Brown butter banana bread is a soft, simple and wonderfully moist banana bread made with deliciously nutty and flavorful brown butter. This banana bread with brown butter is just as easy to make as classic banana bread, but the added depth of flavor from the browned butter makes it even better.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
There is something so cozy and inviting about banana bread. It’s straight forward and easy to make. I especially love my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Apple Banana Bread, Cake Mix Banana Bread, Banana Zucchini Bread and Nutella Banana Bread recipes. This browned butter banana bread is no exception. If you’re a fan of wonderfully moist banana bread this recipe is for you.
- Layers of flavors and textures: This recipe for browned butter banana bread has a perfectly moist and soft textures filled with sweet banana and nutty, buttery flavor.
- Easy to make, bake and eat: This moist banana bread with brown butter is just as simple to make as classic banana bread. The only difference is planning some extra time to brown and cool the butter. The result for the extra prep time is the best banana bread ever.
Ingredients
This nutty, buttery banana bread requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. If you like to add some ground spices such as cinnamon or ginger, feel free to add up to 1 teaspoon.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, mashed bananas, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make this burnt butter banana bread if you need them.
- All purpose flour: To make this brown butter banana cake loaf gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure the amount of flour based on weight (180 g) instead of cup for cup.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: This recipe hasn’t been tested with baking powder or baking soda only. Make sure both are in date and not expired.
- Mashed Banana: Make sure the bananas are fully ripened with some brown spots.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use your preferred unsalted butter. The best option to brown a plant based butter is to use Miyokos Plant Butter.
- Granulated and Light Brown Sugar: This recipe hasn’t been tested with alternative sugars. However, maple sugar would be a good substitute to make this banana brown butter bread refined sugar free.
- Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
- Sour Cream: A full fat greek yogurt or full fat buttermilk works well in place of the sour cream.
- Vanilla Extract: This provides a lovely background flavor for the caramelized banana and nutty brown butter.
How To Make
Learn how to make brown butter banana bread takes a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C). Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on two sides. In a sauce pan or pot, melt the butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 15 - 20 minutes to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and any ground spices together until well combined.
- In another large mixing bowl, mash about 3 medium bananas to measure 1 ¼ cups mashed banana. Once the bananas are mashed, whisk the cooled browned butter, sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract and eggs until smooth and well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
4. Evenly pour the banana brown butter bread batter into the prepared pan. Top with a sprinkle of sugar or ¼ cup chopped nuts if you like. Bake the banana bread for 50 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out with a few moist (not wet or gummy) crumbs. Cool the banana bread with brown butter in the loaf pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan. Fully cool the caramelized banana bread for at least an hour at room temperature, slice and enjoy.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Make Ahead: The easiest component to make ahead is the brown butter. Simply make the brown butter according to the recipe directions and pour the butter into a heat and fridge safe container. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. When you are ready to use the brown butter in this banana bread recipe, heat the butter to melting, stir and use as written in the recipe.
- Store: Place leftover banana browned butter bread in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days. Then transfer the bread to the fridge for up to another 2 - 3 days.
- Freeze: Slice and individually wrap each slice of banana bread in wax or parchment paper and transfer each wrapped slice into a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and best way to thaw the brown butter filled banana bread is to let it slowly thaw in the fridge overnight. Then pop a slice or two into the toaster or into the microwave for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
- Serve: Enjoy the banana bread with brown butter plain, with maple butter, honey sweetened yogurt or with whipped cream and caramelized bananas. For more of a dessert banana bread cake, top with brown butter cream cheese frosting.
M’s Expert Tips
- Allow extra time to brown the butter. Browning the butter makes this the best banana bread. With that said, browning butter takes about 15 minutes and another 15 - 20 minutes to cool the butter to warm.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in moist and perfectly mixed banana cake bread.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Fully cool the banana brown butter loaf. This banana bread with needs at least an hour, but preferably two hours to fully cool. If you slice into the banana bread too soon, the bread will be mushy.
FAQs
To ripen or brown bananas quickly, bake bananas on a baking sheet in a 300 F oven for 30 - 40 minutes or until the outside of the banana is blackened. Cool the bananas, peel and use as written in the recipe.
The nuttiness from browning the butter pairs wonderfully with the sweet, caramelized flavor of baked bananas.
Cooling banana bread for at least 1 - 2 hours allows the structure of the bread to fully set. Your patience will be rewarded with perfectly sliced pieces of banana bread.
Other Banana Recipes to Try
- 4 Ingredient Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bars
- Banana Brownies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Bars
- Banana Mini Muffins
If you try this Brown Butter Banana Bread recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Brown Butter Banana Bread
Equipment
- 1 sauce pan or small pot
- 1 9 X 5 loaf pan
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 whisk and flexible spatula or spoon
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons (127 g) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground spice such as cinnamon or ginger optional
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) mashed banana about 3 medium bananas
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
Instructions
- In a sauce pan or pot, melt the butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 15 - 20 minutes to room temperature.9 tablespoons (127 g) unsalted butter
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C). Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on two sides.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and any ground spices together until well combined.1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour , 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt , ½ teaspoon ground spice such as cinnamon or ginger
- In another large mixing bowl, mash about 3 medium bananas to measure 1 ¼ cups mashed banana. Once the bananas are mashed, whisk the cooled browned butter, sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract and eggs until smooth and well combined. Switch to a flexible spatula or spoon and stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.1¼ cups (300 ml) mashed banana , ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar , 2 large eggs, room temperature , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
- Evenly pour the banana brown butter bread batter into the prepared pan. Top with a sprinkle of sugar or ¼ cup chopped nuts if you like. Bake the banana bread for 50 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out with a few moist (not wet or gummy) crumbs.
- Cool the banana bread with brown butter in the loaf pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan. Fully cool the caramelized banana bread for at least an hour at room temperature, slice and enjoy.
Ali says
Can’t believe there’s no comments on this… probably my favorite banana bread recipe of all time. Attempting to make muffins with it this time!
Megan says
Hi Ali, thank you for the kind review. I am so happy you loved the banana bread!