25 Best-Ever Banana Recipes You Need To Bookmark Immediately
We're very aware that bananas are just fine and tasty to eat alone as they come, similar to other divisive ingredients like Brussels sprouts and buttermilk. Just peel it back and reap the potassium-packed health rewards, right? But again, similar to raw Brussels sprout slaw versus caramelized bacony Brussels sprouts straight out of the oven, bananas just don't hit the taste buds quite the same out of the peel as they do inside a warm slice of banana nut bread or layered with whipped cream in classic banana pudding. And to that we say, let's get slicing and baking.
We've rounded up 25 delicious ways to use up all your bunches of ripe bananas before they go bad, from nutella-swirled banana bread to banana pudding-inspired cheesecake to Elvis-approved peanut butter-banana pie. So you might want to grab an extra bunch or two—because these best-ever banana recipes will have you begging for mercy.
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Recipe: Banana Pudding Poke Cake
A poke cake topped with banana pudding? That's about as celebration-worthy as it gets—so make sure to enjoy every single banana-laden bite.
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Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Recipe: Banana Pudding Cheesecake
You might never have known you needed this heavenly hybrid. Banana pudding gets an even creamier, more decadent twist with cheesecake filling.
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Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie
Recipe: Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie
Elvis would definitely approve, and that's all we need to know. This cool, creamy chocolate-drizzled dessert is sure to have you coming back for more.
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Banana Cake
Recipe: Banana Cake
In our opinion, a best-ever banana cake should be well spiced and frosted with a heavy layer of cream cheese frosting—and that's exactly the calling card of this insanely delicious sheet cake.
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Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns
Recipe: Mini Bananas Foster Sticky Buns
Your Saturday morning coffee is practically made to be paired with these adorably miniature caramelized sticky buns. The sweetness instantly melts in your mouth, which means you'll be wanting more than one.
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Banana Bread French Toast Casserole
Recipe: Banana Bread French Toast Casserole
Tell your usual brunch casserole to watch out—because there's a new heavy-hitter in town. Banana bread meets French toast in this fan-fave breakfast bake.
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Salted Caramel Banana Pudding
Recipe: Salted Caramel Banana Pudding
If you didn't think homemade banana pudding could get any better, do a double take. This indulgent rendition is layered with slightly spiced Biscoff cookies and a shortcut salted caramel drizzle.
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Banana Upside-Down Pancake Cake
Recipe: Banana Upside-Down Pancake Cake
An old-school treat with a banana-flavored twist. This brunch-to-dessert cake starts with boxed pancake mix, which means your prep time just went way down.
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Nutella Banana Bread
Recipe: Nutella Banana Bread
Now this is an upgrade to classic banana bread we can get behind. You'll be left dreaming about those swirls of Nutella after having a slice.
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Banana Ice Cream
Recipe: Banana Ice Cream
Homemade ice cream is a real treat, no matter the flavor. This recipe is extra creamy and custard-based and packed with the flavor of fresh bananas. None of that fake stuff! Banana split anyone?
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Banana Pancakes
Recipe: Banana Pancakes
Lightly spiced with cinnamon and just a little salty, these banana pancakes are guaranteed to take lazy Saturday morning breakfasts up a notch.
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Banana Nut Cake
Recipe: Banana Nut Cake
An even fluffier, slightly sweeter version of banana bread, this cake recipe has all the things you love about the classic dish—but puts it decidedly more into the dessert category.
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Banana Cream Pie
Recipe: Banana Cream Pie
Learn how to make this old-school diner dessert with almost as much panache as those waitresses in roller skates.
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Strawberry-Banana-Peanut Butter Smoothie
Recipe: Strawberry-Banana-Peanut Butter Smoothie
This might be the only healthy breakfast smoothie we actually want to make again and again. Peanut butter and banana make a dynamite duo.
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Amy Grant's Banana Nut Bread
Recipe: Amy Grant's Banana Nut Bread
This classic banana bread recipe hits the spot every time. Plus, only 20 minutes of hands-on time makes it quick and easy enough to whip together on the fly.
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Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce
Recipe: Bananas Foster Coffee Cake with Vanilla-Rum Sauce
This is a special-occasion coffee cake if we've ever seen one. It takes a lesson from Brennan's famous bananas foster and tops it off with a sweetened rum glaze.
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Banana Nut Shortcake
Recipe: Banana Nut Shortcake
Give strawberry shortcake the day off and instead pile these biscuits with sliced bananas, toasted pecans, whipped cream, and coconut flakes.
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Caramelized Banana Pudding
Recipe: Caramelized Banana Pudding
This toasted version of banana pudding almost tops Nana's famous recipe. (We said almost.) Caramelized bananas and meringue makes banana pudding feel even more special .
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Brennan's Bananas Foster
Recipe: Brennan's Bananas Foster
Brennan's in New Orleans perfected this warm, caramelized classic treat over 60 years ago—and now you can, too. No travel required.
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Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Recipe: Gluten-Free Banana Bread
If you're cutting out gluten or flour, you can still enjoy a nice slice of warm banana bread with this recipe that makes gluten taste absolutely irrelevant.
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Vegan Banana Bread
Recipe: Vegan Banana Bread
With both sweet and salty elements, this plant-based banana bread eats clean and super delicious. It gets all the sweetness of banana, brown sugar, and vanilla, along with a special subtle nuttiness from sesame.
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Banana Pudding Milk Shake
Recipe: Banana Pudding Milk Shake
We'll take our banana pudding on the go and extra creamy. This ultra-thick milk shake is pretty much the ultimate warm-weather treat.
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Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake
Recipe: Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake
You won't meet a fruit dessert as show-stopping as this perfect warm-weather icebox cake. Strawberries and bananas make a refreshing duo in the beloved graham cracker-layered dessert.
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Banana Daiquiri
Recipe: Banana Daiquiri
You know what they say: If you like piña coladas...then you'll love these banana daiquiris. Well, maybe that's not what they say. But they will now. We can practically hear the ocean breeze already.
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Hummingbird Bundt Cake
Recipe: Hummingbird Bundt Cake
We couldn't leave this Southern delicacy off the list. Make the classic Hummingbird Cake—or go with this fuss-free Bundt cake version instead. Either way, pineapple-studded, nutty heaven awaits with just a hint of extra moistness from your ripe bananas.