49 of Our Best-Ever Banana Desserts
Updated: Jan. 15, 2023We've rounded up a bunch of our best banana desserts. No monkey business!
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Favorite Banana Cream Pie
Homemade banana cream pie recipe is my mom’s specialty. This dreamy dessert has a wonderful banana flavor, looks pretty and cuts easily, too. —Jodi Grable, Springfield, Missouri
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Banana Cream Chocolate Truffles
This truffle recipe was created from ripe bananas and my imagination, and the outcome blew my family and friends away! I don’t particularly like bananas, but I could eat these truffles all day long. —Michele Lassuy, Orlando, Florida
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Bananas ‘n’ Cream Tube Pan Cake
This absolutely scrumptious banana Bundt cake needs no icing…just a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Even though the recipe has been a family secret for years, I’m delighted to share it with my fellow home cooks. —Oma Rollison, El Cajon, CaliforniaDon’t toss out your bunch of ripe bananas just yet—these banana desserts will make the most of your uneaten, brown bananas.
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Banana Split Icebox Cake
One day a friend showed me how to make a traditional icebox cake with just cream and graham crackers. I make it extra special with the fruit. Now everyone at the potluck can have a banana split with no fuss! —Shelly Flye, Albion, Maine
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Banana Oatmeal Cookies
My mom made these oatmeal banana cookies when I was young. Now my children like making them just as much as I did, and we quadruple the ripe banana dessert recipe to serve our large family. You can’t eat just one of these goodies packed with chocolate morsels. —Jaqueline Wilson, Armstrong Creek, Wisconsin
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Banana Orange Bars
I have been making these treats for many years. I no longer remember where the recipe came from, but one thing is certain – the bars are always a hit at family get-togethers and parties. The secret to tasty banana desserts is the ripeness of the bananas – the riper, the better.
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Quick Bananas Foster
Guests are always impressed when I ignite the rum in this delicious bananas Foster dessert. Use perfectly ripe bananas for best results. —Mary Lou Wayman, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Banana-Nut Bundt Cake
Each slice of this cake has a temptingly tropical twist. If you’d like, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top. —June Yeates, Bradley, Illinois
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Southern Banana Pudding
This old southern banana pudding recipe features a comforting custard layered with sliced bananas and vanilla wafers, then topped with meringue. I serve it year-round. —Jan Campbell, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
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Dirty Banana Trifle
What could be better than bananas, cookies and Kahlua? You can adjust this to suit your taste, depending on whether you like a stronger or weaker Kahlua flavor. —Laurie Handlin, Ocean View, Delaware
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Banana Oat Muffins
Chopped pecans add pleasant crunch to these hearty banana oatmeal muffins with rich flavor. The muffins are low in cholesterol, but you’d never know it. My husband and I love them. —Marjorie Mott, Galatia, Illinois
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Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
I make these banana bars with cream cheese frosting whenever I have ripe bananas on hand, then store them in the freezer to share later. With creamy frosting and big banana flavor, this treat is a real crowd-pleaser. —Debbie Knight, Marion, Iowa
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Banana Skillet Upside-Down Cake
My grandmother gave me my first cast iron skillet, and I've been cooking and baking with it ever since. Sometimes I add drained maraschino cherries to this banana skillet dessert and serve it with a ice cream. —Terri Merritts, Nashville, Tennessee
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Potato Chip Banana Bread Cookies
My 5-year-old wanted to bake a cake with potato chips and bananas. I couldn't quite manage that, but I did combine two cookie recipes to create these. They are stunningly delicious, and everyone tells me they are addictive! —Rebecca Emmons, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Grilled Banana Brownie Sundaes
My niece Amanda Jean and I have a lot of fun in the kitchen creating different dishes. One of us will start with a recipe idea and it just grows from there—and so does the mess. In this case, the happy result was our Grilled Banana Brownie Sundae. —Carol Farnsworth, Greenwood, Indiana
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Frozen Peanut Butter and Chocolate Terrine
This terrine can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer. When served, it cuts easily, revealing the lovely layers of banana, peanut butter and chocolate. —Jennifer Jackson, Keller, Texas
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Chunky Monkey Cupcakes
Peanut butter is a favorite of ours, and it brings a fun element to these cupcakes. They're good with or without garnishes. —Holly Jones, Kennesaw, GeorgiaWondering if you have enough bananas to bake with? Read more about how many bananas are in a cup.
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Creamy Chocolate-Banana Pie
You can make almost any dessert more awesome with chocolate. In this cream pie, fresh banana and chocolate make a truly irresistible combo. —Diane Nemitz, Ludington, Michigan
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Banana-Nut Waffle Cake
I wanted to use waffles in a creative way and came up with an idea of making a cake out of them. Not only did it take much less time than making an ordinary cake, it came out just as delicious as a traditional cake. Waffles can be made ahead, wrapped and stored in the fridge until ready to assemble this cake. —Kristina S., Yonkers, New York
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Nutella Banana Cream Pie
Here’s a banana cream pie with a little Italian flair. The chocolate and hazelnut go well with the banana, and the rolled chocolate pie crust makes it extra-special. If you don’t have time to melt and pipe the chocolate stars, just sprinkle the top of the pie with grated chocolate or cocoa powder instead. —Crystal Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota
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Cinnamon-Raisin Banana Bread Pudding
My family likes to change the toppings for this luscious dessert. We use berries, chopped nuts or fruit, ice cream, whipped cream or caramel topping. If I'm making the dessert for adults only, I love to add a little rum to the milk mixture to give the pudding extra flavor. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho
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Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
These soft banana cookies have a cakelike texture and lots of flavor that everyone seem to love. It's one of the best banana cookie recipes I've found. —Vicki Raatz, Waterloo, Wisconsin
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Potluck Banana Cake
I found this recipe more than five years ago and have been making it for family gatherings ever since. The coffee-flavored frosting complements the moist banana cake. —Kathy Hoffman, Topton, Pennsylvania
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Banana Split Cake Bars
Summer isn’t summer without a banana split or two, and these fun bars bring that same delicious flavor in potluck-perfect form. —Jasey McBurnett, Rock Springs, Wyoming
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Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie
This old-fashioned banana cream pie recipe is full of flavor. Because it uses instant pudding, this no-bake dessert is ready in just minutes. —Perlene Hoekema, Lynden, Washington
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Banana Pudding
I didn’t see my son, Lance Corporal Eric Harris, for more than two years after he enlisted in the Marines after high school. And when I saw him arrive at the airport, I just grabbed hold of him and burst out crying. When we got home, the first thing he ate was two bowls of my easy banana pudding recipe. He’s a true southern boy! It’s a dessert, but you can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. —Stephanie Harris, Montpelier, Virginia
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Hummingbird Cake
Out of all of our ripe banana dessert recipes, this impressive hummingbird cake is my dad’s favorite, so I always make it for his birthday. It makes a memorable dessert for any celebration and is lovely with a summer meal. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
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Roasted Banana & Pecan Cheesecake
We always keep bananas on hand, but with just two of us in the house, they usually ripen faster than we can eat them. That makes them perfect for roasting and baking into this cheesecake with a nutty crust. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
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Go Bananas Whoopie Pies
I love anything with peanut butter, so when I saw this recipe for soft banana cookies with a yummy peanut butter filling, I had to make them. Use a cookie scoop to keep them nicely rounded and all the same size. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana
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Banana-Split Blondies
These banana blondies combine all the beloved flavors of your favorite sundae with a warm, gooey bar. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor
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Bananas Foster Sundaes
I have wonderful memories of eating bananas Foster in New Orleans, and as a dietitian, wanted to find a healthier version. I combined the best of two recipes and added my own tweaks to create this southern treat. —Lisa Varner, Charleston, South Carolina
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Banana Split Brownies
How’s this for a dish? All the joy of a banana split without the mess. Everything in this recipe fits into one pan of delectable brownie bars. —Constance Sheckler, Chestertown, Maryland
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Banana Cream Pie
Made from our farm-fresh dairy products, this pie was a sensational creamy treat any time Mom served it. Her recipe is a real treasure, and I've never found one that tastes better! —Bernice Morris, Marshfield, Missouri
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Frozen Banana Split Pie
This dessert is special enough to make hamburgers and fries a meal to remember! It's so tall and pretty and just like eating a frozen banana split. Make it ahead to save time. —Joy Collins, Birmingham, Alabama
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Memaw's Banana Pudding
Creamy and rich, this homemade banana pudding recipe is so easy. Layer it in a trifle bowl for a pretty presentation. —Ruth Kizer, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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Frozen Chocolate Monkey Treats
Everyone needs a fun, friendly way for kids to play with food—like this healthy banana dessert recipe. These rich bites are nutty and yummy. Just coat bananas in chocolate and dip them into peanuts, sprinkles or coconut. —Susan Hein, Burlington, Wisconsin
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Chunky Banana Cream Freeze
Everyone loves ice cream, but we all know it doesn’t make a great after-school snack. Until this! With its sweet banana-almond flavor and chunky texture, this appealing banana peanut butter “ice cream” is a crowd-pleaser. People who ask me for this easy banana dessert recipe recipe are amazed at how simple it is to make. —Kristen Bloom, Okinawa, Japan
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Banana Split Supreme
This lovely and delightful dessert has the classic flavor of a banana split. It's a cool, creamy treat with no last-minute fuss since you just pull it from the freezer. It always solicits praise from our big family. -Marye Franzen, Gothenburg, Nebraska
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Banana Cream Pie with Cake Mix Crust
I added something special to the classic banana cream pie by topping it off with a crunchy, peanut-buttery streusel. —Matthew Hass, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin
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Raspberry-Banana Soft Serve
When I make this ice cream, I mix and match bananas for their ripeness. Very ripe ones add more banana flavor. Less ripe ones have a fluffier texture. —Melissa Hansen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Strawberry-Banana Pudding Cake
This luscious pink pudding cake is so easy to put together. Top it with ice cream and fresh fruit, and you have one very happy family. —Nadine Mesch, Mount Healthy, Ohio
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Banana Souffle
This pretty, golden-topped puff is so easy to whip up, but looks like you really fussed. Lightly laced with rum, the moist, tender, banana-rich souffle makes that perfect “little something” to wrap up any holiday dinner. —Crystal Jo Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
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Coconut Banana Cookies
This is a springtime variation on my grandma's banana drop cookies and, with tons of coconut flavor, it's perfect for Easter. —Elyse Benner, Solon, Ohio
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Mini Chocolate Cakes with Caramelized Bananas
This was one of my first times spreading my wings with a recipe and trying to go a bit fancy. This is a breeze to make and a delight to serve. The recipe may look intimidating but after you try it once, you'll have it down pat. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
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Bananas Foster on the Grill
Bananas Foster is my husband's favorite dessert, and this is one of the easiest recipes I've ever found. Not only is it delicious, it's a great way to use those bananas that are a little too ripe to just peel and eat. —Rebecca Clark, Warrior, Alabama
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Caribbean Bread Pudding
A completely unexpected dessert from the slow cooker, my bread pudding is loaded with wonderful tropical flavors. I like to garnish it with a slice of fresh pineapple, whipped cream and a cherry—just like a pina colada! —Elizabeth Doss, California City, California
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Banana Pudding Cake
I love to make cakes, and my family loves banana pudding. One day while brainstorming in the kitchen, I came up with this banana pudding cake recipe to combine the two. My family and friends can’t get enough of it! If you are pressed for time, you may substitute whipped topping for the homemade sweetened whipped cream. —Tiffany Barbee, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
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Frozen Banana Cereal Pops
For one of our favorite healthy banana dessert recipes, we dip bananas in yogurt, roll ’em in cereal, then freeze. Ta-da! —Scarlett Elrod, Newnan, Georgia
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All-American Banana Split
In 1904, the first banana split recipe was made here in Latrobe, Pennsylvania by David Strickler, an apprentice pharmacist at a local drug store. We still use his original formula when we make banana splits in our restaurants. —Melissa Blystone, Valley Dairy
Originally Published: March 22, 2022
