16 Recipes to Use Up Bananas: Bread and Beyond

Banana Bread

If you decide to keep things simple, this is the recipe you want! It takes one bowl, no mixer required (which is our favorite part!), and melted butter is the trick to this moist, sweet bread. Love improvising? Try add-ins like chocolate chips, cinnamon, or nuts.

If you're not into baking or burnt out on bread, reach for your blender and make a cooling drink. We're all bonkers for bananas over here, so come join in the party!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This is a riff off our classic Banana Bread recipe, but the combo of creamy peanut butter, chocolate, and bananas is enough to drive your taste buds crazy!

Vegan Banana Bread

This vegan version swaps out the butter for oil and the eggs for flaxseed. Such simple swaps, yet you’d never know the difference!

Chocolate Banana Bread

If adding double the chocolate to your banana bread is wrong, then we don’t want to be right! We went for double trouble by not only adding in chocolate chips but cocoa powder as well!

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

Get ready to swirl your heart out with cream cheese! The cream cheese not only adds creaminess, but its flavor also complements banana bread so well it’s almost ridiculous.

Rum Raisin Banana Bread

Plump, rum-soaked raisins and warming spices like cinnamon and allspice make this banana bread over-the-top delicious. If you want to add even more island flavor, mix in a bit of coconut!

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

The question readers ask most in comments on our classic banana bread recipe is "Can I make this with almond flour?" Since you can't swap that popular ingredient 1:1 with regular flour, almond flour banana bread merits its own recipe...and now we have it! Gluten-free and grain-free, it's the banana bread recipe we've been wanting to share for years.

Frozen Banana Daiquiri

Transport yourself to a tropical island with this banana daiquiri recipe that uses frozen bananas and banana liqueur plus rum, of course. Served in a chilled glass, it's the ultimate grown-up, summertime treat!

Banana Nut Muffins

This quick and easy recipe is like your favorite banana bread in muffin form. Skip the nuts out if you want—and maybe add chocolate chips instead—but don't skip making a batch of these freezer-friendly treats.

Banana Sheet Cake

This super easy banana sheet cake is topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. It can serve up to 30, so it's perfect for parties, potlucks, and tailgates.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

This simple smoothie has only 4 ingredients—ripe bananas, peanut butter, milk, and cinnamon—but when combined with a little ice, they turn into one of the best smoothies ever. Make it chocolatey by adding some cocoa powder or extra healthy with a handful of spinach.

Slow Cooker Banana Bread Pudding

Using the slow cooker to make banana bread pudding is genius. It gives the pudding a smooth and custardy texture. Topped with ice cream and caramel sauce, it's reminiscent of Bananas Foster, without the need to light anything on fire.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Not only do these cupcakes use up your super ripe bananas, they may be the answer to what to take for a classroom treat that most kids in the class can eat. They're gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free. And super delicious.

Banoffee Cheesecake

This twist on banoffee (banana + toffee) pie transforms the usually shortbread-crusted treat into a decadent cheesecake with a homemade toffee sauce, but you can use a pre-made butterscotch sauce in a pinch. Bust out your banana chips for a crispy garnish.

Banana Cookies

These soft banana cookies are almost muffin-top like. Seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and peppered with pecans, they may become your new favorite cookie. You can follow the recipe as-is or add in peanut butter or chocolate chips (or both).

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

If you're the type who plans ahead, you can turn brown bananas into building blocks for future smoothies. Peel, slice, freeze until firm, then pop into a zip-top bag and keep on hand for icy-cool smoothies whenever you need them. Adding strawberries lends a pink blush.