Banana bread with pecans is your favorite banana bread but better! It’s an easy, 1-bowl recipe that comes out perfectly moist, tender and delicious every time. Add chocolate chips for extra happiness!
(Got extra pecans? Make this decadent pecan pie cheesecake bars, this reader favorite pecan pie bourbon bars or a delicious batch of chocolate chip pecan cookies!)
Banana bread is one of those recipes that every baker has in their arsenal.
I’ve tried countless banana bread recipes throughout the years myself and after all my experimenting, this has become my go-to recipe.
It’s based on Anna Olson’s banana bread from her cookbook Baking Day, with a few tweaks, so you know it’s amazing!
The pecans add a nice depth of flavor and crunch and, well, chocolate chips just make everything better!
Plus, it’s so easy to make and comes out perfect every time.
Let’s bake.
Why you’ll love pecan banana bread
If you think banana bread is great, wait till you try this recipe.
- Perfect texture. It’s crunchy outside but tender inside, dense but soft. And it remains moist even a few days after baking.
- Easy to make. Plus, you only need 1 bowl to make it. And no electric mixer required.
- Freezes well. It freezes well too! Simply wrap and store.
- Great way to use overripe bananas. Banana bread is a delicious way to use those bananas too ripe to enjoy by themselves. Banana buttermilk pancakes and banana chocolate chunk muffins are great, too.
How to make
Banana bread with pecans is perfect for breakfast-on-the-go, special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas morning, or as an after-school snack.
Ingredients
To make it, you’ll need pantry staples like all-purpose flour, baking soda, butter, vanilla extract, granulated and brown sugar, and eggs. Remember:
- When choosing bananas: the riper, the better. Look for dark brown spots all over, bananas that are soft to the touch, and just overall too ripe for you to enjoy eating on its own.
- As for the pecans, I don’t toast mine but you can totally do for added flavor.
- I use semi-sweet chocolate chips; you can substitute with dark chocolate chips.
(Got extra pecans? Make maple pecan granola. You won’t go back to store-bought granola again! These Mexican cookies are delicious, too – pecan shortbread cookies rolled in powdered sugar.)
Baking tools
You’ll need a 9×5 inch loaf pan, ideally 2.75-3 inches deep.
It’s also better to mix the batter by hand to lessen the chances of over-mixing.
Step-by-step instructions
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease then line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas, melted butter and sugars…
…until incorporated.
Add eggs and vanilla extract.
Whisk until evenly blended.
Sift the dry ingredients directly into the banana mixture.
Stir until just blended.
Add chopped pecans and chocolate chips.
Stir to combine.
Transfer the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar on top.
Bake for 75 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the banana pecan bread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert baking tips
Easy, right? Here are more tips for the best banana bread with pecans every time.
- Use room temperature eggs. They are easier to incorporate and will help you avoid over-mixing.
- Measure flour correctly. Incorrect amount of flour is one of the main reasons cakes and sweet breads fail. Best to use a kitchen scale to ensure you’re adding the right amount.
- Don’t over-mash the bananas. Use a fork to mash your bananas. Don’t mash it too much that they become too thin, almost liquid. You want small chunks of bananas left in your mixture.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Also, don’t over-mix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Stop when the ingredients are just blended; a few streaks or bits of flour is ok.
- Bake at the correct temperature. Lastly, make sure you’re baking at the correct temperature. An oven thermometer is an easy and inexpensive way to check.
Troubleshooting guide
| Problem | Possible Cause/s | Solution/s |
| Sunk in the middle | Bananas were over-mashed | Use a fork to mash bananas and ensure that you don’t mash them too much; you want small chunks of bananas left |
| Under-baking | Ensure that a tester inserted in the middle comes out dry before removing the pan from the oven | |
| Too little flour | Use a kitchen scale to measure flour | |
| Dry and crumbly | Over-baking | Ensure you’re baking at the correct temperature by using an oven thermometer |
| Watch and check for doneness before the suggested baking time | ||
| Too much flour | Use a kitchen scale to measure flour | |
| Bananas not ripe enough | Make sure to use overripe bananas because they add to the moisture of the bread | |
| Gummy texture | Over-mixing the batter | Mix only until the wet and dry ingredients are just blended |
| Under-baking | Ensure that a tester inserted in the middle comes out dry before removing the pan from the oven | |
| Taking too long to cook | Oven temperature is too low | Ensure you’re baking at the correct temperature by using an oven thermometer |
| Browning too fast but still raw inside | Oven temperature is too high | Ensure you’re baking at the correct temperature by using an oven thermometer |
| Loosely cover the top with aluminum foil and continue baking until the inside is baked through |
Recipe FAQs
You can make this any kind of banana nut bread you like.
Instead of pecans, you can use walnuts, almonds, cashews and more.
You can freeze peeled bananas by slicing them into ½-inch pieces and placing them in a Ziploc bag. They will stick together so you have the option to put one sliced banana per bag so you know exactly how many frozen bananas you have.
I prefer to freeze bananas unpeeled and whole. I simply place them in a Ziploc bag and freeze. When I need to use them, I bring how many pieces I need down to the fridge to thaw overnight.
Note that frozen whole bananas tend to release lots of moisture once peeled so you may want to remove some of the excess liquid before using.
There are two ways to ripen bananas faster.
First, if you have a few days before you’re planning to use them, you can place the bananas in a paper bag and leave on your counter until you’re ready to bake.
This traps the ethene gas and helps ripen the bananas faster.
Second, if you need them now, you can place the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 300F for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the skin is brown-black and the flesh is soft.
The texture will be a bit softer than naturally ripened bananas but you will get similar taste and sweetness.
You can store baked banana bread covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze it by wrapping it in plastic wrap and foil. It should keep for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter before serving.
More recipes for your loaf pan
Put your loaf pan to good use by trying these recipes:
We hope you enjoy this moist banana pecan bread recipe. Easy to make and so good!
Happy baking!
Did you make banana bread with pecans and chocolate chips? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a comment or a star rating below.You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations!
You can also find me on Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.
Banana Bread with Pecans
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pieces large overripe bananas mashed, you should get about 1½ to 1¾ cups or 375-400g
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and allowed to cool slightly
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 pieces large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Grease then line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas, melted butter and sugars until incorporated.3 pieces large overripe bananas, ½ cup unsalted butter, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ⅔ cup brown sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until evenly blended.2 pieces large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Sift the dry ingredients directly into the banana mixture. Stir until just blended.1½ cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt
- Add chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.1 cup pecans, ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Transfer the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with a little granulated sugar on top.
- Bake for 75 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- The yield depends on how thick or thin you slice the bread. The estimated nutrition information is based on 8 servings.
- Your mashed bananas don’t need to be the exact amount. As long as it’s within the range written in the recipe, you’re ok.
- For best results, use very ripe bananas. It will affect the sweetness and overall banana flavor of your banana bread.
- See post for more tips, FAQs and a troubleshooting guide.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Mia
Great recipe, however quite high on the sweetness. Moist, perfect texture.
Jolina
Hi Mia, thanks for trying the recipe!
Giangi
Thank you for the delicious recipe and tips. It’s perfectly sweet and moist.
Jolina
Hi Giangi, glad you liked it! 🙂