Ultimate Banana Nut Bread (Print Version)

Moist, flavorful banana loaf packed with toasted walnuts for a comforting breakfast or snack.

# 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

# How To Make:

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

01 -
  • The toasted walnuts create these incredible crunchy pockets that make every slice interesting, not just something sweet to chew through mindlessly
  • This is the kind of recipe that forgives you when you're rushing or measuring by feel instead of weight, yet still turns out beautifully
02 -
  • The toothpick test is tricky with banana bread because the moist banana can fool you—look for crumbs, not wet batter, and remember the center continues cooking as it cools
  • Cooling in the pan for exactly 10 minutes is the sweet spot—less and it might fall apart, more and it can steam itself and get soggy on the bottom
03 -
  • Use the underside of a measuring cup to press your parchment paper into the loaf pan—it creates perfect corners and prevents the paper from sliding up the sides as you pour
  • If your walnuts aren't already toasted, spread them on a baking sheet at 350°F for 8–10 minutes while the oven preheats, watching carefully so they don't burn

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