This leveled-up brown butter banana bread recipe is easy to make and has the best nutty, caramelly flavor.
Ingredients
1/2cupunsalted butter (1 stick)
4large or 5 medium bananas, very ripe
1cupbrown sugar, packed
2large eggs
1/3cupsour cream*
1Tablespoonvanilla extract
2 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonbaking soda
1cupchocolate chunks or chocolate chips
1cupchopped walnuts (optional)
2Tablespoonsturbinado sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5" loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, brown the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula. Butter will foam and sizzle as brown specks appear on the bottom of the pan. When the aroma of the pan is nutty and the bottom of the pan is a toasty-brown color, remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Using a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix bananas with whisk or paddle attachment until smooth and almost liquid-like. Add the brown butter and brown sugar and mix until combined. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add flour, salt, and baking soda and mix until just combined (it's okay if there are still a few streaks of flour). Add the chocolate and nuts if using, and mix by hand until just combined.
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top until even. Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar and place pan in the oven. Bake for 60-75 minutes. The banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the toothpick is wet, bake for additional 5-minute increments until done.
Allow banana bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then release sides from pan with a knife if necessary, and invert onto cooling rack and let cool completely. Slice and slather with butter if desired.
Equipment
1 9x5" loaf pan
Notes
* You may substitute full-fat greek yogurt or ricotta for sour cream if needed.