Name: Banana Pecan Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp; 8 ounces cream cheese at room temp; 2 cups granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 3 cups self-rising flour; 4 medium ripe bananas; 1.5 cups chopped pecans; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/4 teaspoon cloves; 1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar; 2 tablespoons softened butter; 2 tablespoons flour

This is one of the most flavorful, tender, and moist banana bread recipes you’ll ever meet. This banana pecan bread is bursting with pecan pieces and warm spices and is finished with an irresistible streusel topping.

Jump to Recipe

I can never have too many varieties of banana bread in my life and so today, I’m bringing you another recipe for another one of my favorites: banana pecan bread. This moist banana bread recipe is one of the most tender crumbed and flavorful ones you’ll find, thanks to the incorporation of an entire brick of cream cheese within the batter itself. It steps further into bliss with the deliciously wonderful toasted pecan streusel topping.

So, what do you need to make my pecan banana bread? You’ll need butter, cream cheese, sugar, eggs, self-rising flour, ripe bananas, chopped pecans, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Can you smell those spices already? Your kitchen is about to smell absolutely delicious!

Now, unlike my cream cheese-filled banana bread with a ribbon of cream cheese inside it, this cream cheese is going to become part of our batter. By incorporating it into the batter, we’ll end up with much more tender and flavorful banana bread. If I haven’t won you over yet, the instructions for this quick and easy banana bread recipe are so simple. Just mix the ingredients together, pop the batter into a loaf pan, add the pecan streusel topping, and bake.

No matter how recently you’ve made banana bread, this banana pecan bread recipe is calling your name! I encourage you to print out the recipe today and keep it close at hand for the next time the baking bug bites ya. And if you don’t want a banana bread recipes try some of these bread recipes Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread, Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting, Sweet Potato Bread With Cinnamon Swirl, and Monkey Bread With Cream Cheese Stuffing.

Recipe Ingredients

Unsalted butter
Cream cheese
Granulated sugar
Brown sugar
Eggs
Self-rising flour
Ripe bananas
Chopped pecans
Vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon
Allspice
Cloves

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Mixing Bowl
Loaf Pan (Splurge)
Loaf Pan (Budget Friendly)

How to Make Banana Pecan Bread

Go ahead and stir the topping ingredients together (extra butter, brown sugar, and any flour is fine) until they look like this:

Set that aside and we’ll use it in a minute.

Now, let’s make our batter.

Place butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well blended and fluffy.

Add eggs and sugar and beat again until mixed.

Add in flour, bananas, 1 cup of chopped pecans, and spices. Mix until fully incorporated.

Bananas will still have some chunks and the batter will be thick.

Spray two loaf pans liberally with baking spray.

Divide the batter evenly among the greased loaf pans.

Sprinkle the topping over the batter in each pan.

Sprinkle with remaining pecans.

Bake at 350 for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cover with foil after 30 minutes to prevent pecans from burning.

Allow it to cool in the pan for ten minutes before turning it out.

Oh, mercy! This is even more delicious than it looks.

I hope you get to make this soon. Make sure you print out the recipe to have on hand!

Storage

You can store leftover banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can serve cold or reheat slices in the microwave or air fryer.
Store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months as well. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge before serving.

Recipe Notes

It is incredibly important that your cream cheese and butter be softened at room temp so they will blend in well. I usually just sit them on the counter at night before going to bed and make banana bread in the morning.
To make your own self-rising flour, simply add 1.5 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp of salt for EACH cup of all-purpose flour.
Don’t overmix the batter. It will be thick and there will be banana lumps, that’s completely normal.
Besides pecans, you can add a cup of something else to the banana bread: raisins, dried cranberries, or semi-sweet chocolate chips included.
Another option: coconut and pecan banana bread by adding 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes.
For extra flavor, use 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar.
Instead of allspice and cloves, feel free to use ground nutmeg, ground cardamon, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice.

Recipe FAQs

The main reason for dry banana nut bread is using too much flour. Ensure you measure your flour correctly and there shouldn’t be a problem.

You know what? You can use any kind of chopped nut in banana bread. Besides pecans, my top picks are peanuts, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts.

You bet it does! Insert a toothpick in the center of your banana bread and if there’s no batter sticking to it, it’s time to take it out of the oven.

Can bananas be too ripe for banana bread?

No, there’s no such thing as an overripe banana in a classic banana bread recipe, but there is such a thing as an under-ripe banana.

Should you let banana bread rest after baking?

Yes, you want to let it rest in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before removing it from the pan and letting it cool completely on a wire rack.

Should you cover banana bread when baking?

Yes, you should cover banana bread in the last 15 to 30 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning and burning the pecans, in this instance.

Here are more delectable banana bread recipes:

Cranberry Banana Bread

Banana Bread Pudding Sundae

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Banana Bread French Toast

Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread

Banana Bread Caramel Sundae