Out of all the banana bread variations in the world, this walnut banana bread is my absolute favorite! This is saying a LOT, especially since I’m a chocoholic and love chocolate chips, haha. The walnuts add such a unique nutty, toasty flavor that truly shine when it’s the only mix-in. Once you try it, you’ll understand!
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❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You won’t need any special equipment. This recipe uses melted butter instead of softened, so no need to take out your mixer. Simply stir everything in one bowl with a spatula, then bake in a loaf pan.
- It’s perfect for banana bread enthusiasts. If you’re looking for variety in your banana bread repertoire, this is a great nutty alternative of the basic recipe.
- It’s versatile. This recipe calls for walnuts, which I personally like, but you can definitely use other nuts like pecans, almonds, hazelnuts etc.
Looking for more banana bread recipes? Try out my basic banana bread, double chocolate chip banana bread, or matcha banana bread!
Ingredients
To make walnut banana bread from scratch, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- I like to use 3-4 medium to large bananas for each batch!
- Melted unsalted butter makes the banana bread really easy to mix by hand. No need to whip softened butter!
- I like to use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar to create the perfect balance of flavor and texture. You can use light or dark brown sugar; dark brown sugar will just give you a deeper butterscotch flavor.
- Buttermilk yields a soft, moist banana bread, with a slight tang!
- I like to sprinkle the loaf pan and the top of the banana bread with turbinado sugar right before baking, which adds satisfying sweet crunch.
- You can use either vanilla extract or vanilla paste (1:1) in this recipe.
For the full list of ingredients and measurements, see the recipe card below.
💡 Baking Tip
- Weigh your ingredients! One of my favorite kitchen tools is a kitchen scale because it’s more accurate than measuring by volume. If you use cups, spoon the flour in gently, then level it with a knife or spatula.
- Use super ripe bananas for enhanced flavor. Look for banana peel that’s starting to brown, have brown spots, or even bordering to black-brown. Super ripe bananas yield the best flavor and moist texture.
- Use aluminum foil for even browning. If the banana bread isn’t finished baking yet and is getting too dark, lightly cover it with aluminum foil!
How to Make Walnut Banana Bread
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter until well combined.
Step 2: Whisk in eggs and vanilla until completely smooth and there are no more eggy streaks.
Step 3: Stir in mashed bananas and buttermilk until combined.
Step 4: Mix in dry ingredients and walnuts. Pour into lined and turbinado sugar-coated loaf pan(s). Sprinkle extra sugar and walnuts on top. Bake for 1 hour, or until top is set and a toothpick/cake tester comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Let cool completely before slicing!
For full instructions, see the recipe card below.
Storage
- Room temperature: Store fully cooled banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing instructions: I personally like to batch make banana bread and freeze them so I can eat them whenever I want!
- Whole loaf: Wrap the entire loaf in aluminum foil, then store in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature, about 4-5 hours.
- Slices: Layer slices in an airtight container with squares of parchment or wax paper in between, so they don’t stick and freeze together. Thaw at room temperature, about 30 minutes. I personally like to reheat the slices in a microwave or toaster oven!
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Thank you so much! -Bianca ❤️
📖 Recipe & Video
Walnut Banana Bread
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Equipment
- 1 9"x5" loaf pan or 2 8"x4" loaf pans
- Wire rack for cooling
Ingredients
Wet ingredients:
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter melted; can sub in neutral oil like canola or avocado
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar light or dark
- 2 (100 g) eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (337.5 g) mashed bananas 3-4 medium
- ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla extract or paste
Dry ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt
Mix-ins (optional):
- ¾ cup (87.75 g) chopped walnuts lightly toasted
For the pan and topping (optional):
- ¼ cup (50 g) turbinado sugar
- ¼ cup (29.25 g) chopped walnuts lightly toasted
Instructions
Prep work:
- Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Grease two 8"x4" metal loaf pans or one 9"x5" metal loaf pan. Line with parchment paper for easier removal.
- Sprinkle half of the turbinado sugar all over the pan, making sure to get the sides. This will create a crunchy outer layer!
Make walnut banana bread batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, mix ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup unsalted butter until well combined.
- Whisk in 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla until completely smooth and there are no more eggy streaks.
- Stir in 1 ½ cups mashed bananas and ½ cup buttermilk until combined.
- Gently stir in 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and ¾ cup chopped walnuts until there are no dry spots remaining.
Bake:
- Pour walnut banana bread batter into loaf pan(s). Optionally sprinkle on top the remaining turbinado sugar and ¼ cup chopped walnuts.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until top is set and a toothpick/cake tester comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Let cool completely before slicing!
- Enjoy! See notes for storage information.
Notes
- Room temperature: Store fully cooled banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing instructions: I personally like to batch make banana bread and freeze them so I can eat them whenever I want!
- Whole loaf: Wrap the entire loaf in aluminum foil, then store in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature, about 4-5 hours.
- Slices: Layer slices in an airtight container with squares of parchment or wax paper in between, so they don’t stick and freeze together. Thaw at room temperature, about 30 minutes. I personally like to reheat the slices in a microwave or toaster oven!
As someone who always googles a new banana bread recipe everytime I’m craving it just because I couldn’t find the right one, this recipe has resolved that problem! It was so easy to make and came out so good. The toasted walnuts really make a difference and add a deeper flavor profile. I opted out of adding the sugar on top but it still came out crisp on the outside and fluffy in the inside. I’m now saving this!!!