This butterscotch banana bread is so delicious!! It’s drizzled with butterscotch ganache and studded with butterscotch chips.

Why is it Better to Use Overripe Bananas to Make Banana Bread?

Most banana recipes insist on using only the ripest bananas, including this one. But why are overripe bananas better to bake with?

There are actually several reasons! The first is that as a banana ripens, more of its starch is converted into sugar. This creates sweeter, more tender baked goods.

Another benefit of baking with super ripe bananas is that they’re super easy to mash up. This ensures your banana bread will have a uniform, even texture without any unexpected chunks of banana.

Overripe bananas are also more aromatic and give baked goods a more intense banana flavor than yellow bananas.

The final and best reason (in my opinion) is that it uses up overripe fruit that would otherwise go to waste!

With all that in mind, this recipe will still turn out if you use yellow bananas. It just won’t have as intense of a banana flavor.

Baking Hack: How to Quickly Ripen Bananas

If you only have yellow bananas and want that intense banana flavor, don’t worry!

You can easily turn yellow bananas brown in a matter of minutes. Preheat your oven to 300 F / 150 C and place the unpeeled bananas on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake them for about 15 minutes, or until the banana skin is uniformly dark in color.

Let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully peel and mash them.

I use this hack all the time and it works like a charm.

Substitutions and Swaps – Butterscotch Banana Bread

While I love this butterscotch banana bread recipe just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe:

• Overripe Bananas – If you don’t have overripe bananas on hand, bake your bananas at 300 F for about 15 minutes or until the skins of the bananas are black.
• Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice really helps enhance the banana flavor in this recipe and prevents the mashed bananas from browning. It can be skipped if needed though!
• Oil – Using oil in this recipe helps it bake up nice and moist. You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe, like canola, sunflower, etc. You can also use softened, unsalted butter in place of the oil if needed.
• Granulated Sugar – This recipe turns out best with granulated sugar. I don’t recommend changing the type of amount of sugar, as it will change the texture of the banana bread.
• Eggs – If you don’t have eggs on hand or you can’t eat eggs, you can try using 1 1/2 flaxseed eggs.
• Buttermilk – You can also use full-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
• All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend in its place if needed.
• Butterscotch Chips – Any brand of butterscotch chips will work in this recipe. I love using the ones made by Guittard.
• Heavy Cream – Heavy whipping cream is a must in this recipe, I don’t recommend using milk or any other type of dairy to make the butterscotch ganache. It will throw off the consistency of the ganache.

Making This Butterscotch Banana Bread in Advance

You can make this banana bread in advance. It can last for a couple days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, or up to a month in the freezer.

Store the banana bread in an airtight container or Ziplock bag to keep it moist.

This banana bread freezes extremely well, so don’t be afraid to make a double batch and freeze one for later.

Just wait to add the butterscotch ganache until you thaw it. Wrap the banana bread in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil to lock in all the moisture.

When you’re ready to enjoy one of the frozen loaves, move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before.

Then set it out at room temperature to let it thaw for a few hours before adding the butterscotch drizzle.

Tips for Making the Best Butterscotch Banana Bread

• Use super ripe bananas! If you don’t have any on hand, see my tip above on how to quickly ripen your bananas in the oven.
• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• DO NOT OVERMIX THE BATTER! It can make your banana bread dense and chewy. Once you start to mix in the flour, mix the batter JUST until it’s combined. It’s ok if you can still see a little bit of flour, it will get mixed in after you add the bananas.
• To make gluten free butterscotch banana bread, swap in your favorite GF flour blend for the AP flour in this recipe. Be sure to overmix the batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this butterscotch banana bread recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets so that I can see your delicious baking on social media!

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