Brown Butter Banana Bread

Why You’ll Love It

Perfectly moist: Each slice stays tender and moist with sour cream and ripe bananas.
Easy to make: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps.
Can add to it: Mix in chocolate chips, nuts, or spices to make it your own.
Freezes well: Enjoy a slice anytime – just freeze and thaw when the craving hits.

Brown Butter Banana Bread Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Salted Butter: Browning the butter deepens the flavor, giving the bread a rich, nutty undertone that sets it apart from regular banana bread.
All-purpose flour: I like to sieve it before using it to loosen up any lumps.
Baking soda and baking powder: These two give you light, fluffy banana bread with brown butter.
Granulated and brown sugar: Brown sugar adds a delicious caramel flavor to the brown butter and bananas.
Mashed bananas: Use completely ripe bananas – the ones with the black spots are perfect.
Sour cream: Adds tanginess and moisture, keeping the bread soft and tender.
Milk: Use any milk in this recipe – I love baking with whole milk.

How to Make Brown Butter Banana Bread

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Melt butter: In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until it starts to foam.
Cook until amber: Keep stirring as it bubbles and develops a nutty aroma, turning a rich amber color. Pour the golden brown butter into a bowl to cool.
Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, blend the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until well-mixed. Add the mashed bananas and sour cream, stirring until smooth.
Add brown butter: Pour in the cooled brown butter and mix until combined.
Add dry ingredients in parts: Add half of the flour mixture and stir gently. Pour in the milk and vanilla extract, then fold in the remaining flour mixture, mixing just until no streaks remain.
Bake the bread: Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake the brown butter banana bread.

Substitutions and Variations

Butter: For a dairy-free option, use a vegan butter alternative. It won’t brown the same, but it still adds richness. You can also use unsalted butter if that’s what you have; add a pinch of salt to it while melting.
Sour cream: Swap with Greek yogurt for a lighter option or with full-fat coconut yogurt for dairy-free.
Milk: Use plant-based milk like almond or oat milk as a dairy-free alternative.
Eggs: For an egg-free version, try ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce per egg or a chia/flax egg (1 tablespoon of chia or flaxseed mixed with 2½ tablespoons of water per egg).
Add mix-ins: Try chopped nuts (maybe walnuts or pecans) for banana nut bread, chocolate chips or dried fruits like cranberries or raisins.
Spice it up: Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or nutmeg to the dry ingredients.
Make it gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to keep the texture close to the original.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer: Kick off your brunch with these crisp puff pastry waffles or my 3-ingredient pancakes.
Main: Dive into biscuits and gravy casserole, ham and cheese butter swim biscuits or this breakfast skillet.
Dessert: End off with a slice of your brown butter banana bread recipe, warmed and served with a scoop of thick Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup. It’s also delicious with seasonal fruit salad and freshly grated nutmeg.

How to Store Banana Bread with Brown Butter

Store: Once the bread is completely cooled, place it in a bag or airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5.
Freezer: I recommend freezing the loaf in slices, wrapping each portion in plastic first and then foil. The frozen slices will last for up to 3 months in the fridge.
Thaw: Leave the slices to defrost overnight in the fridge or for a few hours at room temperature.
Reheat: When ready to serve, cut a slice, put some butter or honey butter, and air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes at 330°F.