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Best One-Bowl Banana Walnut Bread: Easy Homemade Recipe

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This one-bowl banana walnut bread is incredibly moist, tender, and packed with toasted walnut crunch. It’s a simple, foolproof recipe that uses everyday ingredients and comes together in minutes for a perfect loaf every time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ½ cups)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (1 stick)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup walnut halves, toasted and roughly chopped
  • ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional, for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Lightly spray the exposed ends with cooking spray.
  2. Toast the walnuts: Place the walnut halves in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until they smell fragrant and are lightly golden. Transfer to a plate to cool completely, then roughly chop.
  3. Mash the bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining. You should have about 1 ½ cups.
  4. Add the melted butter: Pour the slightly cooled melted butter over the mashed bananas and stir until combined.
  5. Mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla: Add the granulated sugar and stir until well incorporated. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and stir until the batter looks smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds.
  6. Add the dry ingredients: Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and salt evenly over the wet mixture. Fold together gently with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
  7. Fold in the walnuts: Add the toasted, chopped walnuts (and any optional add-ins like chocolate chips or cinnamon) and fold in with 3-4 gentle strokes.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. If desired, sprinkle the top with brown sugar for a crunchy crust.
  9. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and 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 for the last 10-15 minutes.
  10. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift the bread out and transfer to the rack to cool completely.
  11. Slice and serve once completely cool. Use a serrated knife for clean slices.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas with heavy brown speckling for best sweetness and moisture. Toast walnuts to keep them crunchy. Let batter rest for 10 minutes before baking for a taller loaf. Cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. Bread tastes even better on day two. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana walnut bread, one-bowl banana bread, easy banana bread, homemade banana bread, moist banana bread, banana walnut loaf

Find it online: https://jollyfork.com/best-one-bowl-banana-walnut-bread-easy-homemade-recipe/