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Tasty Banana Walnut Loaf

Featured in: Homemade Bread with Rustic Charm

Squish super ripe bananas with sugar and beaten eggs. Fold in flour, warming spices and broken nuts. Dump into bread tin, sprinkle extra nuts on top. Bake until your kitchen smells amazing and toothpick pulls out clean. Creates two loaves - enjoy one now, give away or store the other for later cravings.

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A woman in a kitchen with a stove and oven.
Updated on Sat, 19 Apr 2025 16:41:33 GMT
A freshly baked banana bread loaf with walnuts, sliced and displayed in a baking dish. Pin it
A freshly baked banana bread loaf with walnuts, sliced and displayed in a baking dish. | cookingkitchn.com

Need a super soft, nutty banana bread? Our family's been making this quick recipe for years and years. You only need to spend 10 minutes getting it ready, then you'll have amazing banana bread every single time. The combo of sweet, squished bananas and crunchy walnut pieces creates a thick, rich loaf that'll remind you of the ones your grandma used to bake.

What Makes This So Good

A great banana walnut bread shouldn't be complicated - that's why this one's a winner. Using stuff you've probably got in your kitchen right now, this bread turns out incredibly moist without fail. Try adding some chocolate chunks or mix in a bit of sour cream for extra softness. It's fantastic any time of day - breakfast through dessert - and everyone will ask for seconds.

Basic Stuff You'll Need

  • Flour: Nothing fancy needed for this super moist banana bread
  • Baking Soda: Gets your bread nice and fluffy
  • Salt: Tiny bit brings out all the flavors
  • Sugar: Gives the right amount of sweetness
  • Oil: The secret to keeping your bread super moist
  • Eggs: Binds everything nicely together
  • Vanilla: Adds that homey, comforting taste
  • Ripe Bananas: The star of any good banana bread
  • Walnuts: The essential crunchy element

Quick How-To Guide

Warm Your Oven:
First get your oven going at 350°F. Meanwhile, smear butter all over your loaf pans and sprinkle with flour. This helps your bread come out clean when it's done.
Combine Dry Ingredients:
Grab a big bowl and stir together your flour, baking soda, and salt. This step makes sure your bread rises the same all over and tastes good through and through.
Mix Wet Stuff:
In another bowl, beat your sugar, oil, and eggs until they look smooth. Drop in vanilla and sour cream, then keep stirring until everything's mixed up. The sour cream's what makes your bread stay so darn soft.
Squish Bananas:
Mash up those ripe bananas until they're mostly smooth but leave some little chunks for texture. Stir them into your wet mix until they're just combined.
Put Everything Together:
Dump your wet mixture into the dry stuff. Stir it gently with a spatula, making sure to get whatever's stuck at the bottom. Stop as soon as you don't see dry flour anymore - too much mixing makes tough bread.
Toss In Nuts:
Throw in your chopped walnuts and fold them in with just a couple stirs. Keep some nuts aside to put on top for extra crunch and looks.
Fill Pans and Bake:
Split your batter between your pans and smooth the tops. Stick them in the oven for about 35-45 minutes, until you can poke it with a toothpick and it comes out clean.
Let It Rest:
Let your loaves sit in their pans for about 10 minutes, then flip them onto a wire rack until totally cool. Once they're not warm anymore, wrap them up tight to keep them fresh.

The Secret Touch

Want to know what makes this banana walnut bread so much better? It's all about the small stuff. From using super ripe bananas to adding just the right amount of walnuts, this bread is something you'll crave again and again. Every bite takes you back to family gatherings and the tastiest banana bread you've ever had.

Finding The Right Bananas

For super soft banana bread, go for the dark, spotted ones. These extra-ripe bananas make your bread sweeter and moister. In a hurry? You can stick yellow bananas in a hot oven - works great when you can't wait to make your bread.

Tricks For Better Bread

This bread's so easy to make if you follow a few tricks. First, mash those bananas really well. Then mix everything just enough - that's how you get that perfect texture. Whether you're making the plain version or adding sour cream, gentle handling is your best friend.

A freshly baked loaf of nut bread topped with walnut pieces, displayed on a wire rack. Pin it
A freshly baked loaf of nut bread topped with walnut pieces, displayed on a wire rack. | cookingkitchn.com

Fun Twists To Try

This banana bread's great as is, but feel free to play around. Throw in some cinnamon, mix chocolate bits throughout, or swap walnuts for different nuts. You can adjust everything to match what you like. The basic version is just your starting point - go wild with it!

Keeping It Fresh

After your bread cools down, wrap it up tight to keep it fresh. It'll stay good on your counter for about 5 days. Want to save it longer? This bread freezes amazingly well - just wrap it carefully and pop it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then you can grab a slice whenever you want one!

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Need different nuts?

Whatever nuts you have work great. Pecans add nice flavor. Leave them out if you want. The bread turns out yummy anyway. You can even mix different kinds together.

→ Got one pan only?

One larger pan can work too. It'll need extra baking time though. Make sure the center gets fully cooked. You might need to test it more. Maybe cover the top partway through.

→ Bananas too brown?

Darker is actually better. They get sweeter that way. Brown spots mean tastier bread. You can freeze overripe ones too. Always save the mushy bananas.

→ Top getting dark?

Just put some aluminum foil on top. Turn the temperature down a bit. Move the rack lower in your oven. Maybe check it sooner. Keep an eye on it.

→ Got milk stuff in?

None at all! Perfect for certain diets. It's still super moist and tasty. No dairy needed here. The bananas do all the work.

→ Getting too dry?

Throw in extra banana. Double-check your oven temperature. Don't bake it too long. Try testing earlier. Store it wrapped up tight.

→ Taking it places?

Cover it while still warm. Keep it sitting flat. Use a sturdy container. Let it cool completely first. It travels pretty well.

→ Need it fast?

Get dry ingredients ready first. Smash bananas quickly. Use just one bowl. Don't bother with fancy mixing. Tastes just as good.

→ Making big batch?

You can easily double it. You'll need extra baking tins. Watch how much oven space you have. The extras freeze really well. Lasts for quite a while.

→ Want more taste?

Toss in extra spices. Try adding some honey. Freshly cracked nuts help. Chocolate chips work too. Just don't overpower the banana flavor.

→ Not rising good?

Make sure ingredients aren't old. Don't overmix the batter. Don't overfill your pan. Get oven temperature right. Be patient.

→ Bread sticky top?

Let it cool longer. Put it on a wire rack. Good air circulation matters. Don't wrap it when hot. Taking your time works best.

Conclusion

Enjoy this? Next time whip up banana flapjacks. Or try sweet banana mini cakes. Both put soft fruit to good use.

Nana's Banana Walnut Loaf

Simple homestyle banana treat.

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
40 Minutes
Total Time
50 Minutes
By: Sophia

Category: Artisan Breads

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: American

Yield: 18 Servings (2 loaves)

Dietary: Vegetarian, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

01 2 cups regular flour.
02 1½ teaspoons baking soda.
03 Tiny bit of salt.
04 1 cup white sugar.
05 ½ cup cooking oil.
06 2 eggs.
07 1 teaspoon vanilla flavor.
08 4 medium soft bananas, squashed (roughly 1⅓ cups or 303 grams).
09 1 cup roughly broken walnuts.

Instructions

Step 01

Get your oven hot at 350 degrees F. Butter two 8x4-inch bread tins and put them aside.

Step 02

Grab a middle-sized bowl and stir the regular flour, baking soda, and tiny bit of salt together. Put this mix aside for now.

Step 03

In a big bowl, mix the white sugar, cooking oil, eggs, and vanilla flavor until everything's well mixed.

Step 04

Add your squashed bananas to the wet stuff and stir until they're all mixed in.

Step 05

Slowly add the dry stuff to your wet mix, stirring until you've got a smooth batter.

Step 06

With a flexible spatula, gently mix in the broken walnuts.

Step 07

Pour equal amounts of the batter into each buttered bread tin.

Step 08

Let it cook in the hot oven for 35 to 45 minutes. You'll know it's done when a knife stuck in the middle comes out clean. If the top gets too brown, cover it with foil near the end.

Step 09

Let the bread sit in the tins for about 10 minutes, then take them out and put them on a wire rack until fully cooled.

Step 10

To keep your bread fresh, wrap each loaf tight in plastic wrap and leave at room temp for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them by wrapping in plastic and then foil for up to 3 months.

Notes

  1. Don't worry if you only have one 9-inch bread tin instead of two 8-inch ones. Just cook it longer—around 55 minutes should do the trick.
  2. Want tastier, juicier bread? Go for super ripe bananas with dark spots all over.
  3. You can swap walnuts for pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, or peanuts if you want. Or just skip the nuts altogether.
  4. Try adding a bit of cinnamon (about ½ teaspoon) for extra taste, or throw in some chocolate bits or dried fruits like raisins or cranberries to change things up.

Tools You'll Need

  • Oven.
  • Middle-sized bowl.
  • Big bowl.
  • 8x4-inch bread tins.
  • Mixing tool.
  • Flexible spatula.
  • Cooling rack.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Gluten.
  • Nuts.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 219
  • Total Fat: 10 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 28 g
  • Protein: 3 g