Banana bread freezes well if wrapped in a freezer ziplock and air is removed as much as possible. Freeze up to 6 weeks. Thaw on the counter for several hours before serving.

Keep an eye on the oven during baking.

It is super important to watch this bread closely during baking. Since oven temperatures vary, and since pan sizes vary, watching this bread after the first 20 minutes is important. I have the following tips to keep the bread from baking on the outside but not being cooked completely on the inside.

• Tent the bread if it browns too quickly. Tenting is basically laying a piece of foil loosely over the bread for the latter part of baking. 
• Reduce oven temperature if needed. If your oven runs on the hot side, I would adjust to 325˚F at the outset.

If you want to make another version of this bread, you can try my strawberry nut bread recipe. It is my all time favorite bread, and it spurred my idea for this banana nut bread version.

In the video below, I show how to make this bread + tips for best results.

If you make this bread, I’d love to hear from you! I love getting comments from readers:-) As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Blessings to you and yours!!!

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The Best Banana Nut Bread Ever

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This is the best banana nut bread ever~according to my family1

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Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 very ripe bananas mashed
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 ˚ F.
2. Spray 2 loaf pans with flour cooking spray.
3. Combine first 4 ingredients in bowl; toss to mix.
4. Add eggs, oil & vanilla extract to dry ingredients. Stir to moisten.
5. Fold in bananas and walnuts.
6. Spoon batter into loaf pans (9 x 5 x 3 or similar)
7. Bake at 350˚ F until wooden pick inserted in middle comes out clean. Tent with foil to keep from over browning.
8. Cool in pans 10 minutes; release and cool 10 minutes more.

Notes

If outside begins to brown faster than the inside is cooking, cover the pans loosely with foil. You may also reduce heat to 325˚F if oven appears too hot.