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This banana nut bread with sour cream is comfort in loaf form—super-moist, cinnamon-kissed, banana-strong, and topped with a crunchy walnut streusel. The sour cream is the secret ingredient that delivers a tender crumb and rich texture without weighing the bread down. Banana bread may be everywhere, but this one earns its place with every cozy, nutty, perfectly sweet slice!
If this speaks to your soul, try my Amish Apple Fritter Bread and ‘Berry Good’ Cornmeal Streusel Muffins next!
Table of Contents
Let’s Talk Banana Bread
Banana bread started appearing in American kitchens during the Great Depression when wasting food was not an option and overripe bananas became baking gold. Down here in the South, it found a permanent spot on kitchen counters—something to share, something to savor, and definitely something to brag about at church potlucks.
This version adapted from ‘Janet’s Rich Banana Bread’ takes a classic Southern quick bread and elevates it with sour cream for moisture, granulated and brown sugars for richness, and a nut streusel that feels like coffee cake and banana bread had a beautiful, delicious baby. Around here, I’ll slip half-slices into bread baskets at Thanksgiving or offer thick slices for summer al fresco brunch with a generous dollop of whipped butter or vanilla Greek yogurt.
The Magic Behind the Moisture
- Sour cream adds fat and acidity for a super-tender, bakery-style texture.
- Mashed bananas add natural sweetness and depth of flavor—especially if previously frozen and thawed.
- Cinnamon in the batter and streusel gives this loaf warm coffee cake vibes.
- Nut streusel topping adds crunch and contrast.
- Baking soda reacts with the sour cream’s acidity to give the bread height and softness.
What You’ll Need
This is a one-bowl, pantry-friendly recipe that turns humble bananas into a loaf worth writing home about.
- Mashed bananas – 2 large or 3 medium, brown and spotty or previously frozen and thawed.
- Sour cream – the secret ingredient for unbeatable moisture and tender crumb.
- All-purpose flour – spooned and leveled.
- Granulated sugar + dark brown sugar – sweeten and deepen flavor.
- Eggs – at room temperature for better incorporation.
- Melted butter – adds richness and helps with moistness.
- Baking soda + kosher salt – for rise and balance.
- Vanilla extract – because it’s banana bread law.
- Cinnamon – in the streusel.
- Pecans or Walnuts – chopped, for topping and folding into the batter.
See the recipe card for full ingredient amounts.
Variations
- Swap Greek yogurt for sour cream (1:1) if that’s what you’ve got.
- Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped dates to the batter.
How to Make Moist Banana Bread with Sour Cream
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grab your bananas, sour cream, a couple of mixing bowls, and a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Grease or line that loaf pan with baking spray or parchment paper; I do both. You can also grease and then dust the pan with cinnamon in lieu of parchment. Set aside. Now let’s bake this thing!
Scroll down for the full printable recipe or stick around for the step-by-step breakdown with photos to walk you through every delicious detail.
1
Cinnamon-Nut Sprinkle Situation
Mix together 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of Kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons of melted, unsalted butter in a small bowl until crumbly. Stir in 1/2 cup of roughly chopped nuts. Set aside. Quick Tip – If you are skipping the nuts, add an additional tablespoon of flour to ensure correct consistency.
2
Butter Meets Sugar
In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until the mixture looks glossy and slightly thick—like banana bread dreams in progress. Add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
3
Flour and Friends
In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt—this is your dry team, and they’re ready to bring structure to the mix.
4
Mix, But Not Too Much
Combine the dry team into butter and sugar mixture until everything is just barely combined—like, stop as soon as it looks like batter. No need to work overtime here.
5
Bring It All Together
Fold in 2 very large, very ripe mashed bananas (or 3 mediums), 1/2 cup of sour cream, and 1/2 cup of chopped nuts until it all comes together into a thick, banana-scented batter that looks like something you’d swipe a finger through—if no one’s looking.
6
Assemble the Dream Loaf
Pour in the batter and smooth it out, then sprinkle on the brown sugar nut streusel. Bake for 60–75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment to lift the loaf to a wire rack to cool.
7
Get Into That Goodness
Butter it. Cream cheese it. Dollop a spoonful of thick yogurt on it if you’re feeling Euro. However you serve it, just don’t be shy about it!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! A small pinch (about ½ to 1 teaspoon) of espresso powder won’t make it taste like coffee—but it will deepen the banana flavor and balance the sweetness in a subtle, bakery-style way.
Yes! Freeze and thaw them, mash, and use any accumulated, thawed liquid—you’ll get deeper banana flavor and extra moisture in your finished bake.
This recipe specifies 2 large bananas or 3 bananas. Any more bananas increase water content, leading to gummy texture and lack of rise.
Grease the pan well, line it with parchment, or do both. Want a little upgrade? Try greasing and then dusting the pan with cinnamon. It not only helps the loaf release cleanly but also gives the edges a subtle caramelized flavor without changing how the inside bakes.
What to Slather, Scoop, or Sip With It
Spread it with soft butter, swipe on cream cheese, or go Euro-style with a thick spoonful of vanilla Greek yogurt—whatever gets you up close and personal with that banana-streusel goodness. It holds its own next to coffee but doesn’t mind a drizzle of honey bourbon either.
Drink Pairings:
- Coffee or espresso – banana bread’s best friend
- Sweet Riesling – for an elevated brunch twist
- Bourbon – we’re Southern. It’s allowed.
Expert Tips
- Let your eggs and sour cream come to room temp before mixing.
- Layer the streusel inside for a bakery-style surprise.
- Avoid overmixing once flour is added—stir gently.
- Start checking for doneness at 60 minutes with a toothpick.
- Cool the bread completely before slicing to preserve moisture.
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Moist Banana Nut Bread with Sour Cream & Streusel
Ingredients
Streusel
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, spooned/leveled
- ¼ cup brown sugar, light or dark, packed/leveled
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup nuts, chopped; pecans or walnuts work best
- pinch Kosher salt
Bread
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned/leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
- ½ cup nuts, chopped; pecans or walnuts work best
- 2 large (or 3 medium) bananas, mashed; use brown, black or frozen bananas
Optional
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, enhances banana flavor profile if using bananas which are not overripe
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 9×5 loaf pan with baking spray or parchment paper or do both. If you don’t have parchment paper and are concerned about sticking, thoroughly grease the pan and dust it lightly with cinnamon, tapping out any excess before adding the batter. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until crumbly. Stir in the chopped nuts until evenly distributed. If omitting the nuts, add a little more flour to maintain the proper texture. Set aside.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, light or dark, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup nuts, pinch Kosher salt
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth and slightly glossy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until everything is fully incorporated and the mixture appears light and uniform.1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. This ensures the leavening ingredients are fully distributed throughout the flour before mixing them into the batter.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until no visible streaks of flour remain. The batter should look uniform but still thick. Be careful not to overmix, as this can result in a dense or tough loaf.
- Fold in the mashed bananas, sour cream, and chopped walnuts until the mixture is evenly combined. The batter should be thick and cohesive, with the bananas fully incorporated and the nuts evenly distributed throughout.½ cup sour cream, 2 large (or 3 medium) bananas, ½ cup nuts
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the surface. Bake in the center of the oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this for the second time yesterday. I think I’m going to have to hide it from my husband. ;>)
Excellent recipe – used slightly less sugar and swapped Greek yogurt for the sour cream. Used pecans in the streusel topping because hubby prefers them.
Thanks,
Sheila
Sheila, I love this! I love the bread, and I love that YOU love the bread! I use pecans, too because here in Charleston, SC, they’re in everybody’s backyards! Thank you for taking time from your day to share this with me. It means a lot! x – Jenny
Wonderful, but didn’t mention whether to use metal or glass pan, or placement of oven rack(middle, or lower) my loaf exterior got to brown. I rotated the loaf half way through. I used a metal nonstick pan. ??
Hope, apologies that you struggled with these two attributes in the recipe. I do not specify what type of loaf pan because it can be any type. I switch between a Pullman (carbon steel/high-sided with a top) pan, and my favorite stoneware pan. In terms of where to set your oven rack, that too, depends much on your oven.
To avoid over-browning when baking banana bread, the ideal oven rack position is usually the middle, where heat circulates evenly for balanced baking. If the top of the loaf browns too quickly, shifting the rack to the lower third reduces direct heat exposure from above. Over-browning can also stem from inaccurate oven temperatures (check with an oven thermometer), using dark or thin pans that transfer heat too quickly, or placing the loaf near hot spots in the oven. Rotating the pan halfway through and tenting the top with foil during the last 15–25 minutes can further prevent over-baking while allowing the loaf to cook through properly.
It sounds like you kept a keen eye and rotated the pan when you saw the surface browning too much for your liking. I would encourage you to bake this again (because the end result really is just so worth it, I PROMISE) and bake in the lower third of your oven for the full time specified OR in the middle, rotating halfway thru, AND with tented foil during the last 15 to 25 minutes of the bake, shiny side up to deflect heat. Should you bake it again, I’d really love to know how you and yours enjoy it. 🙂 Jenny
Are there additional instructions or changes for high altitude?
Shirley, you must add an additional 2 tablespoons of flour to the amount of flour called for in the bread. For the streusel, add 1 additional tablespoon of flour. Since I live below sea level slightly, I do not have a lot of experience with high altitude baking, but I do vet the methods for high altitude with a lady who lives in Colorado Springs. She says adding the flour ensures this will bake as indicated. I really would like another opinion; if you can, circle back and let me know your result 🙂 Jenny
What’s the oven temp? You stated to cook for 1hr and then for 1 hr 20 min. Please clarify.
L, you want to bake for 1 hour and test for doneness. At this point, you will know if your bread requires additional oven time. All ovens vary, so I put a variable of 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Once a tester pulls away clean, allow the bread to rest in the hot pan for 10 minutes before turning out. Let me know if this clarifies the confusion. I will re-word the directions to quantify what I have just told you in case others might read it the same as you did. Thank you for bringing it to my attention! Jenny
I should also note a caveat to my instructions; if you have an especially slow oven or are using anything other than the 9×5 loaf pan specified, you may require less than 1 hour or more than 1 hour 15 minutes. Everything…literally…is a variable in baking science 😉
Ok thank you. You are very responsive. What is the oven temp? So sorry..,i just found it… m vaf!
All good! Happy baking! I thought I’d get to some baking myself today, but it was not to be 😉
Ok thank you. You are very responsive. What is the oven temp?
Oh goodness! 350°F. Please, please let me know how you enjoy the bread! I love it regardless of the topping, but I must say that I think the topping ‘completes’ the bake! Jenny
Oh my….this is seriously soooooo good. It was done in about 55 mins. So moist. The topping is divine. I took your advice and left some of the banana chunky…then you get a nice piece of banana in some of the bites. Also, the topping makes for a very attractive loaf that anyone could not find tempting. Thanks for sharing!!!!!
Well, see what you’ve gone ahead and done? You MADE my day 🙂 Thank you, thank you for this sweet comment. I’m elated you are enjoying it. x – Jenny
This is a keeper. . I doubled the recipe because my family loves banana bread. Added a teaspoon cinnamon and about 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg to the batter and about a teaspoon cinnamon to the streusel topping. Also used pecans instead of walnuts. Delicious
Shellie, these variation ideas are great for inspiring other readers. The changes you made were small and yet you yielded significant and delicious results. I always want for readers to know they can bend recipes to suit their eaters, so thank you for circling back to leave this feedback. This is awesome! 🙂 Jenny
This recipe is AMAZING!! I put it in mini loaf pans so I could give it as gifts so I had to make a bit more streusel topping, but followed the recipe exactly. It is awesome! The topping makes it bakery quality.
I have a question though. I have a friend who can’t eat bananas and I was wondering if you work such magic with apples or another fruit in bread or cake that uses this decadent topping? Sign me up for your newsletter for sure please!
Angie, wow thank you! This streusel is my go-to. It’s easy to change it up by adding chopped nuts, flaked coconut, freeze dried strawberries, or chopped banana chips…it’s solid. One quick bread I use this streusel atop is my zucchini bread. . The bread is moist and the streusel makes it the pièce de résistance! I so, so, so appreciate you circling back to leave me this feedback, Angie! x – Jenny
Oh YUM!! I love zucchini bread!! I just came back from a Spring Break trip, I took some with me to share with friends and literally everyone who tried it LOVED it. Most of them could not wait to say it and were talking with bread in their mouths LOL!!!
Now I can’t wait to get to the store and buy supplies to try the Zucchini bread!
Angie, oh what I would give to be enjoying a spring break adventure somewhere! I hope is was warm, reasonable, and did NOT rain on you! Do try that zucchini bread recipe – it’s literally the best I have EVER run across and it’s KILLER with the streusel we discussed. Send photos, girl! x – Jenny
I’m sorry, I didn’t think about photos. I thought I would put some away for quick breakfasts, but no luck, they went too fast. But oh my, I have some black bananas, and I know exactly what I’m going to do with those!!
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
Isn’t this the bomb? Everybody’s always looking for that uber-moist banana bread method, and THIS is THAT BREAD! Thanks for taking the time to share your success with me, Angie! Jenny
I seem to always have a question! I love the idea of the streusel on the top. How many cups would two large bananas be? I have a collection of bananas in the freezer and when they are frozen it is hard to figure out what size they were! They seem to actually shrink.
Barbara, not to worry because I love answers to great questions! I too, freeze my brown and black bananas and have the same challenge when knowing which ones to fish out of the freezer bag. I have now decided the easier thing to do is to slightly thaw, mash, and fill two (2) US measure cups. And just so you know, my cups are rounded, overflowing…I want that banana flavor. So, in answer to your question, I’d start with 2 cups. If after assembling you got either too much or not enough banana, adjust for the next time. For the record, I use both mashed banana and chopped banana pieces when I put this all together. Texturally it’s just really satisfying 🙂 Jenny
Perfect! Thank you for answering so quickly. I plan to make it for this weekend, family is coming!
The streusel was perfect! It is going to be the streusel on any future baking recipes. I had been looking for one and this is just right! Doubled the recipe, because I had so many bananas in the freezer, and had a slice for breakfast this morning. The streusel added a nice crispness/crunchiness to the top. I ended up using organic brown sugar. Might add a little cinnamon next time. I have a problem with leaving recipes alone.
Barbara, you go and just keep experimenting and reporting back because I LOVE THIS FEEDBACK! And, so do readers who are looking to learn from others who have made a recipe. Thank you, Barbara. I hope you have a Blessed Easter 🙂 Jenny
How many eggs does this recipe require. It calls for eggs but doesn’t say how many
Anna, thank you for that catch. It’s 2 eggs and I have made the addition to the recipe card already. Let me know how you enjoy it! Jenny
We made this a couple hours ago and just sliced into it. I couldn’t wait for it to cool! It’s so so very good! I can honestly say this may be the best banana bread I’ve ever baked, eaten…your recipe is awesome.
Krista, fabulous! I agree it’s a great cake and I hope others will try it, too!