Browning the butter really adds a depth of flavor to banana bread, not to mention it smells extra amazing when in the oven. This is my go-to recipe when I have ripe bananas, and has taken me a while to get it right. Enjoy it hot, fresh from the oven.
½ cup butter
3 very ripe bananas
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Optional)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (Optional)
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until butter is browned, fragrant, and foamy, with brown bits in it, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Measure 1/3 cup of browned butter; reserve remaining browned butter for another use.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan.
Mash bananas in a large bowl; stir in brown sugar, white sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and 1/3 cup brown butter.
Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Fold flour mixture into banana mixture just until all ingredients are moistened; pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
