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Home / Recipes
1 hour
4.69 from 41 votes
31 Comments

Easy Banana Nut Bread (Healthier)

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  • 452
by: Joanna Cismaru
04.29.22

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pin for banana nut bread.

This is my favorite Super Easy Banana Nut Bread that’s super quick to put together, no mixer needed, perfectly sweetened, super moist and delicious!

slices of banana nut bread on a black cooling rack.
Table of Contents Open
  • 1 Easy Banana Nut Bread
  • 2 Banana Nut Bread Highlights
  • 3 Ingredients You’ll Need
  • 4 How To Make Banana Nut Bread
  • 5 Dairy Free Banana Bread
  • 6 How to Make Banana Bread Super Moist
  • 7 How Long to Bake
  • 8 Expert Tips
  • 9 How To Store Banana Bread
  • 10 Can I Freeze Banana Bread
  • 11 Need More Banana Recipes? Try These:
  • 12 Easy Banana Nut Bread
    • 12.1 Ingredients
    • 12.2 Instructions
    • 12.3 Video
    • 12.4 Recipe Notes
    • 12.5 Nutrition Information:

Easy Banana Nut Bread

I thought I’d repost one of my oldest recipes here on Jo Cooks since I just made this banana nut bread again. This is such an easy recipe, no mixer required and has been my go to banana nut bread recipes for years.

Only one bowl required and this banana nut bread is quite versatile. I say it’s versatile because you can swap some of the ingredients in it, for example I love using applesauce in banana bread instead of butter or oil, and I also reduce the sugar for a less sweeter bread.

Banana nut bread is a favorite recipe of mine especially for weekends. There’s nothing I enjoy more on weekend mornings, than to cuddle up with a good book, a great cup of coffee in one hand and enjoy a slice of moist and delicious banana nut bread.

banana bread with a couple slices on a white platter.

Banana Nut Bread Highlights

  • Super Easy. When it comes to baking, making banana nut bread is probably one of the easiest things to bake.
  • No Mixer Needed. Yep, all you need is a bowl and a whisk or spatula, no fancy mixer needed.
  • Healthier Than Other Banana Breads. Because I replace the oil with applesauce, this banana nut bread is lower in fat. You’ll also notice that my banana nut bread recipe has somewhat reduced sugar, it’s still a cup of sugar in total, but some recipes call for 2 cups. To me this is the perfect amount of sweetness, but feel free to increase the sugar amounts if you prefer a sweeter banana bread.
  • Seriously Delicious. I mean come on, I love a good banana bread and this one is so good, especially with walnuts or pecans in it. It’s perfect for breakfast with a good cup of coffee or just to satisfy a sweet craving.

Ingredients You’ll Need

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make banana nut bread.
  • Bananas – You’ll need 4 mashed bananas. As with any banana bread, ripe bananas are key. The more ripe your bananas are, the better and more delicious your muffins will be. You know that point when they turn ugly and brown and nobody wants to eat them? Those are the bananas you want.
  • Flour – You need all-purpose flour, it’s what works best in this banana nut bread. You can substitute with self-rising flour, but you will need to cut down on the baking powder in the recipe. Self-rising flour is just all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt added to it.
  • Sugar – I love using granulated sugar and brown sugar together. I love adding some brown sugar to my banana breads because it brings a little richness to the overall taste of this bread. If you don’t have brown sugar, you can just substitute it with regular granulated sugar.
  • Eggs – This is a must in all cakes, eggs are what make the cake light, fluffy and tender. Make sure they are at room temperature because they will blend more evenly in the batter.
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda – They are both leavening agents used in baking which allows the banana bread to rise and become light and fluffy.
  • Vanilla extract – This is an ingredient that is added to most baked goods and that is because vanilla enhances all the other flavors in the recipe. Without it this cake will taste flat and bland.
  • Apple Sauce – This is my secret ingredient here to make this banana bread healthier with less fat but don’t worry the bread will still be as moist and delicious. Of course you can substitute it with vegetable oil.
  • Sour Cream – This is needed to make your bread super moist and fluffy. Trust me, it works. You can substitute it with Greek Yogurt or buttermilk.

How To Make Banana Nut Bread

detailed process shots showing how to make batter for banana. nut bread.
  • Prep the oven and loaf pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Combine the wet ingredients. Peel and add bananas to a large bowl and mash using a fork. Add applesauce, sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract and whisk everything together.
  • Incorporate sugars. Add the sugars and whisk until the sugar is well incorporated into the batter.
  • Mix in the dry ingredients. Add flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and stir using a wooden spoon. Do not over mix, just enough until you don’t see the flour anymore.
  • Mix in the nuts. Add the nuts to the bowl and fold them in until well incorporated.
  • Bake. Pour the batter in the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the banana bread comes out clean.
  • Cool and serve. Cool the banana bread for 15 minutes in the loaf pan then carefully remove it from the pan and finish cooling it on a wire rack, before slicing and serving.
process shots showing how to finish batter for banana nut bread and how to bake it.

Dairy Free Banana Bread

If you wanted a dairy free version skip the sour cream and add more applesauce instead. This is something I have always made often because hubs goes through phases and the last phase he went through he thought he was lactose intolerant, so I had to make all sorts of recipes dairy free.

How to Make Banana Bread Super Moist

Of course as you might know, the secret to a good banana bread is the very ripe bananas. Yeah you need those ripe bananas to get that rich banana flavor. The applesauce and the sour cream also help this banana nut bread be as moist as possible.

How Long to Bake

Every oven is different, so don’t worry if your bread isn’t ready after 50 minutes. Have a couple clean toothpicks ready to go, and test your bread by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the loaf. If it comes out with some batter, add an extra 5-10 minutes at a time until the toothpick comes out clean.

banana nut bread in a loaf pan fresh out of the oven.

Expert Tips

  1. Super Ripe Bananas. This is my biggest tip, make sure your bananas are so ripe they are almost black. When nobody wants to eat them and you’re ready to throw them out, that’s what we’re looking for.
  2. To get your bananas ripe super fast, bake unpeeled bananas for 15 to 20 minutes at 300°F. Let them cool, peel them, and use them.
  3. For an even healthier banana nut bread, use whole wheat flour, just keep in mind that it will make for a denser bread.
  4. For a gluten-free banana nut bread, any 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can be used instead of all-purpose flour.
  5. Don’t overmix the batter. I always say this, but the more you mix or stir, the more gluten you will develop which means you’re going to end up wth a tough and rubbery banana bread.
  6. Make this banana bread your own and add your favorite mix-ins such as chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, toffee pieces, raisins or other dried fruits, different extracts, different spices like cinnamon or cardamom, etc.
slices of banana nut bread on a black cooling rack.

How To Store Banana Bread

I prefer to store my banana bread on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You could also refrigerate it, but I find that this tends to dry it up a bit more.

Banana bread will last up to 3 days on the counter. Wrap it in plastic wrap or seal it tightly.

Can I Freeze Banana Bread

Absolutely! You can freeze banana bread and it freezes beautifully. I like to cut mine up in slices, wrap each slice tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Of course, you can freeze it as a whole but I like the idea of the grab and go slices.

To defrost just pop the slice in the microwave, without plastic wrap, for a few seconds and off you go.

two slices of banana bread on a plate with a pat of butter.

Need More Banana Recipes? Try These:

  • Banana Blueberry Bread
  • Banana Bread
  • The Perfect Banana Muffins
  • Banana Nut Muffins
  • Banana Upside Down Cake
  • Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread
  • Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
  • Banana Fritters

Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

banana bread with a couple slices on a white platter.

Easy Banana Nut Bread

4.69 from 41 votes
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 1 hr
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 12
Print Pin Rate
This is my favorite Super Easy Banana Nut Bread that’s super quick to put together, no mixer needed, perfectly sweetened, super moist and delicious!

Ingredients

  • 4 medium bananas
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup walnuts chopped, or pecans
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Prep the oven and loaf pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Combine the wet ingredients. Peel and add bananas to a large bowl and mash using a fork. Add applesauce, sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract and whisk everything together.
  • Incorporate sugars. Add the sugars and whisk until the sugar is well incorporated into the batter.
  • Add the dry ingredients. Add flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder and stir using a wooden spoon. Do not over mix, just enough until you don't see the flour anymore.
  • Mix in the nuts. Add the nuts to the bowl and fold them in until well incorporated.
  • Bake. Pour the batter in the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the banana bread comes out clean.
  • Cool and serve. Cool the banana bread for 15 minutes in the loaf pan then carefully remove it from the pan and finish cooling it on a cooling rack, before slicing and serving.

Video

Recipe Notes

  1. Super Ripe Bananas. This is my biggest tip, make sure your bananas are so ripe they are almost black. When nobody wants to eat them and you’re ready to throw them out, that’s what we’re looking for.
  2. To get your bananas ripe super fast, bake unpeeled bananas for 15 to 20 minutes at 300°F. Let them cool, peel them, and use them.
  3. For an even healthier banana nut bread, use whole wheat flour, just keep in mind that it will make for a denser bread.
  4. For a gluten-free banana nut bread, any 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can be used instead of all-purpose flour.
  5. Don’t overmix the batter. I always say this, but the more you mix or stir, the more gluten you will develop which means you’re going to end up wth a tough and rubbery banana bread.
  6. Make this banana bread your own and add your favorite mix-ins such as chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, toffee pieces, raisins or other dried fruits, different extracts, different spices like cinnamon or cardamom, etc.
  7. I prefer to store my banana bread on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You could also refrigerate it, but I find that this tends to dry it up a bit more.
  8. Banana bread will last up to 3 days on the counter. Wrap it in plastic wrap or seal it tightly.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 268kcal (13%)Carbohydrates: 43g (14%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 9g (14%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Cholesterol: 32mg (11%)Sodium: 175mg (8%)Potassium: 288mg (8%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 23g (26%)Vitamin A: 125IU (3%)Vitamin C: 3.7mg (4%)Calcium: 55mg (6%)Iron: 1.5mg (8%)
Course:Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine:American
Keyword:banana bread, banana bread recipes, banana nut bread
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 452

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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Comments

  1. L says

    May 1, 2022 at 7:06 am

    Can we use frozen bananas? I have lots in the freezer

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      May 1, 2022 at 9:37 am

      Yes, that’s a great way to get them ripe and mushy fast. Just let them thaw out first.

      Reply
  2. Steph D says

    October 24, 2020 at 7:23 pm

    5 stars
    Easy, delicious, very moist!! I tried it with a little butter on top (I love butter) and I have to say it was better without!

    Reply
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I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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