Banana Bread (With Unripe Bananas)
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Learn how to make banana bread without ripe bananas in this detailed tutorial for how to roast bananas for banana bread. Yes, you can make moist, flavorful, and perfect banana bread with bananas that don’t have a speck of brown in sight. This loaf delivers mega flavor, a soft and buttery crumb, and the optional crunch of your favorite chopped nuts.
GREAT NEWS: YOU CAN MAKE MOIST BANANA BREAD WITH UNRIPE BANANAS
Think you need perfectly spotted, ripe bananas to make amazing banana bread? Think again! This recipe, adapted from my favorite classic banana bread that’s been a staple on my site since 2019, proves that you can create a luscious, moist, and flavorful loaf even with unripe bananas.
Yes, those very yellow or even greenish bananas sitting on your counter can still deliver all the banana bread goodness you crave, no waiting required. In this post, I’ll walk you through my tried-and-true method for transforming underripe bananas into roasted bananas, creating the perfect base for baking with bananas. With detailed tips to guarantee the same incredible results every time, this trusted recipe shows you how to make mouthwatering banana bread, no matter what state your bananas are in.
Oh, and once you’ve mastered roasting bananas, make my banana pudding cheesecake or roasted banana ice cream next!
BANANA BREAD INGREDIENTS
This ingredient list is so simple, and since my original banana bread recipe is straight from Betty Crocker, we use unfancy ingredients and you can trust it just works. Side-eye that water all you want, but this banana bread doesn’t need anything extra like milk or sour cream. It is perfectly moist and incredibly flavorful as is.
You will need:
• bananas
• light brown sugar
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• baking powder
• ground cinnamon
• salt
• granulated sugar
• unsalted butter
• eggs
• water
• nuts (optional)
HOW TO ROAST BANANAS
This is truly simple, and since you’re already using brown sugar in the bread recipe, you won’t need any additional ingredients to get this done.
Roasting happens at 400ºF (204ºC), and we’ll bake the bread at 350ºF (177ºC), so be sure you’re bumping down the temperature after you remove the bananas. Don’t worry, I’ll remind you of this change in the recipe steps!
STEP #1: prepare a small baking sheet or baking dish. You can line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat to reduce mess if you like. Set this pan aside.
STEP #2: situate each banana so that the curved part is on a surface or cutting board and the ends are facing up. Slice each banana in half long ways, then lay the sliced bananas on the pan, exposed banana side up.
STEP #3: sprinkle the bananas with the brown sugar and then turn each of them over so that the skins now face up and the exposed banana is on the prepared pan.
STEP #4: roast the bananas for 10 minutes or until the skins are completely black and leaking juices from the sides. You may only need 6-8 minute for riper bananas and possibly more time for very underripe bananas.
STEP #5: remove the bananas from the oven, carefully remove the skins, and place the roasted bananas and all of the juices and caramelized sugar into a small bowl.
STEP #6: mash the bananas in the bowl using a fork and set them aside to cool while you make the banana bread batter.
OVERVIEW: HOW TO MAKE BANANA BREAD WITH UNRIPE BANANAS
Now that your bananas are roasted, the rest of the recipe is a cinch!
Combine the dry ingredients: toss these together really well so they’re completely combined. This will make for equal distribution of everything and prevent you from needing to overmix the batter.
Combine the wet ingredients: you’ll need a mixer here. Be sure your ingredients are at room temperature for the easiest incorporation.
Add dry to wet: you’ll want to mix this until it’s just combined. If I’m using nuts (next step), I usually add them when I still see a significant amount of flour that hasn’t been mixed in yet.
Add nuts, if using: add the nuts before calling the batter “just combined.” You only need a few stirs to distribute these evenly! Try not to overmix the batter. t’s ok if there are some flour pockets left, but look for the big ones to disappear.
Bake: this is a relatively long bake. I promise the wait is the hardest part of all of this!
HOW TO SERVE THIS BANANA BREAD
This bread is perfect as is, but I’m a huge fan of slathering mine with butter or peanut butter. If you’re feeling really fancy, make yourself a loaf of salted caramel banana bread, or add a drizzle of caramel sauce to this one.
Banana Bread Recipe With Unripe Bananas
Ingredients
ROASTED BANANAS
- 3 medium size unripe bananas
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
BANANA NUT BREAD
- 1 and ⅔ cup (200g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- ⅓ cup (80mL) water room temperature
- ½ cup (60g) chopped nuts1 optional
Instructions
ROASTED BANANAS
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (or leave unlined, if you don't mind cleaning). Set aside.
- Situate each banana so that the curved part is on a surface or cutting board and the ends are facing up. Slice each banana in half long ways, then lay the sliced bananas on the pan, exposed banana side up.
- Sprinkle the bananas with the brown sugar and then turn each of them over so that the skins now face up and the exposed banana is on the prepared pan.
- Roast the bananas for 10 minutes or until the skins are completely black and leaking juices from the sides.
- Remove the bananas from the oven, carefully remove the skins, and place the roasted bananas and all of the juices and caramelized sugar into a small bowl.
- Mash the bananas in the bowl using a fork and set them aside to cool while you make the rest of the banana bread.
BANANA NUT BREAD
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat both of the sugars and the butter together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat again until completely incorporated. Add the mashed roasted bananas and the water and beat again until everything is combined.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, stopping when everything is just incorporated. Gently stir in the nuts, if using, with a large spatula, and combine the rest of the batter with a spatula until no large flour pockets remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then bake the loaf for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Allow loaf to cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack before serving. Loaf stays fresh, covered tightly at room temperature, up to 5 days, or in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Loaf freezes well. Remove from pan and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Notes
- Nuts: I prefer walnuts or pecans, or you can use a combination of the two (I often do this). You can also replace the nuts with chocolate chips, or use half nuts and half chocolate chips.
- Banana bread varieties: try my salted caramel banana bread or almond flour banana bread next.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.