Fluffy, moist, and super tender. This Banana Nut Bread is the best banana nut bread you will ever try - and, it's vegan and gluten-free friendly! It's secretly healthy, ridiculously easy, and so delicious that no one will believe it's plant-based! No eggs or dairy necessary.
Banana Nut Bread Ingredients
- Overripe Bananas: Overripe bananas (brown and spotty bananas) are essential for any good banana bread. The more brown and spotty the bananas are, the more natural sweetness and moister they will add to the bread.
- Milk: Use any plant-based milk to keep this recipe vegan. Almond or oat milk are popular. If you are not vegan or dairy-free, you can use regular milk.
- Butter: Use any vegan butter to keep this banana nut bread recipe vegan. If you are not vegan or dairy-free, you can use regular butter.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is how we naturally sweeten this banana nut bread.
- Vanilla and Cinnamon: Two classic banana nut bread flavors.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Baking powder and baking soda help the banana nut bread rise and get super fluffy.
- Flour: We use regular all purpose flour in this banana nut bread recipe. To make gluten-free banana nut bread, you may use gluten-free all purpose flour or you may use 2 cups of oat flour in place of the 1 ½ cups of regular flour.
- Oats: Oats are a healthy way to make this banana nut bread more fluffy, filling, and delicious. We use quick oats in this recipe. The quick oats make the texture soft so that you would never guess that there are oats in this banana bread. If you don't have quick oats, you can pulse old fashioned oats in a food processor to break them down.
- Nuts: Use crushed walnuts or pecans.
How To Make Banana Nut Bread
Step 1: Preheat the oven and then spray a metal loaf pan with non-stick spray.
Step 2: Use a fork to mash the bananas in the mixing bowl, then add the milk, butter, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Mix, then mix in the flour and oats. Once a batter forms, fold in the nuts and transfer the batter into the greased loaf pan.
Step 3: Bake until golden. Serve warm, spread with vegan butter and or drizzled with maple syrup.
Banana Bread Expert Baking Tips
- Don't over-mix the batter. This can make the banana bread become tough.
- Don't over-bake the banana nut bread. This can make the banana nut bread dry.
- Use a metal loaf pan as opposed to a ceramic or glass loaf pan. Metal conducts heat more evenly than glass or ceramic so the result will be a more evenly cooked banana bread.
- Test the center for doneness with a toothpick. Insert a toothpick into the center of the banana nut bread. If it comes out clean, you will know it's done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Simply microwave the frozen bananas until they are completely defrosted (about 1 minute) and then use your fork to mash them.
Using enough banana, butter, and maple syrup will ensure that this banana bread does not get dry.
Walnuts or pecans are my favorite nuts to use in banana nut bread because they are tender and buttery in texture.
I do not recommend storing banana nut bread in the fridge. Refrigeration tends to dry out homemade baked goods. Store this banana nut bread at room temperature wrapped in plastic or covered tightly with aluminum foil.
Other Vegan Bread Recipes
- Gluten Free Banana Bread
- Best Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
- Quick Vegan Apple Bread Recipe
- One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
- Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
The Best Banana Nut Bread
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- fork
- 9x5 metal loaf pan
- non-stick spray
Ingredients
The Best Banana Nut Bread
- 3 overripe mashed bananas
- 1 cup regular or plant-based milk
- ¼ cup regular or vegan butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 ½ cups regular or gluten-free all purpose flour
- 1 cup crushed walnuts or pecans
Instructions
The Best Banana Nut Bread
- Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a metal loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In the mixing bowl, use a fork to mash the overripe bananas. Add the milk, butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix. Then, add the oats and flour and mix until a batter is formed. Fold in the crushed walnuts or pecans.
- Transfer the batter into the metal loaf pan. Sprinkle the top of the banana bread with more nuts and oats for decoration. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the banana bread is golden brown and completely done in the center.
- Enjoy warm spread with butter and/or drizzled with maple syrup.
Mathilde says
This banana nut bread is sooo delicious.
Jillian says
So happy you enjoyed!!
Sierra says
I’ve made this multiple times and my husband and I loooove it!
Is there a way to make it into muffins?
Jillian says
Yum! So happy you and your husband have been enjoying this recipe! Yes, I'd just bake the batter in lined muffin molds instead of in a loaf pan on a slightly lower temp (350). They will probably only need to bake for about 30 minutes. enjoy!