How to Make Banana Walnut Bread

This amazing banana walnut bread is so soft and naturally sweet, and it actually tastes like banana. The flavor is a perfect balance of banana and baked in walnut to create a delicious combination. Plus, it’s dairy free and soy free! Try this banana walnut bread as a make-ahead breakfast, an afternoon treat, or as a gift for a friend. I love making sweet loafs in my cast iron loaf pan and bringing them to friends as a thank you for inviting us over for dinner, or as a gift after a new baby has been born.

When I first became dairy free and soy free, I knew I had to find a way to bake my favorite baked goods. Banana muffins were one of the first recipes I figured out how to make as I learned how to comply with my new dietary restrictions. Now, I have perfected the banana walnut bread recipe.

Honestly, eating dairy free soy free doesn’t even feel like a restriction anymore, it is just my way of life now. I hope that encourages you if you have recently found yourself cutting dairy out of your diet and are wondering, “how in the world am I going to eat? I can’t have anything I use to eat anymore!” It does get easier, that I can promise you.

Ingredients for Dairy Free Soy Free Banana Walnut Bread:

Large ripe bananas: You want the bananas to be completely ripened, or even overripe. Bananas are softer and easier to mash and bake with when they are overripe. They are also sweeter the riper they are. This is a recipe to use up those overripe bananas you don’t want to eat by themselves but do not want to waste. Your banana bread will be softer and sweeter with mushy, overripe bananas.

Sugar: I like to use organic raw cane sugar. You can use whatever sweetener you prefer when baking.

Egg: One large chicken egg to add structure and flavor to the banana bread.

Coconut oil: A great substitute for butter, coconut oil gives the banana bread a nice, soft texture because it becomes solid at room temperature.

Flour: Regular all-purpose or whole wheat, both work and taste great.

Baking soda: This helps with the rising of the bread.

Baking Powder: To help the bread rise and be nice and fluffy and soft.

Salt: To keep our banana bread from tasting bland.

Walnuts: These give the bread its classic nutty flavor and texture as well as protein to help with satiation.

Tools you may need to make dairy free soy free Banana walnut bread:

• 8.5″ x 4.5″ cast iron loaf pan
• Spoon
• Fork
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Large mixing bowl
• Cooling rack
• 2 pot holders
• Spatula

How to Make Dairy Free Soy Free Banana Walnut Bread:

Step One:

Place the coconut oil in the loaf pan and place the loaf pan in the oven to preheat with the oven to 325°. This will melt the coconut oil and grease the pan at the same time. Remove the oil from the oven once it has completely melted and place the pan on the stove top. We will use the oil in just a minute. You don’t want the oil to get too hot or smoke in the oven.

Step Two:

Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork in the large mixing bowl. I do not use any particular method for this. I just mash them up! This will be easier the more ripe the bananas are.

Step Three:

Add the sugar to the mashed bananas and continue mashing until the mixture is liquified and there are no large chunks of banana. I like to add the sugar at this time because the sugar adds friction to help get the bananas totally mashed.

Step Four:

Next, add the egg and melted coconut oil to the bowl and whip together until the egg and oil are totally mixed in.

Step Five:

Now, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and mix very well. Finally, stir in the walnuts until completely combined.

Note: You can whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl with a fork or whisk before adding them to the wet ingredients. This keeps the baking soda from clumping and causing any pockets of bitter saltiness in your banana walnut bread.

Step Six:

Once the batter is combined, scrape the batter completely out of the bowl with a spoon or spatula into the greased loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 53-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the very center comes back out clean.

Step Seven:

Once the banana bread has finished baking, remove the bread from the oven and let it cool for just 5-10 minutes on the stove top. Then, remove the bread from the pan by gently scraping and very gently pushing on each side of the bread with a spatula until you feel it is not stuck to the edges of the loaf pan. Place one hand under a pot holder, ready to catch the bread, and hold the loaf pan with the other hand in a pot holder. As you turn the loaf pan upside down on the cooling rack, the banana bread should slide right out of the pan onto the rack. Gently turn the bread right side up on the cooling rack. Serve warm or let it cool to room temperature.

Storing the Dairy Free Soy Free Banana Walnut Bread:

Let the banana walnut bread cool completely before sealing it or wrapping it up in plastic wrap. This dairy free, soy free banana walnut bread can keep on the counter top in a sealed container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it in a sealed freezer bag for up to 6 months.

Check out more of my sweet breakfast food recipes:

Southern Style Vegan Biscuits

Dairy Free Cinnamon Rolls

Shop This Post:

Cast Iron Loaf Pan

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons (similar)

Large Glass Mixing Bowl

Did you make this Dairy Free Soy Free Banana Walnut Bread?

If you tried this recipe and love it, I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment below and tag me on instagram @simplysarahcatherine with your own Banana Walnut Bread. Don’t forget to pin it for later!

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