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Easy Brown Butter Banana Bread with Walnut Streusel

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This brown butter banana bread with walnut streusel is incredibly tender, nutty, and caramelized. It’s a simple weeknight recipe that feels special, using basic ingredients and a quick technique.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
  • 3 medium ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed, 240g)
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (60g) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
  • ⅓ cup (40g) chopped walnuts (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) cold unsalted butter, cubed (for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease exposed sides.
  2. Brown the butter: Place ½ cup unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, then swirl occasionally. After 4-5 minutes, when foam subsides and golden-brown specks appear, remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Let cool 10 minutes.
  3. Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl until mostly smooth (about 1 cup).
  4. Add cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla, and yogurt/sour cream to the bananas. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  6. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined (a few lumps are fine).
  7. Make streusel: In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup flour, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon. Add cold cubed butter. Use fingers or pastry cutter to work butter into dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form.
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle streusel evenly on top, pressing gently into batter.
  9. Bake 50-60 minutes, rotating halfway. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too fast, tent with foil after 40 minutes.
  10. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then lift out using parchment handles and cool completely on rack (at least 30 minutes before slicing).

Notes

Don’t rush the brown butter; watch for golden specks and nutty aroma. Room temperature ingredients matter. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling. Let bread cool at least 30 minutes before slicing for best texture. Bread is even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, brown butter, walnut streusel, easy banana bread, moist banana bread, quick bread

Find it online: https://gleamgulp.com/easy-brown-butter-banana-bread-with-walnut-streusel/