Toasted Banana Walnut Bread with Salted Honey Butter

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultra-moist crumb thanks to ripe bananas, a touch of oil, and sour cream.
• Toasted walnuts add warm, nutty crunch in every bite.
• Lightly toasting slices revives day-old bread and amplifies aroma.
• A quick brush of salted butter and honey makes it coffee-shop special at home.

Grocery List

• Produce: Very ripe bananas
• Dairy: Eggs, sour cream, salted butter
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, neutral oil, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, fine salt, honey, walnuts, flaky sea salt (optional)

Full Ingredients

Banana–Walnut Bread

• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3–4 medium; about 340–360 g peeled)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup neutral oil (120 ml; such as canola or light olive)
• 1/3 cup sour cream (80 g)
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150 g)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 g)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted (85 g)

For Finishing & Serving

• 3 tbsp salted butter, melted (42 g), plus more as needed for skillet toasting
• 3 tbsp honey, warmed
• Flaky sea salt, a pinch per slice (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pan and oven

Heat oven to 350°F (177°C) with a rack in the center. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, then line it with a parchment sling that overhangs the long sides for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment as well.

Step 2: Toast the walnuts

Spread chopped walnuts on a small baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for 6–8 minutes until fragrant and lightly darkened. Cool completely. This step deepens their flavor and helps keep them crunchy in the moist loaf.

Step 3: Mash bananas and mix the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, mash bananas until mostly smooth (some small bits are fine) to yield 1 1/2 cups. Whisk in the eggs, oil, sour cream, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until glossy and well combined.

Step 4: Combine the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. This distributes the leaveners and prevents pockets of bitterness.

Step 5: Bring the batter together

Tip the dry ingredients into the wet. Fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain; do not overmix. Fold in the cooled toasted walnuts. The batter will be thick and lumpy—perfect for a tender crumb.

Step 6: Bake and cool

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 55–65 minutes, rotating the pan at 40 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil. The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (or when internal temp reaches 200–205°F/93–96°C). Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out to a wire rack and cool at least 1 hour before slicing.

Step 7: Toast, butter, and honey

Slice the bread 1 inch thick. Toast slices in a toaster or on a skillet over medium-low heat with a light slick of butter, 1–2 minutes per side, until the edges are crisp and the surface is golden. Brush each warm slice with melted salted butter and drizzle with warm honey. Finish with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt if you like, and serve alongside hot coffee.

Pro Tips

• Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown speckles for sweetness and moisture.
• Measure flour accurately: 240 g by weight, or lightly spoon into cups and level.
• For a smoother crumb, whisk the sugars into the wet ingredients until dissolved before adding dry ingredients.
• If the loaf domes and splits, that is normal; tent with foil near the end to manage browning.
• Flavor improves by day two—toast slices to revive the aroma and texture.

Variations

• Brown Butter Banana Bread: Replace the oil with 1/2 cup browned unsalted butter (cooled), and reduce cinnamon to 1/2 tsp.
• Chocolate Chip Twist: Fold in 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips with the walnuts.
• Pecan–Maple: Swap walnuts for pecans and drizzle finished slices with warm maple syrup instead of honey.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the cooled loaf tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. For longer storage, slice, wrap individually, and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a toaster or skillet until warmed through and lightly crisped. To prep ahead, mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet in another; combine just before baking for the best rise.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per finished slice (1/10 loaf with butter and honey): 470 calories; 24 g fat; 58 g carbohydrates; 25 g sugars; 6 g protein; 2 g fiber; 260 mg sodium.