PB&J Banana Bread

This recipe has become a game changer for us. It’s a super simple, one mixing bowl (aka easy cleanup), treat for breakfast or dessert, that is quick to put together and comes out incredibly moist. Our absolute favorite is the PB&J version, but I have experimented with at least 15 types by now. Some other successful versions have been:

• Peanut butter cup: Peanut butter chips and semisweet chocolate chips
• Sweet and Spicy: Chipotle spice and chocolate chips
• “Healthy”: Raisins and walnut pieces
• All things Fall: White chocolate chips and pumpkin spice

The beauty of this recipe is that if you keep the basic baking ingredients for the bread stocked in your cupboard, you can take almost any of your favorite flavors and tailor the bread to your family’s tastes. Be fearless in your creativity, you will be surprised at what you come up with. Happy experimenting!

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Yields: One loaf

Oven: 350°F

Ingredients:

Bread:

• 3-4 medium, very ripe bananas (peels are halfway browned, with inside soft and beginning to brown)
• 1/3 cup (5 tbsps) butter, melted
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (can use gluten free all purpose, works well too!)

Extras:

• ½ cup peanut butter chips
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Tools:

• 4 x 8 in loaf pan
• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter the loaf pan
2. In the mixing bowl, peel and mash the bananas with a fork until creamy.
3. Stir in the melted butter
4. Add baking soda and salt and combine.
5. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.
6. Add in the flour and stir until combined
7. For plain banana bread skip to Step 8. For the PB& J version, mix in the peanut butter chips and dried cranberries and stir until just evenly distributed throughout.
8. Pour mixture into loaf pan and pop in the oven. Bake for 50 mins to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 mins. Gently remove loaf from pan and let cool on a cooling rack.

The Story of Our PB&J Banana Bread:

I have to be honest, I didn’t even know if I liked banana bread before I made this. I am a snob when it comes to eating this fruit solo; it can’t be too green or firm, too brown or soft. Call me a banana diva if you must. Actually, nah don’t. But this bread recipe changed my perception of this awkwardly shaped potassium packed beast forever.

Truth is, I was looking for something that I could easily transport with me for breakfast in the morning during the week. The uninspiring bran cereal is usually not enough to get me out of bed 10 minutes earlier. And eggs- pshhh ain’t nobody got time for that. When I lived closer to my job, I could throw together a yogurt with some blueberries and granola together and it would survive the 10-minute (sigh) drive over. Now, I typically start my days off with coffee on my hour and a half train ride, while rolling my eyes at the woman snapping her gum bubbles sitting across from me. Yeah, I am not a morning person.

So anyway, when I searched for some simple breakfast recipe ideas and banana bread came up, I figured, eh maybe. When I realized you can use those 2 or 3 bananas that were leftover and are just a day too brown, I heard the dollars flying back into my pocket instead of the trash. SOLD – let’s give it a whirl.