My Favorite Spiced Olive Oil Banana Bread Recipe with a Walnut Streusel

If you’re searching for olive oil banana bread that’s moist, deeply flavorful, and just a little bit elevated, this is the one. This recipe is my go-to when bananas are aggressively overripe and I want something cozy but not boring. Olive oil gives it that soft, tender crumb, and the warm spices make it feel like something you’d want with coffee on a slow morning.

There is a walnut streusel situation happening here-but it’s optional. That said, the spices are really what make this banana bread special. You can play around with them, but I highly recommend keeping at least the cinnamon. It anchors everything and makes the loaf feel warm instead of flat.

Spiced Olive Oil Banana Bread with Streusel

This recipe makes one standard loaf and takes about 2 hours from start to first slice (most of that is hands-off baking and cooling time).

Ingredients

Banana Bread

• 2 large overripe bananas (use 3 if they’re small)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp cardamom
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of cloves
• Pinch of nutmeg

Streusel (Optional but Very Loved)

• 1 cup crushed walnuts (pecans work too)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Prep & Preheat
   Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease a loaf tin with a little olive oil and set aside.
2. Make the Streusel
   In a small bowl, mix together the crushed walnuts, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
   (If you’re skipping the streusel, no stress-this bread still shines on its own.)
3. Mix Wet Ingredients
   In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Add the eggs and mix well. Then stir in the olive oil and vanilla until combined.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk together both sugars, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all the spices. This spice blend is subtle but important-it gives the bread depth without overpowering the banana.
5. Combine
   Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Don’t overmix-this is how we keep the loaf soft and tender.
6. Layer & Bake
   Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the streusel over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top, then finish with the rest of the streusel. Lightly pat the streusel into the surface so it sticks.
   Bake for 60 – 75 minutes. The top should be golden and a knife inserted into the center should come out mostly clean.
7. Cool & Serve
   Remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for about 30 minutes. Run a knife along the edges, remove from the pan, and slice.

Why I Love Olive Oil Banana Bread

Olive oil keeps this banana bread incredibly moist without feeling heavy, and it lets the banana and spices shine. It’s cozy without being overly sweet, which makes it just as good for breakfast as it is for dessert. The streusel adds crunch and contrast, but even without it, this loaf is solid, comforting, and reliable.

Serving & Cozy Extras

• With coffee: Especially good with a medium roast or a latte
• Warm slice: Heat slightly and add a little butter or honey
• Next-day snack: Somehow even better the next morning

Final Thoughts

This olive oil banana bread is one of those recipes that feels simple but special-the kind you make once and then keep coming back to. If you try it with or without the streusel, I’d love to know how it turns out for you. Did you keep all the spices? Did you tweak it? Let’s talk banana bread in the comments, besties.