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Best Easy Brown Butter Banana Bread with Walnut Streusel

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This easy banana bread features nutty brown butter and a crunchy walnut streusel topping. It’s a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights and delivers deep, cozy flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3 medium ripe bananas
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (for streusel)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon (for streusel, optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
  2. Brown the butter: Place ½ cup butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until it melts, foams, and turns amber with brown specks, about 5-7 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few lumps. Set aside.
  4. To the cooled brown butter, add granulated sugar and whisk until combined. Add egg, vanilla, and yogurt/sour cream; whisk until smooth and glossy.
  5. Sprinkle flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined (a few streaks of flour are okay).
  6. Fold in the mashed bananas until just incorporated.
  7. Make the streusel: In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup flour, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and use fingers or a pastry cutter to work into coarse sand with pea-sized bits.
  8. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle streusel over top and press lightly.
  9. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (about 1 hour) before slicing.

Notes

Don’t walk away from the butter while browning; it can go from perfect to burnt in 30 seconds. Use a light-colored pan to see the color change. Room temperature ingredients prevent the batter from seizing. Measure flour by spooning and leveling. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to avoid crumbling. The flavors deepen on day two.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter banana bread, walnut streusel, easy banana bread, one bowl banana bread, comfort food

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