Crispy Sugar-Topped Banana Walnut Bread Recipe

Moist banana bread studded with toasted walnuts and finished with a crunchy sugar crust — banana bread at its most decadent.

I have several favorite banana bread recipes. There’s my mother’s classic (which I still haven’t been allowed to publish), a healthier chocolate chip version, a whole-wheat banana-blueberry loaf, and this sugar-crusted walnut banana bread — a truly indulgent favorite.

Why This Recipe Works

A high banana-to-butter ratio keeps the loaf exceptionally moist with a tender crumb. Using bread flour rather than all-purpose helps prevent a gummy texture. Finally, coating the pans and the top of the loaves with granulated sugar creates a sweet, crunchy crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior.

For Best Results Do This

Use very ripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more pronounced the banana flavor. Overripe bananas can be peeled and frozen in a zip-top bag so you always have some ready for baking.
Use room-temperature ingredients. Cold eggs or bananas added to warm butter can cause the butter to clump and make the batter uneven.
Don’t overmix. Stir by hand just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. The batter should remain a bit lumpy — overmixing produces a tough loaf.
Toast the walnuts. Briefly toasting walnuts in a skillet intensifies their flavor and helps them stay pleasantly crunchy in the finished bread.

How to Dust Baking Pans with Sugar

Coating the pans with sugar before adding batter prevents sticking and forms a crisp, sweet crust. To do this:

Spray the pan thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour a few tablespoons of granulated sugar into the pan and tilt it so the sugar coats all sprayed surfaces.
Tap out any excess sugar into a bowl to reuse or discard it.

Let’s Make It Together

📖 Recipe

Sliced banana walnut bread on a white plate with butter

Sugar Crusted Banana Walnut Bread

Crunchy, crusty, moist, and sweet — this banana bread is decadence in a pan.

By Heather Cheney

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 2 standard-sized loaves

Ingredients

10 ounces salted butter, melted
2 1/4 cups white granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups overripe bananas, mashed, room temperature (about 5 large bananas)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/3 cups walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a large bowl, combine the sugar with the melted butter. Stir in the mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla until evenly mixed.
Sprinkle the flour over the banana mixture, then add the baking soda and salt.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until no dry spots remain. The batter should be lumpy — do not overmix.
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, add the chopped walnuts, and toast briefly, stirring, until fragrant. Remove from heat.
Prepare two standard loaf pans by spraying them with non-stick spray and coating the interiors with granulated sugar, swirling to cover all surfaces.
Fill each pan about two-thirds full with batter, then sprinkle a little extra sugar on top of each loaf.
Bake 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and the bread begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Cool the loaves on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert the pans to remove the bread and cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 loaf |
Calories: 3381 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 422 g |
Protein: 48 g |
Fat: 176 g

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