12 Ways to Use up Those Overripe Bananas That Isn't Just Banana Bread

Go Beyond Banana Bread

Written by
Erin Huffstetler

Erin Huffstetler is a writer with experience writing about easy ways to save money at home.

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Erin Huffstetler
Updated 06/22/20
Banana Pudding Cake

 Kristina Vanni

Those beautiful, just a tiny bit green bananas you bought just a few days ago all of a sudden are overripe and too soft to eat. That's a positive development if you love the foods you can only make with bananas that are soft, like banana bread, banana smoothies, banana pancakes, and banana pudding. And who doesn't adore banana cream pie? Here are some tasty ways to take advantage of your overripe bananas.

  • 01 of 12

    Banana Bread

    Homemade banana bread
    Rekha Garton/Digital VIsion/Getty Images

    Overripe bananas are great for adding moisture and flavor to bread recipes. Banana bread is a tasty treat for breakfast and a relatively healthful dessert, thanks to those potassium-packed bananas. You can even freeze extra loaves to eat later. Just wrap them well, and they should freeze beautifully.

  • 02 of 12

    Banana Cake

    Banana Cake
    Yuri F/Moment/Getty Images

    Bananas can take the place of some of the oil in cake recipes, making them lower in fat, without sacrificing any flavor. In fact, adding bananas actually makes a cake taste better. You can also add bananas to buttercream frosting for a full-on sweet banana dessert experience.

  • 03 of 12

    Banana Muffins

    Banana Muffins
    Jacob VanHouten/E+/Getty Images

    Muffins also benefit from the flavor and moisture that bananas give to the recipe, and they make an easy and tasty grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Whip up one of these recipes on the weekend and enjoy easier mornings throughout the workweek.

  • 04 of 12

    Banana Pancakes and French Toast

    Bananas Foster French Toast
    wsmahar/Getty Images

    Dress up basic pancakes or French toast by adding your overripe bananas to the batter. It'll turn them into a more filling, restaurant-quality meal that your whole family is sure to enjoy. If you have trouble getting your kids to eat fruit, this is a sure-fire solution.

    Continue to 5 of 12 below.
  • 05 of 12

    Banana Pudding Cake

    Banana Pudding Cake

     Kristina Vanni

    This dessert recipe is the best of both worlds as it combines a moist, flavorful cake with a sweet pudding. Ripe bananas are folded into the cake batter, and once baked, the cake is covered with vanilla pudding, a layer of sliced banana, whipped cream, and crushed vanilla wafer cookies.

  • 06 of 12

    Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

    Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

     Kristina Vanni

    Take a typical banana chocolate chip muffin recipe up a notch with the addition of cocoa powder in the batter. Cocoa is mixed with melted butter and water and incorporated into the wet ingredients and mashed ripe banana. Once the batter is combined chocolate chips are added. Dust the baked muffins with powdered sugar for a pretty finishing touch.

  • 07 of 12

    Banana Oatmeal Cookies

    Banana Oatmeal Cookies

     Kristina Vanni 

    Healthy enough for breakfast and after-school snacks, these banana oatmeal cookies are an optimal way to use up those ripe bananas while pleasing the whole family. Oatmeal and walnuts pump up the nutrition factor while typical cookie ingredients offer familiar flavor.

  • 08 of 12

    Banana Ice Cream

    Banana ice cream in a serving bowl with whipped cream and a cherry

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni 

    This unbelievably creamy banana ice cream is made with just one ingredient—ripe bananas. It's a vegan, gluten-free, non-dairy dessert with no added sugar, and none of the flakiness or iciness of other frozen fruit ice creams.

    Continue to 9 of 12 below.
  • 09 of 12

    Banana Smoothies and Milkshakes

    Smoothies made from bananas and oranges with ginger
    Streim, Mariola / Getty Images

    Bananas give smoothies and milkshakes a creamy texture and add just enough sweetness than you can often skip adding sugar to the recipe. Freeze the bananas before you toss them in the blender for the best results in these super-quick recipes.

  • 10 of 12

    Banana Puddings and Custards

    Banana pudding
    GoodLifeStudio / Getty Images

    Whip up a quick banana pudding to enjoy with tonight's dinner. This dessert with Southern roots is simple but elegant, with a garnish of sliced bananas and a little (or a lot of) whipped cream.

  • 11 of 12

    Banana Cookies

    Dairy-free Homemade Chocolate Chip Banana Cookies
    Yuko Yamada / Getty Images

    Bananas make a great companion to chocolate, and this recipe combines the two for wondrous results. Add almonds for an interesting variation.

  • 12 of 12

    Banana Cream Pie

    Banana Cream Pie
    Alexandra Grablewski/Photolibrary/Getty Images

    Banana cream pie is at the top of the list of just about everyone's favorite kinds of pie. It's especially good in the summertime but, really, who cares what season it is.