Ditch the Butter: Go Bananas

Last Updated on May 11, 2020 by Annie

I have been known to just throw a banana in as butter from time to time. For most recipes it works perfectly and for others it is an utter flop. Here I’ll share with you some things I have learned about banana as a butter substitute as well as some helpful tricks so you can go bananas with bananas.

Banana can replace butter in many recipes as a 1 to 1 swap (1 c butter = 1 c mashed banana). However, it often works best when combined with another source of oil (such as coconut and canola). It is important to use a fully ripe banana. Typically, I mash or whip the banana until it is as smooth as it can be before I incorporate any oil or sugar.

I have used bananas as butter in:
Oatmeal Pancakes
Fudge Brownies
Yellow Cupcakes
Lemon Bundt Cake- Recipe coming soon
Banana Bread- Recipe coming soon

What do you do when your banana is not ripe?

Many times, I will be craving banana bread and the bananas will be yellow but not speckled and soft. They just aren’t quite ripe. To remedy this problem, preheat your oven to 300 F and bake the banana with the PEEL ON for 30-40 minutes. You will want to have some parchment paper or a silicone baking mat down on the cooking sheet because the bananas might ooze a bit. Allow to cool before using.

When your bananas are ripe…

If you frequently buy bananas in bulk and don’t manage to eat all of them before they over-ripen, you are not alone. One school I taught at had many leftover bananas they would give teachers at the end of the week to prevent them spoiling over the weekend. This led to many a weekend spent furiously trying to bake my weight in banana bread before they all went bad.

As you might imagine, this also led to too much banana bread, so I began freezing the bananas. To do so, peel your bananas and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or silicone mat). Stick the cookie sheet in your freezer and allow bananas to freeze individually. Once they are frozen (I often leave them in there for days!) move them into a gallon ziplock bag and store until you are ready to use them.

When you are ready to use them take out as many as you need and let them come to room temperature by leaving them in a bowl or give them a quick zap in the microwave for 10 seconds before you mash them up. Comment below with any recipes you have made with banana as your butter.