Description
This one-bowl banana walnut bread is incredibly moist, tender, and packed with crunchy toasted walnuts. It’s the easiest, most forgiving recipe that delivers a stunning result without demanding a lot from you.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups mashed)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (220g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (50g, packed)
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter (75g, melted)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ¼ cup plain yogurt or sour cream (60g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ¾ cup walnuts (85g, chopped and toasted)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides.
- Toast walnuts on a baking sheet for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth (a few lumps are fine).
- Add melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Sprinkle flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using) over the wet mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix. Batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
- Gently fold in toasted walnuts until evenly distributed. Reserve a handful for topping if desired.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle reserved walnuts on top if using.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too quickly, tent with foil around 40 minutes.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment paper and cool completely on rack before slicing.
Notes
Use very ripe bananas (spotted or black) for best sweetness and moisture. Room temperature ingredients help create a smooth batter. Do not overmix once flour is added to avoid tough bread. Let bread cool completely before slicing for best texture. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: banana bread, walnut bread, one-bowl banana bread, easy banana bread, moist banana bread, homemade banana bread