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Bourbon Banana Walnut Bread

Bourbon banana walnut bread with a moist, buttery crumb and toasted walnut crunch. This loaf is baked at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean, then cooled for clean slices.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bananas
  • 3 ripe bananas Mashed
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Melted
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs Beaten
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Walnuts
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts Toasted
  • 1 walnut halves Extra for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Wait until the oven reaches temperature before mixing.
  2. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper. Lightly press the parchment into the corners so it fits flat.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk together the mashed bananas, melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until the mixture looks smooth and glossy.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Continue beating until the batter thickens slightly and looks evenly combined.
  3. Stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract. The batter should look uniform in color with no streaks.
Combine dry and bake
  1. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Whisk until the spices and leaveners are evenly distributed.
  2. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see dry flour.
  3. Fold in the chopped walnuts. Distribute them throughout the batter with a few gentle turns.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top so it bakes evenly.
  5. Sprinkle walnut halves over the top. Add them in a single layer so they toast without sinking.
  6. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F (175°C). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is lightly browned.
Cool and serve
  1. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Let the loaf firm up so slices hold their shape.
  2. Transfer to a wire rack and slice to serve warm or at room temperature. Wait until the loaf is set to prevent crumbling.

Notes

For the best banana flavor and moisture, use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots and mash until mostly smooth. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freeze slices in an airtight container for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). If you want to reduce alcohol, use bourbon only for aroma and replace with an equal amount of bourbon-free baking spirit or additional vanilla extract, keeping the same measurements.