Ultimate Banana Nut Bread (Printable)

A moist, flavorful loaf packed with ripe bananas and toasted walnuts, ideal for breakfast or snacking.

# What You Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ¼ cups)
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

# Steps:

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 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 until evenly blended.
04 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold in chopped walnuts, reserving a few for sprinkling on top if desired.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle reserved walnuts evenly over the top.
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 Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is incredibly moist without being dense or heavy
  • Toasted walnuts add crunch and a nutty depth that balances the sweetness
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter develops too much gluten and results in tough, rubbery bread
  • Testing for doneness with a toothpick is crucial because ovens vary and visual cues can be misleading
03 -
  • Use frozen overripe bananas if you do not have enough fresh ones, just thaw and drain excess liquid
  • Let your ingredients come to room temperature before mixing for the most even texture

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