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Brown Butter Banana Bread

Brown butter banana bread with moist, tender crumb and deep caramelized butter flavor. Made by browning butter, then baking until a toothpick comes out clean for a classic loaf with sweet ripe bananas.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

unsalted butter
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter browned for nutty caramel flavor
ripe bananas
  • 3 ripe bananas mashed
  • 1 eggs large
flour
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
sugars
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
eggs and vanilla
  • 2 eggs large
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
walnuts
  • 0.5 cup chopped toasted walnuts optional
  • 2 tbsp coarse sugar optional, for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Choose a rack position so the loaf pan sits centered in the oven.
  2. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Ensure the parchment overhangs slightly so the loaf lifts out easily.
Brown the butter
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden brown with a nutty aroma. Watch closely and swirl as the butter foams and browns.
  2. Cool the browned butter for 10 minutes. This helps it thicken slightly so it blends smoothly with the wet ingredients.
Mix batters
  1. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk until the spices are evenly distributed.
  2. Whisk together browned butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, mashed bananas, and sour cream in another bowl. Whisk until the mixture looks smooth and glossy.
  3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain to keep the loaf tender.
  4. Fold in chopped toasted walnuts if using. Fold gently so the batter stays thick and doesn’t get overworked.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Distribute the coarse sugar evenly over the top.
  2. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the remaining time.
Cool and serve
  1. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack. This firms up the crumb for cleaner slicing.
  2. Slice and serve warm with butter if desired. Let slices cool 5 minutes for easier cutting and a softer center.

Notes

Pro tip: Browning butter is all about timing—pull it as soon as you see amber-brown solids and a nutty aroma, then cool 10 minutes. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days or in the fridge up to 7 days; freeze slices up to 2 months. Dietary swap: for a dairy-reduced option, use plain full-fat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a similar tang and moisture.