When you are serving your best banana bread recipe, it's important to know what to serve with banana bread! Whether you are looking for a spread, a drink, or a side dish, there is something for everyone in these 35 recipes!
When you have some overripe bananas hanging out on your counter, the best way to use them is to make banana bread! Whether you are making your favorite healthy banana bread recipe or a decadent double chocolate banana bread, banana bread for the chocolate lovers in your life, a loaf of banana bread is a good decision any time of day!
It's a great afternoon snack, a delicious breakfast, and can be a sweet treat served as a classic dessert topped with some vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit! There's no wrong way to eat banana bread!
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Ingredients To Gather
These are the main ingredients for most banana bread recipes.
- Bananas- Brown and spotty. Even almost all black is ok. The brown, spotty bananas have a sweet banana flavor and a more intense banana flavor. You don't want to use yellow bananas.
- Flour. All purpose flour is common, but oat flour, whole wheat flour, or even a little bit of coconut flour can be used in combination with all purpose flour.
- Brown sugar- granulated sugar or maple syrup can be substituted instead but the brown sugar adds more flavor to the bread.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda- to help the bread rise
- Butter- to give the bread moisture and keep it from drying out. Coconut oil, vegetable oil, or even olive oil will work. A combination of sour cream and oil can be used for a really moist banana bread too.
- Vanilla- brightens up the taste of the chocolate in the bread
How To Make Banana Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Grease a loaf pan with cooking spray and line the pan with parchment paper. Allow some of the parchment paper to overhang the sides of the loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, peel the bananas and mash them until there are no big chunks left.
- Add the sugar and eggs to the bowl and mix well.
- Place the butter and vanilla in the bowl and mix until all the ingredients are fully combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients but do not overmix at this point. You want to incorporate all the flour, but you don't have to get all the lumps out.
- Pour batter in the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes depending on your oven. After 50 minutes, check the bread for doneness by sticking a toothpick into the middle of the bread and taking it out. If there is no batter on the toothpick, the bread is done!
- Take the bread out of the loaf pan by lifting the overhung pieces of parchment paper. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack completely before cutting into it.
How to Ripen Bananas
- To ripen bananas faster than they normally would, place the bananas in a brown bag with an apple. The gases from the skin of the apple speeds up the ripening process. This way will take about a day to ripen.
- If you are in a pinch and want to ripen bananas quickly, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the whole banana on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 15 minutes. When the skins turn completely black they are ready! Carefully peel the banana and let it cool, then proceed with the recipe.
- Otherwise you can do what we do, leave them out on the counter until we forget about them and then make banana bread!
Variations of Banana Bread
- Banana Bread Without Butter
- Cake Mix Banana Bread
- Banana Bread with Self-Rising Flour
- Sourdough Discard Banana Bread
- One Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread
- Banana Nut Bread Without Baking Soda
Banana Bread FAQs
The possibilities are endless when looking for what to add to your delicious banana bread! You can add dark chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, walnuts, pecans, peanut butter chips, or white chocolate chips.
To freeze the bread, allow it to cool to room temperature and then wrap the bread in plastic wrap. Place the bread in a Ziploc bag and write the date on the Ziploc bag so you know how long the bread has been in there. Place the bread in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can probably leave it in there for a little longer, I've pulled bread out at five months and it was still amazing!
Another option is to cut the banana bread into slices and freeze the individual slices, that way you can grab a slice, throw it in the toaster oven, and head out the door on those busy mornings! To do this, slice the bread and place the slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once they are frozen, place the slices in a Ziploc bag and keep them in the freezer.
What To Serve With Banana Bread
A fun way to liven up your fruit platter, this fruit rainbow is so easy to make and will wow your guests! Kids will love eating their fruit when it's shaped in a rainbow!
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and raspberry Kefir are mixed together to make this delicious Mixed Berry Kefir Smoothie! A healthy breakfast or a filling afternoon snack, this smoothie checks all the boxes!
When traveling isn't an option, we need to try to create those tastes of the tropics right in your own home. This Pina Colada smoothie is a great way to transport yourself to the tropics!
A delicious breakfast or snack during the holiday season, this Gingerbread Kefir Smoothie is so good for you and so delicious!
Sweet and full of cinnamon, you won't go back to the store bought stuff after you try this homemade chunky applesauce! It's a family favorite and a must make during apple season!
A White Chocolate Frappuccino is great any time of the day, but I love to serve it in the afternoon when I need a boost of energy. White Chocolate Chips are melted into hot espresso coffee before being blended together with ice and cream to make this deliciously satisfying drink.
Juicy, sweet grapes and a luxurious but light vanilla-cream cheese dressing make this easy salad a lovely companion to banana bread. Even better? It keeps well for several days (so you might wanna make two loaves of that banana bread!).
This rich, cool and creamy recipe is a perfect counterpoint to banana bread! A little jelly and a sprinkling of fresh berries adds a welcome pop of freshness to elevate the whole experience. Ahhhh ... delicious!
Banana Nut Butter is a creamy, delicious spread made from blending banana chips with your choice of nuts like almonds and cashews It's a versatile and delicious option for spreading on toast or even banana bread!
These mouthwatering caramelized peaches would be a delicious accompaniment to a slice of fresh banana bread. They’re quick and easy to make.
Craving a Caramel Macchiato? Who can resist this tempting coffee drink with caramel flavours and hot, steamy milk? Follow this specialty coffee recipe to save time and money by making your favorite caffeinated treat at home. It’s easier than you think!
This Homemade Nutella couldn't be easier to make! Just 7 ingredients, and lower in sugar than the regular kind, it's delicious for breakfast or a snack. A smooth, nutty, rich and creamy chocolate hazelnut spread that you will want to put on everything. Just grab a spoon! There is also a dairy free option too, so you can have delicious vegan Nutella.
Refreshing and sweet, this Rose Boba Tea is loaded with floral notes and chewy honey boba. So much better to make at home than buy!
Homemade oat milk chai latte is a drink you'll want to make over and over again. Make it in just 15 minutes with only 6 ingredients.
This apple honey has a delicious flavor and its syrupy sweetness is perfect for spreading onto a slice of warm banana bread for a truly indulgent treat! It's also incredibly easy to make, requiring just 3 ingredients and 30 minutes.
Learn how easy it is to make homemade Vanilla Almond Butter. With just two ingredients (or three if you like a little salt) and a bit of time, you'll make amazing, smooth, sugar-free almond butter that's a healthy snack and perfect on toast.
This easy sweet cream cold foam recipe turns a simple cup of iced coffee into a refreshing indulgence! The perfect accompaniment to a big slice of banana bread!
Salted Cinnamon Peanut Butter (Easy Natural Peanut Butter Recipe)
This salted peanut butter is great on its own and even better paired with your favorite bread or muffin! It’s so easy to make, this will be your go to!
Fruit salad is the perfect side for…pretty much anything! This easy fruit salad recipe with honey lime dressing is light, fresh, and keeps you coming back for more.
This simple and easy healthy green juice recipe is made with apples, kale, lemon and cucumber. The perfect immunity boost and ready in less than 10 minutes!
This peach banana smoothie is creamy, easy to make, and tastes like summer. Fresh peaches, frozen banana, and yogurt make a refreshing and satisfying smoothie.
Sweet without the sugar, creamy without the cream. This classic smoothie favorite is simple, pure, and so delicious.
This protein iced coffee is refreshing, creamy, and incredibly delicious. It is an easy way to bump up your protein intake!
This peach mango smoothie goes perfect with banana bread. It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Pair this cozy vanilla chai with a warm slice of banana bread. It’s the perfect snack or breakfast!
Butter is great, but homemade chocolate butter is a creamy and delicious way to elevate your banana bread and more. It can be used just like butter, but it has the taste of rich chocolate while still having the creamy texture of butter.
Whipped honey butter is perfect for spreading on biscuits, bread, and more. The best part is you only need three ingredients!
Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Honey Butter is sweet butter with a touch of honey and cinnamon -- delicious on everything from banana bread to baked sweet potatoes. Easy copycat version you can make in 5 minutes in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Rhubarb orange jam is easy to make and goes well with many things. Enjoy a tangy, sweet taste of summer on your banana bread.
This gut health smoothie is packed with nourishing ingredients to fuel your body and your gut microbiome. It's filled with natural probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber and is a delicious, simple breakfast!
This strawberry matcha latte recipe is the perfect way to enjoy the taste of summer all year long. It combines the sweet flavor of strawberries with the earthy taste of matcha green tea, and is finished off with a creamy milk. Made with just a few simple ingredients, this refreshing beverage is sure to become a new favorite.
Full of raisins and walnuts, this Cinnamon Bread Pudding Recipe is an easy dessert to make and a great use for day-old bread!
Full of Fall flavors, Apple Cinnamon Waffles are the perfect way to enjoy those fresh apples so readily available. Make a big batch on the weekends and enjoy these waffles each morning!
Tangy and moist, these Sourdough Discard Scones are another great way to use up some of your extra sourdough starter. You can use this base recipe to create dozens of different flavor combinations of these delicious scones!
Full of apples, oatmeal, and cinnamon, these apple cinnamon breakfast bars are super filling and delicious! These bars are refined sugar free, dairy free, and gluten free! If you need a change from your normal breakfast rut, look no further!
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