Super moist banana nut bread made with 1 banana, chopped walnuts or pecans, and a hint of cinnamon. A classic banana nut bread recipe that's so easy to make and the perfect size for one person.
If you've got one banana, you can bake this easy, delicious single serving banana nut bread. This quick bread has a moist, tender crumb with a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. It can be enjoyed for breakfast or brunch, or as a snack or dessert.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Made with one banana: Our classic banana nut bread recipe calls for using one ripe banana. It's made using simple ingredients and delivers a single small loaf of the best banana bread that's moist with well-balanced flavors.
- Easy recipe: I believe that banana bread is something you should be able to quickly make any time you have a single banana ready to be used up. This recipe is very basic and takes just 10 minutes to whisk together. While baking your home will fill with its tempting aroma and you'll be able to enjoy warm, fresh baked banana bread in minutes.
- Recipe doubles well: We use a 10-ounce ramekin that measures 4 inches in diameter and is approximately 1 ¾-inches tall in a mini banana nut bread recipe. If you'd like to double the recipe, double the ingredient amounts and use a 5x5-inch baking dish. An example of the dish we use and recommend can be found on our store page.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour. This recipe has also been tested with King Arthur Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour with success. If you'd like to make gluten-free banana nut bread, I recommend using this brand of gluten-free flour.
- Baking soda: This helps the banana nut bread rise.
- Ground cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract: For the best flavor!
- Banana: We use just one banana in our mini banana nut bread recipe. Make sure you use a ripe banana. Choose one that shows freckles on the skin and one that is perhaps a little too soft for snacking. You can use a very ripe banana with completely brown skin which will make the banana nut bread have an even stronger banana flavor and will be richer in taste.
- Sugar: I use white granulated sugar which adds the perfect sweet flavor to the muffins.
- Butter: Use melted butter for a soft texture and amazing butter flavor.
- An egg yolk: To give the banana nut bread structure.
- Nuts: Use either chopped walnuts or pecans which give the bread a nice crunch and a nutty flavor.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
How To Make Banana Nut Bread For One
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly butter a 10-ounce ramekin and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- Mash the banana on a small plate with a fork.
- Transfer the mashed banana to a medium-sized bowl and add the sugar. With a wire whisk or an electric mixer on medium speed whip the banana and sugar together.
- Add melted butter, an egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Pour into a lightly buttered 10-ounce ramekin and place the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
Expert Tips
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients before starting.
- Use ripe bananas. Ripe bananas make the sweetest banana bread. When bananas have plenty of brown spots on the skin, they're perfect to use. The browner the skins, the sweeter the banana bread.
- Buy bananas and freeze them. It's a great idea to keep overripe bananas handy in your freezer ready for baking. If you've got a few forgotten bananas on your counter, freeze them, unpeeled. Freezing bananas will turn the skin black, but once peeled the flesh will be perfect for making banana bread or banana muffins.
- Pecans can be substituted for walnuts. Other nuts that go in banana bread are chopped almonds, pistachios, cashews, and macadamia nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
The success of this recipe depends on the size of the baking dish you use. We recommend using a 10-ounce ramekin or a 6.5-inch cast iron skillet in this mini banana nut bread recipe. These dishes can be found on our Store page.
No. If you'd like to make banana bread without nuts, simply leave them out.
I've found that melted butter creates a more flavorful banana nut bread. You can certainly substitute with an equal amount of canola, vegetable, or avocado oil in this recipe.
Here are two clues you can use to check to see if your banana nut bread is done baking: the edges should be a deep golden-brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
We've found through our years of scaling down recipes that using the entire egg in many of our single serving and small batch baked goods will alter the texture and taste of the item you are baking significantly. We do not recommend using the whole egg in our small banana nut bread recipe. Instead, save the egg white and use it in any of the egg white recipes listed in the "Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients" section below.
You can store leftover raw egg whites in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should be used within 3 days.
Egg whites can be frozen by transferring them to a freezer-safe container. Label the container with the date frozen and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw, place frozen egg whites in your refrigerator overnight.
How To Serve Banana Nut Bread
Serve the bread warm, at room temperature, or straight from the refrigerator. It's wonderful along with a cup of coffee or hot tea.
Banana nut bread is delicious on its own, with butter, peanut butter, almond butter, or cream cheese. Enjoy it with eggs or fresh fruit for a delightful breakfast.
How To Store Banana Nut Bread
- To store: Place the banana nut bread in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Wrap the bread in plastic wrap and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Remove the banana nut bread from the freezer and leave it to defrost on the kitchen counter. Enjoy as is, or gently heat in the microwave.
More Single Serving and Small Batch Banana Recipes
- Small Batch Banana Muffins (2 bananas)
- Grilled Pound Cake with Bananas (1 banana)
- Banana Oat Pecan Muffins (2-3 bananas)
- Banana Cream Pie For One (1 banana)
- Bananas Foster For One (1 banana)
- Frozen Chocolate Banana (1 banana)
- Banana Pancakes (1 banana)
- Mini Hummingbird Cake (1 banana)
- Tropical Smoothie (1 banana)
- Green Smoothie (1 banana)
- Banana Pancakes (1 banana)
- Banana Pudding (1 banana)
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this very moist banana nut bread recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Bananas: See the recipes above.
- Egg white: Mini Texas Sheet Cake, Coconut Macaroons, Flourless Chocolate Cookies, Two Vanilla Cupcakes, Two Chocolate Cupcakes, Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Cinnamon: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Carrot Cake Cupcakes, Snickerdoodles, Fried Apples, Apple Cinnamon Scones
- Walnuts: Morning Glory Muffins, Brownies, Chicken Salad, Maple Walnut Muffin, Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Vanilla extract: Buckeyes, Chess Pie, Buttermilk Pancakes, Mini Boston Cream Pie, French Silk Pie
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried this easy banana nut bread recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Recipe
Banana Nut Bread For One
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium banana , mashed
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter , melted (plus more for greasing the ramekin)
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly butter a 10-ounce ramekin and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- Mash the banana on a small plate with a fork.Transfer the mashed banana to a medium-sized bowl and add the sugar. With a wire whisk or an electric mixer on medium speed whip the banana and sugar together.
- Add melted butter, an egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Pour into a lightly buttered 10-ounce ramekin and place the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
- Read through the entire recipe and the Ingredient Notes section of the post and gather your ingredients before starting.
- Use ripe bananas. Ripe bananas make the sweetest banana bread. When bananas have plenty of brown spots on the skin, they're perfect to use. The browner the skins, the sweeter the banana bread.
- Buy bananas and freeze them. It's a great idea to keep overripe bananas handy in your freezer ready for baking. If you've got a few forgotten bananas on your counter, freeze them, unpeeled. Freezing bananas will turn the skin black, but once peeled the flesh will be perfect for making banana bread or banana muffins.
- Pecans can be substituted for walnuts. Other nuts that go in banana bread are chopped almonds, pistachios, cashews, and macadamia nuts.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
J. Hegyi says
You can make a white quick bread from this recipe by leaving the cinnamon, banana, and nuts o7t of it.
Janis says
If doubling the recipe can you use the full egg? Or do you need to use two egg yolks?
Joanie Zisk says
We've found through our years of scaling down recipes that using the entire egg in many of our single serving and small batch baked goods will alter the texture and taste of the item you are baking significantly. The bread needs the richness and protein from the egg yolk(s). We do not recommend using the whole egg in this banana nut bread recipe. Instead, save the egg white and use it in any of the egg white recipes listed in the "FAQ" section in the recipe post.
Janis says
I just want to make sure I understand you … so when doubling the recipe use two egg yolks instead of one egg.
Joanie Zisk says
Yes, that is correct. Using the entire egg will alter the taste and texture of the banana bread.
Carol Wilson says
Have you tried this recipe in the microwave instead of an oven?
Joanie Zisk says
We have not tested this recipe in the microwave.
J. Hegyi says
Terrific recipe.
Joanie Zisk says
Thank you!