The BEST Banana Bread with Pecans

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This BEST Banana Bread with Pecans is an easy recipe to make, tastes amazing, and will earn you rave reviews from your family and friends. There’s something undeniably comforting about the aroma of freshly baked bread filling the kitchen.

The Best Banana Bread Recipe

Photo of The Best Banana Bread with Pecans Recipe
The Best Banana Bread with Pecans Recipe

If you’re looking for more bread recipes, Rosemary Balsamic Bread Dipping Oil and Rustic Bread Salad with Tomatoes will help you find the perfect appetizer recipe.

Do you know what the most searched-for bread recipe online is? It’s not white, wheat, and or sourdough bread. The number one online search is banana bread.

This yummy bread is one of those classic recipes that remain as popular as it has always been.  

The hunt for the perfect banana bread recipe felt like a never-ending quest. Each recipe I tried was either too dry, too dense or lacked that rich banana flavor I craved.

After countless batches, I finally found the one that balanced moistness, sweetness, and the perfect golden crust.

My mom always made our banana bread with pecans – so any banana bread that doesn’t have them isn’t real banana bread to me. 

Everyone loves to show off their homemade bread in our cozy living group. There’s something so soothing about baking your own bread and knowing every ingredient that goes into it. 

This banana nut bread with pecans recipe is good enough to become a family favorite and is perfect to hand down to future generations.

Banana Nut Bread Recipe - Banana Bread on a Cutting Board
Banana Nut Bread Recipe

History of Homemade Banana Bread

When baking soda and baking powder became popular in the 1930s, that’s when banana bread made its way into cookbooks like Pillsbury’s 1933 Balanced Recipes Cookbook, according to Wikipedia.

Banana bread also became popular during this time because of the Great Depression. You learned to use every scrap of food because food waste was unacceptable.  

Photo of Ripe Bananas

Fun Facts About Bananas

  • When the banana is green, it has a high starch content. As the banana turns yellow, the starches turn to sugars.  
  • In Ecuador, each person eats 218 pounds of bananas yearly. Americans, on average, eat 27 pounds of bananas per year.  
  • Hawaii is the only place in the United States where bananas are grown commercially.  
  • Most people believe bananas grow on trees. The plants they grow on are classified as herbs.
  • They are a great source of potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.

Leftover Banana Skins Uses

  • Did you know that the oils inside the banana skin can help with itching and inflammation caused by bug bites?  
  • Bury banana skins next to your rose bushes. They love the nutrients in their skins.  
  • You can use the inside of the banana peel to shine your houseplant leaves. 
  • Chickens, rabbits, and pigs all love banana peels. Make sure you buy organic bananas if you feed them to your livestock.
  • Rub the inside of the banana peel on your face naturally to exfoliate and nourish your skin.  

How to Ripen Bananas Faster

Place bananas in a brown paper bag and seal. If you want to speed up the process further, add another fruit, like an apple. 

Creating a Cozy Life Group

Since you found this recipe on How to Make Banana Nut Bread, I’m guessing you like all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 213,000 like-minded souls.

It’s a group where we share recipes, pictures of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug. Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cottage.

Photo of a Slice of Banana Bread Recipe
Slice of Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Imagine coming home after a long day at work. You kick off your shoes, light a fire, and sink into your cozy chair with a slice of warm, moist banana bread with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.  

The problems of the day will disappear. At least, that’s my theory. Banana bread makes everything better. Much better. 

My mom always made an excellent loaf of banana bread, but the recipe has shortening, so I’ve been looking for a replacement. 

I found the original recipe in one of the Food Network cookbooks.  

Ingredients to Gather  

  • All-Purpose Flour – Provides structure and stability, creating a soft yet sturdy banana bread.
  • Baking Soda – Acts as a leavening agent, helping it rise. This creates a light, airy texture in the bread.
  • Salt – Enhances the overall flavor by balancing the sweetness and intensifying the taste of the bananas and other ingredients.
  • Overripe Bananas – Add natural sweetness and moisture, making the banana bread rich and tender.
  • Sugar – Adds sweetness while helping create a moist bread by locking in moisture.
  • Unsalted Butter – Gives banana bread richness and moisture and enhances its flavor.
  • Large Eggs – Provides structure and stability to banana bread by binding the ingredients together.
  • Pecan Pieces – Adds a buttery crunch and depth of flavor to banana bread.
  • Vanilla – Enhances the flavor of banana bread by adding a warm, aromatic sweetness that complements the bananas.
  • Confectioners Sugar – Adds a delicate sweetness to banana bread.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

4 overripe bananas 

1 cup sugar 

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cool 

2 large eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped 

Confectioners sugar (for dusting the bread after cooking – optional) 

Sliced Banana Nut Bread Recipe
Sliced Banana Bread Recipe

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan. 

3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside the flour mixture.

4. Mash two over-ripe bananas with a fork in a separate medium bowl. Make sure they still have a bit of texture.  

5. Mix the remaining two bananas and sugar for at least 3 minutes in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer. You want the mixture to be a light and fluffy cream.  

6. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to the banana mixture. Using the hand mixer, beat well and scrape down the bowl’s sides of the wet ingredients.  

7. Fold the dry ingredients with the wet mixture until everything is thoroughly mixed (don’t over-blend). Add the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula.  

8. Pour batter into the greased loaf pan. Tap the prepared loaf pan on the counter to get the bubbles out of the dough.  

9. Bake time is 50 minutes – 1 hour at 350 degrees (depending on your oven). Rotate the bread regularly to make sure it browns on every side. Bake until the top of the bread is golden brown. Use the toothpick test. Put a clean toothpick in the middle of the bread; if it comes out clean, it’s ready.  

10. Let the delicious loaf of banana bread cool for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack for the best results.  When you’re ready to serve, toast the bread slices and sprinkle them with confectioners’ sugar.  

Photo of Homemade Banana Bread Recipe with Pecans
Homemade Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Tips

  • If a crack forms down the middle of the bread, don’t worry – that’s normal.  
  • You don’t want to cover the bread while cooking because it won’t brown.  
  • You can substitute chopped walnuts for pecans if you prefer.  
  • Check on the bread after an hour of baking. Every oven is different.  
  • Make sure you rotate the bread for even browning.
  • Add 1/4 cup of chocolate chips to the batter to make chocolate chip banana bread.
  • You can add this easy recipe to a bundt pan or make banana muffins.
  • Add a teaspoon of cinnamon if you want to change up this recipe.

Storage

This quick bread recipe will last 3-4 days at room temperature. If the banana bread is refrigerated and secured in plastic wrap, it will last up to one week.

For more extended storage, banana bread freezes well. If stored correctly in an airtight container or freezer bag, banana bread can last 2-3 months in the freezer.  

The Best Banana Bread Recipe - Sliced Banana Nut Bread - you can toss all the other banana bread recipes you have. This is the one! It's easy to make and delicious! / Extra Moist Banana Bread Recipe / Banana Bread Recipe Moist / Easy Banana Bread Recipes / Delicious Banana Bread Recipe
The Best Banana Bread – Sure to be your favorite Recipe

We’ve reached the end of Banana Nut Bread with Pecans. I hope you enjoyed it. I think it will become your go-to recipe.

Let me know in the comments below how you liked this Banana Nut Bread recipe.

Be sure you join our Creating a Cozy Life Facebook group. You’re not going to believe how amazing it is!  

I created a pin for you above to add to your quick bread Pinterest board to refer back to this recipe.

You can follow me here on PINTEREST.

Thanks for stopping by. I’m so happy you found us!  

More Recipes You’ll Love!

Printable Recipe Card Banana Bread with Pecans with Nutritional Information

Sliced Banana Bread Recipe
Yield: 1 loaf

Best Banana Bread Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

This isn't your average banana bread, this recipe produces a rich, moist, buttery tasting bread that everyone will love.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 overripe bananas
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • Confectioners' sugar (for dusting the bread after cooking - optional)

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Lightly grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan
3) Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
4) Mash two bananas with a fork in a separate bowl. Make sure they still have a bit of texture.
5) With an electric mixture, mix the remaining two bananas and sugar together for at least 3 minutes in a large bowl. You want the mixture to be a light and fluffy cream.  
6) Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to the banana cream mixture. Beat well, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  
7) Fold in the dry ingredients until everything is thoroughly mixed (don't over blend). Add the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula.  
8) Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Tap the pan on the counter to get the bubbles out of the dough.  
9) Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees (depending on your oven). Rotate the bread regularly to make sure it browns on every side. Bake until the bread is a golden brown. Insert the toothpick into the middle of the bread, and if it comes out clean, it's ready.  
10) Let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes. When you're ready to serve the banana bread, toast the bread slices and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.  

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 432Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 74mgSodium 312mgCarbohydrates 63gFiber 2gSugar 38gProtein 5g
© Kelly
Cuisine: Bread / Category: Recipes

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169 Comments

  2. This recipe is so easy to follow and is a family favorite. I have had to add approximately 10 additional mins for cooking time, but the bread is moist as advertised. I just finished 2 loads today as a fun dessert treat. Thank you for this recipe.

    Reply

  3. love this recipe, made it last night. I had no pecan nuts but delish just the same. Thank you for sharing! Now I’m sharing to others coz they love it too!

    Reply

    1. @Natosha,
      I made it with gluten free flour, coconut sugar, and vegan butter. It tastes so good. No need to add an extra banana.

      Reply

    2. @Natosha, You could substitute the all purpose flour with gluten-free flour just choose the one that can be with the appropriate ratio for substitution. You could also substitute the sugar with honey or maple sugar for a more natural sweetener. I use very dark bananas so the sugar content is higher (and natural ).To substitute the eggs I believe you a use flax seed? Just google substitutes for eggs. Happy baking and may you be blessed ☺️.

      Reply

    1. @Olga, how long did you bake the muffins for? I’ve made this recipe in bread form but want to try muffins this go around.

      Reply
  13. Pingback: Learn how to make moist 3 banana bread - The Essence of Yum

  15. What are the nutritional values? I made it and it’s by far my favorite recipe I’ve found!!! Absolutely delicious 😋

    Reply

  16. Looks good! My favorite banana bread recipe comes from the “Farmhouse Cookbook” by Susan Hermann Loomis. I use pecans instead of walnuts and add chocolate chips. Divine!

    Reply

  19. I am making this now and as I sit here and write this it is baking in the oven with the beginning notes of warm fall flavors. I substituted brown sugar for the reg sugar and I added some cinnamon to it as well. Right now the kitchen is smelling heavenly and I can’t wait to spread some creamy unsalted butter on a piece and enjoy a slice. Quite possibly with a White Russian adult beverage. Thanks for sharing it because I like pecans in mine too. It’s the best!

    Reply

  21. Plan on trying this recipe this week. Any idea of baking time adjustments for mini loaves and/or muffins? Thank you.

    Reply

  22. Oh my! This recipe WILL always be my Banana nut recipe. So moist, and delicious👏👏 I made 4 mini loaves in aluminum bread pans for gifts for my guests. They will have as (a to go) when Christmas Day is over. So very good!

    Reply

  24. This turned out wonderfully and is now my favored recipe – just as you predicted. I followed instructions exactly.

    Reply

  25. A delight to make with an almost 4 yr old, what a beautiful Recipe. I actually think the best ever! I am 72, and Granddaughter 33 , also was part of your great recipe….. 3 generations of happy happy!!!!! Thank you for a flawless recipe !

    Reply
  26. Pingback: Bake the Perfect Banana Bread with This Easy Recipe! – Spirit Life Excellence

  27. I have to commnt on this one ..Ok so i made this lastnight it is soo good and moist ..i actually have left over homemade caramel sauce and drizzle it let it cooldown and boom!! Haha the magic happen..even my kids that doesnt eat banana bread they really love it!!

    And now im making another one .Requested by my husbnd !😊😊thank you so much for this recipe ..❤️💐

    WARNING THOU!!! Dont cook this if you are on a diet lol …you just cant stop eAting them😋😋😋..

    Reply

  28. Just baked this and had a slice with a cup of coffee. The best banana bread I’ve tasted, so moist and soft and delicious. It was easy to follow too, a real winner, thank you so much for sharing and I will be following you for more recipes.

    Reply

  31. I love this recipe, my new favorite nana bred recipe. I used walnuts and chocolate chips. Excellent, moist and great texture inside and perfect crust. I was wondering if I could use bread flour and if I did what would I have to adjust. I have Italian bread flour that keeps getting passed over.
    Earl P.

    Reply

  33. Hi banana bread is still in the oven, it looks delishhhhh! We tried the batter and it was sooooooooooooo good! Kinda sad that we have to wait an hour tho! We are waiting by the oven as we type!

    Reply

  34. This was the absolute best recipe I have ever tried for banana bread! I doubled it and it still came out perfect! Thank you for sharing! I will never need another recipe for banana bread!

    Reply

  35. I have made many Banana Nut Bread’s and this has been the best one to date. My family loves it. It was also very easy to make and not a lot of time.

    Thank you very much for your wonderful recipe. I will definitely use it again.

    Reply

  38. This was just about the simplest recipe ever! I’m very hopeful that it turns out as well as all the comments have said. I did add chocolate chips, and it is in the oven!

    Reply

  40. Hi. Thank you so much for this recipe. Can I use baking powdered instead of baking soda? I kinda don’t like the taste baking soda gives. Thanks 😊

    Reply

  41. THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD!!! Literally so good. I have made a few other recipes and was not a fan, but this recipe is delicious! Not too sweet and like the powdered sugar on top

    Reply

  42. I just made this recipe and 10 minutes into the baking process, my dough spilled over the edge of the pan and made quite a mess in the oven. I followed your recipe to a T. Any idea what happened? I’m going to scoop some dough out and try again…

    Reply

  43. I am making this now, and I am sort of confused. I followed the recipe exactly, but it overflowed? I have the right size pan and all the right ingredients. Why did it overflow?

    Reply

  45. Tried this recipe tonight as I’ve been on the hunt for a favorite. This one takes the ca—bread!! Moist and yummy on the inside, outside has a nice crunch without being too hard! The only variations I did were sifting the flour mixture to avoid flour pocket, used 1/2c white sugar and 1/2c dark brown sugar and added some cinnamon. This recipe really is perfect and exactly what I was looking for. I’ve had issues in the past with recipes tasting like flour or being way to dry or pale etc this one is perfect, tastes like it was made from a quick bread mix except better! Thank you very much for sharing

    Reply

  46. I made this bread last night and it turned out pretty good, very moist. The only thing I would change is how long it takes to bake. I believe my oven runs hotter so I would just put it in for an hour total and I may put some brown sugar in it next time.

    Reply

  47. I have this recipe 4 or 5 times now. I’ve been making banana bread for years. This is a very good recipe, but I’ve tweaked it to be “out of this world”!
    I brown the butter, to each 1 cup of sugar, I use 3/4 “white” and 1/4 “brown” (I say this, because often times I double the recipe), and I add a few shakes of cinnamon.
    Every time I make it, we share it. I’ve been told many, many times, that it’s the BEST banana bread they’ve ever had! So thank you for this recipe!! Anyone wanting to try my tweaks. I think you’ll be very pleased!!! 😄

    Reply

  48. DELICIOUS! This banana bread recipe is by far the best I’ve made! Thank you so much for sharing! It was such a big hit with family and friends!

    Reply

  49. Baking this in the oven as we speak! I used 3/4 c. sugar vs. 1c. to cut back on the sweetness a little and added cinnamon as well. I’m excited to taste it. Thank you Kelly for sharing this recipe!

    A US Xpat in Japan. 🙂

    Reply

  50. I have made this several times. I added 1/4 C of applesauce. By far the best banana bread I’ve ever made. It also freezes well.

    Reply

  51. We loved this banana bread! Such an easy and quick recipe. We had to modify a little as we ran out of items but it still was scrumptious! Used 1/2 stick of salted butter with unsalted butter, used vanilla coffee syrup and did not add any nuts! Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper😊

    Reply

  54. I made this recipe today and I set my timer for 1hour 10 minutes but it was smelling like it was burning when it got to 28 minutes left. So I checked to see if it was done and it was. I know my oven is not cooking hotter than it supposed to so I’m not sure what’s going on. I’m waiting for it to cool and I’ll see if it’s ok or ruined.

    Reply

  55. This was absolutely delicious! I thought I. Ishtar have over baked but it was so moist. I used walnuts because that’s what I had. I might add some cinnamon next time. 5 stars

    Reply

  56. This is my go-to banana bread recipe now! I can modify the mix-ins (just added butterscotch chips tonight) and it’s always so easy and consistent. I don’t have to worry about storage as it’s only been out of the oven an hour and it’s nearly half gone. I may have to double the batch in the future. Thanks!

    Reply

  58. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I made it twice, once exactly as you put it and once with my own little twists for fun… in my version I omitted the nuts, used 1/2 granulated sugar and 1/2 light brown sugar and added a couple pinches of nutmeg.
    Both turned out wonderfully

    Reply

  61. Made this recipe as muffins. They were delicious. Followed recipe exactly as posted except I used walnuts because it is what I had on-hand. Line your muffin tin with paper liners, fill each muffin cup 3/4 full and bake @350 for 20 – 25 minutes (mine took 23 minutes) Yielded 20 muffins. Dense yet fluffy & moist muffins with excellent flavor.

    Reply

  62. Has anyone made mini loaf pans with these? Using like 80-90 of batter each? How did they turn out and how many should you get from this recipe?

    Reply

  63. This will be my new go to recipe for Bannana Bread. It’s so easy! The bread is so moist and delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply

  64. This is my family’s favorite banana bread recipe. I love to play around with it, browning the butter and doubling the crumble by half. That being said this recipe is perfection as is! Highly recommend

    Reply

  66. I made double batch one I added a little cinnamon and, the other batch I added chocolate chips. Absamazing thank you for sharing this recipe. Will recommend to family and friends!

    Reply

  67. We added a cup of oatmeal, cup of coconut and a cup of pecans. I went ahead and used 2 sticks of butter, teaspoon of baking powder, and omitted the salt. This made 24 muffins and 2 mini loaves of bread. My husband and 94 year old raved about these..

    Reply

  68. To Montana Happy
    We love Montana by the way! Your Banana Bread Recipe was a huge success! The Bread was moist and delicious. I am not a baker but this recipe made me look like one. I added 1/2 of chopped dates,1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 tablespoon of honey, allspice and cinnamon. As well as a 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of sugar. I will definitely make it again. Will be taking the loaves to share with my father in law and the other residents at the assisted living center.

    Reply

  69. I make this banana bread all the time. My husband loves it. I did not have pecans so I used crushed up walnuts. Still was great.

    Reply

  70. I’ve been trying to find the best Banana Bread I can because my family loves it so much. I have to say this may be the best so far. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  71. I think the time of cooking should be 45 minutes, other than that it came out so delicious. Thank you

    Reply

  75. I know this is an older post and I’ve had this recipe pinned for a few years now but it is absolutely my family’s favorite banana bread. I have made it in a loaf pan, in muffin tins, in a 9×9 pan as bars with cream cheese icing, swapped out ingredients for gluten and dairy free, and also quartered the recipe to make it in the microwave as mug cakes for a quicker treat 🙂 it never fails! We are more of a chocolate chip family rather than a nut family (though we are a bit nutty). Sometimes I go crazy and do half dark brown sugar and half white sugar.
    This recipe is for sure going to be passed down in our family and I hope when my kids are grown and make it for themselves and their families they think of me! Thank YOU for that very real possibility!

    Reply

  77. First time I’ve made this bread. I forgot to turn the bread, so I placed aluminum foil on top and turned the bread for 10 minutes more for a total of 60 minutes.
    This recipe is a keeper. Next time I’m going to add chips and cinnamon. Just for a change

    Reply

  78. This is the absolute best banana bread recipe ever. I make it as much as I can for all my banana loving monkeys. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    Reply

  80. I have tried several banana nut bread recipes over the years and this is by far the absolute best recipe for banana bread I have ever baked. So moist and delicious and full of sweet banana flavor ! Great job! It’s a family favorite!!

    Reply