Description
This Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is a decadent twist on a classic favorite, featuring rich nutty browned butter and sweet dark chocolate chips. Moist, flavorful, and perfect for breakfast or a snack, this recipe combines ripe bananas and browned butter to deliver a deeply satisfying loaf with a tender crumb and a hint of chocolate throughout.
Ingredients
Scale
Brown Butter Mixture
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- Additional chocolate chips for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Cook butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams and develops a nutty aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Carefully transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl and let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Prepare Oven and Pan: While the butter cools, adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, cream the cooled browned butter and granulated sugar together for about 2 minutes until smooth and combined. Add the mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla extract, beating until the mixture is evenly blended.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet banana mixture and fold gently by hand just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Stir in 1 cup of dark chocolate chips into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with additional chocolate chips if desired to create a chocolaty crust.
- Bake the Bread: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For best results, use very ripe bananas with brown spots for maximum sweetness and banana flavor.
- Be careful not to overbrown the butter; it should smell nutty, not burnt.
- Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added to keep the bread tender.
- The bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- This banana bread freezes well; wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
