Description
This isn’t your standard banana bread. It’s richer, deeper, and has this cozy warmth that hits you right in the chest. The walnuts add crunch, the browned butter adds soul, and the whole thing comes together in one bowl (plus that little saucepan).
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter
- 3 medium very spotty ripe bananas (about 1½ cups mashed)
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (60g) walnuts, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally as it melts. It will foam, then bubble, then start to turn golden. Watch closely—once you see brown specks forming at the bottom and smell a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat immediately. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
- Mash the bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. A few lumps are fine. You should have about 1½ cups.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Add the browned butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Fold everything together: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Use a spatula to fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix. A few streaks of flour are okay.
- Add the walnuts: Fold in the chopped walnuts (and chocolate chips if using). Reserve a handful to sprinkle on top.
- Pour into the pan: Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved walnuts on top, pressing them in slightly.
- Bake: Place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly (after about 40 minutes), tent it loosely with foil.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing—about 1 hour.
Notes
For the best texture, make sure your bananas are really spotty—almost black. If they’re not ripe enough, the bread will be less sweet and more dense. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes until fragrant for extra flavor. The browned butter flavor deepens overnight—this bread is actually better on day two. Don’t overmix the batter to avoid a tough bread. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: banana bread, browned butter banana bread, walnut banana bread, easy banana bread, cozy banana bread, breakfast bread, dessert bread