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Moist Brown Butter Banana Bread with Crunchy Walnut Streusel

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A rich, deeply flavorful banana bread made with browned butter for a nutty, toasty crust, topped with a crunchy walnut streusel. This recipe turns a kitchen mishap into a professional-quality loaf that is perfect for gifting or weekend baking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup flour (for streusel)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons cold butter (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Melt 1 cup of butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Swirl constantly until it foams, settles, and develops brown bits with a nutty aroma (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream to stop cooking. Let cool slightly.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas. Stir in the cooled brown butter until combined.
  4. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the banana mixture. Whisk until well blended and slightly glossy.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  6. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Make the streusel: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1 cup chopped walnuts. Cut in 2 tablespoons of cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top and press down lightly.
  9. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil after 30 minutes.
  10. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Browning butter requires constant attention as it burns quickly. Do not skip the cooling step; cutting into warm bread makes it gummy. For extra nutty flavor, toast walnuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes before adding to streusel. Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling off to avoid dry bread. The bread improves in flavor on the second or third day.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, brown butter, walnut streusel, baking, comfort food, quick bread, gluten-free option, dairy-free option

Find it online: https://sweetstirring.com/moist-brown-butter-banana-bread-with-crunchy-walnut-streusel/