15+ Banana Recipes to Make With Your Overripe Bananas

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Bananas gone brown? Put them to good use in one of my many banana recipes! We’re going beyond the usual bread today with everything from banana cookies to banana cinnamon rolls.

Collage of banana recipes including banana pancakes, banana cinnamon rolls, banana pudding, banana bread, and banana cupcakes.

The BEST Banana Recipes

My family has a knack for being very inconsistent with their banana consumption. Some weeks, the bananas disappear the day I buy them, while others sit on the counter til they are nearly unrecognizable. This predicament has led me to develop quite a few banana recipes. Most are perfect for scenario #2 above (the brown, overripe variety), but I do have a few for ripe, yellow bananas too!

If you only try one recipe from this list, let it be my banana muffin recipe. It’s been a top performer on my website for years, right alongside my pizza dough recipe and chocolate chip cookie recipe. They are truly the *best* banana muffins I’ve ever had, if not the best muffins, period. Try them with or without the streusel topping–you’ll love them either way! 🍌

1. Banana Muffins

My #1 banana recipe! These are incredibly popular. I also have sourdough banana muffins, if you bake with sourdough!

streusel topped banana muffin missing a bite
4.98 from 1083 votes

The Best Banana Muffin Recipe

Quick to make with NO mixer required! My recipe has a rich banana flavor and moist, fluffy texture.
BANANA MUFFIN RECIPE

2. Banana Cookies

These are especially good with toasted pecans folded into the dough–yum!

Close-up view of banana cookies on a cooling rack.
4.98 from 73 votes

Banana Cookies

Skip the bread and make banana cookies instead! I carefully designed this recipe to have a chewy, classic cookie texture.
BANANA COOKIES RECIPE

3. Banana Bread

A classic! My recipe can handle add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips, though I do have a dedicated chocolate chip version recipe below.

BANANA BREAD ON BAKING SHEET SLICED
5 from 194 votes

The BEST Banana Bread

This recipe has an INCREDIBLE flavor! It's made with brown sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and plenty of bananas.
BANANA BREAD RECIPE

4. Banana Cake

Topped with silky smooth cream cheese frosting, this cake is a stunner.

Banana cake with bite taken out on a white plate.
4.93 from 144 votes

The Best Banana Cake Recipe

This richly flavored banana cake has a plush, incredibly moist texture. It pairs beautifully with the silky smooth cream cheese frosting (balances the sweetness!).
BANANA CAKE RECIPE

5. Banana Pudding

One of my most popular no-bake desserts! You can even make it 100% homemade with my homemade vanilla wafers.

Banana pudding closeup in clear glass bowl
4.87 from 23 votes

Homemade Banana Pudding (From Scratch!)

This 100% from-scratch recipe is far better than anything you can buy pre-made! It's easy to make if you follow my tips.
BANANA PUDDING RECIPE

6. Chocolate Banana Muffins

Because sometimes you need a little chocolate for breakfast!

Chocolate banana muffins on a cooling rack.
5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Banana Muffins

I've perfected these muffins to have a rich flavor and soft, yet moist texture. Don't miss my tricks for bakery-style muffin tops!
CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS RECIPE

7. Banana Cinnamon Rolls

One of my newest banana recipes, these cinnamon rolls are incredible

Overhead view of banana bread cinnamon rolls being frosted with cream cheese icing.
5 from 2 votes

Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls

Gooey, spiced banana cinnamon rolls are the ultimate breakfast mashup. These are bakery-worthy!
BANANA BREAD CINNAMON ROLLS RECIPE

8. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

So soft with plenty of chocolate! This recipe would be tasty with peanut butter chips thrown in the batter too.

Sliced banana bread
4.87 from 22 votes

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Super soft and simple, this bread will sweeten up any morning or afternoon. Add a sprinkle of coarse sugar overtop before baking for best results!
CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BREAD RECIPE

9. Banana Pancakes

If you are a fan of my buttermilk pancakes, try this banana-infused version! I actually ended up using a modified version of my pumpkin pancakes to perfect this recipe.

Maple syrup being poured on a stack of banana pancakes.
5 from 7 votes

Banana Pancakes

Banana pancakes are like banana bread in pancake form! They are fluffy and packed full of banana flavor.
BANANA PANCAKES RECIPE

10. Banana Brownies

Classic, fudgy homemade brownies with an incredible banana flavor–this is one of the simplest and most satisfy banana recipes!

Stack of three banana brownies.
4.60 from 5 votes

Banana Brownies

With only 15 minutes of prep and no mixer required, this recipe is incredibly easy to make. Feel free to add your favorite nuts or chocolate chips!
BANANA BROWNIES RECIPE

11. Banana Cream Pie

One of my go-to pie recipes! Don’t forget the homemade whipped cream on top 🤍

Banana Cream Pie slice on plate
4.92 from 34 votes

Banana Cream Pie Recipe

My banana cream pie starts with a vanilla wafer crust for the BEST flavor! We'll top it with homemade pudding, plenty of bananas, and homemade whipped cream.
BANANA CREAM PIE RECIPE

12. Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

These make a wonderful school snack, especially if you make them mini!

Chocolate chip banana muffin with one bite missing.
4.96 from 25 votes

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

No mixer and just 10 minutes to prep! This recipe is great for busy mornings when you need something quick.
CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA MUFFINS

13. Banana Coffee Cake

A fun take on classic cinnamon coffee cake, this banana version will be a hit at any brunch!

Overhead view of a banana coffee cake that's been removed from the pan and cut into square pieces.
5 from 5 votes

Banana Coffee Cake

This banana coffee cake is topped with a pecan and chocolate spiced streusel. It's unique and so good!
BANANA COFFEE CAKE RECIPE

14. Chocolate Banana Bread

Similar to my chocolate zucchini bread, this recipe has a rich chocolate flavor and moist, tender texture.

overhead view of a chocolate banana bread studded with chocolate chips in a metal loaf pan
4.93 from 13 votes

Chocolate Banana Bread

This richly flavored bread is a chocolatey twist on the classic. It freezes beautifully–great for grab-and-go snacking!
CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD RECIPE

15. Banana Bread Cookies

Of all the banana recipes in this list, this one might just be my favorite. It’s a thick, chewy gourmet cookie.

Overhead view of chocolate chip banana bread cookies in a tea towel lined dish.
4.89 from 17 votes

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cookies

These cookies have a brown butter base and classic add-ins like chocolate chips and pecans. No mixer or chilling needed!
BANANA BREAD COOKIES RECIPE

16. Banana Cupcakes

I top these with my brown butter frosting for a gourmet flavor.

Closeup of frosted banana cupcake
5 from 28 votes

Banana Cupcake Recipe

Perfect for parties, these banana cupcakes are ready in under an hour. No mixer needed for the batter!
BANANA CUPCAKE RECIPE

17. Nutella Banana Bread

Nutella fans will love the thick, chocolatey swirls in (and on top of!) this bread. Psst: if you love Nutella, try my Nutella cheesecake, too!

Two slices of nutella banana bread on a plate.
5 from 4 votes

Nutella Banana Bread

Nutella and banana are a match made in heaven, and this recipe pairs the two in a unique way. Only 15 minutes to prep!
NUTELLA BANANA BREAD RECIPE

18. Hummingbird Cake

There are so many flavors happening in this cake–bananas, pineapple, cinnamon, pecans, cream cheese, and more.

Slice of cream cheese frosted hummingbird cake on a white plate
4.95 from 53 votes

Hummingbird Cake Recipe

This hummingbird cake is FULL of flavor! It's frosted with cream cheese frosting and slices beautifully.
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE RECIPE

19. Banana Nut Muffins

A nutty twist on my classic muffins, these have a brown butter infusion that is just divine.

Browned butter banana nut muffins
5 from 35 votes

Banana Nut Muffins

Bakery-style banana nut muffins are a surefire way to spice up your morning! They bake tall with beautiful rounded muffin tops.
BANANA NUT MUFFINS RECIPE

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my bananas are too ripe?

If your bananas are simply brown and soft, they are ideal for using in one of these banana recipes! However, if your bananas are moldy, smell off, or are releasing juice, they are too ripe and should be thrown away.

What do I do with a lot of bananas?

My banana cake and hummingbird cake both use about 2 cups of bananas (typically 4 large bananas). Most of my banana breads and muffins use just shy of that at 1 ½ cups or 3 large bananas. My banana cinnamon rolls are also a good option, as they use 1 ½ cups in the dough and an additional banana in the filling.

What banana recipes are good for ripe (not overripe) bananas?

If your bananas are firm and still yellow (no brown), you can make something that doesn’t require cooking the bananas, like banana pudding or banana cream pie.

Serious Eats has a trick to quickly ripen bananas, if you need to use your bananas for one of the baked banana recipes above.

Maple syrup being poured on a stack of banana pancakes.

Do you have any requests for more banana recipes? Comment below so I can add them to my list! 🍌

Enjoy!

If you try any of these recipes, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

Cover photo of my gourmet cookie ebook.

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Get my most popular bakery-style cookie recipes in one beautiful ebook. Foolproof recipes and bakery-worthy cookies you can make at home.

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