Vegan Banana Nut Bread (Easy Walnut Banana Bread)
This easy vegan banana nut bread is soft, moist, and packed with natural banana flavor. Made with simple pantry staples and no eggs or dairy needed. Perfect for breakfast, meal prep, or a wholesome snack any time of day.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- A pinch of nutmeg
- A pinch of Himalayan pink salt
Wet Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas (about 14–15 oz / 390g peeled)
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar or granulated sugar)
- ¼ cup refined coconut oil, melted
Mix-In
- 3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper. Chop the walnuts and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash the peeled bananas thoroughly with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth. Small chunks are fine, but no large pieces.
- Add the coconut sugar and melted coconut oil to the mashed bananas. Mix until evenly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Gently fold everything together with a spatula just until combined - do not overmix.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts (or your preferred mix-in).
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake at 350°F for 50–60 minutes for a single 8x4-inch loaf, or 30–40 minutes for mini loaves.
- Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs. If batter clings, bake in 5–8 minute intervals until done.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Weigh your bananas for best results - aim for 14–15 oz peeled.
- Measuring flour: Spoon flour lightly into the measuring cup and level with the back of a knife. Do not scoop directly from the bag.
- If batter seems dry after mashing the bananas, add ¼ cup of non-dairy milk.
- Gluten-free: Replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Oil-free: Replace coconut oil with equal amount of unsweetened applesauce or extra mashed banana.
- Sugar-free: Omit the sugar entirely and use extra-ripe bananas for natural sweetness.
- To make muffins: Divide batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.
Storage
- Room temperature: Covered, up to 3–4 days.
- Refrigerator: Wrapped, up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Wrapped tightly in a freezer bag, up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 3–4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.