Banana Nut Bread with Walnuts (Printable Version)
Moist banana bread with crunchy walnuts and delightful cinnamon swirl, perfect for breakfast or snacking.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Add-Ins
09 - 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Cinnamon Swirl
10 - 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
11 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
# How-To:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in mashed bananas and vanilla extract until well combined.
05 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently mix until just combined—do not overmix.
06 - Fold in the chopped walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
07 - In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the swirl mixture.
08 - Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top, then sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon-sugar.
09 - Gently swirl a knife through the batter in a figure-eight motion to create a marbled effect.
10 - Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11 - Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The cinnamon swirl creates these ribbons of sweetness throughout that make every slice feel like a surprise
- This is one of those recipes that actually tastes better the next day, wrapped tight on the counter
02 -
- Overmixing once you add the flour will make your bread tough and dense, so fold gently and stop as soon as flour disappears
- The toothpick test should be done in the center, not the edges, and a few moist crumbs are fine but wet batter means more time
03 -
- Toast your walnuts at 350°F for 5-8 minutes before adding them, it deepens their flavor significantly
- If your bananas aren't quite ripe enough, bake them in their skins at 350°F for 15 minutes to soften and sweeten them