Ultimate Banana Nut Bread (Printable version)
Moist banana bread loaded with toasted walnuts, ideal for breakfast or snacking.
# Ingredient list:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 3 large ripe bananas (about 1 ¼ cups mashed)
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - ½ cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
04 - ⅔ cup granulated sugar
05 - ¼ cup whole milk
06 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 tsp baking soda
09 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
10 - ¼ tsp salt
→ Nuts
11 - 1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Whisk in eggs, oil, sugar, milk, and vanilla until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold in the chopped walnuts, reserving a few for sprinkling on top if desired.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with reserved walnuts.
07 - Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly moist without being dense or heavy
- Toasted walnuts add such a wonderful crunch throughout every bite
- It comes together in one bowl with minimal fuss and maximum reward
02 -
- Overmixing the batter will make your bread tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
- The toothpick test is crucial, but a few moist crumbs are better than dry bread
- Cooling completely before slicing prevents the loaf from crumbling apart
03 -
- Measure your mashed bananas before starting for consistent results every time
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the batter from separating
- Toasting the walnuts in a dry pan for 5 minutes makes all the difference