Browning the butter takes ordinary banana bread to another level! It adds a rich, nutty, almost caramel-like flavor that regular melted butter can’t give you. This brown butter banana bread is soft, moist, and loaded with chocolate chips, making every bite delicious.
Grammy’s Brown Butter Banana Bread Is Just Better
At my house, plain banana bread doesn’t get much excitement from anyone but me. That’s because my kids prefer my mother-in-law’s browned-butter version with chocolate chips- who wouldn’t- so her recipe has become a staple at our house, too.
Browning the butter is a small extra step that adds hints of caramel to this banana bread, and I feel it makes a big difference in taste. I’ve made it without the chocolate chips, but why omit them when I can make a great loaf even better? You might want to bake two because at my house, it disappears fast!
What You Need to Know About Browning Butter
I’m sure you’ve made banana bread before, so no surprises on that side of the recipe. And while browning butter sounds fancy, it’s just melting butter a little longer until the milk solids turn golden brown and develop a nutty aroma. Here’s what to watch for:
- Use a light-colored saucepan. You’ll be able to see the butter changing color and spot the brown bits forming on the bottom.
- Keep stirring. The butter will melt, bubble, and foam before the milk solids start turning brown. Stir or swirl the pan so they brown evenly.
- Watch the smell and color. Once you see golden-brown bits and smell a toasted, nutty aroma, it’s ready. Don’t wait for the butter to turn dark brown.
- Transfer it immediately. Pour the butter, including those flavorful brown bits, into a heat-safe bowl. Leaving it in the hot saucepan can cause it to keep cooking and burn.
Laura’s Tips & Reader FAQs for Great Browned Butter Banana Bread
Yes, you can make this banana bread with regular melted butter, but you’ll miss the rich, nutty flavor that makes this version special. Browning the butter takes only a few extra minutes and is worth the effort.
Brown butter should smell nutty and have golden-brown bits at the bottom of the pan. If those bits turn black or the butter smells acrid or burnt, it’s gone too far. Unfortunately, burnt butter will make the whole loaf taste bitter, so it’s best to start again.
Mash the bananas until they resemble a puree, without large chunks. I find it easier to mash them on a plate or cutting board instead of inside a bowl. You can also mash them inside a zip bag for less mess. This helps the bananas mix evenly into the batter.
More Banana Bread Recipes
Brown Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, 1 stick
- 3 ripe bananas, about 1 ½ cups (a little less is ok)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg, optional
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat oven to 350F with the oven rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. For easier release, use parchment to create a "U" shaped piece to line the bottom and sides of the pan. This lets you lift the loaf out.
- Mash bananas in a plate or cutting board (I find it easier than in a bowl) or inside a zip bag, until the bananas resemble puree. Set aside.
Brown the butter:
- Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces and add to a medium saucepan. Melt butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter turns a rich brown color, begins to foam a little, and begins to smell nutty. Turn off the heat and pour the butter into a large heat-safe mixing bowl. Let the butter cool to room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Make the batter:
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon (or nutmeg) if using, and salt.
- In the large bowl with the cooled brown butter, add the white and brown sugars and whisk until combined. Add the mashed bananas, egg, and vanilla, and mix until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, gently mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing; stop when there's no visible flour left. Add most of the chocolate chips to the bowl and gently fold them into the batter with a spatula.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading batter evenly from end to end. Sprinkle the top with the reserved chocolate chips.
Bake:
- Bake the banana bread loaf for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check around minute 40 to see if your banana bread browned quickly, if so, finish baking it with a foil tent over the top.
- Remove the loaf pan from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes, before lifting the parchment paper to release the loaf, or flipping it gently over, and transferring the banana bread onto a cooling rack to let it cool completely and slicing.
Store:
- Store the banana bread at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 days, in the fridge for 7 days, or freeze in individual slices for 1 month for the best texture.
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