Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and adjust the rack to the center position.
- Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan occasionally. When the butter turns a golden brown color and smells nutty (about 5-8 minutes), remove it from the heat and transfer it to a heatproof bowl to cool.
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mash the overripe bananas with a fork until smooth.
- Add the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Whisk everything together until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. If your batter seems too thick, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of milk to thin it slightly.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips and any optional nuts until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×5 pan. Spread it out evenly and top with extra chocolate chips if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil halfway through baking.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Slice the cooled bread and serve it plain or with a topping like whipped cream.
Notes
The depth of flavor in this bread comes from browning the butter until it develops a rich, nutty aroma. This simple step transforms the banana bread into something special. For substitution ideas, you can use any neutral oil instead of butter, though you will lose the signature brown butter flavor.