Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Banana bread just got a serious upgrade with this Peanut Butter Banana Bread recipe. This easy quick bread is so moist and has the perfect combination of peanut butter and banana flavor. Plus, it’s loaded with melty peanut butter cups. So good!

Why You’ll Love This Peanut Butter Banana Bread Recipe

• The BEST flavor combo. Peanut butter, chocolate, AND bananas? Get out of here! That’s literally the best flavor combination on the planet (I think). This recipe brings all three together in a moist, flavorful breakfast (or dessert?) bread that you won’t be able to keep your hands off of.
• The perfect amount of peanut butter. Some peanut butter-y sweet treats are overwhelming. This banana bread isn’t. The peanut butter flavor is wonderfully subtle. You can still taste it, but it doesn’t take over the whole dessert.
• Supremely moist. Thanks to the vegetable oil and ripe bananas, this peanut butter banana bread is super moist. It’s a total dream to sink your teeth into and it does a great job of retaining its moisture for a couple of days.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to turn this peanut butter banana bread recipe into a sweet reality. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.

• All-purpose flour – Feel free to use a quality 1:1 gluten-free flour instead.
• Baking soda and baking powder – I find that the combination of the two makes for the perfect rise in this bread.
• Kosher salt – Table salt will also work. Use a little less, though.
• Very ripe bananas – Aim for medium-sized bananas and mash them until they are somewhere between smooth and lumpy. You want some of those lumps in there to keep things exciting.
• Creamy peanut butter – Creamy is best. You could use chunky if you really wanted to but I don’t like it as much. Don’t use natural or homemade peanut butter, either. They separate and, thus, have a tough time incorporating smoothly and easily into the batter.
• Vegetable oil – Some banana bread recipes use butter, but I prefer vegetable oil for this one. I find that it yields a moister end result.
• Eggs
• Granulated sugar – I used granulated sugar but you could use half granulated sugar and half light brown sugar if you’d like. The bread will have a richer, almost molasses-y flavor.
• Mini peanut butter cups – If you can’t find the minis, go ahead and chop full-sized peanut butter cups.

How To Make Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Time to tie on your apron and get to baking. Here’s a quick look at how to make peanut butter and banana bread. Check out the recipe card below for more thorough instructions.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F, line a 9X5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, and coat with nonstick spray.
• Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Combine the wet ingredients. Mix together the bananas, peanut butter, oil, egg, and sugar.
• Put it all together. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and then fold in the peanut butter cups.
• Bake. Spread batter into the pan and bake for 55 – 60 minutes.
• Cool. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Tips & Variations

Want to get this recipe right the first time? Pay attention to these pro tips. I threw in a few fun variation ideas as well, just in case you’re feeling creative.

• Avoid the stick. This sweet, chocolaty banana bread gets pretty sticky. So, I used parchment paper to line the pan and even went the extra mile and sprayed the parchment paper with baking spray. If you don’t have parchment paper, make sure to LIBERALLY grease the baking pan with butter or non-stick baking spray. Seriously.
• Be choosy with your peanut butter. Use creamy peanut butter and stay clear of natural products (and don’t make your own). Homemade and natural peanut butters separate and won’t mix smoothly into the batter.
• Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated. Over-mixing can cause the gluten in the flour to overdevelop which can leave you with tough, overly dense banana bread.
• No minis? No problem. If you can’t find the mini peanut butter cups you can use larger ones. Just chop them up!
• Try a different nut butter. I know that not everyone can eat peanut butter. Fret not! You can easily swap the peanut butter in this recipe out for a different nut (or seed) butter of your choosing. You’ll probably want to consider something other than mini peanut butter cups as a mix-in as well. See my next point.
• Mix in mayhem. Not a peanut butter cup person? Swap ’em out for chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, peanut butter morsels, walnuts, or another mix-in of your choosing. The sky is the limit.

Serving Suggestions

I love this banana bread in part because it can be enjoyed for breakfast OR dessert. It’s great spread with butter and served with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning. In a brunch mood? Enjoy it alongside your favorite scramble or frittata.

On the sweeter side, peanut butter banana bread goes beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream after dinner. If you have a little extra time, try making my 2 Ingredient Ice Cream.

How to Store Leftovers

• Countertop. Once the banana bread has cooled completely, seal it in a large ziplock bag or another airtight container of your choosing. Otherwise, wrap individual slices in a double layer of plastic wrap. You can store it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezer. Allow any leftovers to cool and then seal them in a large freezer bag or airtight container (you can also wrap individual slices in a double layer of plastic wrap). Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, allow the leftovers to thaw at room temperature.

I do not recommend storing this sweet treat in the fridge. It will dry out.

More Banana Bread Recipes To Try

• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Pumpkin Banana Bread
• Toasted Coconut Banana Bread
• Blueberry Banana Bread
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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