The 6 Most Delicious Ways to Use Up Overripe Bananas

Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
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updated Sep 15, 2022
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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.

(Image credit: Emma Christensen)

1. Quick bread and muffins

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.

(Image credit: Faith Durand)

2. Smoothies and milkshakes

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.

(Image credit: Emma Christensen)

3. Pancakes

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.

(Image credit: Dan Goldberg/Ten Speed Press)

4. Cookies

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

(Image credit: Emma Christensen)

5. Oatmeal

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.

(Image credit: Leela Cyd)

6. Ice cream

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.

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

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