Introducing Nutella Banana Bread AKA the softest banana bread you’ve ever had swirled with thick ribbons of Nutella. Perfect for the holidays or a weekend treat!
Before we even get it into it, I just have to say you guuuuuuuys. It’s soooo good. This nutella swirled banana bread is hands down the best thing you’ll ever eat. It’s not even worth trying out new recipes; there is no homemade banana bread I’ve ever had that comes close to this one. It’s soft, velvety, and light. It’s so flavorful and can be eaten at any time of day. It’s sliceable so you can have a sliver or a huge piece. Or five slivers.
What ingredients do you need to make this decadent Nutella banana bread?
This nutella swirled banana bread is made with 8 simple ingredients, but don’t be fooled by its simplicity–those ingredients melt together to make the most incredible banana bread loaf you’ll ever sink your teeth into. Plus banana bread is basically 50% banana (I don’t actually know that), so it’s basically like eating a piece of fruit.
Overripe bananas: Of course all banana bread needs, well, bananas. The more spoiled the better in the case of banana bread as brown ripe bananas are more flavorful and sweeter! Those mashed bananas will become the base of your bread!
Sugar: We use granulated sugar in this banana bread, but you can really use whatever you have on hand. Feel free to adjust this amount to your liking and the ripeness of your bananas! If your bananas are a little underripe you might want to go up on the sugar by a few tablespoons and if your bananas are super ripe you can feel free to go down on the amount! If you’re out of granulated sugar you can also use brown sugar!
Butter: You’d never believe it because this loaf is so moist and buttery , but you’ll need to just 6 tablespoons of butter for the entire loaf! It’s practically magic. The secret ingredient is greek yogurt to keep the loaf moist…which I’ll get to in just a moment!
Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt has all the creaminess of “regular” yogurt, but with much less sugar, much more protein, and a powerful tang that gives baked goods a little extra oompfh! It’s one of my favorite ingredients to include in all your baked goods! The reason I put greek yogurt in loafs like banana bread is because of its acidity. The yogurt acids react strongly with baking soda to create carbon dioxide, allowing the bread to rise more fully and giving it that characteristic fluffiness.
Eggs: 2 eggs will give your banana bread the perfect structure without getting too cakey!
Baking Soda: Baking soda will give your banana bread the perfect rise!
Flour: All purpose flour gives this banana bread a tender crumb! If you want to up the nourishment you can swap it out for whole wheat
Salt: All sweet treats need a little to salt to balance out the sweetness!
Nutella: The dreamy ripples of Nutella take this banana bread from good to heavenly! You’ll swirl Nutella through the center of the loaf and on top of the batter for maximum Nutella coverage. I like to warm the Nutella up in the microwave for a bit to make it easier to swirl!
Can you a different chocolate hazelnut spread than Nutella?
You can, but I personally feel Nutella has the best flavor of all the different brand on the market. Plus, you can find Nutella in most grocery stores, even convenience stores. I have tried this recipe before with Trader Joe’s brand and Whole Food’s and both get the job done, but are slightly more chocolate flavored and less hazelnut!
Tips on how to make banana bread
Banana bread is one of the most forgiving and straightforward home baked goods to make, but we’re sort of banana bread experts, so we have allllll the tips you’ll need to ensure you perfect banana bread every time!
Use overripe bananas—Super ripe, even brown, bananas are the key to making a sweet, moist, flavorful loaf of banana bread. If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough yet but you’re dying to make a loaf, pierce them with a fork a few times and bake them in the oven for 10 minutes until brown. Let the bananas cool completely before adding them to the batter!
Use greek yogurt—See mini science lesson above for why Greek yogurt is a must for any good banana bread recipe.
Use room temperature ingredients—To help the Nutella banana bread bake evenly in the oven, all the ingredients should be room temperature before adding them to the batter (yes, even the eggs and butter).
Don’t swirl in more Nutella—I know you’ll be tempted to add even more Nutella into the banana bread batter, but trust me, it’s not needed! If there’s not enough Nutella in this loaf for your liking, I’d recommend slathering a warm slice of this bread with Nutella as you’re eating it instead.
How to freeze banana bread
This Nutella banana bread is a great recipe to make ahead of time and have on hand for last-minute get togethers. To freeze this banana bread, let it first cool completely on your countertop. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap a few times and then in foil before freezing. When you’re ready to eat this banana bread, set it out on your counter and let it thaw to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas with the melted butter, stirring to combine. Mix in the eggs, greek yogurt, and vanilla. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet.
Pour half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Melt Nutella in microwave for 20 seconds. Drizzle half of Nutella over batter, gently swirling the batter with a knife to form ribbons of Nutella. Pour the second half of the batter on top and repeat with remaining Nutella. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from loaf pan.
