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Bourbon Banana Walnut Bread

Bourbon banana walnut bread with a rich amber crumb—melted butter, bourbon, and vanilla baked with bananas for a deep, caramel-like loaf. Toasted walnuts add crunch throughout, and the center bakes up golden and tender for thick adult banana bread slices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana bread base
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 0.5 cup butter melted
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 cup walnuts toasted and roughly chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Toast the walnuts on a sheet pan until fragrant, then roughly chop.
Mix the batter
  1. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, bourbon, and vanilla into the mashed bananas until smooth.
  2. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until just combined.
  3. Fold in the toasted walnuts, pour the batter into the pan, and scatter a few extra walnut pieces on top.
Bake and rest
  1. Bake at 350°F for 60–70 minutes, until deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  2. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out, so the bourbon flavor deepens as the bread rests.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas (deep yellow with spots) for the best sweetness and banana flavor. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; slice and freeze for up to 2 months. For a non-alcohol option, replace the bourbon with an equal amount of vanilla-bourbon-style baking extract or bourbon-free vanilla, noting the flavor will be less amber and warm.