Our Best Banana Recipes

April 18, 2019
Stacey Ballis
Bananas are a divisive fruit. It's an infamously hated flavor, and to be fair, examples like banana Runts and Laffy Taffy aren't the best representative of its potential. Bananas are very sweet and need a neutralizing element, like chocolate, walnuts, or a carbohydrate of some sort, to really work. They can be great when treated right, and these recipes prove it. You've just got to tame them. 
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Banana Pudding Cake 

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food styling: Emily Nabors Hall and Kady Wohlfarth; Prop styling: Kay Clarke
Banana Pudding Cake  Recipe

One of our testers called this "the ultimate banana pudding in cake form." Tender laters of cake, creamy vanilla custard, and bananas come together to create a mouthwatering dessert. Warning: There won't be leftovers. 

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Fried Banana Bread (a.k.a. Mangalore Buns)

Photo by Alanna Taylor-Tobin
Fried Banana Bread (a.k.a. Mangalore Buns) Recipe
This perfect puri from Asha Shivakumar's Masala & Meatballs is ideal for a rainy day

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Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos
Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns Recipe

We turned one of New Orleans’ famous desserts into a sweet brunch treat. These Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns are perfect served alongside your usual breakfast casseroles and egg dishes, or alongside a hot pot of tea or coffee. And because they are made with refrigerated crescent roll dough, they’re much easier to whip up than cinnamon rolls. Choose bananas that are starting to show signs of ripeness (small brown dots). They will have just the right amount of sweetness and won’t turn to mush when cooked.

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Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff
Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake Recipe

Strawberries add brightness to this fun take on banana pudding. Instead of the usual vanilla wafers, use graham crackers, which make neater slices. An instant hit with your family and guests, this recipe makes delicious use of the fresh strawberries you pick up at the local farmers’ market.

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Grilled Bananas on Sugared Rum Toast

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Claire Spollen
Grilled Bananas on Sugared Rum Toast Recipe

Who knew toast could be so delicious? Brushed with butter, dipped in sugar, and grilled, the bread (a nice enriched challah) becomes almost brûléed. The riper the bananas, the quicker they will soften during cooking; be mindful when handling.

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Classic Banana Bread

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski
Classic Banana Bread Recipe

This healthier take on banana bread uses yogurt instead of butter, but it's just as moist and indulgent as classic recipes. This banana bread recipe isn't just easy. It's also highly customizable and can adapt to a number of flavors and substitute ingredients. Banana bread should form a crack down the center as it bakes--a sign the baking soda is doing its job. Serve toasted with a smear of cream cheese, Greek yogurt, or peanut and top with mixed nuts, if desired. You can even customize your bread with a crunchy streusal topping that the kids will love.

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Boozy Banana Split Bites

Time Inc. Video Studios
Boozy Banana Split Bites Recipe

These banana split-inspired, vodka-soaked cherries are the perfect adult rendition of a childhood favorite.

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Peanut Butter and Banana Cheesecake with Candied Bacon

Time Inc. Food Studios
Peanut Butter and Banana Cheesecake with Candied Bacon Recipe

It's a cake fit for a king. 

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Chocolate-Banana Cream Tartlets

James Carrier
Chocolate-Banana Cream Tartlets Recipe
Individual tartlets are ideal for entertaining and this recipe is like an elegant version of a banana cream pie with a sweet chocolate crust.
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Banana-Berry Smoothie

Banana-Berry Smoothie Recipe
While the dishwasher runs after dinner, whip up a batch of this blended treat. Honey sweetens the banana-strawberry-yogurt mixture. Serve thick for a fun beat-the-heat dessert.

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Banana Split Waffle Cake

Time Inc. Video Studio
Banana Split Waffle Cake Recipe

Talk about a birthday breakfast—inspired by the flavors of a classic ice cream treat, this impressive waffle stack makes for such a fun way to kick off an extra-special day. Using store-bought waffle mix keeps this decadent breakfast-for-dessert recipe easy to execute, while sprinkles, whipped cream, and a cherry on top make it feel like a total party on a plate. 

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Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe
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Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

"Mashed ripe banana adds sweetness and flavor to these chocolate chip cookies. I found I could reduce the usual amount of sugar and butter." --Cathy Brixen, Phoenix, Ariz.

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Berry-Banana Overnight Oats

Greg DuPree
Berry-Banana Overnight Oats Recipe

Speed up your morning routine with a low-maintenance breakfast made the night before. Studies show frozen blueberries have considerably greater polyphenol concentrations than fresh, while most other nutrient levels are comparable between the two. Walnuts deliver a one-two punch of crunch and nutrition: They are a top nut for brain health thanks to the powerful combination of omega-3 fats, vitamin E, and antioxidants.

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Banana Daiquiri

Victor Protasio
Banana Daiquiri Recipe
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Salted Caramel Banana Pudding

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman
Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Recipe

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Chocolate-Tahini Banana Bread

Chocolate-Tahini Banana Bread Recipe

Bananas and peanut butter are a likely duo, but bananas and tahini? Mind-blowing. For those with nut allergies, tahini is a great, slightly more complex, substitute. Try spreading Soom's chocolate-sesame spread over each slice for an extra tahini hit.

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Fried Bananas Foster

Caitlin Bensel
Fried Bananas Foster Recipe

The Big Easy’s signature banana and caramel dessert—invented at Brennan’s in the French Quarter—gets a sweet and inventive update. Wrap baby bananas, available at Asian and Latin markets, in spring roll pastry wrappers, fry, and serve over butter pecan ice cream—topping with caramel rum sauce not optional. 

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Caribbean Mahimahi with Banana Chutney

Jim Bathie
Caribbean Mahimahi with Banana Chutney Recipe

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No-Waste Banana Trifle

Time Inc. Video Studio
No-Waste Banana Trifle Recipe

This impressive and decadent layered dessert comes from Cassidee Dabney of The Barn at Blackberry Farm. 

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Cold Brew-Banana Smoothie

Sara Tane
Cold Brew-Banana Smoothie Recipe

Who says you can't caffeinate and fill up on a hearty, wholesome breakfast smoothie all at the same time? In this cozy java concoction, prepared cold brew is blended into a banana and almond milk smoothie. Rather than using ice cubes which will dilute the flavor of the smoothie, the cold brew is cleverly frozen.

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Miso Banana Bread with Yuzu Glaze

Photography: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer.
Miso Banana Bread with Yuzu Glaze Recipe

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Banana Rice Cake

Banana Rice Cake Recipe

Breakfast On The Go: Not hungry yet? These quick single-serving ideas are perfect for packing up for when hunger strikes. Lose weight the 5:2 way. This healthy, quick and easy recipe is featured in the breakfast section of the new 5:2 Starter's Guide to The 2-Day Diet. The book provides a selection of over 100 tasty recipes that meet the daily 500 calorie allotment for the 2 days of intermittent fasting, as required by the 5:2 Diet.

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Caramelized Banana Split

Time Inc. Video Studio
Caramelized Banana Split Recipe

Give your favorite ice cream treat a serious upgrade by caramelizing the bananas before building your sundae. Broiling the banana with brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon intensifies the fruit’s sweetness and adds a layer of rich depth to your dessert. This recipe is for a single split, but is easily multiplied to serve more. 

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Banana Pudding Milk Shake

Photographer: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox 
Banana Pudding Milk Shake Recipe

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Copycat IHOP Strawberry Banana King's Hawaiian French Toast

Photographer: Antara Sinha; Food Stylist: Briana Riddock
Copycat IHOP Strawberry Banana King's Hawaiian French Toast Recipe

A partnership between IHOP and King’s Hawaiian Sweet Bread led to the creation of the ultimate breakfast mashup—Hawaiian sweet bread French toast… Yeah, we are just scratching our heads wondering why we hadn’t thought of this first. This dish has transformed the classic, cult favorite dinner rolls into a morning must-have, that may just replace basic sliced bread forever. The pillowy rolls are dunked in a rich vanilla custard and pan-fried with butter to golden perfection. The French toasts are then topped with a simple strawberry syrup made from fresh berries and sugar, simmered for just a few minutes, followed by a handful of banana slices for a sweet finish.

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Avocado Matcha Banana Bread

Photo by Daniel Agee
Avocado Matcha Banana Bread Recipe
It's tasty being this green
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Banana Bread Hummus

Photo by Kirsten Nunez
Banana Bread Hummus Recipe

No loaf pan required 

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Pan-Fried Cinnamon Bananas

Photo by Kirsten Nunez
Pan-Fried Cinnamon Bananas Recipe
Just slice and fry 

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Berry-Banana Smoothie

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Susan Vajaranant
Berry-Banana Smoothie Recipe
Berry-Banana Smoothie is a classic combo that's perfect for breakfast or a snack, and it's made even healthier with the addition of old-fashioned oats.
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Roasted Banana Pudding

Photo: Oxmoor House
Roasted Banana Pudding Recipe

Many folks say banana pudding is best the next day, after the flavors have blended overnight and the cookies have softened.

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Eggnog Banana Bread

Jennifer Causey
Eggnog Banana Bread Recipe

A mash-up of the retro holiday drink and the classic quick bread makes perfect sense: Booze, cream, and nutmeg pair perfectly with banana, vanilla, and brown sugar. These whole-grain mini loaves are a great alternative to cupcakes, and much easier to package without a dome of messy frosting. If you don't have mini loaf pans, you can use 12 muffin cups lined with cupcake liners. For a kid-friendly drizzle, you can swap the alcohol for fresh orange juice.

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