Joy the Baker

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

February 11, 2011

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Listen up dearhearts.

I made banana bread with peanut butter in it.

It’s a good idea and you should totally jump on this bandwagon.

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I like the word bandwagon.  It makes me want to wear bellbottoms.

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You don’t really need a lot of convincing when it comes to this bread, do you?

Three things are working in this loaf’s favor:   peanut butter, banana and flaxseed meal.  Oh!  Butter too.  That’s four things.

This bread is super moist with a slightly crunchy top and crunchy peanut bits baked in.  Peanut butter and banana are a combination as old as time so this bread just makes sense… don’t you think?

Now,  if you wanted to add chocolate chips and a splash of bourbon.. I want to marry you.

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Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Makes: one 9×5-inch loaf

recipe adapted from CookingLight

Print this Recipe!

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas

1/3 cup plain or vanilla fat free yogurt

1/3 cup creamy all-natural peanut butter

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 large eggs

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal (I’ve also baked this bread without the flaxseed meal… because I forgot to add it, and the bread was still moist and delicious)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, flaxseed meal, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and ground allspice.

In a medium bowl, whisk together  mashed bananas, yogurt, peanut butter and melted butter.  Whisk in eggs and sugars.  Blend mixture until no sugar lumps remain.

Pour the wet mixture into the larger bowl with the dry ingredients.  Fold together with a spatula until no more flour bits remain.  Fold in the chopped nuts as well.  Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and cake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before running a butter knife along the edges of the pan and inverting the bread onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This bread lasts, well wrapped at room temperature,for up to 4 days.  It is also great to store, well wrapped, in the freezer.


258 Comments Add A Comment

  • I love banana bread, I love peanut butter! This is going to be made.

  • great recipe! made it with chocolate chips and it turned out great!

  • I made this bread this morning with my two little boys and we veganized it. And OMG this bread is TO DIE FOR!!!! The 3 of us almost ate the whole loaf and my boys are only 2 and 3 1/2 and never usually eat much of anything so thank you thank you thank you :)

  • Hi Joy! I just found your site thru Pioneer Womans blog on Thursday and I am hooked! This was the first recipe I made and they were delish! I dont have a loaf pan so I made muffins and added chocolate chips! However, I tried subscribing twice and when I open the email to confirm my subscription it says that it is still on the server? I’m not sure whats happening? I entered my email, chose to recieve thru my email and clicked on subscribe so……please help, Joy!!?? THANK YOU, Im enjoying reading your post in the meantime! -Melanie

  • Oh, my god, this is amazing! My Ma and me just make this tonight and god, it’s to die for! I was singing the Mc’ D’s jingle while I was eating it, yum. :)

  • This was the best bread I’ve ever made. And I think I’d say that even if peanut butter wasn’t my favorite thing to eat, and bananas weren’t my favorite thing to eat with it- which it is, and they are. :) I subbed mini chocolate chips for the bits of peanuts, as no one I know will eat baked goods unless they include chocolate of some form. And it was fantastic! Stayed moist until the fourth day (this morning) when the last slice got eaten. Thanks for the awesome recipe! (PS. Even better with some crunchy natural peanut butter spread on top. Did I mention peanut butter is my favorite food?)

  • Just put this in the oven. The batter alone made me weep with happiness. It’s going to be a long 55 minute wait . . .

  • Thank you, Joy, for sharing this recipe. I made it today, and it is delicious! This is my first time to comment–I just want to add that I enjoy your blog very much. God bless.

  • oh boy oh boy oh boy I’m so glad this is a real thing. I’ma make it. asap.

  • Hi Joy! I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog! I went through the whole thing in one sitting after I discovered it on smittenkitchen. I was wondering if I could omit the allspice from this recipe. Would it be totally off if I did that? I just don’t want to go out and buy a whole thing of allspice just to make this :( I have cinnamon though – could I had 1/8 tsp extra of that?

    Thanks!

    • skip the allspice if you need to. no biggie!

      • Thanks Joy! I made this over the weekend and it turned out really well – I used four bananas (which is a little extra than the recipe called for) and skipped the peanuts, allspice and flaxseed. The cake turned out super moist with some great extra banana flavor – very subtle and delish! Thanks again :)

  • MMMmmmmm…. I’m writing this as I chomp down slices of this bread. It’s not pretty or lady-like they way I am devouring this loaf. My husband returns from a business trip tomorrow, and I hope I can restrain myself enough to leave some for him. I’ve been on a big peanut/banana kick lately (eating a lot of peanut butter, banana, honey sandwiches) so this was a perfect post for me. I loved it! I omitted the peanuts and used some chocolate chips instead, and i have to say, I’m missing the salt a little. I think when (not if) I make this again, I will sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top. Thank you for your divine kitchen inspirations! Keep them coming!

  • Good morning, Joy! I just made this, but a little differently. My sweetie doesn’t like peanut butter so I used cashew butter and cashews instead. I’ve also given up processed sugar for Lent so I left out the white sugar and didn’t replace it with anything. Instead of the brown sugar I used raw coconut crystals.

    I have to say the bread turned out wonderfully!!! I had two slices with butter a few minutes ago, and savored every bite! Thanks so much for posting such a great recipe! :) Cheers! sheila

  • I am currently 30 wks preg with nr 3 and craving peanut butter so in the middle of the night (when else..) when I was searching peanut butter/banana combo’s I found you.. Bread is in the oven as we speak, 2 yr old helped making and 5 yr old is impatiently waiting in front of the oven. Looking forward to dig in already, love your blog!! Already found 30 other things I have to try :o).. It is not baby making me big, it will probably all the goods you have on here. Thank you, hugs from Denmark <3

  • So I just made this a second time…and it was soo good. Much better than the first time which I think I overmixed. I ignored the note to really get rid of the lumps of banana and that helped me personally. I also add some chocolate chips, used a bit more banana, kept the roasted peanuts whole, and baked them in muffin format. Got 18 muffins that I baked for 21 minutes. So delicious! We ate them in 2 days. Thanks Joy!

  • Sounds great! I’m all peanut buttered out today ….I made and posted Peanut Butter Cupcakes with PB&J flavored Buttercream (yes I created pb&j flavored icing LOL) ….so good! I am saving this recipe however to make soon! Thanks for sharing!

  • Freeeeeeak. If it weren’t almost midnight you know what I’d be baking right now!! Thanks for this recipe… I’m a first timer so I’m off to cruise the archives. :)

  • I know I can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour, but what can I substitute the whole wheat flour with??

  • Do you know what is awesome? Bananas, chocolate chips, peanut butter and raisins. Some might think this overwhelming. I think those people are weak!!! Try it you will love it as I do :) Oh and of course you are amazing and I love your blog :)

  • yeah, so its almost 4am and i just put this bread in the oven. wanna know why i’m doing it at this hour? because i’m in labor with my first baby and wanted to eat it before i went to the hospital. pretty intense, right? i’ve been patiently waiting this whole week for the bananas to get black and so there was no way i was going to the hospital without putting this in the oven first.
    i mean its bananas and peanut butter! come on!
    thanks for your awesome blog joy!

    • um… amazing. now.. GO HAVE A BABY!! congratulations! big hugs!

      • I made this the night I went into labor with my baby girl. That was February 13th 2011, had my girl on the 14th. I specifically wanted something wholesome to share with my midwives and helpers. Think it’s so so cool that someone else was up baking this bread through labor. This is darn good bread. I’m making some tomorrow to share with a brand new Mama and Daddy. It seems the right thing to do.

  • Baking away in my oven right now….I love being able to add one key ingredient into your search engine and have several fun, creative, and always delicious recipes to choose from; it makes baking even more fun than it already is.

  • Just made this tonight…I love it!! My mom always makes banana chocolate chip cake with our blackened bananas, but now I have something else to make with them! How do you do your photography? Do you use natural light or a light box? It looks like natural light to me, your pictures are gorgeous!

  • About how many bananas does it take to get 1.5c.?

  • Hey Joy! I have a couple questions for you…
    What could I use as a substitute for the yogurt??
    Also, I have flax seeds already. Could I try grinding them in the food processor and use that?
    I’m just trying to use what I already have to make this recipe. My friend made it and loved it! Thanks!!

  • i have the same question as the previous post-er — can the yogurt be substituted? or, is it okay to use greek yogurt instead of plain or vanilla? thanks! looks delish! can’t wait to try it -

  • Claudette Laitinen May 4, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    I discovered your website thanks to my niece, Gabby Bath. I made this loaf and my kids and I looove it!! It is so moist and creamy, mouthwatering actually. I am so looking forward to making another recipe of yours. Thanks for sharing your amazing recipes with us..:)

  • Thank you for the recipe! I made them in a wilton mini bunnies mold that I picked up on clearance after easter so I can hopefully entice my toddler to eat them. I used 2% greek yogurt to up the protein and fat a little, added a little extra banana and PB too but took out the additional chopped nuts. And I made some into muffins for me and added semi-sweet chocolate chips. They are super yummy!!

  • So unfair! Just finished baking two loaves of “traditional” banana bread (you know, the old, plain banana bread we’re all familiar with) and then stumble into this! Where was I when you first posted it?

    I’m buying bananas tomorrow, wait for them impatiently to ripen enough (hopefully by then the two loaves I made today will be eaten up. Mom hates it when I stack up the fridge with so many of my baking experiments!), and then make this. Can’t wait. Yum!

    Thank you Joy. Love your blog. And your podcast :)

  • Thanks so much for the recipe; I’ve made it several times now and we all love it! ;)

  • I made this this afternoon, with help from my kids. My 6 and 8 year old had fun mashing up bananas, while my 13 year old enjoyed chopping the nuts. It is some pretty amazing bread. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful recipes. I am truly enjoying your blog and you and Tracy’s podcasts. Keep up the good work!

  • Subbed the allspice for ground ginger + nutmeg, 1T of the butter for bacon grease and added the bacon as well – subbed the flax for oat bran……AH.MAY.ZING. My boyfriend just ate about a third of it. *highfive*

  • Welp this is my second time turning this recipe into muffins this week. Round one was devoured within three days. Good thing I have an endless supply of bananas, flax seed, and peanut butter. Oh and semisweet chips of course. Love you joy! And all the yummy baked goods you bring to my kitchen. Thank you :)

  • I pulled up a bunch of recipes for baking tonight and the boyfriend repeatedly chose this one. Certainly didn’t disappoint! I love that it’s sweet without being too rich. I used crunchy peanut butter and didn’t put in the peanuts. Delicious!

  • Have no ww flour can I sub and use all white flour?

  • I’m staring at my 3 ripe bananas willing them to turn spotty and brown

  • WOW! Why didn’t I think of that?! This recipe sounds amazing and Elvis must be giddy as all get out (where ever he is, lol)

    Gotta give this recipe a try! I’m always a fan of putting a twist on the classics :)

  • Thanks so much for the recipe! My family LOVES this bread. I subbed out honey for the sugars and reduced it by half and used whole wheat pastry flour and it was still really good! :) I have made it so many times and even made muffins and mini-muffins this morning. :)

  • I tried this recipe yesterday and the whole family loves it! I used Jif, which is already full of sugar, so I skipped the granulated sugar.

    But then I was naughty and topped a few with peanut butter frosting. That pretty much canceled out any sugar reductions. :)

    I posted my own pictures on my blog and linked back here for people to find the recipe. Thank you for sharing this!

  • I use this recipe whenever I have bananas that are turning brown. The bread is delicious and also makes a nice treat to share with family, friends or neighbors. Joy, I just got your cookbook. Thank you for sharing your recipes.

  • Why I think I just might add bacon to this and Elvinize it! Thanks for the recipe!

  • Just made this. Didnt have any whole wheat flour so i used 1 1/2 cup AP flour and it still turned out awesome. Thinking about putting Reeses choclate chips in it next time.

  • I made this bread today for an after school snack for the littles. They loved it. Thank you for another amazing recipe!

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