This is the banana bread recipe you’ll want to keep. Super moist and full of banana flavor, this brown butter banana bread is made with nutty browned butter, mascarpone for a tender crumb, and a crunchy dark brown sugar topping. Optional chunky fig preserves add bursts of sweetness and texture. Serve slices with whipped salted butter for a truly cozy treat.
Alright, hands down this is the best banana bread out there. I know there’s a lot out there but when I made this one weekend for my family it was devoured in a couple hours. The consistency of this bread is perfect. Phenomenal recipe, can’t recommend enough.
– Mikayla
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Key Ingredients & Test Notes
- Unsalted Butter: Use European-style (82% butterfat) or American-style butter (80%). When browning, expect the butter to lose about 20% of its volume. Start with a touch more than needed and re-measure the liquid brown butter before adding it to the batter.
- All-Purpose Flour: A lower-protein flour (about 10.5–11%) gives a softer, more tender crumb.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and deep caramel notes; a sprinkle on top creates a satisfying crunchy finish.
- Mascarpone Cheese: Replaces milk or sour cream to make the bread lush and tender.
- Overripe Bananas: For best flavor and texture use very ripe bananas. If you only have firm bananas, place them in a closed paper bag for a day to ripen. Measure mashed bananas by weight for accuracy.
- Optional Fig Preserves: Stirring in chunky fig preserves brightens the loaf and adds pleasant fruit pockets.
How to Make Brown Butter Banana Bread
- Brown the butter: Cook butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat until the milk solids turn golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat and cool. Measure the liquid brown butter before using.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl.
- Combine wet ingredients: Whisk cooled brown butter with dark brown sugar. Add mashed bananas, eggs, mascarpone, and vanilla, mixing each in until combined.
- Fold in dry ingredients: Add the dry mixture in thirds, gently stirring just until incorporated to avoid overworking the batter.
- Add fig preserves (optional): Fold chunky fig preserves into the batter for pockets of fruity sweetness.
- Top and bake: Spoon batter into a prepared 9×5-inch loaf pan, sprinkle with dark brown sugar, and bake until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Leftovers & Storage
- Room temperature: Store a fully cooled loaf at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap or foil. It will stay fresh up to four days.
- Do not refrigerate: Refrigeration dries out banana bread quickly; avoid the fridge to preserve moisture.
★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and review below if you make this recipe! THANK YOU!!
5 from 2 votes
Brown Butter Banana Bread
By Jenn Davis
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 1 hr 5 mins
Total: 1 hr 20 mins
Yield: 8 servings
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A super moist and flavorful brown butter banana bread made with mascarpone and finished with a crunchy brown sugar topping.
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Equipment
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9×5-inch metal loaf pan (1.25 pound)
Ingredients
Banana Bread Batter
- 170 grams (¾ cup) unsalted butter, will reduce once browned
- 282 grams (2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour, 10–11% protein
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 165 grams (¾ cup) dark brown sugar
- 341 grams (1 ½ cups) overripe mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
- 112 grams (½ cup) mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 107 grams (⅓ cup) chunky fig preserves (optional)
Sugar Topping
- 55 grams (¼ cup) dark brown sugar
Instructions
Brown the Butter
- Brown 170 grams (¾ cup) of butter in a light skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally. It will foam, then the milk solids will brown and release a nutty aroma. Remove from heat at a rich golden color and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool. Measure out 113 grams (½ cup) of the liquid brown butter for the batter.
- Slice butter into tablespoon pieces before browning for even melting.
- Stir as it browns, about 5–8 minutes, until foam subsides and the solids are golden.
Banana Bread
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Lightly spray and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving paper overhang on the long sides.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk cooled brown butter with dark brown sugar until combined. Add mashed bananas, eggs, mascarpone, and vanilla one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients in thirds, gently mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Fold in the fig preserves, if using.
- Transfer batter to the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the remaining 55 grams (¼ cup) dark brown sugar evenly over the top.
- Bake for 65–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then lift the loaf out using the overhanging parchment. Let cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Oven: This recipe is written for a conventional oven (top and bottom heat). For convection ovens, reduce the temperature by 25°F and begin checking for doneness earlier.
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