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Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread by Baking The Goods
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread by Baking The Goods.

Over the weekend, Portland got hit hard with snow, rain, freezing rain, frigid temperatures and then turned into an iced over still life that had us frozen in time. The weight of the ice took down trees and power lines all over town, rendering us without power for 24 hours. Many others have been powerless for days. Our electricity returned over night and it’s been spotty since, so I’m writing this between outages. Portland is not equipped for this weather. Neither am I. But, thankfully I was equipped with the ingredients and had the foresight to bake this Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread before things got bad.

On the first day of the storm, when the snow was soft and the novelty of a wintery wonderland was endearing, I baked up this loaf. It was one of those idyllic snow days that you dream of when the flakes start to fall. A perfect day for baking. We are 5 days into this mess and it’s a slushy slop of dirty snow and downed power lines. By now the banana bread is long gone, along with the charm of the snow.

I spent the first 30 something years of my life in the PNW but after a 6 year stint in California, I’m not sure I am up for the cold weather lifestyle anymore. I think I may be a snowbird at heart, ready to retire to warmer weather as soon as possible. Until then, at least I have this Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread to keep me warm. That is, if the power stays on.

Banana bread brought great comfort to many of us during the early days of the 2020 lockdown. It’s an easy and approachable bake that’s pretty hard to mess up. An ideal recipe to reach for when you seek something sustaining, satisfying and simple. I’ve been baking all kinds of quick bread and banana bread recipes throughout the pandemic. Riffing away with whatever ingredients I had at the time. My Nutella Banana Bread is always a favorite and this Blueberry Poppy Seed Banana Bread is lovely when you’re looking for lighter and brighter loaf. But, I keep coming back to this Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Like freshly fallen snow and piping hot cocoa, this combo is idyllic.

A magical trifecta

  • Depth of Flavor – from the brown butter to naturally sweet banana to the toasty nuts and the layers of milk and dark chocolate.
  • Texture – this bread has it all. The dense softness from the bananas. The crunch of the pecans and sparkling sugar.
  • Balance – the flavors and textures are perfectly balanced in this banana bread. Sweet saltiness, rich butteriness, and crunchy, melty softness.

Aside from the magical trifecta, this banana bread recipe has a lot going for it. The flavors, down home heartiness and a few key techniques really up the specialness ante of this quick bread.

What makes this Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread so dang special?

  • Bananas – the moist maker and familiar flavor layer.
  • Brown Butter – many banana bread recipes use oil, which is totally fine. But the nutty, full-bodied backbone of the brown butter gives this banana bread a deeper, more complex flavor.
  • Pecans – banana breads can be a bit squidgy. But, the light crunch of toasted pecans adds a welcome surprise of texture to the loaf.
  • Chocolate Chips – chocolate brings decadence to a basic banana bread. Blending both milk chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips gives the loaf even more dimension and character!
  • Sugar and Salt – Instead of greasing and flouring the loaf pan, I grease and sugar-salt the loaf pan. The sugar keeps the bread from sticking to the pan while providing an ever so slight sugar crusted crunch on the outside. I also add a pinch of salt to the sugar, which amps up the flavor, leaving your lips with a salty sweet kiss after each bite.
  • Sparkling or Raw Sugar – While it may not be necessary, I am big on texture and I love the crunch that a sprinkling or other grainy sugars bring to the surface of banana bread.
  • More Salt – because I love to balance sweetness with salt, I sprinkle on a briny shower of salt over the top of the loaf, while the chocolate is still melty. It sticks to the chocolate pools and gives the rich brown butter and chocolatey sweet notes a complimentary balance in flavor.
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread ingredients
The ingredients for this Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread are probably things you already have stocked up in your kitchen. If not, you can easily improvise!
Bananas for banana bread
Bananas are key to this recipe. When it comes to banana bread, the older and the riper, the better.
melted butter for banana bread
Butter is another key component in this banana bread recipe. First, melt it down and transfer some to your loaf pan to coat.
browning butter for banana bread
Next, you’ll need to brown the butter. Watch for the bubbles to get small and foam up, this happens just before it browns!
browning butter for banana bread
Swirl the pan until the brown bits starts to form around the edges and on the bottom. They should be deep golden but pull it from the heat before they start to burn!
Buttering and sugaring a loaf pan
One secret power move I love to employ with quick breads is to butter and sugar the pan. It gives the exterior of the loaf a slightly crusty sweet exterior. I even added a bit of salt here to add more dimension.
Buttering and sugaring a loaf pan
You want to cover the entire interior of the pan with butter and a light dusting of the sugar/salt mix to keep the loaf from sticking.
mixing banana bread batter
This recipe is easy and you don’t need any special equipment to mix it together. Just mash the bananas and mix with the sugars, browned butter.
This Banana Bread batter mixes together by hand, in just a few easy steps.
Stirring Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread batter
Once the batter is mixed, stir in the toasted pecans and chocolate chips.
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread batter in pan
Just fill the prepared loaf pan with the batter.
Topping Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread batter in pan
Then top it off with the remaining pecans, chocolate chips and a sprinkle of sparkling sugar for maximum texture on top.
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread cooling
As soon as the loaf comes out of the oven, sprinkle with sea salt flakes so they stick to the melty chocolate.
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread cooling
Once it’s cooled down for a bit, flip the banana bread out onto the cooling rack to finish cooling.
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread loaf
There is so much texture happening on here! This is my kind of banana bread.
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread cooling
And once it’s cool enough, slice into that beautiful loaf baby!
Warm slices of Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
But do slice into the Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread while it’s still kinda warm because that is the only way.
Warm thick slices of this Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with coffee is an ideal breakfast situation.
Banana bread slices for breakfast
There is so much flavor and texture happening in every slice.
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread slices
Turns out this Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is all I want to eat on a snowy day.
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Buttered Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
I like to add a slather of butter and a tiny bit more salt to my slice of Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
Snowy Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
And if I really feeling it, I’ll take my slice of Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread alfresco in the snow. But you gotta bundle up for this weather!
Table for two?
Table for two?
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with Pecans
On second thought, I think I’ll just stay inside and watch the snow fall through the window.
FYI, you can also make this recipe into muffins. Here I made a gluten free version using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.  They were incredible!
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Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread by Baking The Goods

Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Becky Sue of Baking The Goods
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12 slices
Print Recipe

Description

Warm, nutty brown butter notes intermingle with banana and vanilla in the base of this moist and tender loaf. It's studded with crunchy pecans, dark and milk chocolate chips and a slight sprinkle of briny sea salt flakes and hits on all of the comforting flavor notes. One slice is never enough.

Ingredients

Units
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (- divided)
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (+ 1/2 teaspoon for pan)
  • 2 large bananas (- very ripe)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (+ 1 tablespoon for pan)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (- I use half milk and half dark chocolate)
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1 tablespoon sparkling or raw sugar (- optional)
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes (- optional)

Instructions

  1. Begin with browning the butter. First, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to be sure the butter is cooking evenly. As soon as the butter melts, transfer 2 tablespoons of melted butter to a 9"x5" loaf pan for greasing and set aside.
    Keep swirling or stirring the butter in the pan. It will start to turn from yellow to a deeper golden color and toasty bits will start forming around the edges. When the butter begins to foam up and give off a nutty aroma, the brown bits will start to really show up. Take it off the heat immediately to avoid burning. Pour the butter and scrape the browned bits into a heatproof bowl or liquid measuring cup to cool down while you prepare the other ingredients.
  2. Prep the loaf pan: I like to use sugar in place of flour when prepping my loaf pans. The sugar gives the exterior of the loaf a slightly crunchy, sweet shell. I also mix in salt for a little mystery.
    Mix about 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Brush the reserved melted butter (previously transferred to the loaf pan) to grease interior of the pan, along the bottom and all the way up the sides. Add sugar and salt mix (or flour) then shake and tap the pan until the mix sticks to the butter on all sides. Set pan aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 350° F. Give the pecans a rough chop, then spread evenly on baking sheet. Toast the pecans for 8-10 minutes, until they begin to smell toasty and nutty. *This step isn't totally necessary but it will give the nuts a deeper, toasty flavor.
  4. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
  5. Peel the bananas into a large bowl and mush them with the back of a wooden spoon until they resemble a puree. Then whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar and cooled browned butter until smooth. Followed by the eggs and vanilla.
  6. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and stir just until the the dry ingredients are absorbed. Then add half of the milk. Mix together and repeat with half of the remaining dry ingredients and the remainder of the milk. Finally add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  7. Add the 3/4 cup of chopped and toasted pecans and 3/4 cup chocolate chips (reserve remaining pecans and chocolate chips for topping). Stir until just combined.
  8. Transfer the batter into the prepared 9"x5" loaf pan. Then sprinkle with the remaining chopped pecans and chocolate chips. Followed by the sparkling or raw sugar (optional but it adds a welcome sweetness and crunch to the top).
  9. Bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes. The loaf should turn a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when ready.
    If you're opting to add the sea salt flakes (highly recommended), sprinkle whatever amount is appropriate for your tastebuds over the top of the loaf while the chocolate is still melty so they stick!
    Allow to cool in the pan for at least 15-20 minutes, then carefully invert the loaf and remove it from the pan. Transfer it to a cooling rack to finish cooling a bit before slicing. But definitely slice into that baby while it's still warm and the chocolate is melted!

Notes

For maximum shelf life and freshness, store in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped for up to 5 days. 

 

Rewarm in a warm oven for a few minutes before serving to get those dreamy, melty chocolate chippers going. 

 

This recipe can easily be baked into muffins instead of a loaf. Just butter and sugar or line a muffin tin and fill 3/4 full with the batter. Bake at 375°F for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Should yield 12-14 muffins. 

 

You can swap in Whole Wheat or even go gluten free with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. I’ve made this recipe into muffins using GF flour and they came out beautifully tender. 

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maria says

    After seeing this on Instagram and having two rotting bananas on the counter, I knew I had to make it. It did not disappoint! I used walnut because I didn’t have pecans and only used chocolate chips on the top (personal preference). The butter and sugar/salt to coat the pan is genius! I loved the crunchy texture that happened after baking. Thanks for the great recipe!



    • beckysue says

      Hi Maria! Hooray, so glad to hear you loved this recipe. It’s been a favorite around here for a while now so I was excited to share it with the world. Thanks for your kind comment. I want to try it with walnuts now, sounds yummy. Happy baking! ❤️ Becky Sue

  2. Vanessa says

    I’ve been saving two bananas aside to make this recipe and made it first thing this morning! It was So DELICIOUS!! The browned butter makes a huge impact. And i like the surprise addition of the sugar you get when you butter the pan. I didn’t have pecans on hand 🙁 but will definitely be buying some on my next grocery trip so I can make this again. This will be my go to banana bread recipe!

    • beckysue says

      Hi Vanessa! This makes me so happy to hear! Wow, I feel honored that this will be your new go-to banana bread recipe. I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and very grateful for your kind words. ? Becky Sue

  3. Danielle says

    This recipe is amazing! I am not usually a baker, but this was soooooo easy to follow and turned out amazing!!! I subbed dairy milk for oat milk and have used melt non dairy butter/coconut oil in place of regular butter and it works great! Delicious! :)xx



    • beckysue says

      Oh yay, I love hearing this Danielle. I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and it’s great to know the dairy substitutes worked well here. I’ll have to try your version soon. I appreciate the feedback. Happy baking! ? Becky Sue