This brown butter cinnamon banana bread with pecans (wow, that is a mouthful) is made in just one bowl, and you don't even need an electric mixer! This super flavorful and moist banana bread is super simple to make and tastes like a combo of butter pecans and banana bread.

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This brown butter banana bread with pecans is one of my favorite easy, weeknight bakes. You only need one bowl and a whisk, no need to pull out the old stand mixer. The brown butter gives it a bit more oomph, but you can honestly just use melted butter if you aren't feeling up for it!

Just like my other banana bread recipes, this banana nut bread is packed with flavor thanks to a combination of warm cinnamon and some sour cream to make it super moist and tender.

If you love brown butter like me, then you need to try my cardamom almond cake with brown butter.

If you're looking for more banana recipes, you need to try my chocolate chunk banana bread, choc olate chunk banana muffins, and chocolate chip banana bundt cake!

Why you'll love this recipe!

Easy Recipe: this recipe is so easy and simple. You just need to brown the butter (which I promise, once you do it for the first time you'll think 'why aren't I making brown butter every day?'), then mix all of the ingredients together!
One Bowl Recipe: All the ingredients come together in one bowl with a whisk and a rubber spatula, no need to bring out the stand mixer or hand mixer.
Packed with Flavor: you get so much flavor from the brown butter, crunchy pecans, and cinnamon - it gives me serious butter pecan vibes.

Grab your ingredients

All the ingredients needed to make banana bread with pecans, weighed out into small bowls.

Bananas: make sure you're using overripe bananas, you want the ones with all the brown spots and freckles! Not only are they sweeter, but they're easier to mash and will give your banana bread a stronger banana flavor.
Vanilla Extract: a dash of vanilla extract is going to enhance the flavor in banana bread.
Ground Cinnamon: I wanted this banana pecan bread to have warm spices, so used ground cinnamon.
Sour Cream: because of the higher fat content in sour cream, it makes the banana bread softer and more tender.
Sugar: a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar will give this banana bread the perfect chewy texture.
Unsalted Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
Pecans: chop up your pecans for this banana bread, but keep a few whole to put on top of the bread just before baking.
Kosher Salt: I always use kosher salt instead of table salt or fine sea salt in my baking. I recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt, just note that Morton Kosher salt is different and more salty!

Substitutions & Additions

Pecans: feel free to swap out pecans for hazelnuts or walnuts.
Chocolate Chips: feel free to add some mini chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips to make chocolate chip banana bread with pecans!

How To Make This Recipe

Step 1: Start by browning your butter. Place the butter in a medium saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat. Once the butter melts, stir it occasionally with a rubber spatula. You'll soon see small milk solids at the bottom of the pan. Once the butter stops foaming and sputtering, and the milk solids are golden brown and it smells nutty and toasted, pour into a large bowl and let cool.

Banana bread batter in a large glass mixing bowl with a whisk.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit and grease and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Once the browned butter has cooled, add the granulated sugar and light brown sugar, whisking to combine. Then add the mashed bananas, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth - though a few lumps from the mashed banana are normal!

Banana bread batter in a large glass mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Use a rubber spatula to mix until smooth.

Banana bread batter in a large glass mixing bowl with chopped pecans.

Step 4: Stir in the chopped pecans.

Unbaked banana bread with pecans in a loaf pan.

Step 5: Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Add extra pecans on top if you wish. I like to use whole pecans for this!

Step 6: Bake in the oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs.

My Top Tips

Browning Top: if the top of the banana bread is getting too dark, cover it with aluminum foil.
No Brown Butter: don't want to brown your butter? Just melt the butter instead. When browning butter, you can account for around 10-20% of the water evaporating, so if you want to be precise then only melt 90 grams of butter instead of 113 grams.
Over-Ripe Bananas: I know sometimes you don't have ripened enough bananas, but trust me, it's worth it to wait for them to be perfectly ripe! Bananas with brown spots and freckles are not only going to be easier to mash, but they'll give the bread more of that banana flavor and also make it more moist.
Mashing Bananas: my go-to way of mashing up bananas is using a potato masher, but you could also use a fork.

Storage & Freezing

Keep the cooled banana bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freeze slices tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then in a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.

A slice of banana bread with pecans on a small plate.

Make these bread recipes next!

Ella from Alpine Ella is holding a cake stand with cupcakes on it.

Made This Recipe?

Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! You can tag me on Instagram @alpineella or follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!

Thank you!

Ella

Recipe

Comments

Molly Screaton says

January 26, 2025 at 12:01 am

Turned out perfectly. The browned butter was a great addition.

- Ella says
  
  January 27, 2025 at 2:35 pm
  
  Thanks so much for your review!
  
Laurence says

January 05, 2025 at 1:24 pm

Made this banana bread over the holidays and it was so simple and quick! I mixed pecans with chocolate chips and it was delicious, definitely a new staple moving forward!