Classic Banana Walnut Bread Recipe

Whether you want to enjoy it for breakfast, as a snack, or maybe for dessert, you can't go wrong with banana walnut bread. Recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating brings us her rendition of banana walnut bread, which features chopped walnuts for a subtle nut flavor and optimal crunch. "This banana bread is moist, soft, and sweet," Brookes says. "I love the crunch and nutty taste that the walnuts add."

You can count on this banana nut bread tasting good, but you can also count on it being easy to make. The batter comes together in 1 bowl, and you can count on the oven to do most of the heavy lifting. That's a huge plus of making banana bread, not to mention the fact that you'll use up some fruit that's about to go bad. Within 1 hour, you'll have perfectly moist, crunchy banana bread that is guaranteed to brighten your mornings, and pair quite wonderfully with your cup of coffee. 

The ingredients list is pretty minimal here — you'll need ripe bananas, of course, along with milk, room temperature butter, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, eggs, and chopped walnuts, which happens to be the special ingredient. "The walnuts are the star of the show here, adding a lovely texture and flavor that pairs so well with the banana," Brookes raves. 

Preheat the oven to 320 F, and line a 1-pound loaf tin with parchment paper. Add the bananas to a large bowl, and mash them thoroughly with a fork. "You'll want to make sure that the bananas are really thoroughly mashed so you don't have any big chunks of banana going in," Brookes explains.

With the bananas mashed, add in milk, butter, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and eggs. Use an electric mixer to combine the ingredients, forming a smooth and cohesive batter. Once that batter is fully formed, gently fold in the chopped walnuts using a wooden spoon. 

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, then bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Once the banana bread is done baking, remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool slightly. Then, remove it from the pan, and cut off a slice while warm for optimal enjoyment. "This is great served as a breakfast, dessert, or even an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee," Brookes suggests. And you don't have to serve it bare and alone; per Brookes, "It's delicious with a little butter, Nutella, or Biscoff spread on top."