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Brown Butter Banana Bread

5 from 32 votes
Elien Lewis
This brown butter banana bread has lovely caramel notes complementing the banana flavor.
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Three thick slices of brown butter banana bread stacked on a wooden surface, showing a moist, dense texture with a golden-brown crust and visible banana pieces.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
 
 

  • 113 g butter salted or unsalted
  • 7 g milk powder optional
  • 240 g bananas very ripe
  • 150 g soft brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 125 g natural yogurt or sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 250 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping

  • 1 large banana sliced lengthwise
  • Turbinado sugar optional, for topping

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease or line an 8.5x4.5-inch (21x11cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to foam, add the milk powder if using. Continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn deep amber. Pour it immediately into a large heatproof bowl, scraping in all the brown bits. Let it cool for 10 minutes. 113 g butter, 7 g milk powder
  • Mash the ripe bananas directly into the cooled brown butter with a fork until mostly smooth. 240 g bananas
  • Add the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and yogurt and whisk until well combined. 150 g soft brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 125 g natural yogurt
  • Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Fold this into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. 250 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread level. Slice the banana lengthwise and press both halves cut-side up into the surface of the batter. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar if using. 1 large banana, Turbinado sugar
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is deep golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 15 minutes.
  • Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Both US customary and metric measurements are provided. Use the toggle to switch between the two.
Milk powder: Adding 1 tablespoon of milk powder to the butter once it starts to foam gives you extra milk solids to caramelize, which makes the toasty flavor noticeably deeper. It's optional but worth trying.
Very ripe bananas: The riper the better. Brown, spotty bananas are sweeter and more flavorful.
Add-ins: Fold through 100g / 3.5oz of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts with the dry ingredients if you like.
Storage: Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Slices can go straight from frozen into the toaster.
Brown butter banana bread muffins - You can bake this batter in muffins too! Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and grease or line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. Make the batter, then divide over the muffin cups. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes in the preheated oven at 425°F (220°C), then lower the oven heat to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking for 16-18 minutes until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The total time will depend on your oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 2884kcalCarbohydrates: 437gProtein: 53gFat: 107gSaturated Fat: 63gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 4gCholesterol: 624mgSodium: 3299mgPotassium: 2396mgFiber: 17gSugar: 205gVitamin A: 3679IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 578mgIron: 16mg
Keyword banana, Browned Butter, burnt butter, quick bread
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