I buy bananas with good intentions. They sit on the counter waiting to be grabbed for a quick snack. Sometimes they are eaten up quickly. Most often, however, they sit there till they start to turn brown and gross.
I hate to waste food so I’ll throw them in the freezer to use in recipes. When they turn brown like this, I can’t bring myself to eat one as is, but I don’t mind using them up in a recipe. In fact, some recipes require the bananas to be overripe! They have many, many uses.
My mom always made banana bread with them. I remember having an after school snack of banana bread warm out of the oven and topping it with butter. The butter would melt and flavour the bread even more. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Classic banana bread is one use for your brown bananas, but I’ve discovered a bunch of other yummy ways you can use them. Don’t let those bananas go to waste!
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to use brown bananas in addition to banana bread! This is a great list to inspire you to enjoy those bananas at the bottom of your freezer.
Whatever you do, DO NOT throw them away. Put them in the freezer until you are ready to use them.
If you don’t want to EAT the bananas, here are 8 unusual uses for bananas you might want to try.
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Looking for more banana recipes, but in a cookbook? Check out The Banana Cookbook.
What is your favourite way to use brown bananas?
Delicious Recipes for Brown Bananas
Don't throw them away! Brown bananas are sweet and delicious. Try one of these easy recipes with your overripe bananas.
Banana Bread Breakfast Casserole
Use up your brown bananas and leftover bread in this crowd-pleasing breakfast recipe! It comes together in 10 minutes, bakes for 1 hour and is a recipe you’ll find yourself making again and again.
Banana Chocolate Cake
Packed full of sweet flavor! Banana and chocolate are perfect together in this easy cake recipe.
Banana Cake
An amazingly moist cake covered in cream cheese frosting. A perfect use for brown bananas!
Banana Nut Muffins Recipe
A classic banana muffin that you can make with or without nuts. These muffins are moist and full of banana flavour, making them a go-to snack and lunch box favourite.
Banana Cupcakes
These cupcakes will drive you bananas! They are super versatile, and can be made extra special with cream cheese icing, and the addition of peanut butter chips.
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
The perfect way to use up your brown bananas! This easy muffin recipe is incredibly moist and perfectly sweet.
Super Easy Bread Machine Banana Bread
I love an easy dump and go recipe and this Super Easy Bread Machine Banana Bread is just that. Just toss your ingredients in, press the button, and walk away.
Pumpkin Banana Bread
This easy Pumpkin Banana Bread is a simple recipe that produces a delicious homemade result. How about combining two fall favorite flavors into one sweet bread? I love a good quick bread and dreams come true with this amazing, moist banana pumpkin bread.
Best Frosted Banana Walnut Cake
The Best Banana Walnut Cake is topped with a thick and creamy cream cheese frosting. It’s baked up perfectly in a 13 x 9 baking dish with the best banana flavor, that is so soft & moist, and just crazy delicious. Optional garnish with sliced fresh bananas or banana chips and chopped walnuts for an amazing dessert!
Easy Blender Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Contemplating on what to do which the ripe banana?! Let’s turn it into an easiest breakfast that’s not just delicious but super healthy too. It’s gluten-free banana oatmeal pancakes.
Bananas Foster Upside Down Cupcakes
Bananas Foster Upside Down Cupcakes are easy to make upside down cupcakes made with bananas instead of pineapple, and are a perfect mini dessert for a party.
Best Chocolate Banana Muffins
Chocolate Banana Muffins are the best way to use overripe bananas. The muffins are very easy to make, soft, chocolaty and full of flavor.
Healthy Donuts with Banana and Chocolate Chips
These Healthy Donuts with Banana and Chocolate Chips are an easy, homemade snack for kids or treat for brunch. Whether you’re clean eating or just looking for a treat that’s baked instead of fried, these healthy donuts are the perfect DIY. Packed with honey, plain yogurt and oats, you can ditch all those muffin recipes for something more fun. Only have a muffin tin? This recipe will work for you too!
Freezer-Friendly Blueberry Banana Oatmeal
This Blueberry Banana Oatmeal has only three simple ingredients, but you can add additional optional toppings such as nut butters, sliced fruit, nuts, seeds, or even chocolate chips! And, it’s great for large batch meal prepping because it’s freezer-friendly!
Chocolate Banana Sourdough Bread Pudding
Chunks of thick sourdough bread soaked in a sauce of cream, Nutella, and mashed banana, dotted with chocolate chips and then baked until it turns into a rich and creamy chocolatey scoop of heaven with a consistency that’s a cross between chocolate cake and chocolate pudding.
Banana Crumb Coffee Cake Recipe
This Banana Crumb Coffee Cake is a popular, tried & true, 5-star recipe for a reason! It's moist and fluffy, with a delicious cinnamon sugar filling and topping - perfect to enjoy with a cup of coffee.
Banana Coconut Bundt Cake with Coconut Icing
Why make banana bread when you can make this unique banana coconut bundt cake? It's simple, yet delicious and will earn rave reviews!
Banana Strawberry Smoothie
A great healthy and delicious banana strawberry smoothie to start your day. You can also enjoy it as a snack, or have it as a post-workout quick smoothie. It’s nutritious and packed with plant-based protein.
Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Bread Pudding
If you thought your banana bread couldn’t get any better, try your hand at my Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread Bread Pudding for a sensational dessert! Made from our tasty chocolate chip banana nut bread loaf, the already flavorful banana bread is baked in a creamy custard!
Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Banana Bread
Three ingredient banana bread – just bananas, condensed milk and self raising flour! Best baked in a slow cooker, it is easy to make and delicious.
Banana chocolate chip pancakes
Amazing banana chocolate chip pancakes! It’s a great idea to use up ripe bananas. These pancakes come out thick, fluffy, they have an almost plush texture.
Brown Sugar Banana Bread Recipe
This Brown Sugar Banana Bread takes 5 minutes to mix up and a little less than an hour of hands-off baking time, resulting in the most perfectly moist banana bread you have ever eaten!
No bake peanut butter banana energy bites
No bake peanut butter banana energy bites are soft, sweet, and the perfect little healthy snack to tide you over until your next meal! No baking required and made with just 6 healthy ingredients.
Best Chunky Monkey Bars
These bars are a full-flavored chewy dense bar. They have a brownie texture but are just as delicious as my homemade banana bread.
Easy Banana Doughnuts
This recipe of easy banana doughnuts is an awesome way to use ripe bananas that are sitting around. It is also a great recipe to put together for a brunch. Are you a grandma and kids are coming over for a visit? Make these!
LisaM says
Oh perfect! This is exactly what I needed. Thank you
Rose says
The waffles sound delicious. I normally use mine in oatmeal.
Joan G. says
Thanks, seems like my bananas go brown before I get to eat them – now I have alternatives for using them.
Debbie Bashford says
there are a few I want to make as I have bananas sitting on my counter right now
Jo-Ann Brightman says
Itr is wonderful to have so many recipes from which to choose. I usually just make banana bread.
Angela says
I also use them to make dog treats.
Jen says
You have a banana recipe on your site that made a lot of bread. It used sour cream and your had posted pictures of your daughter making it. I can’t find it and it’s my family’s favorite. Can you share it?
Stacie says
Was this the post? https://www.soberjulie.com/2014/11/fail-banana-bread-recipe-easy-family-recipe/