Brown Butter Banana Bread

I didn’t think I could improve on my go to banana bread recipe but thanks to brown butter and a heavy hand with the spices, I think I did. After eating a slice of this Brown Butter Banana Bread slathered in more butter no less, my son declared this the best banana bread he’s ever had. High accolades coming from a 7-year old banana bread connoisseur.

My kids are brutally honest. Especially when it comes to my creations in the kitchen. My boys aren’t afraid to not only tell me they don’t like something but to really hammer the point home by making horrid faces, fake gagging themselves and giving me an in your face kind of thumbs down. Like I said, brutally honest. The upside is that they’re just as willing to give me the accolades when I get something right. High fives, kisses and hugs, a little song and dance and the biggest compliment one can pay: they beg for seconds and this case, thirds.

I should offer a disclaimer that both my boys love banana bread. I make it often and it’s one of their favorites. We eat a lot of fresh bananas in our house but I still always manage to have a few on the counter that get too ripe and are perfect for bread. We always, always have a slice (or two) straight from the oven slathered in cold, salted butter and then once we’ve gorged ourselves, I’ll slice up the rest and wrap it and freeze it. Perfect for throwing in lunch boxes or a quick afternoon snack in between homework and karate.

Like I said earlier, this is a rif on my Ultimate Banana Bread recipe but instead of using the vegetable oil originally called for, I used a really good cultured European butter that I melted and browned.

I’m swooning right now. Brown butter makes me do that.

I added extra cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and instead of Greek yogurt (I didn’t have any), I subbed sour cream. I also used a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste instead of regular vanilla extract. I have a serious vanilla addiction. I put it in anything and everything these days.

Admittedly more decadent, this will be now be my go to banana bread recipe. I’m all for indulging once in a while especially when it’s homemade and made with quality ingredients.

For now, I’ll sit back and take all the sweet compliments my boys are paying for a winner banana bread recipe and try to forget their destain for the Paleo Pancakes I’ve been trying to perfect. Let’s just say I’m not there yet.

Happy Saturday, everyone! Hope it’s filled with family, friends and good eats!

Brown Butter Banana Bread

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Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or use 1 + 2/3 cup all-purpose flour)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3–4 very ripe bananas, peeled & mashed
• 3 tablespoons sour cream (or whole milk greek yogurt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. To brown the butter, place a sauté pan on the stove set to medium heat. Melt butter, stirring occasionally until it starts to brown about 3-4 minutes. It will start to smell to bubble, smell nutty and then turn a golden color. Take butter off the heat immediately so that it doesn’t burn; set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
3. Butter and flour a standard size loaf pan and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together both flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
5. In a large bowl, beat slightly cooled butter, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in mashed bananas, vanilla and sour cream. Fold in flour mixture just until combined.
6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven, let bread cool 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing bread from pan. Let cool another 20-30 minutes before diving in head first.