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Easy Brown Butter Banana Bread with Walnuts

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This easy brown butter banana bread with toasted walnuts is tender, nutty, and deeply flavorful. It comes together in one bowl in under 15 minutes of active work and is perfect for weeknights or special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter
  • 3 medium ripe bananas (about 1½ cups mashed / 340g)
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (60ml) plain yogurt or buttermilk
  • ½ cup (60g) walnuts, roughly chopped, plus extra for topping
  • ¼ cup (30g) walnuts, roughly chopped (for topping)
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado or coarse sugar (optional, for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
  2. Brown the butter: Place ½ cup unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, then continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until it foams, subsides, and turns golden with amber specks and a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately and pour into a heatproof bowl. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Toast the walnuts: While the butter cools, place ½ cup chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking frequently, until fragrant and slightly darker. Set aside to cool. Reserve ¼ cup for topping.
  4. Mash the bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash 3 ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth (a few lumps are fine). You should have about 1½ cups.
  5. Mix the wet ingredients: Add ¾ cup sugar, cooled brown butter, room-temperature egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ cup yogurt or buttermilk to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  6. Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  7. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet: Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold gently until just combined (a few streaks of flour are okay). Fold in the toasted walnuts (the ½ cup portion).
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the reserved ¼ cup chopped walnuts on top, and if using, the tablespoon of turbinado sugar. Gently press the walnuts into the batter.
  9. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 40 minutes.
  10. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Then run a knife around the edges (if not using parchment) and lift the bread out using the parchment overhang. Transfer to the rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the butter—it adds a nutty, caramelized depth. Use spotty bananas for best flavor. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling. Don’t overmix the batter. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. The flavor improves on day two.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, brown butter, walnuts, easy banana bread, one bowl banana bread, comfort food

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/easy-brown-butter-banana-bread-with-walnuts/