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Cozy Classic Banana Bread with Walnuts – Best Homemade Recipe

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This perfectly moist banana bread with toasted walnuts is the ultimate comfort food. Made with simple pantry ingredients and Greek yogurt for a tender crumb, it’s a foolproof recipe that delivers a soul-warming slice every time.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line your 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the exposed ends with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Toast the walnuts: Spread the chopped walnuts on a small baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
  3. Mash the bananas: In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine.
  4. Melt the butter: In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter until just liquid. Let it cool for a minute or two.
  5. Combine the wet ingredients: To the mashed bananas, add the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  6. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  7. Combine wet and dry: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold gently—just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Do not overmix.
  8. Fold in the walnuts: Gently fold in the toasted walnuts, reserving about 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top.
  9. Transfer to the pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly with the spatula. Sprinkle the reserved walnuts on top, pressing them gently into the batter.
  10. Bake for 55-65 minutes: Place the pan on the center rack and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly after 40 minutes, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
  11. Cool in the pan: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing—about 1 hour.

Notes

For the best results, use bananas that are heavily speckled with brown spots. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, place them on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes until the skins blacken. Let them cool before mashing. To toast walnuts, spread them on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. Don’t overmix the batter—mix until the flour just disappears. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, walnut banana bread, homemade banana bread, moist banana bread, easy banana bread, classic banana bread

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