Brown Butter Banana Nut Bread

Nutty brown butter, crunchy chopped walnuts, and the hint of cinnamon transform classic banana bread into a Brown Butter Banana Nut Bread you won’t be able to resist.

The Nuttier the Better

With the rich, nutty flavor of browned butter, plenty of chopped walnuts, and warm cinnamon, this Brown Butter Banana Nut Bread is not your average loaf. The same sweetness of a classic banana bread made even more rich and complex. It will make your morning coffee routine something to savor.

Easy Does It

One bite and you’ll agree that the few extra steps to make this bread are totally worth it. Soft banana bread studded with dense chunks of walnut. It’s so dreamy. It will fill your kitchen with the most delicious aroma as it’s baking. Waiting is the hardest part!

When I first started adding browned butter to my banana bread, I realized I’d found heaven. My Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread was an obvious next step, along with this walnut version that I cannot get enough of.

Intimidated by browning butter? Don’t be! Browning butter is not difficult. Just take care to whisk continually and don’t let it burn. And if you need more guidance, check out my tutorial on how to brown butter.

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter (browned): the browned butter adds a more complex flavor than regular melted butter. The butter overall adds richness, moisture and flavor. I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted. Just adjust the recipe to account for the added salt.
• Large eggs: bind ingredients together, adds structure and contributes to the richness and moisture.
• Granulated sugar: sweetness that helps with texture, browning and moisture retention.
• Bananas (overripe): Check my ripeness guide! Overripe bananas are key because their starches have converted to sugar, which boosts both sweetness and softness of the bread. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the bread will be!
• Vanilla extract: complements the banana and brown butter notes with a warm, sweet aroma.
• All-purpose flour: balances the wet ingredients to make sure the bread holds together but isn’t too dense.
• Baking soda: leavening agent that reacts with the acidity in the bananas to create carbon dioxide, which helps the bread rise and stay light.
• Ground cinnamon: warms up the flavor and especially complements the sweetness of the banana.
• Kosher salt: balances the sweetness and makes the banana, vanilla, and brown butter flavors more pronounced. Use slightly less if using table salt (which is finer).
• Walnuts (chopped): add a crunchy contrast and nutty depth to the soft, moist crumb of the banana bread, enhancing the overall texture and flavor. Other nuts or seeds could be substituted for the chopped walnuts.

Supplies:

• 9×5-inch loaf pan
• Parchment paper (optional)
• Light colored skillet
• Small bowl
• Whisk
• Large mixing bowl
• Wire cooling rack or cutting board

How to Make Brown Butter Banana Nut Bread

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan (line with parchment paper, if desired) and set aside.
• Place the butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat and whisk constantly as it melts. The butter will start to bubble and foam and then subside as the water evaporates and the milk solids start to turn a light brown color.
• Just as it starts to turn light brown and you smell that nutty aroma, remove it from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool. Once the butter starts to brown, it will race into burnt, so watch it carefully and remove from the heat as soon as it starts to brown. Let cool slightly.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar.
• Whisk in the mashed bananas

• Then whisk in the browned butter and vanilla extract.
• Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir until well combined.
• Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.

• Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Garnish with more chopped walnuts, if desired.

• Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top of the bread is browned before the center is baked all the way through, tent the loaf with foil and let it continue to bake until the center is baked all the way through. I almost always tent my banana bread with foil a little over halfway through the baking time.
• Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before inverting or transferring to a cooling rack or cutting board to cool completely.
• Once cooled, slice and serve.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To freeze, let cool completely and then wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap and then place in a freeze bag or airtight container to keep in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw, loosely covered, at room temperature.

If you make my Brown Butter Banana Nut Bread, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,

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