Every slice of this brown butter banana bread features a moist crumb, banana flavor, and rich, nutty notes. This easy recipe requires no special equipment, and the brown butter elevates it into a bakery-worthy treat!
Today I’m sharing all of my bakery secrets to making perfectly moist and super flavorful brown butter banana bread!
If you've browned butter before, you know how the delicious toasty flavor can elevate any recipe- from brown butter snickerdoodles to chocolate Nutella bars. With just a few overripe bananas and simple pantry ingredients, you'll love this elevated twist on a classic breakfast treat!
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Why We Love Brown Butter Banana Bread
- Quick and easy to make in one bowl with simple ingredients, similar to our brown butter rice krispie treats!
- A super moist texture that stays moist for days!
- Packed with nutty brown butter flavor in both the batter and the icing on top.
- Like our banana donuts, it's perfect for using old ripe bananas.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Fresh bananas: Brown bananas with lots of brown spots are perfect! The banana acts as a moistening agent, keeping it soft and moist for days. You will use 3-4 bananas, depending on their size.
Brown sugar: I've used both dark brown sugar and light brown sugar. Use what you have on hand!
Sour cream: The addition of sour cream adds even more moisture and richness! This acidic ingredient also reacts with the baking soda, helping the banana bread rise in the oven. Substitute with full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
Cinnamon: For a classic banana bread flavor. You could also add nutmeg or cardamom to the batter!
Find the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions in the recipe card below!
Variations
While the brown butter is the star of the show, you can also add other flavors!
- Add ½ cup of mini or regular chocolate chips to the batter with the dry ingredients.
- Add ½ cup of finely chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts. This will add even more of a nutty flavor!
- Instead of brown butter glaze, smother the top in homemade cream cheese frosting!
Recipe Instructions
How to Brown Butter
Step 1: Melt the butter over medium heat. Stir it occasionally so that it melts evenly. (Image 1 below)
Step 2: Stir constantly. The butter will start to sizzle, pop, and bubble intensely (Image 2 below). Stand by and watch it carefully!
Step 3: Look for a golden color. After a few minutes, the butter will foam intensely, start smelling nutty, and turn a golden yellow color. (Image 3 above).
Step 4: Take it off the heat. As soon as there are amber-brown milk solids on the bottom of the pan (Image 4 above), scrape the brown butter into a heatproof bowl. Reserve 3 tablespoons for the glaze. Chill the rest in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.
How to Make the Banana Bread
Step 1: Whisk together the dry ingredients. Combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (Image 1 below). Set aside.
Step 2: Combine the mashed banana and sugar. In a large bowl, whisk the mashed bananas and sugars (Image 2 below). This releases more of the natural sugars in the banana. It’s a trick I learned working in bakeries!
Step 3: Whisk together the wet ingredients. In the same bowl, whisk in the eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, and browned butter (Image 3 below).
Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Whisk the dries into the wets until just combined (Image 4 above).
Step 5: Pour batter into loaf pan. Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan (Image 5 below).
Step 6: Bake! Drag a butter knife through the center (Image 6 below). This lets the bread bake with the split in the center, a classic signature of bakery banana bread. Bake in the oven until golden brown, then cool on a wire rack before removing it from the pan.
Step 7: Make the brown butter icing. Whisk together the reserved brown butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract (Image 7 above).
Step 8: Cover the banana bread with the glaze. Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled loaf (Image 8 above). Then use a serrated knife to cut into individual slices. Serve slices with a pat of butter and enjoy!
Top Tips for Success
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you do not have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Slice once cool. This banana bread is very moist and will fall apart if cut while it's still hot.
- Don't burn the butter. I wrote an entire tutorial on how to brown butter if you are new to baking and want to learn more!
- Use ripe bananas. Aim for them to be brown and spotted, but not black and mushy.
- Line the loaf pan with parchment paper or use non-stick spray. Otherwise, the banana bread will stick to the pan and be hard to remove.
Storage and Freezing Tips
- Storage: To keep it soft and moist, store the banana loaf wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 1 week in the fridge. The glaze will start to melt at room temperature after 1-2 days.
- Freezing: It can be frozen as a whole or in slices. Wrap the whole loaf or the individual slices in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge before serving!
FAQs
The bananas should be brown and spotted, but not black and mushy.
You can make the brown butter up to 5 days in advance and store it in the fridge. When you are ready to use it, gently melt it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Incorrectly measuring the flour can result in dry and dense bread. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale!
It was not baked long enough. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out covered in a few moist crumbs but no thick wet batter.
Check the freshness of your baking soda!
Banana bread is one of my favorite things to make with old bananas, but you could also make banana pudding brownies or Nutella banana muffins!
More Delicious Brown Butter Recipes
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you're there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Brown Butter Banana Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
Banana Bread Batter
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour *See notes below for measuring*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe banana about 3-4 bananas
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- â…“ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Brown Butter Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons reserved melted brown butter from above
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Before you start. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line a metal 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper to hang over both sides.
- Brown the butter. Cook the butter in a stainless steel pan until it smells nutty and has amber-colored milk solids. Immediately scrape the browned butter into a heatproof bowl, reserving 3 tablespoons for the glaze. Chill the remaining brown butter in the freezer while measuring the other ingredients (aim for warm but not scalding hot butter for the batter).12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Whisk together the wet ingredients. Whisk together the mashed banana, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Then whisk in the eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, and brown butter.1 ½ cups mashed ripe banana, ½ cup light or dark brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Whisk the wet and dries together. Whisk the dries into the wet until just combined.
- Bake the banana bread. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and drag a butterknife through the center in a straight line. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the loaf. Let the pan cool on a wire cooling rack for 20 minutes, then lift the parchment to remove it from the pan. Let it continue cooling completely on the rack while you make the glaze.
- Make the brown butter icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, reserved brown butter (if it has solidified, gently warm it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds until liquid), milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons reserved melted brown butter, 2 tablespoons whole milk, ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour the icing over the banana bread. Once completely cool, pour the brown butter glaze over the loaf. Let the glaze set for 15-20 minutes, then cut into 9-10 slices with a serrated knife. Enjoy!
- You can add ½ cup of chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the batter before baking if desired! Store leftover slices in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge. If stored at room temperature, the glaze will start to melt after 1-2 days which is why I recommend storing it in the fridge. To freeze, wrap each slice in plastic wrap then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Mary Rose Sullivan says
My first time making anything with brown butter, and the elevated flavor is amazing! Turned out so well, I used my remaining over ripe bananas to make another loaf! Maybe I’ll share some with a neighbor, maybe I’ll just freeze the second loaf for a future treat!
Alex says
This has to be the best banana bread I've ever made. The whole loaf was gone in a matter of hours!!!
Roby says
Turned out absolutely perfect. Used a spring form loaf pan. Delicious!
Karen says
As soon as I saw this on IG I ran to make it and it was sooooooo delicious!
Audri says
I only have one word for this recipe...YUM! SO MOIST, super soft, and so easy to make. I brought leftovers to work and everyone was asking for the recipe.