Print

The Best Brown Butter Banana Bread with Pecans

brown butter banana bread with pecans - featured image
Print Recipe

This brown butter banana bread with toasted pecans is incredibly moist, nutty, and flavorful. It’s the perfect way to use up ripe bananas and turns simple ingredients into a truly special treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3 medium ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides.
  2. Toast the pecans: Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in the preheating oven for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Set aside to cool.
  3. Brown the butter: Cut the stick of butter into pieces and place in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula. The butter will melt, foam, and bubble. After about 5-7 minutes, when brown specks form at the bottom and the butter smells nutty and turns golden-amber, remove from heat immediately and pour into a heatproof bowl.
  4. Mash the bananas: In a medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps. Set aside.
  5. Combine the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the browned butter (cooled for 2-3 minutes) and granulated sugar until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk until glossy and smooth, about 1 minute. Fold in the mashed bananas.
  6. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  7. Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, folding gently with a spatula after each addition. Mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
  8. Fold in the pecans: Reserve about 2 tablespoons of toasted pecans for topping. Gently fold the remaining pecans into the batter.
  9. Transfer to the pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the reserved pecans on top, pressing them in gently.
  10. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown.
  11. Cool properly: Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper overhang to lift it out and transfer directly to the wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Watch the butter carefully when browning; it can go from perfect to burnt in seconds. Use a light-colored pan to see the color change. Do not overmix the batter to avoid dense bread. Let the bread cool completely before slicing for best texture. The flavors improve on day two.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter banana bread, banana bread with pecans, easy banana bread, moist banana bread, nutty banana bread

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/the-best-brown-butter-banana-bread-with-pecans/