My Favorite Banana Recipes

If you're like me, you always have a stash of frozen bananas in the freezer.  As they start to turn too brown to eat, I immediately throw what we have remaining into the freezer to use later for banana bread or muffins.  Here are my favorite ways to use those overripe bananas, just click the recipe to follow the link!

Chocolate Banana Brownies with Vanilla Glaze

Chocolate Chip Pecan Banana Bread

Nutella and Banana Crepes

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Mini Banana Pancakes

Chocolate Puff Pastry Treats

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Banana Bread

Happy banana baking!  I would love for you share some of your favorite banana recipes! 

Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter and Raisin Granola Bars

Granola bars are absolutely one of my favorite snacks to make for the kids.  Between these and my Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars, I will never buy them from the store again!  Once you make these, I think you'll agree.

 These remind me so much of the Quaker granola bars - chewy and not all dry.  My kids gobble these up!  They were stalking me as I was taking the pictures...my two-year old right at my hip saying "want one" repeatedly.  Heck, I even scarfed down 2 or 3 of these after this shoot!  

I could have stopped at just adding the chocolate chips, but the raisins give it an extra chewiness that I just love.  This recipe is adapted from Averie Cooks and I'm sure you'll adapt it from my version to make these how you like (or maybe even depending on what's in your cupboard that day!).  You can use all honey or all corn syrup, use more crispy rice cereal and less oats, or even all oats and no cereal - so many possibilities. 

Makes about 15 bars

Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter and Raisin Granola Bars

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup light corn syrup 

1/3 cup honey  

1/4 brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup crispy rice cereal

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Line a 9 x 9-inch pan with foil, leaving an overhang.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the peanut butter, corn syrup, honey and brown sugar and microwave on high for 1 minute.  Stir to combine everything.  Add the vanilla and salt and stir. 

Add the oats and cereal and carefully stir to coat.  Add the raisins and chocolate chips and stir again to combine.

Pour mixture into prepared pan and using your hands or spatula, press down to spread and form an even layer.  Place in freezer for at least an hour to allow bars to set.  Cut to desired shape.  Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.   

(Source:  Adapted from Averie Cooks)

Refrigerator Spicy Dill Pickles

I'm trying to learn a bit about canning, but to add to that to my list of projects and hobbies might be a bit too much for me.  For these dill pickles, I took the easy way out - I made refrigerator pickles!  No 10 (or how many it is) step canning process.  No boiling water or worrying if I sealed them right.  Just my style.   

And since these aren't really being canned, you can use plastic Tupperware containers or glass.  Just make sure you have a tight fitting lid.  And they should last for up to 2 months in your fridge - if they don't get gobbled up way before that!

This recipe is adapted from Bobby Flay and uses rice wine vinegar.  It definitely gives them a different, tangier flavor than regular white vinegar.  These are SO good!  Addicting.  

You'll use English, or hothouse or "gourmet" cucumbers (as my grocery store calls them).  They are the kind you will find wrapped in plastic to keep fresh rather than a wax seal.  No need to peel or seed them! 

My canning jars were 12.5 oz and only 4" tall - so I made my pickles mini and bite size.   That also means I filled more jars than if you made them a little longer, like regular pickles.  

Serves 8

Refrigerator Spicy Dill Pickles

4 cups rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons dried dill
2 English cucumbers, washed, cut in 1/2 horizontally, then quartered lengthwise (and cut once again depending on height of jars)

Combine the vinegar, honey, pepper flakes, peppercorns, coriander, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.  Let boil for 2 minutes; remove from the heat and let sit until cooled to room temperature.  Add the dill.  Place the cut cucumbers in your storage container or jar and pour the cooled vinegar mixture over them.  Refrigerate, sealed tightly for 24 hours or up to 4 days.  Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 months.

(Source:  Adapted from Bobby Flay)

Honey Butter

We go to Emerald Isle, North Carolina for our beach vacation almost every year and one of my absolute favorite treats is getting the honey butter croissants at one of the local restaurants.  Totally addicting.  

I was making brunch for my visiting in-laws and decided to try my hand at making some honey butter for our biscuits.  It was a hit - an equally as addicting as the croissants from the restaurant!   

Super creamy with just the right touch of sweetness.  I've been using it all week on my toast!  It's almost too easy to make - you'll want to have this in your fridge at all times, believe me...

Honey Butter

1/2 cup room temperature butter
3 tablespoons honey

Stir the 2 ingredients together until it is smooth and the honey is well incorporated.  Serve at room temperature on your favorite roll, biscuit or croissant.

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Once again, I found myself faced with a couple of over-ripe bananas, but just couldn't bring myself to make one more banana bread.  There had to be something different to make.  I thought about making some sort of cake,and immediately turned that idea into cupcakes, but what kind of icing?  Cream cheese, but with a twist - honey and cinnamon.  Oh these turned out SO good!!  

And cute!  Would be great for a little one's birthday party.  Aren't my floral liners and toppers adorable? 

The cupcakes are so moist and the icing compliments them so well.  I love how you can see the little flecks of cinnamon throughout.  

Makes 12 cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 large ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

Honey-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing 

1/2 cup butter, room temp

4 oz cream cheese

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon honey

2-4 cups confectioner's sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.  

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the butter and the sugar.  Beat with a hand-held mixer until combined.  Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract.  Slowly beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.  Incorporate the dry mixture and wet mixtures together until thoroughly combined.  Add the bananas, being careful not to over mix.  Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 way full.  Bake until golden brown and when a toothpick, inserted in the middle, comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting.  

To make the icing:  Combine all the ingredients, starting with 2 cups of confectioner's sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk.  Mix with a hand mixer - add additional confectioner's sugar or milk depending on thickness of icing. 

(Source:  icing adapted from Martha Stewart)