My bourbon banana bread is no ordinary banana bread. Instead of a typical breakfast quick bread, this version is more of a true dessert meant to be served warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of homemade bourbon caramel sauce. The banana bread alone is truly incredible from the soft, brown buttery texture to the warm cinnamon, bourbon, and banana flavors. The addition of bourbon caramel and vanilla ice cream make it an extra special dessert that you'll want to make again and again.
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Why you'll love this bourbon banana bread
- Soft, Brown Buttery Texture: I know everyone believes they have the best banana bread recipe, but honestly I don't know how it could get any better than this soft, brown buttery texture and robust banana flavor.
- Bourbon + Banana + Caramel: Just imagine your favorite bourbon married with fermented bananas and rounded out with a sweet bourbon caramel sauce... pure bliss.
- Dinner Party Dessert: As a great make-ahead dessert that's easy to transport, this recipe is part of my series Dinner Party Desserts.
For more banana recipes, try my Brown Butter Banana Bread, Banana Nutella Cake, Chocolate Chip Honey Banana Bread, and Nutella Swirled Banana Blondies.
Ingredient Notes
- Bourbon: Use your favorite bourbon here! I used Penelope Rio.
- Bananas: You'll need about 3 very ripe medium bananas for this recipe. The riper the better! As bananas ripen, they become sweeter and have a more pronounced flavor.
- Brown Butter: You'll need 113g of brown butter for the batter plus some to pipe on top, so I recommend starting with a 155g of unsalted butter to account for the water evaporation. Keep in mind that European-style butter has less water content, so if you're using American-style butter you might want to start with even more butter.
- Cinnamon: To me, banana bread is not complete without the addition of a warm spice!
- Sugars:Â A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar create the perfect balance of moisture and ideal structure.
- Egg:Â I find that one egg is more than enough for banana bread, as banana also acts as a binder.
- All-Purpose Flour:Â Use a high quality unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Leavening Agents:Â This recipe calls for both baking powder and baking soda to achieve the perfect rise and texture.Â
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this bourbon banana bread recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Combine the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Finish the batter
To the brown butter, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Then, vigorously whisk in the egg and vanilla until fully combined. Whisk the mashed bananas into the batter. Whisk the dry ingredients until just combined, followed by the bourbon and mix until smooth.
Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Transfer the remaining solidified brown butter to a piping bag and snip the end off. Use a knife to draw a straight line down the center of the batter. Pipe the brown butter along the line . Bake the banana bread for 60-75 minutes or until deeply golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Brush with syrup, then cool
Once the banana bread comes out of the oven, immediately brush the syrup on top. Allow the bread to cool completely before cutting.
Make the bourbon caramel sauce
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and water. Heat over medium high heat, stirring often with a rubber spatula until it turns an even medium amber color. Remove from heat and add the heavy cream and butter. Place back on the stove and boil for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and bourbon. Pour into a glass jar to cool, then chill in the fridge overnight or until ready to use.
Expert Baking Tips
- Browning butter:Â Start with a few extra tablespoons of butter, since water evaporates as it browns. Also, keep in mind that European-style butter has less water content, so if you're using American-style butter you might want to start with even more butter. Use the remaining brown butter to pipe a line down the center of the batter. As it bakes, this line of butter will encourage to split down the middle evenly.
- Baking the bread:Â Watch the banana bread closely in the oven at the 1 hour mark. All ovens are different, and the last thing we want is an over-baked banana bread!
- Caramel sauce:Â Use a rubber spatula to ensure the sugar is mixed properly and nothing sticks to the sides of the pan. Be sure your heavy cream and butter are room temp before adding to the caramelized sugar to avoid the sugar seizing up.
Recipe FAQs
Place unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. You will need to start with a few extra tablespoons to account for water evaporation. As it starts to melt, swirl the pan to encourage even cooking. After it is fully melted, it will start to foam up and then it will start to form big bubbles like it's boiling. You should be able to see the fat solids begin to separate. Then it will foam up again, and the fat solids will start browning. Continue cooking for another minute or so until the butter is evenly golden, the fat solids are brown, and it gives off a nutty aroma. Transfer the brown butter to a bowl for immediate use, or place in the fridge to solidify again.
If you do not have overripe bananas on hand, you can roast whole bananas in your oven for about 15-20 minutes at 300 degrees F. Allow them to cool before peeling and adding to the batter.
Store this bourbon banana bread at room temperature for up to 5 days. Individual slices can be frozen for up to 3 months. The caramel sauce will last for 2 weeks in the fridge.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.Â
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other fall recipes to try
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📖 Recipe
Bourbon Banana Bread
Ingredients
For the bourbon banana bread:
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 113 g (½ cup) brown butter, start with 155g (11 tbsp) salted butter
- 106 g (½ cup) brown sugar
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 340 g (about 3) mashed overripe banana
- 113 g (½ cup) bourbon
For the syrup:
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 28 g (2 tablespoon) salted butter
- 28 g (2 tablespoon) bourbon
- 1 tablespoon water
For the bourbon caramel sauce:
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 28 g (2 tablespoon) water
- 113 g (½ cup) heavy cream, lukewarm
- 84 g (6 tablespoon) salted butter, room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoon bourbon
Instructions
For the bourbon banana bread:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a pullman or 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving the ends hanging over the sides for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Brown the butter: In a small saucepan, add 155g (11 tbsp) of salted butter and place over medium heat. As the butter melts, stir it with a rubber spatula to encourage even cooking. Once the butter has fully melted, it will alternate between rapid large bubbles and gentle small foamy bubbles. The butter will be ready once it turns a dark golden color and the fat solids have darkened and settled at the bottom of the pan. Immediately pour into a large bowl, scraping out the fat solids at the bottom, and weigh out to 113g (8 tbsp). Pour the remainder into a small bowl, and place in the fridge to solidify.
- To the brown butter, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Then, vigorously whisk in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
- On a medium plate, mash the bananas, leaving them slightly chunky or smooth depending on texture preference. Whisk the mashed bananas into the batter.
- Whisk the dry ingredients until just combined, followed by the bourbon and mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Transfer the remaining solidified brown butter to a piping bag and snip the end off. Use a knife to draw a straight line down the center of the batter. Pipe the brown butter along the line.
- Bake the banana bread for 60-75 minutes or until deeply golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
For the syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, bourbon, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6 minutes.
- Once the banana bread comes out of the oven, immediately brush the syrup on top. Allow the bread to cool completely before cutting.
For the bourbon caramel sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and water.
- Heat over medium high heat, stirring often with a rubber spatula to encourage even cooking. When it comes to a boil reduce heat to medium and continue stirring often.
- When the color turns an even medium amber color remove from heat and add the heavy cream, quickly mixing until fully combined. Then, mix in the butter.
- Place the caramel back on the stove over medium heat and boil for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and 2-3 tablespoon of bourbon, depending on taste preference.
- Transfer the caramel sauce to a glass jar to cool, stir in a pinch or two of flaky sea salt, then chill in the fridge overnight or until ready to use.
For serving:
- Serve each banana bread slice warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle of bourbon caramel sauce!
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