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Maple Walnut Banana Bread with Crunchy Streusel Topping
Moist maple walnut banana bread with a crunchy streusel top, made with ripe bananas, pure maple syrup and toasted walnuts. Easy one-bowl loaf recipe.
Maple Walnut Banana Bread with Crunchy Top is a moist, quick-style loaf that combines mashed overripe bananas with pure maple syrup, brown sugar, and warm spices for natural sweetness and depth of flavor. Chopped walnuts are folded into the batter for texture, while a buttery walnut-oat streusel bakes into a crisp, golden crust that distinguishes this variation from classic banana bread. Prepared in a single loaf pan with standard pantry ingredients—flour, eggs, butter or oil, baking soda, and a hint of vanilla—this recipe requires minimal hands-on time and no yeast. The finished bread is typically enjoyed warm or at room temperature as a breakfast treat, mid-afternoon snack, or light dessert alongside coffee or tea.
Maple Walnut Banana Bread with Crunchy Streusel Topping
Think of this loaf as a smart use-up for those last two bananas on the counter and the half-bag of walnuts in your pantry—no specialty shopping required. The batter comes together in one bowl, and the bread freezes beautifully, so you can slice off a piece of cozy flavor whenever you need it.
Prep Time
20 minutes
20 minutes
Cook Time
65 minutes
65 minutes
Total Time
85 minutes
85 minutes
Ingredients
Over-ripe bananas, mashed – 3 large (about 1 ½ cups)
- Pure maple syrup – ½ cup
- Unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled – ⅓ cup
- Light brown sugar, packed – ⅓ cup
- Large eggs – 2
- Plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream) – ¼ cup
- Pure vanilla extract – 1 ½ tsp
- All-purpose flour – 1 ¾ cups
- Baking soda – 1 tsp
- Baking powder – ½ tsp
- Ground cinnamon – 1 tsp
- Fine sea salt – ½ tsp
- Walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped – ¾ cup
- Crunchy streusel topping:
- All-purpose flour – ½ cup
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – ⅓ cup
- Light brown sugar, packed – ⅓ cup
- Cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes – 3 tbsp
- Walnuts, finely chopped – ½ cup
- Pure maple syrup – 1 tbsp
- Ground cinnamon – ½ tsp
- Pinch fine sea salt – 1
- Optional / suggested add-ins:
- Mini chocolate chips – up to ½ cup
- Ground flaxseed – 2 tbsp
- Extra banana, thinly sliced, for decorative top – 1 small
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F 177°C
- Lightly grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan
- Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant then let them cool
- Stir together all purpose flour brown sugar chopped toasted walnuts and ground cinnamon in a small bowl
- Drizzle melted butter over the mixture and toss with a fork until large crumbs form
- Set the streusel aside
- Whisk together flour baking soda baking powder and salt in a medium bowl
- Peel and mash ripe bananas in a large mixing bowl until mostly smooth
- Whisk in eggs pure maple syrup packed brown sugar melted butter and vanilla extract until combined
- Add the dry flour mixture to the banana mixture
- Stir gently with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain
- Fold in chopped toasted walnuts
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter and press lightly so it sticks
- Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven
- Bake until the top is deep golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean about 55 to 65 minutes
- Lay a sheet of foil loosely over the loaf if the topping browns too quickly during baking
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes
- Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the bread
- Lift the bread out of the pan or invert it onto the rack
- Cool the loaf completely before slicing and serving
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
4460 kcal Protein
78 g Fat
212 g Carbs
591 g Fiber
29 g Sugar
312 g
4460 kcal Protein
78 g Fat
212 g Carbs
591 g Fiber
29 g Sugar
312 g
Notes
Toast the walnuts first—8 minutes at 350°F—than cool and chop; the quick pre-roast wakes up their flavor and keeps them crunchy under the streusel. For a bakery-style finish, brush the hot loaf with a tablespoon of warm maple syrup as soon as it comes out of the oven; it adds gloss and seals in moisture.
why this recipe
This maple walnut banana bread earns a spot in your baking rotation because it transforms familiar comfort into something unmistakably special: fragrant bananas mingle with deep, woodsy maple syrup, while toasted walnuts thread through the crumb for earthy crunch, and the lavishly strewn, caramelized topping shatters delightfully with every slice. Balanced sweetness, nuanced nuttiness, and a contrasting texture make each bite feel indulgent yet wholesome, turning an ordinary quick bread into a bakery-worthy treat you’ll be proud to share—or keep to yourself.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute the maple syrup with honey or another liquid sweetener without affecting the texture?
Yes—honey, agave, or another pourable liquid sweetener can be used in a 1:1 swap and the loaf’s moisture and rise will stay essentially the same. Because honey is a touch sweeter and browns faster, you may want to reduce the brown sugar by a tablespoon and check for doneness 5 minutes earlier, but no other adjustments are necessary.
How should I store and reheat the bread to keep the streusel topping crisp?
Let the loaf cool completely, then wrap the cut sides only in plastic or foil, leaving the streusel-covered top exposed, and store it at room temperature in an un-sealed container for up to 3 days (or freeze, well-wrapped, for 2 months). To restore crunch, warm individual slices in a 325°F (165°C) toaster oven or regular oven for 5–7 minutes; avoid microwaving, which softens the topping.
Can I bake this batter as muffins instead, and what adjustments are needed?
Yes—divide the batter (plus streusel) among 12–14 lined or greased standard-size muffin wells, filling each about ¾ full. Bake at the same 350 °F (177 °C) temperature for 18–22 minutes, rotating the pan once, until the domes spring back and a tester comes out clean.