Brown Butter Maple Pecan Banana Bread

January 19, 2020

2020 arrived with a punch to the jaw. The weather leaps from frigid to balmy every 24 hours, I failed to dodge the illness that has circled the office, and my washer just turned in its resignation. The blustery snow and sleet storm that hit this weekend was the final straw. I stepped into my kitchen determined to reclaim 2020 and started with making this banana bread.

I used to be a sucker for banana bread when I would go to coffee shops. In the display case, the bread looked perfect in thick, sturdy slices. From the first bite I would be disappointed every time. I found the bread to be cloyingly sweet and instead of being the lead singer, the banana was in the background playing the tambourine.

Now I skip the lackluster versions in the display case and make my own. Since discovering the blog, Little Spice Jar, this Brown Butter Maple Pecan Banana Bread has become my favorite recipe. The brown butter, spices, and maple syrup add a warm undertone to the bread but still allows the bananas to be the star of the show. There is no cloying sweetness since the maple syrup and bananas naturally provide the sugar. An added bonus is she developed this recipe to be mixed in one bowl so this comes together quickly with little cleanup needed. With a warm slice of this banana bread and a cup of coffee, 2020 is looking brighter already!

Brown Butter Maple Pecan Banana Bread

Adapted from Little Spice Jar. Marzia suggests substituting chopped chocolate for the pecans if you want to avoid using nuts. For another variation, she suggests replacing the cinnamon and nutmeg with pumpkin pie spice in the batter. Either sounds promising…or why not combine the two?

Don’t skip the step of browning the butter. Only a few minutes are needed to develop the toasty color but flavor-wise will make all the difference. I suggest using unsalted butter since salted will foam more and makes it difficult to see the change in color.

Makes 1 loaf, sliced into 12 generous pieces.

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup maple syrup (I use pure, grade A medium amber maple syrup)

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-3 medium bananas mashed to equal 1 cup

1/3 cup buttermilk or regular milk

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped pecans (hazelnuts or walnuts will work here too)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9X5-inch loaf pan. I find lining the pan with parchment paper makes the bread easier to remove, but is not necessary.

Toast the chopped pecans (or other nuts) on an un-greased pie plate in the oven for 7-10 minutes until golden brown. The pecans will quickly turn from golden to burnt, so be sure to set a timer and check them at regular 3 minute intervals.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the butter occasionally to prevent burning. You will hear sputtering as water from the butter cooks off. As the sputtering subsides, turn down the heat. The butter will turn into a light foam and begin to deepen in color. When you see the toasted brown color of the butter with bits of milk solids developed on the bottom, and begin to smell the nutty aroma, you are done. Take your time with this step, the rest of the recipe will come together quickly. Set the butter aside to cool.

Add the butter to a large bowl. Using a spatula, add the maple syrup and combine. Add the eggs and stir after each addition. Add the vanilla and mashed banana and combine.

To the liquid mixture, add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add half the flour and combine. Add the buttermilk and remaining flour. Stir just until combined. Fold in the pecans or other add-ins you have chosen. Dough will be a little lumpy from the banana but this is fine.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Slice warm and spread with softened butter until it drips down your fingers.