The banana is perhaps the least fruitlike of all fruits, with a flavor that has more in common with caramel or vanilla than with peaches or strawberries. And it's for this reason that I think it punches above its weight in sweets, and here are 18 recipes that prove it.
1. Frozen Banana Peanut Butter Bites
Peanut butter and banana are a match made in heaven. I normally have them on pancakes, but as this recipe shows, they're great frozen together too.
Ingredients
Method
- Peel bananas; halve crosswise, then lengthwise to make 8 pieces. Spread cut sides with peanut butter.
- Freeze on a lined tray 1 hour.
- Microwave chocolate and oil in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over bananas; add peanuts.
- Freeze 15 minutes until set. Keep frozen until serving.
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2. Chocolate-Dipped Banana Pops
I never had a chocolate-covered frozen banana until my teenage Arrested Development obsession (if you know, you know), and it turns out they're pretty great. Go crazy with the toppings — nuts, coconut, sprinkles, whatever.
Ingredients
Method
- Peel bananas; halve crosswise and insert a wooden ice-pop stick into each cut end. Freeze on a lined tray 1 hour.
- Microwave chocolate and oil in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth.
- Dip bananas in chocolate; add toppings immediately. Return to tray; freeze 15 minutes until set.
3. Banana Chocolate Muffins
Mashed bananas recede into the background here, letting the chocolate shine. The banana not only adds flavor, but it also helps the muffins stay soft.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan.
- Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Whisk bananas, sugar, egg, oil and vanilla in another bowl.
- Fold dry ingredients into banana mixture; fold in chips. Divide among muffin cups.
- Bake 20–24 minutes until a toothpick has a few moist crumbs. Cool 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
4. Banana Oat Nut Cookies
If there's such a thing as a healthy cookie, it's this. They're flourless and use just a touch of maple syrup instead of sugar. Don't stress if you have an extra one or four.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet.
- Mix bananas, syrup, egg and vanilla. Stir in oats, walnuts, cinnamon and salt; stand 5 minutes.
- Drop 18 portions onto sheet; flatten slightly. Bake 16–20 minutes until firm and lightly golden.
- Cool on sheet 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
5. Double Chocolate Banana Bread
This double chocolate banana bread is a decadent dessert-like breakfast or an anytime treat to satisfy your chocolate cravings! It has cocoa powder in the batter itself and is also topped with a chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips!
Angela Latimer / Bake It With Love
6. Orange Banana Smoothie
It can be made in about five minutes using fresh fruit (or frozen, if you prefer a thicker smoothie), creamy Greek yogurt, and natural honey. This smoothie is made with fresh oranges, banana, and yogurt, use whichever variety of orange is in season for the best flavor.
Imsen / Ambitious Foodie
7. Banana Cake
I love banana bread, and a banana cake takes the concept from semi-sweet to fully sweet. Sour cream adds tang and helps with the leavening.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar until creamy; beat in eggs.
- Mix in banana, sour cream and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients; spread in pan.
- Bake 30–38 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese, frosting butter, powdered sugar and frosting vanilla until smooth. Spread over cake; add banana slices just before serving.
8. Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream
Making ice cream is a tedious process that requires special equipment and freezer space I just don't have, but this recipe makes things easier. It's not a true ice cream, but it's a fun experiment all the same.
Ingredients
Method
- Freeze banana slices on a lined tray at least 4 hours.
- Process frozen bananas and peanut butter, stopping to scrape sides. Add milk only as needed to blend.
- Serve immediately, or freeze 1 hour for firmer scoops.
9. Banana and Walnut Mug Cake
This recipe is practically a science experiment — why yes, you can make a cake in the microwave. Microwaves, however, are pretty variable, so use the toothpick test to see if it's done or not.
Ingredients
Method
- Grease a microwave-safe 12-ounce mug. Mix banana, milk, oil and sugar in it.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon and walnuts until smooth.
- Microwave on high 80–110 seconds until top is set and no wet batter remains. Rest 2 minutes.
10. Banana Oat Chocolate Snack Bars
Just looking at this recipe makes me want to go for a full-day hike and throw a few of these guys in my backpack. Something tells me some dried cranberries would go great in these bars too.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment.
- Mix bananas, peanut butter, syrup, egg and vanilla. Stir in oats, cinnamon, salt, nuts and chips.
- Press into pan. Bake 23–28 minutes until center is firm and edges are golden.
- Cool completely before cutting.
11. Peanut Butter Banana Oat Smoothies
Peanut butter and banana go fantastically together in a smoothie, and with the oats, it could almost be a meal. I would, however, recommend letting the oats soak in the milk for at least 10 minutes to help soften them up.
Ingredients
Method
- Blend all ingredients until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide between two glasses.
12. Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Smoothies
Some variation of this is, in essence, my go-to post-workout protein smoothie — milk, oats, Greek yogurt, a banana, and frozen berries. Strawberries are obviously great with banana, but any frozen berry works.
Ingredients
Method
- Blend all ingredients until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide between two glasses.
13. Chocolate Banana Smoothies
It doesn't take much cocoa to impart a chocolate flavor, so this is still pretty dang healthy. I probably wouldn't use yogurt here, though — I think it would just be too tart.
Ingredients
Method
- Blend all ingredients until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide between two glasses.
14. Banana Cream Pie
For this recipe, I'd of course recommend making your own pie crust, but I also know that's not the easiest thing. You can use a high-quality premade crust, but for me, I'd just serve it sans crust as a banana pudding.
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan; whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until bubbling and thick.
- Whisk yolks in a bowl. Slowly whisk in 1 cup hot milk mixture; return to saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring; cook 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Slice bananas into pie shell. Spread custard over them; cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill at least 4 hours.
- Whip cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks; spread over chilled pie. Keep refrigerated.
15. Fried Bananas with Honey and Cinnamon
In Thailand, fried bananas are one of the most addictive street-side treats. This recipe cooks them in a skillet until they turn golden, which is great, but consider battering and deep-frying them as well.
Ingredients
Method
- Peel bananas; halve lengthwise.
- Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook bananas 2 minutes per side until golden.
- Lower heat; add honey and cinnamon. Spoon sauce over bananas; serve warm.
16. Banana Caramel Crepes
There used to be a creperie downstairs from my office, and banana crepes were an addiction I had to kick. But sometimes, like an ex-smoker bumming a cig for old times' sake, I have to have one, and this recipe shows me how.
Ingredients
Method
- Blend flour, eggs, milk, water, melted butter, sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth. Rest 20 minutes.
- Heat a lightly buttered 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium. Add 1/4 cup batter; swirl thinly. Cook 1 minute; flip and cook 30 seconds. Repeat for 8 crepes.
- Cook bananas with remaining filling butter and brown sugar 2–3 minutes until warmed.
- Divide bananas among crepes; fold. Warm caramel sauce; drizzle over servings with chocolate sauce.
17. Banana Caramel Cheesecake
To be honest, I'm not much for cheesecake, but I'm slowly warming up to the concept. Banana seems a more natural fit than berries, and if you can make your own caramel sauce (a bit tricky but doable), all the better.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Mix crumbs and butter; press into base. Bake 10 minutes.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time on low, then mashed banana, sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice.
- Pour over crust. Bake 55–65 minutes until edges are set and center jiggles slightly.
- Turn oven off; leave door ajar and cool cheesecake inside 1 hour. Cool to room temperature; refrigerate at least 4 hours.
- Unmold; top with caramel and fresh banana slices before serving.
18. Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
Banana pancakes are a great way to use up the blackened bananas that lurk in your freezer. I'd personally leave out the chocolate chips, but up to you.
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk mashed banana, egg, milk, vanilla and 1 tablespoon butter.
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir in banana mixture just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low; brush with remaining butter. Pour 1/4 cup batter per pancake.
- Cook 2–3 minutes until edges set and bubbles appear. Flip; cook 1–2 minutes until centers are cooked through. Serve with banana slices and chocolate sauce.