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Peanut Butter Banana Bread

When a recipe says peanut butter, I want it to hit me over the head with peanut butter flavor. This certainly does, but still keeps everything you love about traditional banana bread too. Plus, you make it all in one bowl! No mixer required!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Keyword: banana bread, peanut butter
Servings: 1 cake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 4 overripe bananas These should be really overripe and brown all over (or at least mostly covered in brown streaks)
  • 3/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter I actually use half and half because I like the little crunchy bits of peanut, but it's up to you!
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup powdered peanut butter
  • 1 bag Reese's peanut butter chips
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp sparkling sugar for topping

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and place your rack in the middle.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and brown sugar until combined.
  • Add the bananas and use your whisk to mash them up until there no big pieces left. It should be the texture of applesauce. Mix to combine.
  • Add the peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.
  • Add the dry ingredients (salt, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, powdered peanut butter, and flour). When adding the baking powder and baking soda, sprinkle it evenly over the top of the batter before mixing in. This will help prevent little pockets of unmixed ingredients.
  • Mix until fully incorporated and there are no pockets of unmixed batter. Clumps of baking powder/soda will give your end product a metallic taste so make sure it's fully mixed in!
  • Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the peanut butter chips.
  • You can definitely make this banana bread in a loaf tin or muffin tin, but after a few rounds of testing, I found the best way to be in a 9x9 square cake pan! Prepare your tin of choice by spraying with cooking spray or greasing with butter. Then, place a sheet of parchment paper in that overhangs on both sides so you can easily remove the bread from the tin after it is done cooking.
  • Add your batter to your prepared loaf tin and use a rubber spatula to even out and smooth over the top. Then bang the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles and help the batter spread out more evenly. Then top with the sparkling sugar.
  • Bake in the oven for about 55 minutes for the square cake pan. If the top of the loaf starts to get too dark, cover it with tin foil until it is fully baked through. I like the color at about the 45 minute mark, so I cover with tin foil for the last 10 minutes. The bread is done when it springs back when touched and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Notes

If you want to make this bread in a loaf tin, it will require baking for longer. Start checking at the 55 minute mark, but it will likely take 75 minutes. Muffins will take less time and should be ready around the 30 minute mark.