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Ultra-Moist Brown Butter Banana Bread Recipe with Maple Walnuts

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A velvety, ultra-moist banana bread featuring nutty brown butter and sweet, crunchy maple-glazed walnuts. Perfectly soft with a tender crumb and a glossy, flavorful walnut topping.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 cup (120g) walnut halves or pieces
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir occasionally until it foams, turns golden, and smells nutty (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Toss walnuts with maple syrup and a pinch of sea salt on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread evenly and toast for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove and cool.
  3. Mash bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth with some small lumps.
  4. Add browned butter (warm, not hot), granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Beat with an electric mixer or whisk until well combined and glossy, about 2 minutes.
  5. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
  6. Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using a spatula until just combined. Batter should be thick but pourable.
  7. Fold in maple walnuts, reserving a small handful for topping.
  8. Pour batter into a prepared 9×5-inch loaf pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle reserved walnuts evenly on top.
  9. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50-60 minutes. Check doneness at 50 minutes with a toothpick; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Tent with foil if top browns too quickly.
  10. Cool bread in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Use a light-colored pan to brown butter to monitor color and avoid burning. Cool browned butter before mixing to prevent scrambling eggs. Fold dry ingredients gently to avoid tough bread. Toast maple walnuts carefully to avoid burning maple syrup. Tent bread with foil if browning too fast. Frozen bananas can be used if thawed and drained. For gluten-free, swap flour with gluten-free blend and add xanthan gum if needed. Vegan adaptation uses flax eggs and coconut oil.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, brown butter, maple walnuts, moist banana bread, easy banana bread, homemade banana bread, quick banana bread, nutty banana bread

Find it online: https://emmaoven.com/ultra-moist-brown-butter-banana-bread-recipe-with-maple-walnuts-easy-and-perfect/