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Banana Nut Bread With Pecans

Banana nut bread with pecans made by toasting nuts for a crunch and baking a moist, tender loaf with a golden-brown top. Expect a lightly spiced crumb and generous pecan pieces throughout.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bananas
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed Use very ripe bananas for best flavor and sweetness.
Butter
  • 0.333 cup melted butter
Brown sugar
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
Egg
  • 1 large egg
Flour
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
Baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
Cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
Pecans
  • 0.75 cup chopped pecans, toasted, plus more for topping Toast in a dry skillet until fragrant; reserve extra for the top.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and toast
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan.
  2. Toast the chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant, then set aside.
Make the banana batter
  1. Mix the mashed bananas, melted butter, brown sugar, and egg until smooth.
  2. Fold in the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon until just combined, then fold in the toasted pecans.
Bake and cool
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with extra pecans.
  2. Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  3. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

Toast the pecans first to deepen their flavor, then reserve a little extra to sprinkle on top so you get more crunch in every slice. Store the loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze slices for up to 3 months—thaw overnight in the fridge and warm briefly if you like. For a lighter option, replace half the butter with unsweetened applesauce (use the same total amount) to reduce fat while keeping the loaf moist.