Sourdough Banana Nut Bread (Printable Version)

Moist banana loaf with toasted walnuts and a crisp brown sugar crust, combining tangy depth and classic sweetness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (approximately 2 large bananas)
02 - 1/2 cup sourdough discard, unfed and at room temperature
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
04 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Add-ins

13 - 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted

→ Brown Sugar Crust

14 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
15 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or grease thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, sourdough discard, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
04 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
05 - Fold the toasted walnuts into the batter until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - In a small bowl, mix the packed brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter.
08 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
09 - Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You'll use up sourdough discard guilt-free while creating something that tastes genuinely better than regular banana bread.
  • The brown sugar crust adds a satisfying crunch that makes people ask for seconds before they even taste the tender crumb underneath.
  • It's ready in just over an hour from mixing bowl to cooling rack, making it perfect for weekend breakfasts or unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the silent killer of quick breads: I learned this the hard way by stirring my batter until it looked bakery-perfect, only to pull out a dense, tight loaf that felt more like a brick than bread.
  • Room temperature ingredients actually matter here: When I used cold eggs and milk once, the crumb turned out gummy in the center and took forever to bake through, teaching me that these small details compound into real results.
03 -
  • Toast your walnuts in advance and they'll be ready whenever inspiration strikes, making last-minute baking even easier.
  • Keep a container of brown sugar topping mixed and ready in the fridge, and you can bake this bread with almost no prep time when you need something warm and comforting.
Return