Mini Banana Nut Bread (Small Loaf)

This mini banana nut bread recipe creates 4 or 8 delicious mini banana breads. Perfect for small individualized loaves or tiny snacks.

FYI – Many people like to gift mini banana breads because it is easier to make a bunch of smaller loaves quickly (versus trying to make a ton of regular-sized loaves). Another key advantage – Mini banana breads take less time to bake (versus regular-sized banana breads)… so they are quicker to enjoy!

Mini Banana Nut Bread – Straight from the Oven

Recipe Sections

1. Ingredients
2. Instructions
3. Helpful Tips

This small banana bread recipe is based on Bread Dad’s popular Banana Walnut Bread recipe. It just uses a smaller loaf size and a shorter baking time length. This fun recipe takes the batter from one of my “regular-sized” banana nut bread recipes and uses it to create 4 or 8 mini banana nut breads.

Mini Banana Nut Bread – 8 Loaf Pan Version

Sliced Mini Banana Nut Bread

My recipe shows you how to make mini banana breads with two types of mini bread pans. The first version uses a medium-sized mini banana bread pan (usually with 4 “pockets”) where the pockets measure roughly 3 inches deep x 5 3/4 inches in length x 2 1/4 inches wide. The second version uses smaller “micro” pans (usually with 8 or more pockets) where the pockets measure roughly 1 1/4 inches deep x 3 1/2 inches in length x 2 1/4 inches wide.

Ingredients – Mini Banana Nut Bread

• 1 1/2 Cups – Mashed Bananas (ripe bananas) – 345 grams – Roughly 3 large bananas (but use 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas for the best results)
• 1/2 Cup – Vegetable Oil – 118 milliliters – Use a neutral-flavored oil such as canola oil corn oil or mild olive oil
• 2 – Large Eggs – 114 grams – Use large eggs (not extra large or jumbo eggs)
• 1 Cup – White Granulated Sugar – 200 grams – For a slightly richer flavor, you can replace the white granulated sugar with light brown sugar (packed cup)
• 2 Cups – All Purpose Flour – 240 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Vanilla Extract – 5 milliliters
• 1 Teaspoon – Baking Soda – 5 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Baking Powder – 4 grams
• 1/2 Teaspoon – Salt – 3 grams
• 1 Cup – Chopped Walnuts – 115 grams – 3/4 cup for inside the batter and 1/4 cup sprinkled on top of the batter

Servings – Roughly 24 slices – 4 loaves with 6 slices per loaf (4 X 6 = 24) or 8 micro loaves with 3 slices per loaf (8 X 3 = 24)

Equipment Needed – Measuring cup & spoons, mixing bowl, long wooden spoon, mini loaf pan, oven mitts, silicon spatula, cooling rack and an oven.

Add 3/4 Cup of Chopped Walnuts to Batter

Sprinkle 1/4 Cup of Chopped Walnuts on Top of the Batter

Instructions – Mini Banana Nut Bread – 4 Loaf Version (with Pan Pockets 3 inches Deep x 5 3/4 inches in Length x 2 1/4 inches Wide)

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C).
• Mash bananas with a fork.
• Stir bananas, oil, eggs & sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Mix until fully blended.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients (except the chopped walnuts). Stir until the batter is fully mixed.
• Add 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter (and save the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts for later). Make sure the chopped walnuts are evenly spread throughout the batter.
• Pour the finished batter into a nonstick mini loaf pan (that usually has 4 “pockets” for holding the batter). FYI – You should pour the batter into a loaf pocket until the pocket is about 60-70% full. Do not overfill. The loaves will rise to the full height of the pan after they bake. See the tips section for more information about mini loaf pans.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts on top of the batter in each of the 4 loaf pockets before placing the pan into the oven.
• Bake in the oven at 325 degrees F (163 degrees C) for 40-42 minutes.
• Take pan out of the oven and let the banana bread cool down in the bread pan for 10 minutes. Use oven mitts.
• Do not remove the banana bread from the bread pan during this 10 minute cool down period (as this completes the baking process).
• After 10 minutes, remove the mini banana breads from the bread pan. Place the mini banana breads on a cooling rack in order to completely cool. This cool down may take 1+ hours.
• Please read the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully & to avoid common banana bread problems.

Instructions – Mini Banana Nut Bread – 8 Loaf Version (with Pan Pockets Roughly 1 1/4 Inches Deep x 3 1/2 Inches in Length x 2 1/4 Inches Wide)

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C).
• Mash bananas with a fork.
• Stir bananas, oil, eggs & sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Mix until fully blended.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients (except the chopped walnuts). Stir until the batter is fully mixed.
• Add 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter (and save the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts for later). Make sure the chopped walnuts are evenly spread throughout the batter.
• Pour the finished batter into a nonstick mini loaf pan (that has 8 “pockets” for holding the batter). FYI – You should pour the batter into a loaf pocket until the pocket is about 60-70% full. Do not overfill. The loaves will rise to the full height of the pan after they bake. See the tips section for more information about mini loaf pans.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts on top of the batter in each of the 8 loaf pockets before placing the pan into the oven.
• Bake in the oven at 325 degrees F (163 degrees C) for 30-32 minutes.
• Take the pan out of the oven and let the banana bread cool down in the bread pan for 10 minutes. Use oven mitts.
• Do not remove the banana bread from the bread pan during this 10 minute cool down period (as this completes the baking process).
• After 10 minutes, remove the mini banana breads from the bread pan. Place the mini banana breads on a cooling rack in order to completely cool. This cool down may take 1+ hours.
• Please read the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully & to avoid common banana bread problems.

*** FYI – If you make the 8 pocket version of this recipe, you will have leftover batter. The pockets of the 8 loaf pans do not hold as much as the 4 loaf pans.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment & recipe rating below. Jump to comment section

📌 Save this recipe – Bookmark or pin it

Love bread machine recipes? Then subscribe to my email newsletter

Helpful Tips – Mini Banana Nut Bread

• The tips below are designed to help banana bread “novices” and/or people with limited baking experience.
• Click on this “print recipe” link if you want to print out this recipe. It includes all of the recipe’s ingredients and instructions. However, the recipe print function does not include my tips section. Please read the tips section in order to avoid common recipe problems.
• Since this banana bread recipe contains walnuts, please do not serve it to anyone with a nut allergy. Also because this banana bread contains chopped nuts, it may be a potential choking hazard for young children. So please use caution when serving any type of banana nut bread.
• This recipe is part of Bread Dad’s series on easy Banana Bread Recipes such as no butter banana bread, blueberry banana bread, eggless banana bread and chocolate chip banana bread.

• As I stated above, many people like to make mini banana nut bread loaves in order to give them as delicious homemade gifts. Why? Because it is easier to make 4 or 8 small banana bread loaves at one time (versus trying to make 4 or 8 regular-sized loaves).
• Also 4 or 8 mini loaves use a lot less ingredients than 4 or 8 regular-sized loaves!!
• Mini banana bread loaves also have a key advantage over regular-sized banana breads because they are faster to bake (e.g. 40-42 minutes to bake for the 4 loaf pan version versus the bake time for my regular-sized banana breads which is usually around 65-70 minutes).
• Be aware that loaves in the 8 pocket pan bake faster than the 4 pocket pan (as the loaves are smaller & there is less batter to bake).
• Frozen mini banana nut bread is also easier to defrost than large banana nut breads. They warm up faster given their smaller size. Small banana breads are perfect when you do not need a lot of banana bread (e.g. for breakfast). You can defrost one mini loaf at a time.

• Use RIPE bananas for the best flavor. Ripe bananas are soft and have a yellow peel covered with many small black spots. Hard yellow/green(ish) bananas are too starchy and have much less banana flavor.
• FYI – A beautiful pure yellow banana (without any spots) is not fully ripe!!
• Using unripe bananas will result in a very bland banana bread (with little banana flavor).
• For the most consistent & best results, you should use a measuring cup and measure out EXACTLY 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas. This will help to prevent your banana bread from being too dry or too wet. Given the variability in banana sizes, you are more likely to have problems if you use 3 random bananas (as you might be adding too much or too little liquid) versus using exactly 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas.

• Use FRESH walnuts. After you have opened a bag of chopped walnuts, the walnuts can go rancid (bad) quickly due to their high oil content. Once the walnut package has been opened, you should store the chopped walnuts in an airtight container in your refrigerator or freezer. Do not use old walnuts that have been sitting in your pantry in an already opened bag. Also check the expiration date on sealed (unopened) walnut packages in order to make sure that they are still good.
• Optional – If you run out of walnuts (or you are tired of walnut-based recipes), you can use chopped pecans as a nice substitute.
• Optional – If you want to make mini banana breads with chocolate chips & chopped nuts, I would suggest that you use mini chocolate chips. They spread out better in the batter. Regular-sized chocolate chips are more likely to sink to the bottom of the batter. Just replace 1/2 of the chopped walnut or chopped pecans with mini chocolate chips.
• Optional – Adding 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter can be a great help if your bananas are not totally ripe (because the cinnamon helps to “hide” any missing banana flavor).
• Optional – For a slightly richer flavor, use light brown sugar (packed cup) instead of white granulated sugar.
• Visitors – What additional ingredients have you added to this recipe to make it more unique or special? Different nuts (e.g. pecans or almonds)? Extra spices? Chocolate chips? Dried fruit? Please post your ingredient ideas & suggestions in the comment section below.

• Use a neutral-flavored vegetable oil (e.g. canola oil or corn oil) for the best results. Strongly flavored oils (such as extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil) can negatively impact the flavor of banana bread.
• If you want to use olive oil, I would recommend using a “mild”, “light” or “extra light” olive oil as they would have the least “flavor” impact on the banana bread.
• A number of my visitors like to use avocado oil in order to make their banana breads. Avocado oil has a neutral flavor and is high in monounsaturated fats. However, as you are probably aware, avocado oil is usually significantly more expensive than corn oil.
• Banana breads made with oil tend to taste moister (than banana bread made with butter). Why? Because vegetable oil remains liquid at room temperature (whereas butter turns back to a solid at room temperature). Therefore, the use of vegetable oil (instead of butter) helps to create a moister banana bread.

• For this recipe, you need to use either a mini banana bread pan (with 4 pockets) where the loaf pan “pocket” measures roughly 3 inches deep x 5 3/4 inches in length x 2 1/4 inches wide or a mini banana bread pan (with 8 pockets) where the pockets measure roughly 1 1/4 inches deep x 3 1/2 inches in length x 2 1/4 inches wide.
• However, be aware that the size of mini banana bread pans can vary (esp. the 8 loaf versions) and the pockets might even be smaller!! My baking times will not work with even small pockets (as they will bake even faster). So measure the pan pockets to be certain what version of my recipe will work with your pans.
• Be aware that you can also buy a “single” mini banana bread pan (with only one “pocket”). This might be easier if you only want to make 1 or 2 mini banana breads at a time. Or you have some leftover batter from a banana bread recipe but only have enough extra batter for 1 or 2 small banana breads.
• In case you are wondering about the pans that I used to make my 2 versions of mini banana bread – To make the 4 loaf version, I used the Wilton Wilton Recipe Right Non-Stick Mini Loaf Pan, 4-Cavity. And to make the 8 loaf version, I used the Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick Mini Loaf Pan, 8-Cavity. FYI – I am not sponsored by Wilton, I just like their mini loaf pans.
• If you need to purchase a mini loaf pan, you can find 4 & 8 loaf pans on the Bread Dad Bread Tools & Equipment page.
• Personally, I prefer the 4 mini pocket pan over the 8 pocket pan. I find that it is easier to pour the batter into the 4 pocket pan (without making a giant mess) and it is easier to remove the small loaves from the 4 pocket pan with loaves falling all over. If you use the 8 pocket pan, I would strongly recommend using pocket liners (like muffin cups) or baking parchment paper. This makes it easier to lift the small banana bread out one at a time.
• Visitors – Do you prefer to use a 4 pocket pan or 8 pocket pan to make your mini banana breads? Let us know why in the comment section below. Your reasons will help others to pick the right mini pan for their family baking needs.

• Warning – Probably the most difficult part of this recipe is pouring batter into the smaller pockets. It is harder to aim the batter pour!! FYI – If you are having trouble pouring the batter into the bread pan, you can use a large spoon or ladle to scoop the batter into each loaf container.
• Do not overfill a pocket in the mini pan as the loaf is more likely to rise too high and then collapse back on itself (and you will have a sunken middle). Fill each “pocket” in the loaf pan only about 60-70% high in order to avoid a potential sunken middle problem.
• Check out my main Mini Banana Bread Recipe page if you want to make a “plain” mini banana bread, mini chocolate chip banana bread, mini blueberry banana bread, etc.

• Warning – Another difficult part of this recipe is removing the finished loaves from the bread pan. This can be tricky (because all loaves might come out at once)! To solve this, I like to loosen the sides of one pocket at a time with a flexible spatula. Do not loosen all of the pockets at once.
• The safest method for removal is to use baking placement paper or a mini loaf liner “cups” to line each of the bread pan pockets.
• The baking parchment paper or loaf cup method is especially good if you do not want to disturb the top of your mini banana bread loaves because you can just lift them straight out of the tray (without turning the pan upside down).
• Or you can place non-furry kitchen cloth over the top of the pan when you flip the pan upside down to remove the small banana breads. The cloth acts like a net to prevent any loaves from randomly falling out.
• If you get the mini loaf liners/cups (sort of like a paper muffin cup) – Make sure to get the right size because there are many different-sized liners being offered online. Easy to make a mistake… cough… cough… like I have done!
• If you like to make banana nut breads, you should check out Bread Dad’s recipes for Almond Banana Bread, Easy Banana Nut Bread (with walnuts), Pecan Banana Bread and Sourdough Banana Nut Bread (a more “adult” tasting banana nut bread).

• Do NOT use an electric mixer to mix your ingredients (when combining the wet and dry ingredients). Stick to an old fashioned wooden spoon. An electric mixer can overmix the ingredients and the banana bread will turn out rubbery & gummy.
• Old flour can affect the taste of banana bread. Old flour can spoil and taste bitter, sour, musty, etc. Banana bread made with old flour does not taste great!
• Try to keep your ingredients (e.g. flour) in airtight food containers in order to extend their shelf life and avoid spoilage (e.g. exposure to moisture, pests and dust).
• Flour (if stored in an open bag and not in an airtight container) can absorb a lot of moisture from the air. This extra moisture throws off recipes and can lead to banana bread collapses, etc.

• This doesn’t happen often but if the top of the banana bread looks too moist or undercooked, you should try the “toothpick test”. Gently push a toothpick (or long wooden skewer) into the top of the bread and see if any batter sticks to the toothpick. If batter is sticking to the toothpick then it hasn’t completely cooked. Place the bread pan back into the still hot oven for another 2 or 3 minutes. Make sure to wear oven gloves because the bread pan will be very hot. After the 2 or 3 minutes, remove the bread pan and test the banana bread again with a toothpick.
• Instead of the “toothpick test”, some people like to use a bread thermometer to test if their banana bread is done. Generally, a “quick bread” (e.g. banana bread or pumpkin bread) is done when the internal temperature reaches 200-205 degrees F. Just make sure to measure the temperature in the center of the loaf for the most accurate reading.

• Make sure that your oven has been completely preheated. If the oven has not been properly preheated, this quick bread could come out undercooked. I like to use a hanging oven thermometer to check my oven temperature and ensure the oven has been properly preheated.
• FYI – It can take 10-20 minutes to fully preheat an oven depending on the size of the oven, temperature used, etc.
• My recipes are based on using a regular oven and NOT a convection oven. Convection ovens bake faster than regular ovens and require less baking time than what is stated in my recipes.
• Place your banana bread in the middle of your oven. If you place it on the top or bottom racks, the banana bread may be too near the oven’s heating element and bake faster than expected.
• Make sure to level off the ingredients in your measuring spoons & cups. No “mountains” of ingredients in your spoons & cups!! If you add too much of an ingredient, you can have a baking problem. FYI – I like to level the ingredients in my measuring spoons & cups with the back of a butter knife.

• Always try to use relatively FRESH baking soda & powder for the best results. For example, using baking soda from an open container (that has been deodorizing your refrigerator for months) may lead to subpar results. Old & hard baking soda/powder may lead to rising problems and/or leave small bitter clumps in your walnut banana bread.
• This recipe uses all purpose flour. Do NOT use bread flour to make banana breads or they are more likely to turn out dense and/or gummy. Banana bread recipes work best with all purpose flour.
• Long-term storage – If you want to keep your banana bread for more than 1-2 days (depending on your home’s temperature & humidity), you will need to freeze it. Please read Bread Dad’s How To Freeze Banana Bread for more details.

• If you have a problem with a banana bread recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly (e.g. using the correct oven temperature), using the correct amounts of ingredients (e.g. don’t eyeball the measurements versus using a measuring cup or accidentally add a tablespoon when a teaspoon is called for), using the correct ingredients (e.g. baking soda/powder versus yeast or all purpose flour versus bread flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
• My recipes are based on US ingredient measurements (e.g. US cups & tablespoons). However, as a courtesy to our European visitors, I have also included some very ROUGH European equivalents (e.g. grams & milliliters). Since I rarely use European measurements when baking, please let me know in the comment section below if any of the European ingredient measurements need to be changed (e.g. for XYZ ingredient, milliliters are more commonly used versus the grams information listed in the recipe).
• Always wear oven mitts/gloves when dealing with a hot oven and bread pan.
• For more delicious banana bread recipes (e.g. cranberry banana bread or blueberry banana bread), please visit Bread Dad’s sections on easy Banana Bread Recipes.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment & recipe rating below. Jump to comment section

Plan to make this again? 📌Pin it or save it for later

Want More Recipes? Try These Next

1. Bread Machine Recipes – 90+ recipes for banana bread, sourdough bread, pizza dough, cinnamon raisin bread, etc.
2. Bread Recipes – French bread, buttermilk bread, bagels, Italian bread, etc.
3. Banana Bread Recipes – 60+ recipes for chocolate chip banana bread, banana nut bread, eggless banana bread, etc.
4. Quick Bread Recipes – Recipes using baking soda such as pumpkin bread, cranberry bread, etc.

🥖Want to make your bread even better? 1. Explore bread machines that I own & use 2. Essential tools that make baking easier

Reference Sources

1. Wikipedia, Banana Bread
2. Wikipedia, Walnut

Related Recipes

1. Bread Machine Banana Bread
2. No Butter Banana Bread
3. 2 Banana Bread – Uses only 2 bananas
4. 4 Banana Bread – Uses 4 bananas
5. Vegan Banana Bread
6. Walnut Banana Bread

Please leave a comment & recipe rating in the comment box below. Thanks!