Fall
Brown Butter Bourbon Banana Bread
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54 Reviews
Kiki V.
December 19, 2022
This recipe was a fantastic idea but needed a little help to really shine. I wish the author could revisit this and update it with some of the feedback in the comments.
First, up the pecans to 1 cup and toast in a dry skillet until fragrant.
Meanwhile brown your butter in a light colored pan so you can watch the color change - you want to get just past the foamy stage to a nutty color and fragrance.
Next, in the pan you toasted nuts in, add all three bananas, diced, plus 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp butter (added to total in recipe, a tbsp vanilla, and as much bourbon as you like, maybe a 1/4 cup - your going to simmer this all together while stirring until the caramel is bubbling and the alcohol has reduced. This is a great step to add some salt, cinnamon, a pinch of black pepper or cayenne, and cook it on down.
Combine the nuts, butter, and caramélisés bananas in a mixing bowl and let cool a bit so you can add the remaining wet ingredients.
Add your eggs and buttermilk (I subbed eggnog because Xmas) and stir well.
In a separate bowl mix your flour, 1tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp baking soda thoroughly. You can add a couple more Tbsp brown sugar if you want a sweeter flavor.
Fold the dry into the wet with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix!
Bake until thermometer reads 200° - if your bananas are chunky you may not get a clean toothpick.
Cheers!
First, up the pecans to 1 cup and toast in a dry skillet until fragrant.
Meanwhile brown your butter in a light colored pan so you can watch the color change - you want to get just past the foamy stage to a nutty color and fragrance.
Next, in the pan you toasted nuts in, add all three bananas, diced, plus 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp butter (added to total in recipe, a tbsp vanilla, and as much bourbon as you like, maybe a 1/4 cup - your going to simmer this all together while stirring until the caramel is bubbling and the alcohol has reduced. This is a great step to add some salt, cinnamon, a pinch of black pepper or cayenne, and cook it on down.
Combine the nuts, butter, and caramélisés bananas in a mixing bowl and let cool a bit so you can add the remaining wet ingredients.
Add your eggs and buttermilk (I subbed eggnog because Xmas) and stir well.
In a separate bowl mix your flour, 1tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp baking soda thoroughly. You can add a couple more Tbsp brown sugar if you want a sweeter flavor.
Fold the dry into the wet with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix!
Bake until thermometer reads 200° - if your bananas are chunky you may not get a clean toothpick.
Cheers!
Windswept
March 5, 2024
Wow, thank you Kiki for sharing your updates! I will definitely go your route when making this today!
Chris V.
May 8, 2022
So good! A few notes based on other comments I read:
1. To amp up the bourbon taste, I served it with butter that I whipped with a small splash of bourbon.
2. Some people complained it turned out too dense. My first guess is that the batter might have been overbeaten in those cases, especially after some flour is added. Overbeating will make the proteins thicken and tighten up, and the whole thing will be unpleasantly dense. I mixed it all with a rubber spatula rather than a stand mixer and it turned out great.
3. As far as sweetness and banana flavor, you want those bananas SUPER ripe. Like, brown all over and on the verge of no longer being fresh. If your bananas get overripe you can keep them in the freezer and thaw them out to make banana bread. The ones you caramelize for this recipe don't need to be as brown.
1. To amp up the bourbon taste, I served it with butter that I whipped with a small splash of bourbon.
2. Some people complained it turned out too dense. My first guess is that the batter might have been overbeaten in those cases, especially after some flour is added. Overbeating will make the proteins thicken and tighten up, and the whole thing will be unpleasantly dense. I mixed it all with a rubber spatula rather than a stand mixer and it turned out great.
3. As far as sweetness and banana flavor, you want those bananas SUPER ripe. Like, brown all over and on the verge of no longer being fresh. If your bananas get overripe you can keep them in the freezer and thaw them out to make banana bread. The ones you caramelize for this recipe don't need to be as brown.
melissa426
December 14, 2021
Like others, i found this version (which i truly looking forward to) dense and tasteless. Also did not cook through the bottom. I will use a basic recipe next time and add the booze with the brown sugar and make a sort of caramel with it.
amey C.
December 3, 2021
I only put 1/2 cup of sugar in as I try to limit my sugar intake but still good
( also added a touch of cinnamon)
Loved the addition of the caramélized banana chunks !
( also added a touch of cinnamon)
Loved the addition of the caramélized banana chunks !
Patricia
November 30, 2021
I will just add that I don't use eggs, so I used the flax seed egg. I turned out just great.
Felicia S.
January 26, 2021
This bread was extremely disappointing. It was flavorless and dense. I will not make this recipe again. It was a waste of all the ingredients. I will remove this recipe from my banana bread recipe collection.
Miriam
August 12, 2020
Of course the baking time will vary based on the kitchen- this recipe turned out amazing. I used rum extract instead of bourbon and don’t regret it one bit. Moist, rich flavor, and barely last two days.
TeresaT
June 13, 2020
I'm disappointment, it said 50-1 hour to bake, took it out 10 min early bec it looked done. Came out dense and hard, I think it should have cooked in way less time. Not my go to but was hoping it would. Did not appreciate the banana/sugar mix or the bourbon flavor so extra work was not appreciated. Sorry, but like the pancakes and lemon cake!
NXL
April 7, 2020
The flavors are great. Really picked up the brown sugar, brown butter and buttery bourbon. Totally worth the time and effort. My only criticism is that the ingredient 'bananas' is not precise enough for baking where the proportions really matter. Giving the weight without peels would have been more helpful.
jared999
March 22, 2020
Very time consuming and not worth the effort. Lacking in flavor and sweetness.
Alexis
September 22, 2019
Save time & dishes by using one sauté pan to first brown the butter, then toast the pecans, and finally caramelize the bananas. Made a mini-loafs, perfect size, with a bake time of ~25 minutes. Generous with my bourbon pour, along with a bit in the caramelized bananas to “foster” them (+ pinch of cinnamon). Solid recipe.
Mark T.
September 21, 2019
This needs a 9x5 pan. The recipe didn’t say what size to use, I used a 8x4 and it took over an hour to bake. Can tell the outside is over cooked and the inside barely done.
Octopus A.
April 7, 2019
Loved these muffins! I knew it was a keeper the minute I tasted the batter off the spatula! Made a few adjustments...didn’t carmelize the bananas because I’m not a huge banana fan and thought it would be a bit too banana-y! Didn’t mash bananas but blended while to leave some chunks for texture. Toasted walnuts because that’s all I had. Added the bourbon and thought it was perfect flavoring for teenagers. Not too boozy but nice additional layer of flavor. Baked as mufffins instead of loaf. Nice crumb and great layers from browned butter and bourbon. Definitely adding to the weekend breakfast rotation. Teen friendly.
Debbi S.
May 2, 2018
I’m always looking for the perfect banana bread. This was good, but the browned butter and bourbon were lost flavors in this bread. Mine was moist and good, but not my go-to which I’m still looking for.
mychicago
January 8, 2018
Made this with gluten free flour (blend from jovial) and substituted slivered almonds and almond extract for the pecans and bourbon since I didn't have those. It came out pretty good - moist, not too sweet, crunchy. If I had bourbon I would add that too. Got to make sure not to overbake tho, otherwise it will dry out.
Curlytexan
April 30, 2017
I'm not a big fan of banana bread, but the hubby is so I find myself making it from time to time, I didn't find the few extra steps overly cumbersome. The bread is a bit lighter and cake like as opposed to some other dense moist recipes I've tried over the years. That being said, it's still more dense than a cake. It smelled cloyingly sweet while baking and I was afraid it might taste that way too, but the sweetness wasn't overpowering. I don't know that the bourbon was particularly notable in the finished product. What really mattered is that it got the thumbs up from the banana bread comsumers in the house. They gave this recipe a definite yes!
dfcourtright
February 20, 2017
very not into this recipe--super complicated and the bread turned out very dry bready and not moist fally aparty banana bread. don't recommend.
Marale G.
February 1, 2017
I made this a while ago and it was so good! Moist as ever--just how I like it :)
Lesley
October 23, 2016
This is good, but not sure if all the extra steps were worth it. The bourbon and buttermilk and brown butter got lost after it baked. It's by no means a loss, it's very tasty banana bread, but a bit of a let down, flavor wise.
Yogigirl
September 27, 2016
I added an extra banana and the bread turned out too wet and sunk. Still delicious but the texture was wrong.
eternalgradstudent
September 11, 2016
This is really an excellent banana bread. I even forgot to put in the buttermilk, and it still was moist, and absolutely delicious!
Sarah M.
May 9, 2016
I really love this recipe - I've made it many times (usually with 4-5 bananas) and always loved the results. Today I didn't have butter, diary milk OR eggs (and was way too lazy to go to the grocery store) but decided to go for it anyway with soy milk (curdled with apple cider vinegar), earth balance buttery sticks and flax eggs as substitutes. I also doubled the baking powder for a better rise. The results were very good, although denser and not quite as flavorful as the original. Good to know you can adapt for vegan diet!
Susana
February 13, 2016
Not happy with this recipe - my old stand by is best. I guess it's ;possible that i did something wrong but will not try it again :(
RSVPPDQ36
October 1, 2015
The first time I make a new recipe, I try to follow the instructions exactly, which I did with this one. Everything measured and timed. I was expecting it to blow my old standby out of the water, with the caramlized diced banana and the browned butter, which are two extra steps I've never made with banana bread before. It was good, a tad dry like other commenters suggested, but still came second to my regular recipe. More cake like than typical banana bread, I thought.
Robbie
May 17, 2015
This is an amazing bread, maybe the best I have ever had! I have made over 100 different recipes looking for that elusive flavor and this sure hit the mark. I did not have the 3rd banana to carmelized because a certain hubby decided to eat a banana even though he dislikes them overripe. Substituted with toasted coconut. Can't wait to make it with the carmelized banana. THANKS!
Detrishious
April 19, 2015
This is an amazing recipe. I made a loaf without nuts (kid friendly for school) and I made muffins with the second batch. I decided to use bourbon cardamom spiced walnuts.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Joan1028
March 19, 2015
What about poking holes with a toothpick and pouring the bourbon over top of the finished product?
Janet H.
March 6, 2015
A really good banana bread, I used yoghurt instead of buttermilk though. Not soggy and a really nice flavour. I couldn't do the caramelised bananas because mine were too mushy, but it was still great. I might try it with dates next time.
Chris
February 4, 2015
I made this recipe and the bread did not rise at all. It was overly dense. I baked in a gold tone loaf pan. Any ideas why this happened.
mnist
August 11, 2015
Buttermilk's acidity interacts with baking soda and causes the cake to rise. You might have forgotten the baking soda or perhaps the buttermilk was a little off. (Just a thought.)
Erin A.
January 8, 2015
This is a very tasty and foolproof banana bread recipe. I had to make my own buttermilk because I live in Costa Rica. I also added chocolate chips (but not too many). It was delicious. Everyone loved it.
Tara R.
January 1, 2015
This is very tasty! I used white whole wheat instead of all purpose flour and subbed brandy for bourbon.
Sarah
November 12, 2014
This is probably the best banana bread I have ever made or had. The only substitution I made was to replace 1/4 cup of the flour with 1/4 cup wheat flour. AMAZING.
Armelle O.
November 11, 2014
Made this for a co-worker's goodbye brunch and it was a big hit. Only change I made was ditch the measuring spoon and pour in the bourbon. I did not crazy but one tablespoon definitely did not seem like enough.
Paul G.
September 21, 2017
I agree! The first time I made it, I followed the recipe as written except I used Chivas Regal bc I didn't have any boubon then. The second time I was up. To 2 tablespoons of whiskey and now 1/4 off a cup (4 T). Sometimes also 3/4 c 70% chocolate chips my Jack Daniels supply shortfall has been remedied but I prefer scotch to bourbon in this recolipe.
Jessica
October 27, 2014
Would this work as a two-layer cake with chocolate frosting? Or is it definitely more like a bread?
Corky_H
October 27, 2014
This is what banana bread should taste like! Amazing! The carmelized chunks of bananas, brown butter, splash of bourbon make this unforgettable in the taste department! Favors POP! I seldom comment but had to share this. Will never make a boring old recipe for this again.
drbabs
October 26, 2014
I had a whole mess of bananas when I found this recipe. I was a little put off at first because I have been trying to simplify, and a recipe that separately browns butter in one pan, caramelizes banana in another, and requires me to get out my stand mixer doesn't really meet the simplicity goal I had in mind. But it's all worth it. Like Amanda, I used 5 bananas--2 that I chopped up and caramelized, and 3 that i mashed. I did find that with that much banana, the bread took more like an hour and 15 minutes to thoroughly bake in my oven. But it is really wonderful with a buttery aroma that permeates the whole house as it bakes. And the best part? No cinnamon! (I really don't like cinnamon except with apples and, paradoxically, in savory dishes.) Really great recipe.
alaskagal
October 24, 2014
Made this, my bananas were small so I added an additional one to the mashed. I thought it had great flavor. Brown butter gave it something extra special. Nice crust and moist on the inside. Didn't have bourbon so I doubled the vanilla. Will make again, and maybe Carmelize more diced banana.
Kristen K.
October 21, 2014
1 TBSP bourbon hardly makes for a "boozy" bread, but I guess the alliteration is cute...
ChefJune
October 16, 2014
Say what??? Am I really seeing this for the first time? I think so. Can't wait to try it.
Zenqi
June 17, 2013
One more side comment - I love the idea of adding cardamom. I remembered it when the batter was already in the pans, so I couldn't really add it at that point (although I considered it!). Next time! ;)
Zenqi
June 17, 2013
This is very good. I just took it out of the oven & it's been cooling about 10 minutes. I a double batch and made mini loaves (7). I made two pretty major changes. I replaced about 1/3 of the flour with whole wheat flour, and I replaced 1/2 of the butter with applesauce (I used 8T applesauce, since I doubled the batch). It's very moist and tasty. One note: I can't taste the bourbon at all. In a James Beard recipe I have for persimmon bread, it makes the same amount of bread, but the recipe calls for 2/3 of a cup of cognac, bourbon or whiskey, and the flavor stands out beautifully, but it's not over powering. With this in mind, I can't imagine how 1T would make a difference in flavor. Is there another reason for adding it other than flavor? All in all, it's a very nice recipe, but I'm not sure the extra steps make it any better than my usual recipe (from Cooking Light). I guess I expected to be blown away with the differences.
Diva P.
April 26, 2012
I looooved this recipe!! I need some suggestions though...... mine was a little dry. Is there something I can add to it or should I reduce the baking time? I'd like to add some applesauce but I'm not sure what amount would be safe. Any help would be appreciated.
aepk
April 23, 2012
Simple and good. I roasted 3 bananas in the oven instead of caramelizing 1. and mis-poured the bourbon and ended up with a bunch more. oops.
taxidog
June 28, 2011
the absolute best ever banana bread- i added a wee bit of cardamom too. the little bit of effort it takes to brown the butter and caramelize the chopped bananas is so well worth it.
Amanda H.
April 25, 2011
Really great recipe! I made this with my kids -- oh how they loved the mashing part! I made a few changes -- sorry, had a lot of overripe bananas on my hands. I mashed 3 bananas, and diced another 2. The cake took 5 to 10 minutes longer to bake as a result but was moist and lovely -- and packed with bananas. I liked the caramelizing the bananas technique -- that and the browned butter add a lot of character to the cake. Thanks Jennifer!
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