Banana Nut Bread
There's something magical about the smell of freshly baked banana nut bread wafting through the house. This tried-and-true classic features a tender, moist crumb packed with sweet ripe banana flavor and a satisfying crunch from chopped walnuts. Made with simple pantry staples and minimal effort, it's perfect for breakfast, a snack, or dessert — and it freezes beautifully for whenever a craving strikes.
Equipment
- Loaf pan 9x5 inches
- Mixing bowls Large and medium
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Fork or potato masher For mashing bananas
- Oven mitts
- Wire rack For cooling
- Serrated knife For slicing
- Parchment paper (optional) For easy removal
Ingredients
- 2-3 ripe bananas about 1 cup mashed; the riper (more brown spots), the better
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour about 180g; spoon into cup and level off
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter 115g, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar 150g, packed
- 2 large organic eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped walnuts about 60g; plus extra for topping if desired
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Peel 2–3 ripe bananas and mash them in a large mixing bowl with a fork or potato masher until smooth with just a few small lumps, aiming for about 1 cup of mashed banana.
- Add the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas, then whisk until smooth, creamy, and well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt until no lumps remain and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until just combined — do not overmix, as this can make the bread dense.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle extra chopped walnuts on top if desired.
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the sweetest, most flavorful and moist loaf.
- Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added — stir only until no dry flour patches remain.
- Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling off with a knife; scooping directly packs the flour and can result in a dense loaf.
- Check for doneness at the 55-minute mark with a toothpick to avoid overbaking and drying out the bread.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing to maintain its structure and prevent crumbling.
- Substitute walnuts with pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts, or omit entirely and use ½ cup raisins or dried cranberries for a nut-free version.
- For a chocolate chip variation, fold in ½ cup chocolate chips along with or instead of the walnuts.
- To make vegan, swap butter for melted coconut oil and replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes).
- Frozen bananas work great — thaw completely and drain any excess liquid before mashing.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerated up to 1 week, or freeze individually wrapped slices for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 10–15 seconds.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 6IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 6mg
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