You’ll Go Bananas for These 12 Banana Bread Recipes (2024)

February 23^rd is National Banana Bread Day! Who doesn’t love banana bread? No one we know. Banana bread is bread but it’s also a dessert. You can have it as a treat but you can also have it for breakfast. See? Banana bread is a perfect food!

History tells us that banana bread was invented in the Caribbean. Bananas didn’t even appear in the U.S. until the late 1870s. Banana bread is a great use for overripe bananas. There are many variations of banana bread – the quick bread can be made with cream cheese frosting, marbled with rich chocolate, or made even more decadent with peanut butter. Some people like to put fruit and/or nuts in their banana bread while others are more purist.

However you like your banana bread, we have lots of recipes for you. Check out last years’ recipes in 15 Legendary Vegan Recipes for National Banana Bread Day. Then let’s look at new ways to enjoy the flavor of banana bread even if it’s not actually a bread. Here are 12 banana bread recipes you’ll definitely go bananas for.

1. Healthy Banana Bread

Banana bread can be both healthy and delicious. This Healthy Banana Bread is naturally sweetened with date sugar. Applesauce makes it moist without added oil. Add some chopped walnuts for crunch and you have the perfect banana bread.

2. Yogurt Banana Bread

The secret ingredient in this Yogurt Banana Bread isn’t really a secret since it’s in the title. Non-dairy yogurt gives this bread a moist and fluffy texture. A slice of this bread with a cup of your favorite tea sounds like a delicious way to spend an afternoon.

3. Chocolate Banana Bread

While banana bread is delicious, you probably don’t think of it as being decadent. Well, that will change when you get a taste of this Chocolate Banana Bread. It has chocolate inside the bread as well as a rich dark chocolate ganache poured down over it. Like we said, this is pure decadence.

4. Superfood Banana Bread

Banana bread is usually healthy … but this Superfood Banana Bread is super-healthy. It’s packed with oats, chia seeds, spirulina, chocolate chips, and other ingredients that are great for you. Then it’s topped with a mix of dried cranberries, pepitas, and sunflower seeds for a banana bread with lots of textures and flavors.

5. Maple Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is Maple Banana Bread with Vegan ‘Cream Cheese’ Frosting – how many delicious words can there be in one title? Moist, yummy banana bread with maple syrup inside and drizzled on top. It has a thick, fluffy cream cheese frosting on top plus pecans for garnish. Vegan, gluten-free and so delicious.

6. Banana Bread Pudding

7. Double Chocolate Banana Bread

The only thing that can make banana bread better is this Double Chocolate Banana Bread. Rich cocoa powder and luscious dark chocolate elevates the everyday banana bread to a truly decadent treat. Serve with a hot cup of coffee or your favorite tea – and to make this an even more special treat, add a scoop of vegan whipped cream or ice cream!

8. Banana Bread Cookies With Coconut Cream and Chocolate Sauce

Have banana bread and have cookies at the same time! These Banana Bread Cookies with Coconut Cream and Chocolate Sauce let you have the best of both worlds in one delicious treat. These cookies seriously taste like banana bread. Then they’re topped with luscious coconut cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. These are so amazing, you’ll need to double the recipe just to make sure you get one.

9. Banana Bread French Toast Cupcakes

These Banana Bread French Toast Cupcakes are an award-winning recipe. They’re moist cupcakes that combine cinnamon, maple, and banana plus they have a rich maple frosting on top. Enjoy one of these for breakfast – after all, they have French Toast in the name.

10. Vegan Banana and Blueberry Brunch Bread/Cake

If you need a totally awesome, fail-safe, fool-proof, painfully easy recipe for vegan banana bread, this Vegan Banana and Blueberry Brunch Bread/Cake is the one for you. The combination of bananas and blueberries is incredible. If you’re having brunch, you’ll want to serve this delicious banana bread.

11. Banana Bread Energy Bar

Did you know that banana bread can boost your energy? They can when they’re in energy bars. These raw vegan Banana Bread Energy Bars taste like heaven and give you all the fuel you need to get through the day. Made with dates, almonds, popped buckwheat, and of course, bananas, these are a delicious way to rev up.

12. Banana Bread Smoothie with Pecans, Nutmeg and Carob Syrup

Get ready to drink your banana bread. This Banana Bread Smoothie is made with warm pecan milk and frozen bananas. The warm milk makes the bananas taste baked – like banana bread! This seriously tastes like banana bread batter but in a healthy, satisfying smoothie.

Whether it’s a bread, a cupcake, a cookie or a pudding, the flavors of banana bread make everyone happy. Try these recipes to celebrate National Banana Bread Day.

Lead image source:Banana Bread Cookies With Coconut Cream and Chocolate Sauce

You’ll Go Bananas for These 12 Banana Bread Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is it OK to use frozen bananas for banana bread? ›

Not only do frozen bananas work for baking, but they arguably work better for baking than fresh bananas. Not only does the freezing process not affect the taste or the nutritional value of the bananas, but defrosting bananas makes them softer and therefore easier to mix into batter.

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Why are older bananas better for banana bread? ›

Ripe bananas are not only softer and easier to mash and blend into a batter, but they are also sweeter, which is why baking recipes specifically call for ripe bananas in ingredient lists. As the bananas ripen, the fruit converts starches to sugars, making them sweeter and more flavorful.

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How many bananas are in Chrissy Teigen's banana bread? ›

The tldr; is that she needed 6 very ripe bananas to work on this recipe, but as you know you can not just buy overly ripe bananas at the store, so she went to Twitter and called on her followers.

Can you put too much banana in banana bread? ›

Fight the urge to use more banana than called for in your recipe. Using too much banana could make your bread heavy and damp in the center, causing it to appear undercooked and unappealing. If you have bananas leftover, you can always freeze them for later use.

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When can you no longer use bananas for banana bread? ›

If black bananas are spotted with mold, then it's time to step away! You absolutely should not use them for banana bread or consume them at all. At that point, it's wise to consign them to the trash can or compost.

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When can you not use bananas for banana bread? ›

Key takeaway: As long as your bananas aren't starting to get moldy, infested with fruit flies or beginning to rot they aren't too ripe for baking banana bread. And some techniques can slow down or speed up the ripening process.

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Do oven ripened bananas taste the same? ›

To immediately ripen bananas for use in banana breads, cakes, and muffins, you can use the oven. The texture of a baked banana may be a bit softer than that of one naturally ripened but the taste and caramelized sweetness will be amazing.

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When should you throw away bananas? ›

Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread. If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye. If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.

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Can dogs eat bananas? ›

Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. They're high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dog's main diet.

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How many bananas is 2 cups? ›

2 bananas: 1-1/3 cups chopped | 1 cup mashed. 3 bananas: 2 cups chopped | 1-1/2 cups mashed. 4 bananas: 2-2/3 cups chopped | 2 cups mashed.

How many bananas is 1lb? ›

3 medium size bananas weigh approximately 1 pound.

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Why is my banana bread always so dry? ›

When it comes to banana bread, moisture is key, and the ratio of flour to banana makes all the difference in getting the perfect banana bread consistency. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with really dry banana bread, and If you don't use enough flour, your banana bread will be way too wet.

Why did my banana bread come out rubbery? ›

An overmixed banana bread batter will result in a dense, rubbery loaf. As you're prepping your batter, heed the advice of "stir until just moistened" and "no more than 10 seconds."

Why is my banana bread so mushy in the middle? ›

Using a lot of bananas adds excess moisture, and there are two ways to get rid of it. You could either add more flour or increase the baking time.

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Should frozen bananas be thawed before baking? ›

Freeze Bananas Whole (If Using for Baking)

But to use in baking recipes, you need to thaw the frozen bananas first, because you need to mash them for your recipe.

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When should you not use frozen bananas? ›

"Whole, peeled frozen bananas keep for three months," says Weinstein. If they're frozen together, you can simply snap them apart. "Sliced bananas won't last as long, [about] two months tops," says Weinstein.

Are thawed frozen bananas mushy? ›

Frozen bananas will be very mushy. You can thaw them in the refrigerator or in the kitchen overnight. They are fine for making cakes or smoothies, but unappealing to eat as they defrost, because the texture has broken down.

Can you eat bananas after they've been frozen? ›

You can freeze unpeeled bananas, if you want—you'll just need to thaw them and peel them when they're ready. But keep in mind that bananas frozen that way get mushy when they're thawed, so you'll need to use them only for recipes that require mashed bananas.

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