Brown Sugar Banana Bread

Moist & Nutty Banana Bread with a Touch of Sweetness

Banana bread that’s just sweet enough, irresistibly moist, and perfect for breakfast or a snack? Yes, please! This low sugar banana bread is everything you love about classic banana bread—soft, flavorful, and packed with nutty goodness—while using less sugar for a treat you can feel good about.

Thanks to the natural sweetness of ripe bananas and the deep caramel notes of brown sugar, this brown sugar banana nut bread recipe doesn’t skimp on flavor.

But what’s banana bread without a little something extra on top?

Enter my go-to glaze for banana bread—a simple mix of powdered sugar and milk that adds the perfect touch of sweetness without overpowering the rich banana flavor. It’s the same dreamy glaze I drizzle over cinnamon rolls, and let me tell you, it works like magic here too. Light, sweet, and beautifully glossy—just enough to make every slice feel like a treat.

And the best part? My daughter absolutely devoured this bread. One minute it was cooling on the counter, the next it was gone! So if you’ve got a few overripe bananas sitting around, grab your loaf pan and let’s make some brown sugar banana bread together. You won’t regret it!

🥘 Ingredients

Banana bread dough

• Walnuts, ground or chopped
• Bananas
• Butter, soft
• Demerara Brown Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Eggs
• Spelt flour
• Baking powder

For the glaze

• Milk
• Powdered sugar

See the recipe card for quantities.

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Prep the oven and ingredients

Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F) top and bottom heat. Line your loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal later.

Step 2: Prepare the walnuts and bananas

Chop the walnut kernels or use finely grated walnuts (like I do!)—this small change makes a difference in texture. Peel and mash 2 ½ large or 3 small bananas with a fork in a bowl until smooth.

Step 3: Cream butter and sugar

In a stand mixer, cream together softened butter, demerara sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until light and fluffy.

Step 4: Mix in the eggs and dry ingredients

Beat in the eggs, then fold in the mashed bananas, walnuts, flour, and baking powder. Mix everything until a smooth, well-combined batter forms.

Step 5: Bake to perfection

Pour the batter into your lined loaf pan and bake in the center of the oven for 40-45 minutes. To check doneness, insert a wooden skewer—if it comes out clean, your banana bread is ready!

Step 6: Cool and glaze

Remove the banana bread from the oven and lift it out of the pan. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.

For the glaze, mix together powdered sugar and milk with a fork and drizzle lightly over the cooled loaf. A little goes a long way to keep it low in sugar!

Step 7: Slice and enjoy!

Cut into slices, serve, and watch it disappear in no time. Enjoy every bite of this deliciously moist brown sugar banana bread!

🍽 Equipment

• Loaf pan 9x5 Inch
• Hand or Stand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Fork
• Cooling rack
• Parchment paper

Don't forget—February 23rd is National Banana Bread Day! 🎉 The perfect excuse to bake a fresh loaf, pour a cup of coffee, and celebrate this cozy classic. Will you be baking along? 🍌🍞

If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it by ★★★★★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. This would be awesome! You can also sign up for our Newsletter or follow me on Pinterest or Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @combinegoodflavors and hashtag #combinegoodflavors, so I don't miss it.

📖 Recipe

Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Nora

This low sugar banana bread is naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and a hint of brown sugar, giving it a deep, caramel-like flavor. The added walnuts bring a delightful crunch, while a light powdered sugar glaze adds the perfect finishing touch. A deliciously moist and nutty treat that’s perfect for breakfast, snacking, or sharing!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Baking Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 Slices

Calories 195 kcal

Equipment

• Loaf pan 9x5 Inch
• Hand or stand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Fork
• Cooling Rack
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

Banana bread dough

• ¾ cup Walnuts ground or chopped
• 2 ½ Bananas
• ¼ cup Butter soft
• ½ cup Demerara Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 pinch Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 ¾ cups Spelt flour 8.82 oz
• 3 teaspoon Baking powder

For the glaze

• 2 tablespoon Milk
• 1 cup Powdered sugar

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F) (top and bottom heat). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
• Prepare ¾ cup Walnuts by chopping them or using grated walnuts for a finer texture.
  ¾ cup Walnuts
• Mash 2 ½ Bananas (2 ½ large or 3 small bananas) with a fork until smooth.
  2 ½ Bananas
• Cream ¼ cup Butter, ½ cup Demerara Brown Sugar, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, and 1 pinch Salt in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
  ¼ cup Butter, ½ cup Demerara Brown Sugar, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, 1 pinch Salt
• Beat in 2 Eggs, then stir in walnuts, mashed bananas, 1 ¾ cups Spelt flour, and 3 teaspoon Baking powder until a smooth batter forms.
  2 Eggs, 1 ¾ cups Spelt flour, 3 teaspoon Baking powder
• Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Check doneness with a wooden skewer.
• Cool the bread on a wire rack after removing it from the pan.
• Prepare the glaze by mixing 1 cup Powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon Milk, then drizzle lightly over the cooled loaf. Use just enough to keep it low in sugar!
  2 tablespoon Milk, 1 cup Powdered sugar
• Slice and serve! Enjoy this moist, nutty, and just-sweet-enough banana bread!

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Keyword banana bread, Brown sugar banana bread, Low sugar banana bread

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Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

⛑️ Food Safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

For further information, check Safe Food Handling - FDA.