The BEST Banana Bread with Pecans Recipe

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This BEST Banana Bread with Pecans is an easy recipe to make, tastes amazing, and will earn you raves from your family and friends.

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.

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If you’ve been hunting for the perfect banana nut bread recipe, you can rest now because the hunt is over.

I found the original recipe in one of the Food Network cookbooks. It had lots of good reviews, so I decided to try it.

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

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

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

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 breads 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 future generations.

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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. Every scrap of food was used because any type of food waste was unacceptable.

For more information on the history of banana bread, check out this fun article on King Arthur Flour’s website.

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Fun Facts About Bananas

1) When the banana is green, it has a high starch content. As the banana turns yellow, the starches turn to sugars.

2) In Ecuador, each person eats 218 pounds of bananas yearly. Americans, on average, eat 27 pounds of bananas per year.

3) Hawaii is the only place in the United States where bananas are grown commercially.

4) Bananas are thought to grow on trees. The plants they grow on are classified as an herb. (Ok – I think most people don’t know that little tidbit.)

What you can do with leftover banana skins

Don’t throw out those banana skins. There are quite a few uses for them.

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’re going to feed them to your livestock.
Rub the inside of the banana peel on your face for a natural way 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 with pecans, I’m guessing you like all things cozy living. I created a Facebook groupcalledCreating a Cozy Lifewith over 123,000 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 cabin.

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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.

It’s time to gather the ingredients you need for the best banana bread.

All-purpose flour
baking soda
salt
overripe bananaswith brown spots
sugar
unsalted butter
large eggs
pecan pieces
vanilla
confectioners sugar

Here’s the Banana Nut Bread with Pecans Recipe

Ingredients for Banana Bread with Pecans

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)

How to Make Banana BreadRecipe with Pecans

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

8) Pour batter into the greased loaf pan.

9) Tap the prepared loaf pan on the counter to get the bubbles out of the dough.

10) Bake time is 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees. 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, and if it comes out clean, it’s ready.

11) 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 the banana bread, toast the bread slices and sprinkle them with confectioners’ sugar.

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Tips for Making the Banana Nut Bread with Pecans

How long does the simple banana bread recipe last?

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.

Can you freeze this easy banana nut bread recipe with pecans?

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

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 banana 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 banana bread recipe to a bundt pan or make banana muffins.
Add a teaspoon of cinnamon if you want to change up this recipe.

Printable Recipe Card Banana Nut Bread Recipe with Pecans with Nutrition Information

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 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 of the 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 mixed together (don't over blend). Add the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula.
8) Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan.
9) Tap the pan on the counter to get the bubbles out of the dough.
10) Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees. 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.
11) 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

Serving Size

1
Amount Per ServingCalories 432Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 74mgSodium 312mgCarbohydrates 63gFiber 2gSugar 38gProtein 5g

We’ve reached the end of Banana Nut Bread with Pecans. I hope you enjoyed it.It’s my most popular recipe. I think it will become your go-to banana bread recipe.

Let me know in the comments below how you liked this BestBanana Bread.

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FAQs

Why are older bananas better for banana bread? ›

Ripe bananas are not only softer and easier to mash and blend into a batter, but they are also sweeter, which is why baking recipes specifically call for ripe bananas in ingredient lists. As the bananas ripen, the fruit converts starches to sugars, making them sweeter and more flavorful.

Tell Me More ›

Can you put too much banana in banana bread? ›

Banana bread recipes typically ask you to use overripe bananas so that they're easier to mush. This means it's tempting to toss all your bananas into the mix when you're ready to bake, to avoid food waste. But if you add too much of the fruit into your batter, your bread could turn out mushy, heavy, and wet.

Read The Full Story ›

Why is my banana bread not fluffy? ›

Over mixing the batter

Whether you choose to make banana bread in a stand mixer or use a simple bowl and spoon, the key to a beautiful, fluffy, moist loaf does not overmix the batter.

Keep Reading ›

Why is my banana nut bread falling apart? ›

Using too much flour makes for an extra crumbly bread.

If you're tapping your measuring cup to level out flour as you measure, or you're pushing down the piled-up powder, you'll end up using too much of it. I packed my flour for this loaf, and what I got was a crumbly cake with a dry crust all around.

At what point are bananas too bad for banana bread? ›

In my experience, using bananas with a dark brown or even black peel for banana bread is ideal, as long as the inside isn't rotten. Key takeaway: As long as your bananas aren't starting to get moldy, infested with fruit flies or beginning to rot they aren't too ripe for baking banana bread.

Tell Me More ›

Can you speed up ripening bananas for banana bread? ›

In order to speed up the ripening process, all you need to do is trap the ethene gas in with the banana by putting them in a paper bag – fruit gives off moisture, so you must use a bag that won't trap moisture. Ripening in a bag usually takes a day or so, but can be as speedy as overnight – just keep checking.

Discover More ›

Why is my banana bread always so dry? ›

Moisture is key when it comes to banana bread, and the ratio of flour to banana makes all the difference. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with dry bread. If you don't use enough, your bread will be too wet. The secret is actually in how you measure the flour.

See Details ›

How long should you leave bananas for banana bread? ›

These bananas may be a bit too ripe for your cereal, but they're just beginning to come into their own for banana bread. Let the bananas ripen (and overripen) at room temperature. Depending on the weather, this could take a few days, or up to a week. The best bananas for banana bread aren't yellow; they're black.

Learn More ›

Can I eat banana bread every day? ›

You may find banana bread delicious, but conventional banana breads tend to be high in added sugar, refined carbs, and calories. Thus, it's best to enjoy banana bread occasionally as part of a balanced, nutrient-dense diet.

Discover More Details ›

How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

If you want a lighter fluffier bread loaf just add 2 Tbsp of dry milk to the flour per loaf of your bread. Vinegar has a very similar effect to the dough as the ascorbic acid. It helps hold the dough together and strengthens the bubbles so they won't pop.

Why is my banana bread still gooey in the middle? ›

Banana bread is made with a very wet batter. It's important to use a tester to make sure it's fully baked. Cutting it before it is completely cooled can lead to the gummy texture. Cooling the bread to room temperature allow us the starch that gels during baking to set again.

Learn More ›

Why does my banana bread have no flavor? ›

You may not have followed the recipe correctly. For example, you may have added too much liquid, or you may not have added enough of some dry ingredient, and therefore your dough may have had too much moisture. Your recipe may be faulty.

Read The Full Story ›

Should banana nut bread be refrigerated? ›

Wrapped well and stored at room temperature, banana bread will last about five days. If stored in the fridge, it should last a full week. A frozen loaf of banana bread will last up to a year in the freezer, wrapped well with storage wrap and aluminum foil.

Why is my banana nut bread so dense? ›

An overmixed banana bread batter will result in a dense, rubbery loaf. As you're prepping your batter, heed the advice of "stir until just moistened" and "no more than 10 seconds."

Get More Info Here ›

Do you have to use old bananas for banana bread? ›

Let the bananas ripen (and overripen) at room temperature. Depending on the weather, this could take a few days, or up to a week. The best bananas for banana bread aren't yellow; they're black.

Explore More ›

How old should bananas be for banana bread? ›

Bananas should be ripe, not rotten. They should be soft and sweet and just a little bit brown on the inside, which translates to a lot of brown on the outside. If you don't want to wait, you can freeze them or you can roast them in the oven (in their skins) to concentrate the flavor and caramelize the sugars.

Read On ›

Why are older bananas better for you? ›

“Very ripe and overripe bananas are rich in flavor and antioxidants, which can help benefit our immune systems,” says Gabriel. “They also take less time to digest, which can be beneficial, depending on the person.” This phase is also where bananas become just right for adding sweetness and heft to smoothies and shakes.