Description

A rich and flavorful banana bread made with nutty brown butter, perfect for busy weeknights. Moist, tender, and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale

½ cup (115g) unsalted butter
3 medium ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups mashed / 375g)
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

Instructions

Brown the butter: Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan until it foams, browns, and smells nutty. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool slightly.
Mash bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth but still a bit chunky. Add browned butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir gently until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Fold in walnuts or chocolate chips if using.
Pour batter into a greased or parchment-lined 9×5-inch loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Watch the butter closely when browning to avoid burning. Use overripe bananas for best sweetness. Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread tender. Toast walnuts before adding for extra flavor. The bread tastes better the next day. Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze slices for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of l
Calories: 220
Sugar: 15
Sodium: 150
Fat: 10
Saturated Fat: 6
Carbohydrates: 29
Fiber: 2
Protein: 3

Keywords: banana bread, brown butter, easy banana bread, quick dessert, overripe bananas, weeknight baking