36 Ripe Banana Recipes to Use Up Your Bunch
Updated: May 09, 2023
Don't toss out your old bananas just yet—make bread, pudding, cake, cookies and bars with these ripe banana recipes.
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Best Ever Banana Bread
Calls for: 2 ripe bananas
Whenever I pass a display of bananas in the grocery store, I can almost smell the wonderful aroma of my best banana bread recipe. It really is that good! —Gert Kaiser, Kenosha, Wisconsin
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Banana Bread Snack Cakes
Calls for: 1 ripe bananaThis cake doesn’t need any frosting—just a dusting of powdered sugar. Guests are always amazed that I made this treat from scratch. —Denise Loewenthal, Hinckley, Ohio
Wondering if you have enough bananas to bake with? Read more about how many bananas are in a cup.
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Pecan Banana Bundt Cake
Calls for: 2-3 ripe bananasMy daughter, Liz, often made this banana bundt cake for us. It was delicious and different. She discovered five-spice powder during a culinary class field trip. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California
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Banana Oat Muffins
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasChopped pecans add pleasant crunch to these hearty banana oatmeal muffins with rich flavor. The muffins are low in cholesterol, but you’d never know it. My husband and I love them. —Marjorie Mott, Galatia, Illinois
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Banana Split Brownies
Calls for: 1 ripe bananaHow’s this for a dish—all the joy of a banana split without the mess. Everything in my recipe fits into one pan of delectable brownie bars. —Connee Sheckler, Chestertown, Maryland
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Banana Nut Pancakes
Calls for: 1 ripe bananaI enjoy these versatile banana nut pancakes. Besides being a satisfying breakfast, they can be a deliciously different dessert. —Diane Hixon, Niceville, Florida
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Banana Orange Bars
Calls for: 3-4 ripe bananasI have been making these treats for many years. I no longer remember where the recipe came from, but one thing is certain—the bars are always a hit at family get-togethers and parties. The secret to tasty banana desserts is the ripeness of the bananas—the riper, the better. —Mary Sturgis, Hingham, Massachusetts
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Bananas ‘n’ Cream Tube Pan Cake
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasThis absolutely scrumptious banana Bundt cake needs no icing…just a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Even though the recipe has been a family secret for years, I’m delighted to share it with my fellow home cooks. —Oma Rollison, El Cajon, California
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Cranberry Banana Coffee Cake
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasI make this moist cake for Christmas morning every year. It tastes like banana bread but has a sweet golden topping with a nutty crunch. —Gloria Friesen, Casper, Wyoming
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Banana Chocolate Cake
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasThis light-as-air chocolate cake has a yummy banana flavor. It’s scrumptious as is, but you can also dress it up with nuts or light frostings. —Tina Bellows, Racine, Wisconsin
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Banana Pound Cake
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasI adapted a basic pound cake recipe from my great-aunt for this treat. It makes a moist cake that pops out of the pan perfectly. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
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Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasI use to buy name-brand breakfast cookies from the supermarket, but since I found this recipe I’ve enjoyed making my cookies more than buying them.—Linda Burciaga
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Chocolate Banana Bundles
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasBanana and chocolate are such an irresistible combo that I make this quick dessert often. You can also top them with the butter and brown sugar mixture left over from coating the bananas, or sprinkle on a dash of sea salt. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey
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Pumpkin Banana Bread
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasI came across this recipe in a local newspaper about 10 years ago, and I still make the bread on a regular basis. The recipe conveniently yields a number of mini loaves, making gift-giving easy. —Linda Wood, Roanoke, Virginia
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Peanut Butter-Banana Yogurt Parfaits
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasFor a lightening-fast breakfast, I layer vanilla yogurt with bananas, peanuts and multigrain cereal. It’s crunchy, easy and perfect for kids. —Teresa Miller, Hamilton, Indiana
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Banana-Nut Bundt Cake
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasEach slice of this cake has a temptingly tropical twist. If you’d like, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top. —June Yeates, Bradley, Illinois
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Banana Squares
Calls for: 2-3 ripe bananasWhen we were first married, my husband was in the Navy. Stationed in Puerto Rico, we had banana trees growing in our yard, so I found ways to use dozens of ripe bananas at a time. I made these banana squares often. They freeze well and make a great snack to have on hand when friends drop in for coffee. —Susan Miller, Raleigh, North Carolina
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Southern Banana Pudding
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasThis old southern banana pudding recipe features a comforting custard layered with sliced bananas and vanilla wafers, then topped with meringue. I serve it year-round. —Jan Campbell, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
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Egg-Free Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Calls for: 2-3 ripe bananasI am always looking to use up the brown bananas on my counter. My usual go-to was banana nut bread, but when my youngest developed an egg allergy I had to come up with something different. Since bananas and chocolate are so good together I decided to make these muffins. You would never be able to tell they are egg-free. —Danielle Siero, Farmington, Michigan
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Roasted Banana & Pecan Cheesecake
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasWe keep bananas on hand, but with just two of us in the house they ripen faster than we can eat them. That makes them perfect for roasting and baking into this cheesecake with a nutty crust. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
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Brown Sugar & Banana Oatmeal
Calls for: 1 ripe bananaOatmeal is a favorite breakfast food, quick, easy and filling. I came up with this version by using some of the same ingredients from my favorite breakfast smoothie. Add bran cereal for a heartier taste and more fiber. A brown sugar substitute and soy milk also blend in well. —Jessi Rizzi, Odenton, Maryland
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Potluck Banana Cake
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasI found this recipe more than five years ago and have been making it for family gatherings ever since. The coffee-flavored frosting complements the moist banana cake. —Kathy Hoffman, Topton, Pennsylvania
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Banana Macadamia Muffins
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasThese muffins taste even better the next day, so to save time, I often make them the night before. They stay moist for days. —Stasha Wampler, Clinchport, Virginia
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Banana Split Cake Bars
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasSummer isn’t summer without a banana split or two, and these fun bars bring that same delicious flavor in potluck-perfect form. —Jasey McBurnett, Rock Springs, Wyoming
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Pear-Blueberry Ambrosia with Creamy Lime Dressing
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasThis dessert is delicious and decadent, yet is chock-full of healthy fruit with a creamy lime dressing; the blueberries provide a lovely pop of color. —Laura Stricklin, Jackson, Mississippi
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Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Calls for: 2 ripe bananasMy mom made these oatmeal banana cookies when I was young. Now my children like making them just as much as I did, and we quadruple the recipe to serve our large family. You can’t eat just one of these goodies packed with chocolate morsels. —Jaqueline Wilson, Armstrong Creek, Wisconsin
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Orange Banana Nut Bread
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasI like this recipe because the orange juice gives the nut bread such a bright flavor and also makes it moist. —Barbara Roethlisberger, Shepherd, Michigan
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Banana Blueberry Pancakes
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasThis blueberry pancakes recipe is a favorite in our home. My kids don’t even realize how healthy it is! —Kelly Reinicke, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
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Cast-Iron Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasI love this cast-iron banana bread because it cooks evenly every time. The end result is so moist and delicious! —Ashley Hudd, Holton, Michigan
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Frosted Banana Bars
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasThese bars are always a hit at potlucks in the small rural farming community where my husband and I live. I also like to provide them for coffee hour after church. They’re so moist and delicious that wherever I take them, they don’t last long. —Karen Dryak, Niobrara, Nebraska
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Elvis Banana Bread
Calls for: 4 ripe bananasAs a toddler, my son loved bananas, so we always had them in the house. We didn’t always eat them all before they were too ripe, so we experimented beyond basic banana bread. That’s how we came up with Elvis bread! —Liz Somppi, Greenfield, Wisconsin
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Quick Bananas Foster
Calls for: 3 ripe bananasGuests are always impressed when I ignite the rum in this delicious bananas Foster dessert. Use perfectly ripe bananas for best results. —Mary Lou Wayman, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Banana Pudding
Calls for: 4 ripe bananasI didn’t see my son, Lance Corporal Eric Harris, for more than two years after he enlisted in the Marines after high school. And when I saw him arrive at the airport, I just grabbed hold of him and burst out crying. When we got home, the first thing he ate was two bowls of my easy banana pudding recipe. He’s a true southern boy! It’s a dessert, but you can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. —Stephanie Harris, Montpelier, Virginia
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Gluten-Free Banana Bread
Calls for: 4-5 ripe bananasThis gluten-free banana bread recipe isn’t dry and crumbly—it tastes like the real thing. I hope you try it! —Gladys Arnold, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Air-Fryer Breakfast Cookies
I used to buy brand-name breakfast cookies from the supermarket, but since I found this recipe, I’ve enjoyed making my cookies more than buying them. —Linda Burciaga, tasteofhome.com
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I Like to Eat Apples and Bananas Bread
Calls for: 4-5 ripe bananasMy children love to bake (and eat) all kinds of banana bread. They make this all by themselves, with just a little help from me to put it in the oven. —Kristin Metcalf, Charlton, Massachusetts
Originally Published: March 15, 2022
