This Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread With Pecans Is The Best

Banana bread is a versatile and comforting treat that is as good for breakfast as it is for an after-dinner dessert.

While several different flavor combinations complement banana bread, the addition of dark chocolate and pecan is, in my opinion, one of the most delicious.

Banana bread is best when made with overripe bananas that are just past the point of wanting to eat right out of the peel, making it a great way to use up the last of the bunch without wasting any.

Overripe bananas are not only sweeter but are also higher in antioxidants. They are also easier for the body to digest. I bet you didn’t think that something so good could also be healthy!

Another bonus of this recipe is the browned butter, which adds nuttiness and depth. Banana bread always calls for a decent amount of butter, so you may as well brown it for additional flavor.

Instead of using white granulated sugar, this recipe calls for brown sugar, which contains molasses. Molasses has a warm and smoky flavor that seriously compliments the sweetness of the bananas.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Prepping your ingredients

It is essential to measure and prepare your ingredients before beginning when you bake.

Mise en place is a common practice used amongst professionals to ensure that nothing is forgotten or mismeasured. Meaning “everything in its place”, this technique truly sets you up for success, no matter what the recipe is.

When everything is measured and ready to be added to the recipe, things happen quickly and efficiently with little to no room for error. It’s a win-win!

At this point, it is also a good idea to prepare any baking dishes you may be using. Spray your loaf pan with cooking spray and set it to the side.

Browning the butter

Browning butter adds a nutty flavor used in sweet and savory recipes. The process browns the milk solids that separate from the liquid in butter when heated.

First, measure your butter and slice it into uniform size pieces. Let your butter come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before adding it to your pan.

Using a light-colored skillet, if possible, allows you to see the butter browning in the pan. To brown and not burn your butter, you will have to watch it during the entire process carefully.

Place butter in a cold pan and turn the heat onto medium. By doing this, you are ensuring that the butter cooks evenly.

Move the butter around the pan as it begins to melt. It will slowly start to foam and sizzle when it has melted completely. This is the beginning of the browning process, taking about 7-8 minutes.

You know that you are done when the milk solids are a nutty brown color and smell rich and delicious. It is easy to burn, so make sure to transfer it all out of the pan quickly once it’s done to ensure the butter doesn’t blacken.

Reserve two tablespoons of browned butter to the side for brushing the top of your banana bread loaf.

Mixing your ingredients

Keeping your wet ingredients and dry ingredients in two separate bowls, begin to combine the rest of your ingredients.

First, combine your mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla, and milk together.

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in the second bowl. Whisk them all together, making sure to break up any lumps of brown sugar that there may be.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine with a spoon. Add your chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Next, add the rest of the brown butter and mix until fully incorporated.

Baking your bread

Add to the prepared baking pan and tap against the counter to release any air pockets that may have formed.

Sprinkle with the remaining chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Bake in the oven for an hour, checking for a deep golden brown color. (50gram) The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

When finished, remove from the oven, and brush with the remaining brown butter. If desired, sprinkle with flaky Maldon salt.

Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before carefully inverting the loaf and removing it to a cooling rack.

Banana bread is best served when a little warm, so make sure to sample it before it cools off completely.