25 Ripe Banana Recipes

These ripe banana recipes transform this fruit into delicious banana bread, fluffy pancakes, healthy smoothies, and simple muffins. Here are my favorite ways to use overripe bananas in breakfasts, snacks, and desserts!

Confession: I used to actually throw overripe bananas away (can you believe it?). But over the years, I’ve learned those blackened, spotted fruits are actually a sort of culinary diamond in the rough.

The brown spots mean all the starches have converted into sugars, which means super intense banana flavor! They’re perfect for making the best ever banana muffins, bread, cookies, and even smoothies! Here are my top favorite recipes to make with ripe bananas that always get rave reviews from my real-life family and friends.

My Top Ripe Banana Recipes

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

This easy banana bread recipe uses just one bowl and common pantry ingredients to make the very best loaf. It bakes up golden, moist, perfectly sweet and scented with a hint of cinnamon. Make it as is, with brown butter, swirl in chocolate chips, or add a salted caramel glaze.

Healthy Banana Muffins

My most "famous" banana recipe is without a doubt these healthy banana muffins! They're made mostly of oats and bananas, whizzed up in a blender. They're sweetened with maple syrup and so light and fluffy. These have become a reader favorite over the years and it's one of the first recipes I reach for when I have blackened bananas.

Also try: Banana Oatmeal Muffins or Banana Nut Muffins

Banana Baked Oatmeal

Another favorite ripe banana recipe is this banana baked oatmeal! It's a wholesome and filling breakfast, made with good-for-you ingredients like oats and bananas. Serve it for guests or even better, make up a big pan and eat off of it all week! You can cut it into “bars” for quick snacks, too. Topped with a little nut butter and banana slices, it’s a wholesome treat.

Easy Banana Ice Cream

Imagine: creamy, tropical-scented ice cream that requires no ice cream maker or ingredients other than the blackening fruit on your countertop. You’ve probably heard about one ingredient banana ice cream: and I'm here to tell you it’s worth the hype! When you’ve got ripe bananas, this is one of the best ways to use them!

Go-To Banana Pancakes

Here’s the only recipe you need to create lazy breakfast magic: my go-to Banana Pancakes recipe! This one is totally classic: with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. You can customize it to different diets, and to the amount of bananas you have on hand. It’s totally flexible for you and your morning!

Also try my favorite variations, like Banana Oatmeal Pancakes, Gluten Free Banana Pancakes, or Vegan Banana Pancakes

Banana Cookies (Soft & Chewy!)

These banana cookies are truly delicious! The brown butter infuses them with a rich, nutty flavor, while the warm cinnamon adds a touch of spice that takes them to the next level. Every bite is soft, chewy, and bursting with the delicious taste of ripe bananas.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

This peanut butter banana smoothie tastes like a milkshake but it’s made of wholesome ingredients like banana, peanut butter and oats. Whiz it up with frozen bananas and it makes a thick and creamy puree.

Banana Waffles

This recipe is here for when you’ve got only one banana on the counter and are wondering how to turn it into something delicious! Whisk it up into a batter spiced with cinnamon, then cook in a waffle maker until golden and crisp. These waffles are perfect topped with a drizzle of maple syrup, a few banana slices and a dollop of peanut butter.

Banana French Toast

Another great way to use one ripe banana is banana French toast! This plant-based breakfast uses mashed banana instead of egg to make a sweet custard mixture for dipping bread. Dip slices of sourdough bread then fry them until golden. Each bite is sweetly banana-scented without being too decadent: a great way to start the day!

Chocolate Covered Bananas

Here’s a favorite banana recipe that’s simple, healthy, and ultra delicious: chocolate covered bananas! The crunch of a crisp dark chocolate coating around an icy banana makes magic. Keep this healthy treat in the freezer anytime a chocolate craving hits. (This one is best with a banana that's ripe but not overly ripe.)

Bananas Foster

Here's a classic banana recipe: bananas foster! Bananas are sauteed in a gooey sauce of caramelized sugar and rum, and served over ice cream. There’s usually a flame too, which brings in over the top drama! This recipe works for two, though the quantities can be enough for four small dessert portions.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Got ripe bananas ripening on the counter? This chocolate chip banana bread recipe takes the standard up a notch by using browned butter, infusing a rich, nutty flavor into the entire loaf. It’s perfectly moist, studded with semi-sweet bits of chocolate and scented with just the right hint of cinnamon.

Also try: Easy Banana Nut Bread, Sour Cream Banana Bread, Vegan Banana Bread, Gluten Free Banana Bread or Pumpkin Banana Bread

Chocolate Banana Muffins

Imagine: a bite that’s perfectly chocolaty, crunchy on the top and moist on the inside. Yes, these chocolate banana muffins are calling you! They’re the perfect texture, not too rich and just sweet enough.

Blueberry Banana Bread

If there are two fruits that go hand in hand, it’s tart blueberries and fruity sweet banana. They meet in perfect harmony in this Blueberry Banana Bread! It’s moist, sweet, and punctuated by bursts of tangy purple berries. This quick bread is the ideal use for those brown bananas sitting on your counter.

Grilled Bananas

Got a grill? This grilled spin on the flavors of bananas foster is the perfect end to a dinner on the patio. Each tender bite is flavored with maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. It’s made even more perfect with a little melty vanilla ice cream: restaurant quality with very little effort!

Banana Bread French Toast

Here’s a fun way to transform banana bread into a decadent breakfast treat! This is the ultimate breakfast or brunch for banana lovers: the moist, dense texture of the quick bread is ideal for frying until golden brown and cinnamon-spiced. Topped with chopped pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup, it’s a luxurious way to start the day.

Easy Banana Oatmeal

Looking to mix up your mornings? Try this creamy Banana Oatmeal! Adding banana to your morning oats adds a little natural sweetness and creamy texture. It’s offset with warm spices and vanilla to make a cozy and easy breakfast.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

This healthy sweet treat is made with good-for-you ingredients but tastes like a milkshake! It’s rich and chocolaty, made with bananas, oats, and honey. Blend it up for busy mornings or afternoons where you need a quick pick-me-up: it even doubles as a healthy dessert!

Banana Blueberry Muffins

These banana blueberry muffins are light, fluffy and lightly sweet, packed juicy purple berries that add a blast of sweet tart to each bite. Sprinkle with crunchy turbinado sugar, and they’re perfect for simple breakfasts or sweet snacks.

Berry Banana Nice Cream

What's better than a good banana nice cream? Instead of buying ice cream, throw frozen bananas and blueberries berries into a blender with coconut milk or yogurt! It's instant berry banana ice cream, blended into frozen goodness. It's a healthier take on ice cream that's just as fun to eat!

Vegan Banana Streusel Muffins

Here’s a vegan banana muffins recipe that will make everyone say, “Wow!” They’re fluffy and just sweet enough, with the perfect banana flavor. Even better, a streusel topping gives every bite a little crunch and extra touch of sweet. You’d really never know these are vegan.

Chocolate Banana Bread

A cross between banana bread and chocolate cake, this dark chocolatey banana bread is just the right amount of moist, sweet and banana. Topped with chopped walnuts for a little crunch, it's got all the right textures. Add dark chocolate chips for more decadence.

Banana Daiquiri

Want to turn bananas into a drink? Try this Banana Daiquiri! My spin on the classic daiquiri is a frozen drink perfect for impressing guests. It’s got a pure banana flavor complimented by the zingy lime, vanilla and oak notes of aged rum, and a hint of orange liqueur on the finish.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

My banana chocolate chip muffins recipe is one of my favorite recipes for ripe bananas. Moist and sweet, they’re vanilla scented with just the right hint of cinnamon and pure sweetness from the banana. They’re studded with rich chocolate chips, then topped off with a glittering sprinkle of crunchy sugar.

Banana Nut Bread

There's something nostalgic about the flavor of toasted walnuts and banana together, and this banana nut bread really is irresistible. It's simple to whip up and slices up into thick, moist slices.

How to Store Banana Baked Goods

Most banana baked goods stay fresh at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. I’ve found that items like banana bread and banana muffins actually taste even better on day two because they become more moist and the flavors develop even further.

For longer storage, you can freeze banana bread and muffins for up to 3 months in a freezer-save container. To thaw, just let them sit at room temperature. My banana cookies also freeze well!

Why Overripe Bananas Are Better for Baking

Use the spottiest bananas you can find for baking. This means the starch is converting to sugar, which makes them sweeter with a more intense flavor. Just plain ripe bananas (aka, fully yellow with no brown) don’t have the same flavor or texture: I don’t recommend using them for baking!

Banana Nutrition

These tasty fruits are more than just delicious: they’re packed with nutrients. Here are some of the benefits of bananas:

Full of fiber, about 10% of your daily value is in 1 banana (3 grams)
High in potassium, which is good for heart health
A source of prebiotics, which is good for gut health (though may be best experienced in bananas that are not baked!)