Buttermilk Banana Bread with Toasted Walnuts

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultra-moist crumb from ripe bananas and tangy buttermilk.
• Buttery flavor with toasted walnuts in every slice.
• One bowl for wet and one for dry—no mixer required.
• Perfect make-ahead loaf for snacks, breakfast, or afternoon tea.

Grocery List

• Produce: 3 very ripe bananas
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, buttermilk, eggs
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking soda, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, fine salt, walnuts, turbinado sugar (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Banana Bread

• 1 cup (110 g) walnuts, chopped (toast before using)
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional but recommended)
• 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups / 360 g)
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (55 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, well-shaken

For the Pan and Topping

• Neutral oil or butter, for greasing
• Parchment paper sling
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for a crunchy top (optional)
• A few extra walnut pieces for the top (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat, prep the pan, and toast walnuts

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling with overhang on the long sides. Spread the walnuts on a small baking sheet and toast for 7–9 minutes until fragrant and a shade darker. Cool completely, then chop.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Set aside. Whisking the leavening evenly into the flour helps the loaf rise uniformly.

Step 3: Mash bananas and build the wet base

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps. Whisk in the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until glossy. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until the mixture looks thick and cohesive. Whisk in the buttermilk until smooth.

Step 4: Combine wet and dry without overmixing

Sprinkle the dry mixture over the wet base. Using a flexible spatula, fold just until no dry pockets remain. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy; overmixing can make the loaf tough.

Step 5: Fold in nuts, fill pan, and top

Fold in the chopped toasted walnuts, reserving a tablespoon if you’d like a nutty top. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with reserved nuts and turbinado sugar for crunch.

Step 6: Bake

Bake for 55–65 minutes, rotating the pan at 40 minutes, until the loaf is deep golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. An instant-read thermometer should read 200–205°F (93–96°C) in the center. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes.

Step 7: Cool and slice

Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely—at least 1 hour—before slicing for the cleanest cuts and best texture.

Pro Tips

• Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots; they’re sweeter and mash more easily.
• Measure flour by weight (240 g) or lightly spoon into cups and level—packed flour makes dry bread.
• Do not overmix once the flour goes in; stop as soon as the batter is combined.
• For a taller loaf, ensure your baking soda is fresh; it should fizz when dropped in vinegar.
• For extra banana flavor, microwave bananas 1–2 minutes, cool, then mash to intensify sweetness.

Variations

• Chocolate-Walnut: Fold in 3/4 cup (130 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips with the walnuts.
• Maple-Pecan: Swap walnuts for pecans and replace 2 tablespoons sugar with real maple syrup; reduce buttermilk to 6 tablespoons (90 ml).
• Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend by weight (240 g). Add 1 tablespoon milk if batter seems too thick.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store cooled banana bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap slices individually and freeze up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes. You can toast and chop the walnuts a day ahead and keep them covered at room temp. For best rise, mix and bake the batter immediately rather than holding it, since baking soda reacts quickly with the buttermilk.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per slice (1 of 10): 350 calories; 18 g fat; 44 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 23 g sugars; 6 g protein; 250 mg sodium.