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

February 23rd 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

This Banana Bread Pudding is the creamiest, sweetest, and yummiest way to use up leftover bread. The combination of bananas and peanut butter is classically delicious plus there’s maple syrup and cardamom for something special. Use gluten-free bread to make the dish gluten-free.

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? ›

Frozen bananas are a great way to use overripe bananas in banana bread. If you're like me, you rarely remember to use your overripe bananas on the day they are perfectly ripe so freezing them is a great solution. Thawed bananas are easier to mash and can also add extra moisture to the batter.

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? ›

Banana bread recipes typically ask you to use overripe bananas so that they're easier to mush. This means it's tempting to toss all your bananas into the mix when you're ready to bake, to avoid food waste. But if you add too much of the fruit into your batter, your bread could turn out mushy, heavy, and wet.

How old should bananas be for banana bread? ›

When it comes to baking, you want bananas covered all over in brown spots that smell very fragrant. These are signs that the banana is fully ripe, although you can wait longer until the bananas are completely brown or even black on the outside for the most flavor.

Do I need to thaw 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.

When should you not use frozen bananas? ›

Bananas will not ripen any further once they're frozen, so you want to freeze fully ripe bananas so that they're naturally sweet when you use them in a recipe. Always label the container with the freeze date so you can remember when you froze the bananas. Frozen bananas should be used within 3 months.

How many bananas equal 2 cups? ›

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

How many bananas is 2 pounds of bananas? ›

The weight of bananas can vary depending on their size and moisture content, but on average, one pound of fresh bananas is roughly equivalent to 3 to 4 medium-sized bananas. However, when bananas are dried, they lose a significant amount of moisture, resulting in a reduction in weight.

How many bananas is 1lb? ›

One pound of bananas is about three bananas, each about five inches in length. Now the next time you find this fruit on sale, you can quickly do the math to calculate how many to pick up for a pound and beyond.

Why is my banana bread always so dry? ›

Moisture is key when it comes to banana bread, and the ratio of flour to banana makes all the difference. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with dry bread. If you don't use enough, your bread will be too wet. The secret is actually in how you measure the flour.

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.

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.

Should you keep banana bread in the fridge or pantry? ›

Wrapped well and stored at room temperature, banana bread will last about five days. If stored in the fridge, it should last a full week. A frozen loaf of banana bread will last up to a year in the freezer, wrapped well with storage wrap and aluminum foil.

Can I mix banana bread the night before? ›

Yes, you can keep banana bread batter in the fridge overnight. I'd recommend covering your mixing bowl in plastic wrap, or mixing in a bowl that has a lid you can attach. However, I'm not sure why you'd want to refrigerate your banana bread batter. The batter itself typically comes together in just a few minutes.

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.

Are thawed frozen bananas mushy? ›

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.

How much frozen banana equals one banana? ›

I have found that about ¾ – 1 cup of ½ inch slices of banana equal close to 1 large banana. After freezing the slices, do a quick measure to see how many cups 1 banana equals for easier measurement for recipes.

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