53 Delicious Ways to Use Up Overripe Bananas

updated Oct 11, 2023

Page URL

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

slices of banana coffee cake on a sheet pan — Credit: Photo: Linda Xiao; Food Styling: Brett Regot

Bananas are one of those fruits always lingering around my kitchen. They’re a reliable snack and make a nice addition to a bowl of cereal, yogurt, and peanut butter toast. But not soon after they start getting covered in brown spots, my affection for eating them out of hand wanes. Sound familiar to you?

You might not enjoy them as is, but whatever you do, don’t toss those overripe bananas. There are quite a few creative and delicious ways to use them up.

Quick Bread and Muffin Recipes

In my book, banana bread and muffins are king when it comes to overripe bananas. Stash blackened bananas in the fridge until you’re ready to get baking. The darker and uglier the bananas, the more flavor they’ll bring to your bread.

1 / 13

Here is a very basic and delicious recipe for delicious banana bread that takes all of 10 minutes to mix together. No mixer needed!

2 / 13

Black Sesame Banana Bread

This is better banana bread, thanks to the addition of buckwheat flour and black sesame paste.

3 / 13

The Best, Easiest Gluten-Free Banana Bread

An easy, one-bowl recipe for gluten-free banana bread using oat and almond flour.

4 / 13

Ultra-Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

A scoop of sour cream gives this one-bowl banana bread that ultra-moist, slightly under-baked texture we all know and love.

5 / 13

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Ripe, speckled bananas and earthy pumpkin give each spiced slice of this fall quick bread a moist texture and natural sweetness.

6 / 13

Zucchini Banana Bread

Come summer when the market is bursting with zucchini, there is absolutely nothing better than a loaf of ultra-tender, lightly spiced Zucchini Banana Bread.

7 / 13

Blueberry Banana Bread

This blueberry-studded banana bread is tender, moist, and uncomplicated to bake. Best of all, it's as delicious fresh out of the oven as it is later re-warmed in butter.

8 / 13

Banana Walnut Bread

Brown butter flavor really adds to the nuttiness of walnuts in the most delicious way.

9 / 13

Banana Buttermilk Bread

Claire Ptak amps up traditional banana bread with one stand-out ingredient: buttermilk.

10 / 13

Nutella Swirl Banana Bread

A simple recipe for homemade banana bread swirled with a generous amount of Nutella.

11 / 13

The key to moist, cake-like bread is overripe bananas – the blacker and spottier the peels, the better.

12 / 13

These one-bowl banana muffins are made entirely with pantry staples, and will be ready to devour in just 30 minutes.

13 / 13

Banana Chocolate Chip Crumb Muffins

Mixed with chocolate chips and topped with a buttery, cinnamon-spiced crumb topping, these banana crumb muffins rival anything you'd buy at the bakery.

Smoothie Recipes

When bananas are just too ripe and mushy for your taste, add them to smoothies and milkshakes. They’re full of flavor and bring a creamy component to your favorite blended drinks.

1 / 10

Blueberry-Banana Smoothie

Freezer-friendly blueberry-banana smoothie packs you can prep on the weekend and make all throughout the week.

2 / 10

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

A cool and creamy peanut butter and banana smoothie using just 3 ingredients.

3 / 10

Easy Banana Kiwi Smoothie

This kid-friendly smoothie balances the spinach with bananas, avocado, and kiwi for a sweet, creamy flavor.

4 / 10

Pineapple Kale Smoothie

Freezer-friendly green smoothie packs you can prep on the weekend and make all throughout the week.

5 / 10

Blueberry Smoothie

Blended with your choice of milk (dairy or nondairy), each refreshing sip is fruity and just sweet enough, with a subtle hint of warm cinnamon for a little something extra.

6 / 10

Strawberry Smoothie

An easy recipe for a classic strawberry smoothie made with fresh strawberries, banana, and Greek yogurt.

7 / 10

Piña Colada Smoothie

Freezer-friendly piña colada smoothie packs you can prep on the weekend and make all throughout the week.

8 / 10

This nut-free, vegan smoothie tastes incredibly close to halva, and it’s all thanks to tahini.

9 / 10

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Green Smoothie

This chocolate-banana smoothie gets a handful of greens mixed in to start the morning off with a serving of vegetables.

10 / 10

Smoothie Breakfast Bowl with Berries & Granola

This smoothie breakfast bowl is packed with fruit and greens, topped with granola, and ready in five minutes.

Pancake Recipes

Slice some banana onto your buttermilk pancakes as they cook, or mash up your banana and stir it into the batter. They keep the pancakes moist and add sweetness, so you might not even need as much maple syrup! You can also keep breakfast super simple with two-ingredient banana pancakes.

1 / 3

How to Make the Best Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

This hearty pancakes are naturally gluten-free with no added sugar, thanks to a batter of ground oats, bananas, milk, and eggs.

2 / 3

Crispy, Buttery Banana Bread Pancakes

Everything you love about banana bread in a light and fluffy pancake recipe.

3 / 3

How To Make 2-Ingredient Banana Pancakes

A step-by-step guide to making pancakes out of two ingredients: bananas and eggs.

Cake and Cookie Recipes

Putting fruit in your cakes and cookies makes them healthy, right? Okay, maybe not — but it does make them soft, tender, and undeniably delicious.

1 / 14

Banana Pudding Cookies

Nicely crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, these cookies encompass the magic of that first bite of banana pudding in one easy-to-make treat.

2 / 14

An ultra-moist, sheet cake-style banana bar with tangy cream cheese frosting.

3 / 14

4-Ingredient Chocolate Banana Coconut Cookies

These banana-coconut cookies are the easiest snack option for those 3 p.m. munchies. Hold on to those brown bananas — they're just what this recipe needs.

4 / 14

Banana Coffee Cake Recipe

With a cinnamon-walnut streusel, this banana bread-coffee cake mash-up is a match made in heaven.

5 / 14

Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake

This decadent twist on banana bread, from Ina Garten's book Make It Ahead, stays moist for days after it's baked.

6 / 14

5-Minute Banana Bread Mug Cake

You only need one ripe banana for this easy mug cake, which comes together in record time.

7 / 14

One-Bowl Vanilla Cake: Upside-Down Banana Cake

This brown sugar-glazed, cinnamon-scented banana upside-down cake is the most delicious way to bring bananas to brunch or an after-dinner dessert.

8 / 14

Easy Banana Pudding Cake

A simple layer cake recipe that captures all of the flavors, textures, and nostalgia of classic Southern banana pudding.

9 / 14

No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Cookies

These feel-good cookies are packed with high-protein ingredients like peanut butter, and are naturally sweetened with banana and just a bit of maple syrup.

10 / 14

Chocolate Banana Cake

An easy chocolate-banana sheet cake topped with a salted peanut butter cream cheese frosting.

11 / 14

Banana Pudding Cheesecake Recipe

This no-bake banana cheesecake employs a pastry chef's secret ingredient in order to achieve a firm, sliceable texture. Get ready to go in for second, third, fourth helpings.

12 / 14

Caramel Banana Cake

The key to this rich, moist banana cake is the homemade caramel sauce that is swirled throughout.

13 / 14

Banana Split Poke Cake Recipe

This over-the-top celebratory banana split poke cake blends together two beloved and classic American desserts.

14 / 14

How To Make Lactation Cookies

Thanks to the combination of ripe banana, flaxseed, and egg, these gluten-free cookies hold together well.

Oatmeal Recipes

Take that overripe banana, mash it up with a fork, and stir it into your warm bowl of oats. Go ahead and add a dash of cinnamon and some chopped walnuts to make it even better.

1 / 6

How To Make Oatmeal in the Slow Cooker: The Simplest, Easiest Method

Think slow cooker oats are just for utility? Think again. These are the ultimate rich and creamy oats that you'll want to savor.

2 / 6

How To Make Oatmeal on the Stovetop: The Simplest, Easiest Method

Learn how to (finally) make that perfect pot of oatmeal — even before you've had your coffee.

3 / 6

Peanut Butter Oatmeal

A quick and easy peanut butter oatmeal that pairs perfectly with ripe banana.

4 / 6

Blending oats with ripe banana, eggs, and a couple pantry staples then baking the mixture yields delicious oatmeal with a fluffy, cake-like texture.

5 / 6

How To Make Steel-Cut Oatmeal in the Pressure Cooker

These steel-cut oats are soft and creamy, and they only take 10 minutes to cook in a pressure cooker.

6 / 6

Slow Cooker Oatmeal with Honey & Fruit

This is a dish best served family style. Once the porridge is done cooking, just flip the slow cooker to its “warm” setting and let everyone serve themselves throughout the morning.

Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Recipes

Freeze banana slices until you have a decent amount, then blend them to create the best vegan ice cream ever! Those frozen slices can also be stirred into a regular ice cream base, too.

1 / 7

One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

If you freeze a banana until solid, then whip it up in a blender or food processor, it gets creamy and custard-like.

2 / 7

3-Ingredient Strawberry Nice Cream

This creamy, no-churn strawberry nice cream comes together with just three ingredients and no added sugar.

3 / 7

3-Ingredient Mango Nice Cream

Made with mangoes, non-dairy milk, and a sliced banana, this fruit-based treat is a sweet taste of the tropics.

4 / 7

Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Banana Chunks

While this dreamy ice cream is delicious as-is, you can also swap out the peanuts for mini peanut butter cups.

5 / 7

Impossibly Creamy Strawberry-Pineapple Whip

A fast, refreshing, and dairy-free treat made with frozen fruit, banana, coconut milk, and pineapple juice.

6 / 7

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter and Banana Popsicles

With just a little extra effort (only two more ingredients!), you can turn banana ice cream into chocolate-dipped popsicles.

7 / 7

How To Make Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Banana Bites

These frozen bites require no blending or puréeing (just chop up a banana, dip, and freeze), and yet they’re as creamy and sweet on the inside as a spoonful of ice cream.

Any favorites we didn’t mention? What’s your go-to way to use up overripe bananas?

Filed in:

Tips & Techniques