Name: Brown Butter Banana Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned; 2 large eggs; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 and 3/4 cups mashed overripe banana (about 4 medium bananas); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Browned butter makes this classic banana bread recipe extra flavorful and super special! Brown Butter Banana Bread is a treat you have to experience!

A loaf brown butter banana bread loaf on a parchment covered wooden cutting board.

Banana Bread But Better!

Soft, sweet classic banana bread becomes even more delicious and flavorful with the addition of rich, nutty brown butter. For breakfast or a tasty snack with your morning coffee, this banana bread is easy perfection.

A pile of slices of banana bread. The bottom slice has a bite out of it.

Rich and Nutty

Oh how I love browned butter! That wonderfully rich nutty aroma that fills the kitchen every time I brown a stick of butter is incredible and intoxicating! It can make almost any baked good taste even better so I decided to kick my classic banana bread up a notch by using browned butter. And, of course, it turned out AMAZING!!!

A stack of four pieces of brown butter banana bread on a white surface.

Clean Out the Cupboards!

It was a cleaning out the cupboards kind of day when I made this bread because we were headed out of town for a few weeks and we had a pile of overripe bananas on the counter and variety of already opened add-ins that made for some pretty awesome banana bread for us to take with!

Brown bananas on a white marble counter.

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter (browned): the browned butter adds a more complex flavor than regular melted butter. The butter overall adds richness, moisture and flavor. I use unsalted butter, but you can use salted. Just adjust the recipe to account for the added salt.
Large eggs: binds ingredients together, adds structure and contributes to the richness and moisture.
Granulated sugar: sweetness that helps with texture, browning and moisture retention.
Bananas (overripe): overripe bananas are key because their starches have converted to sugar , which boosts both sweetness and softness of the bread. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the bread will be!
Vanilla extract: it compliments the banana and brown butter notes with a warm, sweet aroma.
All-purpose flour: balances the wet ingredients to make sure the bread holds together but isn’t too dense.
Baking soda: leavening agent that reacts with the acidity in the bananas to create carbon dioxide, which helps the bread rise and stay light.
Kosher salt: balances the sweetness and makes the banana, vanilla, and brown butter flavors more pronounced. Use slightly less if using table salt (which is finer).

Supplies:

Ingredients to make brown butter banana bread in small dishes on a white marble counter.

How to Make Brown Butter Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan (line with parchment paper, if desired) and set aside.
Place the butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat and whisk constantly as it melts. The butter will start to bubble and foam and then subside as the water evaporates and the milk solids start to turn a light brown color.
Just as it starts to turn light brown and you smell that nutty aroma, remove it from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool. Once the butter starts to brown, it will race into burnt, so watch it carefully and remove from the heat as soon as it starts to brown.
Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Whisk in the mashed bananas.

Steps to make brown butter banana bread batter.

Then whisk in the browned butter and vanilla.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt.
Stir until well combined.

Steps to make brown butter banana bread.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Banana bread batter in a dark aluminum loaf pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top of the bread is browned before the center is baked all the way through, tent the loaf with foil and let it continue to bake until the center is baked all the way through. I almost always tent my banana bread with foil a little over halfway through the baking time.
Let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes after removing from the oven and then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely (about 1-2 hours).

A loaf of brown butter banana bread in a dark aluminum loaf pan on a white marble counter.

Tips for This Recipe

Keep watch! Brown butter races to burn, so watch it closely!
Bananas: The riper the banana, the sweeter the bread will be. Learn more about baking with bananas.
Oven temperature: If you’re unsure about the fidelity of your oven temperature, use an oven thermometer.
Tenting with foil: If your bread is browning too quickly while the inside is still undercooked, create a tent with aluminum foil to place over the top while the inside finishes baking all the way through.
Let it rest: Banana bread keeps cooking for a little while after it comes out of the oven. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs.

A sliced loaf brown butter banana bread loaf on a parchment covered wooden cutting board.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To freeze, let cool completely and then wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap and then place in a freeze bag or airtight container to keep in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw, loosely covered, at room temperature.

The Best Banana Bread Recipes

From classic banana bread to flourless to chocolate and everything in-between, you won’t want to miss any of The Best Banana Bread Recipes!

Classic banana bread, flourless banana bread, Nutella swirled banana bread, and healthy chocolate banana bread.

If you make my Brown Butter Banana Bread, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,