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Brown Butter Banana Bread Recipe with Vanilla Butter [Giveaway]

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I’m not sure why I’ve waited so long to post a banana bread recipe on Kitchen Konfidence. Jorge and I love banana bread and we make it aaaaallllll the time.

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Brown Butter Banana Bread with Vanilla Butter

I recently discovered a new banana bread recipe in Bobby Flay’s latest cookbook, Brunch @ Bobby’s, and it’s outstanding.  Crackly on the outside and moist on the inside, this brown-butter spiked bread is flavored with ripe bananas, honey, cinnamon and chopped smokey pecans.  The ingredient list and preparation are so simple, but the finished bread is wonderfully complex and flavorful.  It’s impossible to eat just one slice.

This banana bread is perfectly fine as is, but I decided to take it over-the-top with a rich, homemade Vanilla Butter (recipe also from the book).  This slightly-sweet spread is made with soft butter, vanilla seeds, salt and sugar.  Perfect for breakfast, brunch or dessert!  Continue reading for the recipes plus a cookbook/gift card giveaway AND a valuable tip to ripen bananas quickly.

Brown Butter Banana Bread Ingredients

Brown Butter Banana Bread Loaf

First, the giveaway.  The kind folks over at Clarkson Potter provided me with a copy of Brunch @ Bobby’s AND a $100 Visa Gift Card to give away to one lucky Kitchen Konfidence reader!!  I watch Brunch @ Bobby’s each week, and I always love to see all the inventive recipes and cocktails that he comes up with.  This book has 140 (some from the show) all dedicated to one of the best meals all week long: brunch!  Here’s how you can enter to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Brunch at Bobby's Cookboook

Before we get to the recipe, I want to share a simple tip on how to quickly ripen bananas in the oven.  I usually make banana bread when I’ve got a number of bananas that are overripe.  However, sometimes I want to make banana bread, and all I’ve got are fresh or somewhat ripe bananas (like the spotted ones pictured below).  In this instance, I like to use my oven to help “ripen” the bananas quickly.  Bake bananas for 15 – 20 minutes in a 250°F oven, and BOOM, black bananas.  The short trip to the oven helps to draw out moisture and concentrate sugars, making the bananas perfect for banana bread.  How easy is that?

Ripen Bananas in the Oven

 

Brown Butter Banana Bread with Vanilla Butter
4.93 from 14 votes
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Brown Butter Banana Bread with Vanilla Butter

Slightly adapted from Brunch @ Bobby's.
Servings 1 loaf
Author Brandon Matzek

Ingredients

For the Banana Bread:

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnmaon
  • 4 medium overly ripe bananas (skins should be black), peeled (see tip above on how to quickly ripen bananas)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

For the Vanilla Bean Butter:

  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise and seeds scraped
  • Pinch of fine grain sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat an oven to 350°F, and set an oven rack to the middle position. Butter and lightly flour a 9-inch loaf pan.
  2. Cook butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter turns a deep golden brown color (about 5 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon to a small bowl, whisking to combine. Set aside. Mash bananas using a fork in a medium bowl until smooth. Add sugar, browned butter, honey and egg to the bowl with the banana, whisking to combine. Add the flour mixture, then stir until just combined. Do not overmix here. Fold in the pecans.
  4. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and sprinkle the top evenly with turbinado sugar. Bake on the middle rack until an inserted toothpick comes out clean (40 to 50 minutes). Let cool on a baking rack in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool on the rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
  5. While the banana bread is cooling, make the Vanilla Butter. Stir together the butter, sugar, vanilla seeds (use the leftover pods for Vanilla Sugar), and salt in a small bowl until combined. Let flavors meld for a little bit before using (I waited 45 minutes). Store any leftover Vanilla Butter in the refrigerator, and let soften before using again.

 

Prizing and samples provided by Clarkson Potter. All thoughts, opinions and recipes are my own. I watch Brunch @ Bobby’s each week, so I am more than happy to spread the news about his new book!

Here are some other brunch recipes on Kitchen Konfidence:

Savory Waffles with Rosemary, Ham and Dubliner Cheese

Savory Waffles

Roasted Garlic Bloody Mary

Roasted Garlic Bloody Mary

Easy Homemade Hollandaise

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

Orange Cardamom Scones

Finished Scones

Fluffy Cardamom Pancakes

Fluffy Cardamom Pancakes

Yeasted Pumpkin Waffles

Yeasted Pumpkin Waffles

16

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jeffrey says

    I love waffles for brunch, sometimes I make up a large batch of batter and divide it up into separate bowls. Everyone then gets to add their favorite mix-ins, sweet or savory! It gets the kids involved in the food prep, they go for sweet every single time, hard to believe isn’t it?

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Thanks Averie! Yeah that banana ripening tip has saved me a few times when I needed to make banana bread and all I had was barely ripe bananas!

      Reply

  5. Lori says

    Love brunch….for me it is all about Bloody Marys and biscuits with sausage gravy. The ultimate southern comfort food.

    Reply

  15. Annamarie V says

    My favorite brunch food is waffles with strawberries and whip cream, my favorite brunch drink is a Bloody Mary.

    Reply

  22. Julie Wood says

    5 stars
    Our Favorite brunch dish is waffles with Bacon! I am always getting out the waffle maker and trying out different waffles. One of our favorites is my Chocolate Chip Waffles with hot chocolate syrup!

    Reply

  24. Daniel says

    5 stars
    I made your Brown Butter Banana Bread today, and it smells Fantastic! I haven’t tasted it yet because it’s still hot. I had a bit more batter than I thought I needed, but I used it all anyway. I did have to give it a few stern looks while it was baking to keep it from bubbling over, but it did just fine.

    Also really liked the tip about ripening bananas in the oven. Most of the bananas lately have been green when I get them and seem to go bad before they ripen enough naturally.

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Interesting about the quantity! My batter came up 3/4 to 4/5 of the pan. Let me know how you enjoy the bread once it cools :). Thanks Daniel!

      Reply

      • Daniel says

        Definitely my new go-to banana bread recipe…yesterday’s loaf is already gone (there are 4 of us in the house and if something is good it doesn’t last long). I had some freakishly large bananas , so that was probably why I ended up with a lot of batter. I ‘m making another one Today!

        I only recently found your blog and I’m loving it!

        Daniel

        Reply

  25. Tamra H says

    I’m not a huge breakfast person, so to me that’s why brunch is so amazing! If I can eat anything with shrimp in it before noon, I call that a win. 🙂

    Reply

  28. Christina says

    I think my new favorite has been chilaquiles. Just throw some chorizo, scrambled eggs, cheese, and delicious tomatillo sauce on them. Delicious!

    Reply

  29. Jennifer says

    I am a big lover of the sweet bits of brunch. This looks fabulous and I have a few bananas on my kitchen counter that could make this happen in my near future!

    Reply

  34. Betsy Rubendall Barnes says

    5 stars
    One of my favorite brunch food is quiche. I really like Broccoli Cheddar Quiche, makes a very nice brunch 🙂

    Reply

  39. Sara says

    I’m such a fan of sweet breakfasts/brunches. My favorites have got to be challah french toast or crepes with fresh fruit!

    Reply

  44. Vicky @ Avocdo Pesto says

    This banana bread looks incredible! Love watching Bobby Flay on the Food Network but have never seen any of his cookbooks! Would love one. For brunch my go to is Eggs Benedict! Preferably with smoked salmon! So good!!

    Reply

  50. Lisa Stover says

    I love quiche and mimosas! Bloody Mary’s are good too, especially if you have a little hangover from the day before 🙂

    Reply

  52. sharleen s says

    5 stars
    My favorite brunch dish has to be this delicious biscuit sandwich from a local cafe with spicy bacon, cheddar cheese, a runny egg, on a asiago cheese biscuit! Yum!

    Reply

  60. Sandy Headtke says

    Give me a good Bloody Mary and I won’t fuss about anything else you want to serve. It’s all good when I have a Bloody Mary first.

    Reply

  62. Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life says

    This banana bread has me craving a slice right now! I love how decadent this quick bread is and the vanilla butter takes it over the top in the best way! I think I’ll have to treat myself to a slice or two, and purchase Bobby’s new book too!

    Reply

  69. Kim Henrichs says

    5 stars
    My favorite brunch food is an overnight french toast and I always do a raspberry almond coffee cake with a cream cheese swirl and usually mimosas!

    Reply

  72. Yasko says

    I like “Shrimp and grits ” for brunch. I know they are more for dinner but I like the dish so much that I can eat anytime of the day.

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Me too! My mother never made banana bread, so I came a little late to the party. But now I’m a big banana bread fan. Thanks Brian!

      Reply

  82. Mianna says

    Stratas are always fun! Or my Mom’s baked cheese souffle (sooo good). Fresh fruit is a must and always champagne!

    Reply

  83. Chantel says

    I am SO making this when I have my apartment back next week! Fingers crossed the SoCal weather actually turns to fall soon.

    I always have to have champagne during brunch but my special brunch treat for my hubby or visitors is Tripel Caramelized French Toast with Creme Anglaise. It’s always a plate scraper!

    Reply

  85. Ani {@afotogirl} says

    I’m big on egg casseroles for brunch. You can get super creative, toss them together the night before and bake them off in the morning. Easy. Oh, and can I say, love your trick on ripening bananas!

    Reply

  98. Bonnie Sanders says

    This looks so yummy, I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the banana riping tip. And for the chance to win. I’m going to be checking out Brunch @ Bobby’s .

    Reply

  104. Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says

    OMG that is genius – so cooking my bananas in the skins before I make banana bread next time. And love how you used brown butter and walnuts – looks like an epic banana bread. Love the way you photographed it too, all sliced up <3

    Reply

  113. Denise L says

    I can’t pick just one so I’ll give you a sweet – homemade cinnamon rolls – and a savory – quiche Lorraine.

    Reply

  118. Donna A says

    I love any kind of quiche. Or pancakes are great also. Or toast slathered in butter and blackberry jam. Blackberries are the greatest.

    Reply

  129. cristina says

    Great tip on ripening the bananas and so clever how you animated it in before/after! Bobby Flay has great looking recipes, luv all his shows on the cooking channel and food network. Beautiful post, Brandon!

    Reply

  139. Alexis K. says

    Right now I’m in love with pizzas. So many varieties and after finding a good crust recipe, the possibilities are endless!

    Reply

  144. Erin says

    5 stars
    Pancakes. So versatile. Savory or sweet. So many different versions. Padding into the kitchen with slippered feet, wiping the sleep from your eyes and finding a stack of chocolate chip pancakes on the breakfast table waiting for you on a snowy day. Laughing with friends over a short stack piled with syrup and fruit at 2 a.m. at a greasy diner after a night of dancing. Breakfast for dinner always includes pancakes. Pancakes mean comfort. Pancakes make people happy. What would the world be without pancakes?

    Reply

  157. Bunnie says

    French toast or a savory bread pudding, scrambled eggs and a salty or spicy protien like bacon, ham or sausage. Finished up with a few sweets of course.

    Reply

  161. Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos says

    Brunch at Bobbys was one of the must have cookbooks this year and his show – love it! I love your spin on this banana bread! I have to say, for brunch, one dish that is always a hit – my Mexican Chocolate French Toast – talk about chocolate cake for breakfast 🙂

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Hi Iman! I just use regular pecans here. To me they’ve got a bit of a smokey flavor. Maple, caramel, smoke, butterscotch – all notes I get from a pecan.

      Reply

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