This brown butter banana bread is a delicious upgrade to classic banana bread. It’s our go-to moist banana bread recipe baked with brown butter and served with a sweet brown butter glaze. It’s a simple variation with a nutty toffee flavor, and it’s ready in just over an hour!
This banana bread is all about the brown butter. Taking a few extra minutes to brown the butter transforms it into something deeply flavorful, with warm, nutty, toffee-like notes that run through every slice. It’s a small step that makes a big difference, turning classic banana bread into something a little more special and undeniably rich.
I use brown butter in both the batter and the glaze, which layers that toasted flavor from start to finish. The bread itself is tender and plush, with sour cream keeping it moist, while the glaze adds a sweet, buttery finish that leans just slightly toward dessert. You can absolutely skip the glaze if you want something more snack-y—but when I’m in the mood to really show off that brown butter flavor, I go all in.
This is the loaf I make when bananas are piling up on the counter, and I want something that feels familiar but elevated. It’s perfect for sharing, gifting, or slicing into with a cup of coffee, and once you try banana bread made with brown butter, it’s hard to go back.
If you love the wonderful flavor of brown butter as much as I do, make sure to try my brown butter sea salt chocolate chip cookies !
Browned butter banana bread variations
This banana bread recipe is scrumptious as-is but here are a few delicious variations:
- Fold ½ cup of dark chocolate chips into the batter.
- Add a handful of chopped toasted nuts like walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts.
- Make mini loaves by filling your mini loaf pan. Just be sure to reduce the cooking time to about 25 minutes.
Make ahead and freeze
Can I make this banana bread ahead of time? Absolutely! Store the banana bread in a resealable bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you’re serving it with the glaze, frost it just before serving.
Can I freeze banana bread? Yes, banana bread freezes beautifully. Wrap it in parchment paper, then store it in a freezer-safe bag or container in your freezer for up to 3 months!
Brown Butter Banana Bread Recipe
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Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup butter
- ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ▢ 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ▢ 3 medium bananas (see notes)
- ▢ 2 large eggs
- ▢ ½ cup EACH: brown sugar and granulated sugar
- ▢ ½ cup sour cream
- ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla
Brown Butter Glaze
- ▢ ¼ cup butter
- ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
- ▢ 2 tablespoons milk
- ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 5"x9" loaf pan. Place the butter into a large frying pan over medium heat. (See notes!) The butter will first melt and then foam up a lot, which is why you want a larger pan. When the foam subsides, the butter will be brown. We like it to be very brown so we keep the pan on the heat for another minute. Let the butter cool slightly before using it. ½ cup butter
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas then whisk in the brown butter, eggs, both the sugars, sour cream, and vanilla. 3 medium bananas, 2 large eggs, ½ cup EACH: brown sugar and granulated sugar, ½ cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until they are just combined. Do not over mix the batter.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check the bread after 45 minutes and if it is golden brown on top, tent it loosely with a piece of foil to prevent it from browning too much. Let it cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan then remove it and cool it completely on a wire rack before slicing it.
Brown Butter Glaze
- Add the brown butter to a mixing bowl – it should be hardened to room temperature. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and use an electric mixer to cream it together. If you’d like it thinner, add a little more milk. Either frost the top of the banana bread or serve it on the side to spread it on the slices. ¼ cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla
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Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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Brown Butter Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 medium bananas , see notes
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup EACH: brown sugar and granulated sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Brown Butter Glaze
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 5"x9" loaf pan. Place the butter into a large frying pan over medium heat. (See notes!) The butter will first melt and then foam up a lot, which is why you want a larger pan. When the foam subsides, the butter will be brown. We like it to be very brown so we keep the pan on the heat for another minute. Let the butter cool slightly before using it. ½ cup butter
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas then whisk in the brown butter, eggs, both the sugars, sour cream, and vanilla. 3 medium bananas, 2 large eggs, ½ cup EACH: brown sugar and granulated sugar, ½ cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until they are just combined. Do not over mix the batter.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check the bread after 45 minutes and if it is golden brown on top, tent it loosely with a piece of foil to prevent it from browning too much. Let it cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan then remove it and cool it completely on a wire rack before slicing it.
Brown Butter Glaze
- Add the brown butter to a mixing bowl - it should be hardened to room temperature. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and use an electric mixer to cream it together. If you’d like it thinner, add a little more milk. Either frost the top of the banana bread or serve it on the side to spread it on the slices. ¼ cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla
