Nutella banana bread is moist and chocolatey with ribbons of Nutella swirled right into the batter ~ yum!!
Nutella banana bread is a little morning indulgence
A swirl of Nutella adds a bit of drama to our best banana bread, and turns an everyday quick bread into an ever-so-slightly decadent treat (although that didn’t stop us from loading more Nutella on top!) If that gives you pause, remember, the French give their children Nutella for breakfast, so how bad can it be?
Nutella and bananas have a special affinity
I’ve known this for a while, and though I can’t explain why, the two are an incredible pair. Need more proof? Check out my Banana Cake with Nutella Frosting, for one! I originally made that cake back in 2012 and literally couldn’t get through my photo shoot without digging into it. It’s been a favorite ever since. Sooooo good.
what you’ll need
- bananas
- about three bananas or 1 1/4 cups well mashed banana. I always bake with a measured amount of mashed bananas, as they vary in size.
- Nutella
- after much trial and error we ended up with 2/3 cup. Yes we wanted to add more, but too much Nutella prevents the bread from baking properly.
- oil
- any neutral vegetable oil is fine.
- eggs
- room temperature eggs will help the batter come together more smoothly.
- sugar
- both brown and white sugars
- sour cream
- you might substitute whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt. The acidity of the sour cream kicks the leaveners (baking soda and baking powder) into high gear and creates a light crumb in this banana bread.
- cinnamon
- salt
- baking soda and baking powder
- vanilla extract
How to assemble Nutella banana bread
- Whisk together the easy banana bread batter. Using oil instead of butter makes this quick bread truly quick!
- Heat the Nutella briefly in the microwave. This will soften and thin it down a bit, which will help you dollop and swirl it into the batter.
- Spoon half the batter into your pan.
- Dollop half the Nutella over the batter and gently swirl with a knife.
- Add the rest of the batter, then the rest of the Nutella and swirl again.
- Bake!
pro tips for making Nutella banana bread
- Don’t be tempted to overdo it with the Nutella. Just remember you can always slather on more after the bread bakes.
- Swirl your Nutella a few times with a butter knife. Too much swirling and your ribbons of Nutella will bake right into the bread and you won’t see them as well (you’ll still taste them, though!)
- You can substitute melted butter for the oil if you like (the New York Times uses browned butter.)
- Add in some chopped toasted hazelnuts for a bit of crunch.
- Some recipes mix the Nutella with a cup of batter and then swirl it in. We tried this and didn’t love the result…you lose any real Nutella flavor.
to freeze Nutella banana bread
Let the bread cool completely, out of the pan. Then wrap in plastic wrap, and again in foil. You can freeze the whole loaf, or individual slices. Plan to use within 3 months. To thaw: leave out on the counter at room temperature.
leftovers?
It’s unlikely, but should you have any leftovers you can refresh by heating in the microwave for 15 seconds. You can also grill your Nutella banana bread ~ heat a skillet with a little butter and cook until golden on both sides. Serve with, you guessed it…more Nutella.
if you love Nutella banana bread you might also love
The Nutella recipes in my archives are some of my very favorites!
- Banana Cake with Nutella Frosting
- Dreamy Nutella Mousse Pie!
- Nutella S’mores Bars
- Nutella Tiramisu
- Nutella Sandwich Cookies
- How to Make Homemade Nutella Liqueur (Video)
Nutella Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 1/4 cups well mashed banana, about 3 medium bananas
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup Nutella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper 'sling' for easy removal.
- In a large bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, and sour cream until lump free.
- Whisk in the sugars, mashed banana, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Then fold in the flour.
- Briefly heat the Nutella in a small bowl in the microwave for about 20 seconds, or until just loosened.
- Add half your batter to the prepared loaf pan. Dollop half the Nutella over the batter. Gently swirl with a knife or chopstick.
- Add the remaining batter to the pan. Dollop the remaining Nutella over the top. Swirl again.
- Bake the bread for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter on it (moist crumbs are fine.) Note: if your bread seems to be browning too quickly, lay a loose piece of foil over the top towards the end of baking. Let cool before slicing.
Nutrition
I saw salt as one of the ingredients yet it was left out of the recipe. I just made this bread and I hope it doesn’t need salt!
I thought my mother’s banana bread recipe was the greatest until I saw the addition of Nutella in yours! You are inventive with easy to prepare recipes. Even us veteran cooks can be inspired by you Sue. Ellen Easton ~Red Wagon Press