Brown Butter Banana Bread
Posted Aug 05, 2026
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This brown butter banana bread recipe is moist and perfectly sweet with a deep nutty caramel flavor. Easy to make with simple ingredients in one bowl, banana bread with brown butter is a truly elevated version of classic banana bread you’ll make on repeat.
If you’ve never made banana bread with brown butter, get ready to have your life forever changed.
Browning the butter adds a rich, caramel flavor that takes classic banana bread from good to can’t-stop-eating. Baking brown butter banana bread makes your kitchen smell so good that your family will be asking for a slice before it’s cooled enough to eat. The texture is irresistibly moist with a soft, tender crumb and a perfectly golden, slightly crisp edge on every slice.
Whether you serve it warm for breakfast or enjoy a slice as an afternoon treat, this brown butter banana bread is a recipe you’ll want to make every time you have overripe bananas. It’s easy enough for a weekday and special enough for a holiday brunch!
Brown Butter Banana Bread: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Salted Butter. You can brown some unsalted butter too and it will be just as delicious. See this post for a full tutorial on how to brown butter.
- Overripe Bananas. Make sure the bananas are brown and very ripe. If you use yellow/green bananas your bread will lack moisture and sweetness. If using frozen, overripe bananas, let them thaw to room temperature and mix them together (including any water that is released in thawing) before proceeding with the recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you want a richer molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar. Use organic cane sugar or white sugar.
- All-purpose flour. For the best results, I recommend using all-purpose flour. However, bread flour also works well. For a gluten-free version, use 1:1 all purpose gluten-free baking flour.
How to Make Brown Butter Banana Bread
The first step in this recipe is to brown the butter. Start by cutting the butter into ½ “cubes and putting it in a thick-bottomed pan (preferably in an even layer).
Then, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. First, the butter will melt. Then, it will begin to foam on top and start bubbling.
Next, it will start turning light brown with light brown flecks. Then, it will start turning a darker brown, amber color. At this point the butter is browned and cooking is complete.
Transfer the butter to a large mixing bowl to cool slightly – this is where you will mix the bread so make sure it’s big enough for all the ingredients.
Next, it’s time to make the brown butter banana bread. Start by mashing the bananas into the slightly cooled browned butter, carefully so it doesn’t splatter.
Then stir in the eggs and vanilla.
Next, add the sugars and stir until they are dissolved.
Then, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon and stir until it’s fully incorporated into the batter.
At this point you can add up to 1 cup of mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
Evenly spread the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes – until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
If the top browns too much
If the top starts browning too much before the toothpick comes out clean, loosely tent the loaf pan with aluminum foil and continue baking.
Once the bread is done, let it cool in the baking pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Then, use a knife to release the edges and transfer it to either a wire cooling rack to continue cooling – or to a cutting board to cut into slices and serve.
Serve
This banana bread with brown butter tastes amazing plain. However, here are a few of our favorite toppings that we like to slather on our warm banana bread:
- Spread cinnamon honey butter over the top
- Slather on some apple butter or pumpkin butter
- Peanut butter or any other nut/seed butter. Try making homemade peanut butter.
- Nutella
- Jam
- Butter with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
- Drizzle of honey or maple syrup
- A dollop of homemade whipped cream.
Store/Freeze
Store leftover brown butter banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or oven set to warm.
Brown Butter Banana Bread Recipe FAQS
Yes, you need to let it cool or else it will cook the eggs when they’re added. You can stir or place it in the fridge to speed up the process.
Very ripe—look for bananas with lots of brown spots. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
The most likely reason this happens is that the bread was overbaked. Make sure to test it at 50 minutes.
Yes of course – chocolate chips, nuts, cinnamon chips, dried fruit, etc. are all great choices. You can add up to 1 cup of mix-ins.
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Banana Bread with Brown Butter
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter (browned)
- 3-4 overripe bananas – mashed (1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup mix-ins (optional – nuts, chocolate chips, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).
- Grease a 9×5” loaf pan, set aside.
Brown the Butter
- Cut butter into ½ “cubes.
- Put butter in a thick-bottomed pan (preferably in an even layer).
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally,
- First, the butter will melt.
- Then, it will begin to foam on top and start bubbling.
- Next, it will start turning light brown with light brown flecks.
- Then, it will start turning a darker brown, amber color. At this point the butter is browned and cooking is complete.
- Transfer it to a large mixing bowl (one you will mix the rest of the ingredients in), let cool to room temperature.
Make the Banana Bread
- Add the bananas to the cooled brown butter and mash the bananas.
- Then add the eggs and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and stir until mixture is smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon and stir until combined.
- At this point you can add up to 1 cup of mix ins like chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
- Evenly spread the batter in the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake on the lowest rack in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the banana bread comes out with just some moist crumbs. (If the top starts browning too much before the toothpick comes out clean, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil).
- Cool in the baking pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Use a butter knife to release the sides of the bread from the pan if necessary.
- Put the banana bread on a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Notes
- Salted Butter. You can brown some unsalted butter too and it will be just as delicious. See this post for a full tutorial on how to brown butter.
- Overripe Bananas. Make sure the bananas are brown and very ripe. If you use yellow/green bananas your bread will lack moisture and sweetness. If using frozen, overripe bananas, let them thaw to room temperature and mix them together (including any water that is released in thawing) before proceeding with the recipe.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you want a richer molasses flavor, use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar. Use organic cane sugar or white sugar.
- All-purpose flour. For the best results I recommend using all-purpose flour. However bread flour also works well. For a gluten-free version, use 1:1 all purpose gluten-free baking flour.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
