Super moist homemade banana walnut bread is a winner for after school snacks, served with coffee or tea in the morning, or toasted with a scoop of ice cream on top for a late-night dessert!
Most home cooks have a basic banana bread recipe, but you may want to change it up with this classic banana walnut bread recipe! It’s sure to become your new forever favorite, especially slathered with some honey butter!
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You just can’t go wrong with this easy 3-step banana nut bread recipe! In fact, even though I have a few different banana bread recipes, like my simple banana bread and sourdough banana bread, my family goes crazy for the added crunch of walnuts in this one! Round the banana bread out with a Blueberry Banana Smoothie or Mixed Berry Smoothie for a filling breakfast!
Banana Bread Ingredients
It’s ultra-moist, but the combination of sweet bananas and crunchy walnuts make this one a keeper!
- The best banana nut bread recipe can be switched up with oil or with brown sugar.
- And for a no-butter recipe, just substitute coconut oil.
- Or make a mild, but slightly spicy cinnamon banana bread.
It’s versatile enough to add other ingredients like chocolate chips, dried cherries, toasted coconut, or raisins too.
How Do You Make Banana Bread?
Use bananas that have some brown spots and are beginning to get a little soft— these will be the sweetest!
- Preheat oven and prepare baking pans.
- Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. Mix wet ingredients.
- Gently fold wet mixture into the dry mixture. Pour into prepared pans and bake.
- Insert a wooden pick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, the bread is ready!
- Allow to cool on a wire rack before removing from pan.
Drape a clean dish towel over one hand, and turn the loaf pan over into it. The banana bread should slip right out.
PRO TIP: To get extra crunchy walnuts that will stay firm in the banana bread, place them in a dry saute pan and lightly toast them. This goes for nuts in any recipe. Toasting nuts intensifies their flavor as well!
How to Store Banana Bread?
Banana bread is best kept in an airtight container at room temperature. As the days go by, the flavor will intensify and improve! Banana bread will keep 4 days, but it will probably be gone long before then!
To freeze banana nut bread is simple and works well.
- For individual grab-and-go slices, wrap each cooled slice in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, or pop the plastic wrapped slices into a zip top bag or a Stasher bag.
- Write the date on the outside and store in the freezer up to four months.
- Pull one out in the morning and pop in a backpack or briefcase and it will be thawed by lunchtime!
Banana Walnut Bread Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup walnut pieces coarsely chopped
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ cups ripe bananas mashed
- zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pans.
- In a large bowl, sift (or whisk) together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add walnuts and stir gently.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until combined. Add in bananas, zest, oil, sugars, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
- Add wet mixture to the flour mixture and fold, scraping bottom and sides, until just mixed. Do not overmix or banana bread will be tough.
- Divide batter between two prepared loaf pans. Bake 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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Recipe slightly adapted from Illustrated Step-By-Step Baking
It takes way more than 35-40 minutes to bake! Closer to one hour. And yes, my oven heats correctly.
Hi Daisy, the size of the pan will affect the baking time. As long as you bake until a toothpick comes out clean or bread is between 200-205°F on an instant read thermometer, the bread will be perfect!
Great recipe!! And all of the ingredients I have in my cupboard. I found the zest of the lemon enhances the banana flavor! Will make again.
Thank you Shauna, so glad you love this banana walnut bread recipe!!