Moist Banana Hazelnut Bread

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Easy Moist Banana Hazelnut Bread is made with nutty brown butter and swirled with a thick ribbon of Nutella for a delicious combination. Creamy yogurt and overripe bananas create the perfect soft & moist loaf. Serve this bread warm with a smear of Nutella for a delicious treat!

Overhead close up of slices of banana hazelnut bread on a rectangular metal cooling rack set on a flat surface.

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Get ready to enjoy a slice of very moist banana hazelnut bread. Between nutty brown butter, toasted chopped hazelnuts, and a swirl of Nutella, this loaf is packed with flavor.

I love using overripe bananas for baking, whether it’s for banana bread cookies, baked donuts, or sour cream muffins. And in this recipe, you’ll only need 3 ripe bananas combined with simple pantry ingredients for a banana bread that comes together quickly without the need for special equipment (makes cleanup super easy!).

Let’s get started!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Made with brown butter. It adds a rich, nutty, and slightly caramelized flavor taking this banana hazelnut bread to the next level!
Perfect for ripe bananas. Do you have leftover brown speckled bananas (but not black and mushy)? No problem, they’re exactly what you’ll need for this recipe, and you won’t have to waste your bananas.
No mixer is needed. This batter is hand-mixed and comes together in no time!

Ingredients You'll Need

Ingredients for banana hazelnut bread in bowls on a flat surface.

Butter. Use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt that goes into the batter. Melted butter soaks up the flour and creates a smooth batter.
All-purpose flour. Gives the right amount of tenderness to the loaf bread (not too dense and not too cakey).
Baking soda. The leavening agent that contributes to the rise of the banana bread for a light and fluffy texture.
Salt. Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients in the loaf.
Sugar. You’ll need brown and granulated sugars for the sweetness. The brown sugar adds a slightly caramelized flavor.
Bananas. The key ingredient for the flavor in this loaf bread. Selecting very ripe bananas will give you the best flavor since ripe bananas are sweeter. Additionally, ripe bananas mash easily into the ideal consistency for mixing into the batter.
Eggs. Add richness and contribute to the rise of the cake. Use room temperature eggs.
Vanilla. Pure vanilla extract is worth the splurge for the best flavor.
Greek yogurt. Adds moisture and richness to the loaf. The acidity in yogurt helps create a softer and more tender cake and balances out the sweetness of the other ingredients. Use room temperature yogurt to create a smooth batter.
Hazelnuts. Use chopped hazelnuts. Toasting them first adds a delicious flavor to your loaf. You can swap hazelnuts for your favorite nuts or omit them altogether.
Nutella. Swirl it into the batter for a fun surprise. Feel free to use more or less based on your preferences.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

Sour Cream. You can easily swap the Greek yogurt with an equal amount of sour cream or even regular yogurt.
Frozen bananas. If you have frozen bananas on hand, thaw them at room temperature, drain excess liquid, mash, and add them to the batter.

How to Quickly Mash Bananas

You are ready to make this banana hazelnut bread, but your bananas aren’t super ripe. No need to try to mash firm bananas. Instead, here are some tips to quickly ripen bananas.

Oven method: Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet in a preheated 300°F/150°C oven. Bake them for 15-20 minutes until the skins are black and they are soft to the touch. Allow to cool before mashing them.
Microwave method: Using a fork or knife, poke holes all over unpeeled bananas. Place them on a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 30-second intervals until softened.

Note: The microwave method will not produce super ripe bananas like the oven will, however, they will become soft enough to mash easily into the ideal consistency.

Close up overhead shot of a slice of banana hazelnut bread broken into two pieces set on a flat surface.

Helpful Equipment & Tools

Digital kitchen scale or measuring cups. Using a scale will give you exact measurements for consistent results.
Measuring spoons.
9x5 loaf pan. I don’t recommend using a smaller loaf pan otherwise, the batter won’t cook evenly. If using a glass or ceramic pan, the heat will take longer to transfer to the batter, so you’ll need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Parchment paper.
Small saucepan. Used to brown the butter.
Large bowl.
Medium bowl.
Whisk.
Rubber spatula.
Knife.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Before you begin: Bring the eggs and Greek yogurt to room temperature and read the recipe from start to finish. Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C and line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper.

Browned butter in a glass mixing bowl set on a flat surface.

Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook until you see brown specks throughout.

Whisked dry ingredients in a glass mixing bowl set on a flat surface.

Whisk dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Whisked sugars with browned butter in a glass mixing bowl set on a flat surface.

Add sugar. Whisk together sugar and butter.

Mix wet ingredients. Mix bananas, eggs, vanilla, and yogurt.

Mixed batter for banana hazelnut bread in a glass mixing bowl set on a flat surface.

Combine ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Gently fold hazelnuts into the batter.

Banana hazelnut bread batter in a parchment lined loaf pan swirled with Nutella set on a flat surface.

Bake. Pour batter into the pan and swirl with Nutella, then bake.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

As a trained pastry chef, I always use these tips to bake the perfect banana hazelnut bread.

Use room temperature ingredients. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature. Doing this will allow your ingredients to mix evenly and smoothly.
Use parchment paper. Line your baking pan with parchment paper to prevent the banana bread from sticking. No parchment paper? Grease and flour the pan before adding the batter.
Gently fold the ingredients together. You’ll want to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients without overmixing, or else the loaf will become chewy.
Slice once completely cool. The banana bread needs to be fully set before slicing otherwise, it’ll fall apart.

Recipe Variations

We love the combination of the brown butter infused flavor plus the Nutella swirl, but you could also vary with other flavors:

Frosted loaf. Use the cream cheese frosting from my fluffy cinnamon rolls (half the amount) to top this banana bread.
Chocolate chips. Add up to 80 g (½ cup) of chocolate chips to the batter.

Storage & Freezing Tips

Leftover bread. Store covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Freezer. Tightly wrap the completely cooled banana hazelnut loaf or slices in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Place wrapped banana bread in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw on the counter to room temperature before serving.

Stack of slices of banana hazelnut bread set on a flat surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I underbake my banana bread?

No problem! I recommend slicing the loaf and cooking it in a skillet (preferably cast iron) with butter to toast it! Spread the warmed slices with Nutella for an extra tasty treat.

Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?

Using a baking pan that’s too small or overmixing the batter will result in a banana bread that sinks in the middle.

Can I make this banana bread into muffins?

Yes, fill the cavities of a standard muffin pan lined with cupcake liners ¾ full of batter and bake at 350°F/177°C for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

More Easy Breakfast Recipes

Get all of my breakfast recipes here!

I hope you love this Moist Banana Hazelnut Bread as much as we do and that it becomes a family favorite! Please leave a comment below, I love reading your feedback! And if you’d like to make this recipe later, don’t forget to pin it on Pinterest! Happy Baking!