If you’re planning on baking some banana bread, you may be looking to change it up a bit. If this is the case, you’re probably wondering what to put on banana bread.
We’ve got you covered!
Read on to learn more about eight scrumptious topping ideas for banana bread that’ll have you wondering how you were eating banana bread without them for all this time.
8 Delicious Banana Bread Toppings
There are many toppings you can add to banana bread to give its flavor a boost. Here are some that you should definitely give a try:
1 – Chocolate Chips
When it comes to banana bread toppings and sweet baked goods toppings in general, chocolate chips are undoubtedly a fan favorite.
They’re a great way to add some chocolatey goodness to enhance the flavor of your juicy banana bread.
When incorporating chocolate chips into your banana bread, you have several options. You can choose to only sprinkle some chocolate chips on top of your loaf, or you can actually mix the chocolate chips into the batter.
If you want to do the latter, make sure to add some flour to the chocolate chips. This creates a better distribution of them within your loaf since it stops the chips from settling at the bottom of the loaf.
Another choice you’ll need to make is whether to use milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips. The latter will add an element of bitterness to the banana bread’s flavor, which some people find tasty.
Additionally, it allows you to take advantage of the health benefits of dark chocolate. You should note that milk chocolate has its benefits too, such as its high calcium and micronutrient content.
2 – Peanut Butter
If you haven’t tried topping your banana bread with peanut butter, you’re definitely missing out. This pairing gives the good old peanut butter and jelly combo a run for its money!
The subtle saltiness that peanut butter adds to your banana bread is delicious. You can also use chunky peanut butter to add some texture to your banana bread slice.
As with most of the toppings you’ll find on this list, you can also incorporate the peanut butter into the batter before baking your banana bread.
3 – Nuts
Nuts are another great idea for a banana bread topping. They add a whole lot of crunch that provides a great contrast of texture to your moist, fluffy bread.
The most commonly used nuts when it comes to topping banana bread are pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts.
However, this doesn’t mean that these are the only nuts you can use to take your banana bread to the next level. Pistachios are also great if you want to add some saltiness to your banana bread.
Whatever your nuts of choice are, you can crush them and mix them in with your batter or you can just add them whole on top of your loaf.
4 – Chocolate Spread
If you made a list of the most popular sweet snacks, chocolate spread would probably be right there at the top for most people. You can include the delicious chocolate hazelnut spread in your banana bread in a couple of ways.
The quickest way is to spread some chocolate spread on your banana bread slice and heat it up in the microwave for a bit.
If you want to include chocolate spread in your banana bread recipe before you bake it, here’s how you can do so:
Once you’ve prepped your pan, pour in half of your batter and even it out. Next, add a layer of chocolate spread and swirl it well with the batter. Finally, pour the rest of your batter on top and bake to perfection!
5 – Cream Cheese
When you think of possible toppings that would go well with banana bread, cream cheese is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, you’re likely to make cream cheese a staple of your banana bread recipe once you give it a go.
By spreading some cream cheese on your bread slice, you’ll add a delicious savory element to your sweet banana bread.
You can also mix in cream cheese in your banana bread recipe as a filling, here’s how:
To make the filling, mix the cream cheese in a bowl with eggs, all-purpose flour, and sugar.
The next step is to pour half of your banana bread batter into the pan and pour the cream cheese filling on top. Pour the rest of the batter over the cream cheese layer and you’re good to go.
6 – Strawberries
Looking to add some extra fruity flavor to your banana bread?
If you are, then strawberries are a great way to do so. We all know how well bananas and strawberries go together in a fruit salad, and the way they complement each other in banana bread is no different.
Another perk of using strawberries as a banana bread topping is their numerous health benefits, which include reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Whether you should add strawberries as a topping to your banana bread after baking it or incorporate them in the recipe depends on your priorities.
If your priority is to reap the health benefits of strawberries, you should know that the heat from baking can significantly diminish them.
7 – Cinnamon
Another way to elevate the flavor of your banana bread is to sprinkle some cinnamon on it.
You would expect the strong, dominating taste of cinnamon to overshadow the other flavors in your banana bread, but this isn’t the case. In fact, cinnamon can help highlight the different contrasting flavors in your banana bread.
Additionally, cinnamon can take your banana bread’s aroma to the next level.
Using cinnamon in tandem with other banana bread toppings such as nuts and chocolate will also give you scrumptious results.
8 – Oats
When it comes to baked goods, you simply can’t go wrong with oats. They don’t do much for your banana bread in terms of flavor, but they go a long way in firming up the texture of your bread.
Oats are also a great option if you’re looking to boost your banana bread’s nutritional value. They’re incredibly rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, and they have high protein content as well.
Do You Put Butter on Banana Bread?
If you’re wondering whether butter goes well with banana bread, the answer is that it definitely does.
In fact, some people don’t consider their banana bread complete without lathering a slice in some butter.
You can apply butter to your banana bread in one of two ways.
One option is to spread some butter on a slice of banana bread fresh out of the oven. If your banana bread has cooled, you can heat your butter-topped banana bread in the microwave for a short burst.
Another way is to melt some butter in a pan on your stovetop and throw in your banana bread slice. Heat it until it reaches the level of crispiness you prefer.
Final Thoughts
When deciding what to put on banana bread, there’s a wide range of topping options you can choose from.
These options include traditional ones such as chocolate chips or nuts. There are also out-of-the-box ideas such as cream cheese.
Your choice of banana bread topping should be taken based on the flavor you want to achieve. If you’re looking for added sweetness, go for chocolate chips or chocolate spread.
In search of a touch of saltiness? Then your best bets are peanut butter or pistachios.
So, what are you waiting for? Bake up your next batch of banana bread and try some of these toppings out!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.