Just like grandma made, this easy banana nut bread is so moist and tasty you will do this over and over. Just follow these simple step by step photo instructions.
Introduction
Sometimes the best recipes are the old recipes. From the 1972 Betty Crocker Cookbook, this moist banana nut bread is the recipe your grandmother probably used.
This is a recipe I have used for years, but to publish this post I looked far and wide at other recipes.
I went to Cooks Illustrated but was rejected. They needed six bananas. What do they do, plan ahead, or something?
Others needed lots of butter and tons of ingredients. I just wanted old fashion banana bread. What was so hard about that?
I really couldn't find anything even close to better than what I had been using. Yep, I had just what I wanted, and it came out great.
My Rating
This is just the best banana nut bread ever. Moist with great banana taste.
🍌The Bananas
You can use anywhere from 2 to 4 bananas. They need to be "overripe" which really converts some of the starches to sugar and makes the bananas and hence the banana bread sweat.
The Nuts
This is a personal taste question. I grew up with walnuts and I believe is the most often used. But pecans are a great choice. Or you can skip the nuts.
The Pans
This is not one of those little bricks of banana bread. As you can see in the pictures, it is a large loaf so use a larger loaf pan.
If you want that thinner loaf, split the batter into two smaller loaf pans and decrease the baking time by a little.
"Standard" loaf pan size is 8-½ x 4-½ x 2-½ inches. But the length varies between 8 to 9 inches and width between 4-5 inches and the height between 2 ½ to 3 ½. There are also some even larger and many much smaller.
You have what you have in size. Remember that thicker takes longer to cook. The images are done in the "standard" size and took right at 1 hour but sometimes will take an extra 5 minutes. But I usually use a 9X5 for this recipe.
📖Banana Nut Recipes
Really Good Banana Nut Muffins
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°, not convection. Use 2-3 overripe bananas.
Grease and flour a loaf pan with a tablespoon of butter and a little flour. Use two loaf pans if you want thin loaves.
Mash 2-3 overripe bananas.
In a large mixing bowl combine: 2 ½ cup AP flour, 1 cup sugar, 4 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons oil, ¾ cup milk, 1 egg, 1 cup chopped walnuts. Beat at medium speed with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes occasionally stopping to scrape sides to be sure to incorporate all the ingredients.
Transfer to the floured pan and bake for about one hour. Until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from pan and cool on a rack.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 2-3 bananas - over ripe
- 2 ½ cup AP flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons oil
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup walnuts - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°, not convection. Grease and flour a loaf pan with a tablespoon of butter and a little flour. Use two loaf pans if you want thin loaves.
- Mash 2-3 over ripe bananas.
- In a large mixing bowl combine: 2 ½ cup AP flour, 1 cup sugar, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons oil, ¾ cup milk, 1 egg, 1 cup chopped walnuts.
- Beat at medium speed with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes stopping occasionally to scrape sides to be sure to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Transfer to the floured pan and bake for about one hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from pan and cool on a rack.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Notes
- You need 2-3 overripe bananas but two is enough.
- For one loaf, use the largest loaf pan you have. You can do two smaller loaves and cut the cooking time down some. I much prefer the larger loaf.
- You need to get the hang of the toothpick test when testing for done.
- I store at room temperature wrapped in plastic wrap covered by aluminum foil. It is good for three days.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
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Originally published January 26, 2012. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Diana Mixell
This is a delicious recipe. Thanks 😊
Joyce
This is the best recipe I've made yet and I use pecans instead of walnuts
AMANDA THOMAS
My entire family loves this recipe!
Joyce
I have also made it in Emeril Lagasse's airfryer oven and you only use one more eggs and use 1 and no milk set the temperature of the air fryer on 320 for 30 minute then check it every few minutes for the next 20 minutes to be done and it turns out perfect every time wait 20 minutes before removing it from the pan can I use bread pan
Barbara Smith
I love this recipe. So easy to make and delicious to eat.
Carol
I found this recipe yesterday and made the Banana Nut Bread. My husband says it's the best he's ever had and told me he wanted me to make sure I kept this recipe! My bananas were not even overripe and I used 3 medium ones. Super taste. Even better this morning! (Yes, it was my breakfast!) This will be my go-to Banana Nut Bread from this day forward. Thank you.
Gutty Wiesner
I love it and easy thank you
Alicia Bland
This was very good! Will be adding it to the mix for leftover bananas. Thanks for sharing great recipes on your blog-I love reading it and the pictures are a bonus too!
DrDan
Hi Alicia,
I love the old recipes like this.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Cindy Griffin
what to do when don't have baking powder,or soda.
DrDan
Not much. They are required for this recipe. Sorry.
Dan
Rachel
Hi, have you seen the banana bread recipe on Simply Recipes? I love it. Never fails. Less sugar and one egg. So economical as well.
Judy Uhl
Hi Dr. Dan, I'm going to try this wonderful Banana bread recipe this week! Looks great. Does your Betty Crocker cookbook have a ISBN number ? There's so many editions out there. Thanks
DrDan
Hi Judy,
The cookbook is so old, no ISBN. It is Betty Crocker Cookbook (1969) 12th Printing 1972 Red Pie Cover Sears Holiday Ed. They generally run about $40-45 on eBay. That is down from a few years ago when one of my daughters (known for being thrifty) paid $75. When I decided I needed a new one last summer, I lucked into an excellent copy for $25. Now it was originally published in 1969 and had multiple printings. I would think they are all the same (but don't really know that), but the 1972 Sears edition had an extra of holiday cooking at the front. Nothing great in that. But my wife was working at Sears in high school in 1972 and bought hers for $5 and learned to cook from it. So I had to get the 1972 Sears edition.
Liza Santos
I just made this great banana nut bread and I was disappointed that mine didn't turn out the beautiful golden brown. I did just as the recipe call for.. I went wrong somewhere. I won't give up.. I'm waiting for over rip bananas. It was good though
Pat
Made this today. A bit disappointing bectause of too much baking powder which I can strongly taste. Basically I think it's a good recipe but will cut the baking powder by 50%.
DrDan
Hi Pat,
I did "push" baking powder some since I like a large rise. The original recipe was 3 teaspoons I believe. Be sure to use aluminum free baking powder. The aluminum gives a taste I hate. Most baking powder does have aluminum. With the aluminum free baking powder I can't taste anything from it.
Dan
Lynn
Here is original recipe from my book I got in 1974(1972 edition) 1 1/4 cup sugar,1/2 cup butter softened, 2 eggs,3-4 med. overripe bananas mashed,1/2 cup buttermilk(I use reg. milk),1tsp.real vanilla extract,2 1/2 cups Gold Medal all purpose flour(don't have to use name brand),1tsp.baking soda,1tsp.salt,1 cup chopped nuts(whatever is your preference such as pecans,or walnuts-which is most commonly used,or get creative maybe pine nuts). Preheat oven to 350 degrees,butter loaf pan then flour,mix sugar and butter well,and eggs mix,add bananas,milk,vanilla,mix well again,add flour,baking soda and salt,mix well again then add nuts(you do not have to use nuts if you don't want or have them or cannot eat them)Pour into loaf pan bake for approx. 40-45 mins. or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. I mix everything in stone ware baking dish or bowl and actually just bake it in same dish,stoneware is nonstick so you don't need to buuter and flour it. Just dump everything together mix well and bake in same dish less clean up! Just be sure to cream butter and sugar well first and then add everything else. YUMMY !!!! Best and easiest Banana Bread ever
Pat
I have been looking for this old recipe for over a year! I no longer have the cookbook, but I recognize the picture of it. This bread is the best!
Margaret Ann Cooper
I need to know if the small t's mean teaspoons and the T tablespoon? I think it does, but not sure. I am also totally confused and can figure out the baking soda/powder. I want to make it right. Right? LOL. Thanks,
DrDan
You have it right. It is kind of the old way. t=teaspoon T=tablespoon I have it covered in FAQ and I now spell them out but the older posts like this still have them.
This is baking powder. Baking powder has some baking soda in it but also another ingredient to give longer rise. Do not exchange them.
Hope that helps
DrDan