PB&J Banana Bread

A combination of two of my favorite things: banana bread and PB&J. A moist, perfectly sweet banana bread made with healthy, natural ingredients, packed with peanut butter flavor, swirled with luscious strawberry jam and drizzled with peanut butter glaze.

This recipe combines two of my true food loves: banana bread and PB&J.

Banana bread was a special treat for my brothers and I growing up. When the house smelled of sweet, ripe bananas and freshly baked bread, we knew we were in for something tasty. My mom made it just about every time the bananas got overripe and it quickly became one of my favorite breakfast treats.

I also love peanut butter and jelly. Well really anything with peanut butter.  I also love peanut butter banana toast with drizzles of honey and eat it all the time for breakfast (I actually was obsessed with it in law school and ate it almost every day for lunch for about 3 years!) So combining peanut butter and jelly with banana bread seemed like a no brainer.

Fun fact: neither of my parents like peanut butter. I know! It’s shocking! It literally blows my mind and I’ve been trying to change their opinions about this glorious, delicious spread.  They do LOVE banana bread, so I’m thinking this PB&J banana bread might just do the trick!

Let’s get to baking. 

First, combine the dry ingredients: whole wheat pastry flour, oat flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and cinnamon. The combination of the 2 different flours leads to a delicate crumb while also adding a little nutty flavor that pairs well with the peanut butter. I added cinnamon because I think it pairs well with the bananas and PB, but it’s totally optional.

In a separate bowl melt together the coconut oil and the peanut butter – the melting process leads to a smooth, thinner batter. Next, whisk/beat in the brown sugar and honey.

I have tried this recipe with both brown sugar and coconut sugar. I found that brown sugar works best as it leads to a moister finished product. Coconut sugar has a denser, coarser texture that can slightly dry out baked goods. Don’t get me wrong, coconut sugar can work beautifully in some recipes, but since this recipe also has peanut butter which can also dry out baked goods, it didn’t work as well.  I would recommend using the brown sugar which will lead to a softer, less dry banana bread!

Next, beat in the eggs, one at time. Then fold in the mashed bananas and heaping teaspoons of pure vanilla.

The final step to making the batter is combining the dry and wet ingredients until they are fully incorporated.

To really give it that peanut butter and jelly affect, I added swirls of strawberry jam to the batter. To do so, pour half of the batter in a greased banana bread pan, like this one. Then add a few dollops of strawberry jam and use a knife to swirl in the batter. Pour in the reaming batter and repeat the jelly swirl step. It creates a beautiful swirl on the top of the bread once baked.

Bake the bread for about 35-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Make sure not to over-bake or it will dry out the bread!

I used Smucker’s honey strawberry jam. I was really excited to find this jam at my local grocery store. It’s the first refined sugar free jam I’ve ever seen. It is sweetened only with honey! It tastes beautiful and had a lot less calories and sugar than the other brands.

Once the bread was baked and cool, I drizzled with a luscious peanut butter glaze. The glaze helps amplifier the peanut butter flavor. To make it, simply whisky together peanut butter, powdered sugar, and almond milk (or regular milk if you prefer).

The banana bread is done! There is nothing left to do but slice it up and devour it!

This recipe also works in muffin form!! You just need to bake them for less time, about 15-20 minutes.

Then once they are cool, drizzle on that delicious, luscious sweet and salty peanut butter glaze!

If you like peanut butter and jelly AND banana bread, you are sure to LOVE this recipe. The bread is rich and packed with flavor from the peanut butter. It is also moist and perfectly sweet from the honey and bananas. The strawberry jam adds a little fruity surprise and pairs perfectly with the peanut butter and bananas. All together, it is a beautiful bite that will put a big smile on your face.

If you bake this recipe, please let me know your thoughts below!

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PB&J Banana Bread

A combination of two of my favorite things: banana bread and PB&J. 

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

Banana Bread

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon optional
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs room temp.
• 3 overripe bananas mashed
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar* see notes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup raspberry or strawberry jam cold

Peanut Butter Drizzle

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons non-dairy milk I used almond milk

Instructions

1. Grease a bread loaf pan. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all of the dry ingredients together, from flour to baking soda.
3. In a microwave safe bowl, heat peanut butter and coconut oil until coconut oil if fully melted. Let cool slightly.
4. Beat in sugars. Then eggs. Gently mix in vanilla and mashed bananas.
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and whisk/beat until smooth.

6. Pour half the batter into greased loaf pan. Dollop with half of the strawberry jam and use a tip of a knife to swirl the jam into the batter. Pour in the remaining batter and dollop with the remaining jelly and again use knife to swirl the jam into the batter.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not overtake or the bread while slightly dry out. Let cool sightly before removing from pan. Let cool completely before adding glaze.
8. To make the glaze, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth. Pour over cooled bread.
9. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*I’ve tried this recipe with both brown sugar and coconut sugar. The brown sugar leads to a more delicate, moist banana bread. The coconut sugar had great flavor but the bread had a dryer texture. 

 

**You can also use this batter for muffins. You just need to reduce the baking time to 15-20 minutes. 

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