Maple Pecan Banana Bread
This maple pecan banana bread is a cozy twist on a classic favorite, featuring sweet maple-candied pecans baked into every bite and topped with an addicting maple glaze. The rich, nutty flavors and warm maple sweetness will have your kitchen smelling irresistible!

I didn’t expect to love this maple pecan banana bread as much as I do! It’s moist, fluffy, and packed with maple-candied pecans that add a delightful crunch to every bite. Finished with a rich maple glaze, this banana bread is irresistibly delicious and hard to put down!
Ingredient notes & substitutions
See the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient list & quantities.
- The bananas should be on the riper side, with black spots all over them!
- Sour cream is used to add moisture. This can be substituted with greek yogurt.
- Baking soda helps the banana bread rise – it reacts with the sour cream/yogurt.
- Good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste should be used for optimal flavor.
- Salt & cinnamon are used for additional flavor.
- Pecans are my favorite in this recipe, but you can swap out the nut or mix and match! I have done half pecans & half walnuts, which was delicious!
- Maple syrup is used to candy the pecans (or nut of your choice!) over the stove.
- Heavy cream & powdered sugar are also used in the maple glaze.
Step by step instructions
See the recipe card at the end of this post for the full recipe instructions.
STEP 1: Candy the pecans. Over the stove on low-medium heat, combine the pecans & maple syrup. Bring the maple syrup to a boil while stirring the pecans occasionally. Let the maple syrup simmer until it thickens and deepens in color. It’s ready when you drag a rubber spatula through it, and the syrup takes about 3 seconds to flow back together. Pour the pecans onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to cool. Once cool, coarsely chop into pieces and set aside.
STEP 2: Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
STEP 3: Beat the wet ingredients. Separately, beat together the room temperature butter, oil, and granulated sugar. Add the eggs & vanilla extract and beat until combined, then add the mashed banana & mix until combined.
STEP 4: Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until only a few streaks of flour remain, then add the sour cream and mix until combined. Gently fold in the candied pecans, reserving a handful to sprinkle on top of the batter after pouring it into the pan.
STEP 5: Bake! Pour the batter into a standard 9×5 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Top with the remaining candied pecans. Bake for 55-65 minutes at 350 degrees F until golden & a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP 6: Make the maple glaze while the banana bread cools. Whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, & heavy cream. Pour on the banana bread, slice, & enjoy!
Baking tips
- Invest in a kitchen scale! Baking with a kitchen scale is more accurate than cup measurements, and it’s easier cleanup!
- Use ripe bananas for sweeter and more flavorful bread. Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots or even fully browned peels.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Gently mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Over-mixing can lead to dense banana bread instead of a light, fluffy texture.
- Check for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf—it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, tent the bread with foil to prevent over-browning while it finishes baking.
Baking in grams
I rely on gram measurements when testing recipes because they offer the highest level of accuracy (and less cleanup!). Unlike volume measurements, which can vary, grams provide a reliable and consistent standard. I carefully test all of my recipes using this kitchen scale, therefore I cannot guarantee the outcome when using volume measurements. However, volume measurements are available in the recipe card.
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Maple Pecan Banana Bread
Ingredients
Candied Pecans
- 120 grams (1 cup) pecans
- 155 grams (½ cup) maple syrup
Banana Bread
- 250 grams (2 cups) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 113 grams (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 150 grams (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 250 grams (1 ¼ cups) mashed bananas, about 3 medium sized bananas
- 80 grams (1/3 cup) sour cream, room temperature
Maple Glaze
- 60 grams (½ cup) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Over the stove on low-medium heat, combine the pecans & maple syrup. Bring the maple syrup to a boil while stirring the pecans occasionally.120 grams pecans, 155 grams maple syrup
- Let the maple syrup simmer until it thickens and deepens in color. It's ready when you drag a rubber spatula through it, and the syrup takes about 3 seconds to flow back together. Pour the pecans onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to cool. Once cool, coarsely chop into pieces and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a standard 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.250 grams all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Separately, beat together the butter, oil, and granulated sugar. Add the eggs & vanilla extract and beat until combined, then add the mashed banana & mix until combined.113 grams unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 150 grams granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract, 250 grams mashed bananas
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until only a few streaks of flour remain, then add the sour cream and mix until combined. Gently fold in the candied pecans, reserving a handful to sprinkle on top of the batter after pouring it into the pan.80 grams sour cream
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with the remaining candied pecans. Bake for 55-65 minutes until golden & a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, & heavy cream. Pour on the banana bread, slice, & enjoy!60 grams powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream