Introduction
Oh, banana bread. Just hearing the words conjures up feelings of warmth, comfort, and maybe even a little bit of nostalgic joy from your grandma’s kitchen, right? Well, get ready to take that beloved classic to a whole new level of deliciousness with this Reese’s Explosion Banana Bread! This isn’t just any banana bread; it’s a decadent, flavor-packed journey that’s surprisingly simple to whip up. If you’re looking for a treat that’s guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face, you’ve found it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: Ready to bake in under 20 minutes of prep time!
- Easy: Perfect for beginners and seasoned bakers alike.
- Giftable: Wrap it up, and it makes an amazing homemade gift.
- Crowd-pleasing: Who can resist bananas, peanut butter, and chocolate all in one?
Ingredients
Gather ’round, bakers! Here’s what you’ll need to create this masterpiece. Don’t worry, most of these are probably already in your pantry!
- 3-4 ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed): The riper, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be! Look for those brown spots.
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened: Makes sure it’s nice and soft so it creams easily.
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar: For that lovely caramel sweetness.
- 1 egg: The binder that holds everything together.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: A little goes a long way for that classic flavor.
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour: The base of our delicious bread.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda: This helps the bread rise beautifully.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt: Balances out the sweetness.
- 1 (8 ounce) bag Reese’s Minis: These are your little bursts of peanut butter and chocolate magic!
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips: Because is it really a celebration without chocolate chips?
- 1/2 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips: These add another layer of irresistible peanut butter goodness.
For the Topping:
- 10 Reese’s Miniatures, roughly chopped: For that extra Reese’s crunch on top.
- 1/4 cup Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips, melted: The gooey binder for our topping.
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips, melted: The perfect partner for the peanut butter chips.
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get our hands a little floury and make some magic happen!
- Preheat & Prep: First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab your favorite loaf pan, and give it a good grease and flour. This makes sure our beautiful bread pops right out later.
- Mash those Bananas: In a nice big bowl, get those ripe bananas mashed up. A fork works perfectly, and a few little lumps are totally fine – they add character!
- Cream it Up: Add your softened butter and brown sugar to the mashed bananas. Mix it all together until it’s smooth and well combined. This is where the sweetness starts to really build.
- Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in that egg and the teaspoon of vanilla extract. Give it a good mix until everything is beautifully incorporated.
- Dry Ingredients Unite: In a separate bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures your leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Now, slowly add those dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Seriously, don’t overmix! A few streaks of flour are okay; overmixing can make your bread tough.
- The Explosion! This is the fun part! Gently fold in the Reese’s Minis, the chocolate chips, and the Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips. I like to reserve a few of the chips to press into the top before baking for extra prettiness.
- Into the Pan: Pour your glorious batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly.
- Bake to Perfection: Pop it into the preheated oven and bake for about 50-65 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Down: Once it’s done, let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is key here for the topping!
- Top it Off: While the bread is cooling, let’s make that dreamy topping. Melt your Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips and chocolate chips together in a small bowl (you can do this in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in between, or in a double boiler). Once melted and smooth, drizzle it all over your cooled banana bread. Finally, sprinkle those chopped Reese’s Miniatures on top for that final touch of deliciousness!
Substitutions & Additions
This recipe is fantastic as is, but feel free to get creative! Here are a few ideas:
- Nut Butter Swap: If you’re not a Reese’s fan (gasp!), try using regular peanut butter chips or even other nut butter chips like almond or cashew.
- Add Nuts: For a bit of crunch, fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate and peanut butter chips.
- Different Chocolate: Feel free to use dark chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips if that’s your preference.
- Spices: A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg can add another layer of warm spice.
Tips for Success
A few little tricks to make sure your Reese’s Explosion Banana Bread turns out absolutely perfect every time!
- Ripe Bananas are Key: Seriously, don’t skimp on this. The browner and spottier, the better!
- Don’t Overmix: I can’t stress this enough! Overmixing can lead to a dense, tough loaf. Mix until just combined.
- Oven Temperatures Vary: Keep an eye on your bread. If it starts browning too quickly on top, you can loosely tent it with foil.
- Prep Ahead: You can mash your bananas the day before and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also measure out your dry ingredients so you’re ready to go!
How to Store It
Once your delicious banana bread has cooled completely, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want it to last a bit longer, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. For longer storage, you can slice it and freeze individual portions in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. Just thaw at room temperature or gently reheat in the microwave!
FAQs
Got questions? I’ve got answers!
Q: Can I use frozen bananas?
A: Absolutely! Thaw your frozen bananas completely and drain off any excess liquid before mashing. They work just as well!
Q: My banana bread didn’t rise much. What did I do wrong?
A: This could be due to a few things: your baking soda might be old, or you may have overmixed the batter, which can deflate the leavening agents. Ensure your baking soda is fresh and mix gently!
Q: Can I make this into muffins?
A: Yes! Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins (about 2/3 full) and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. You can add the topping after baking.
Enjoy every single bite of this incredible Reese’s Explosion Banana Bread! It’s a hug in a slice, perfect for any occasion. Happy baking!
Reese's Explosion Banana Bread
Equipment
- Loaf pan Greased and floured
- Large bowl
- Fork For mashing bananas
- Separate bowl For dry ingredients
- Wire rack For cooling
- Small bowl For melting topping ingredients
- Microwave or double boiler For melting topping ingredients
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas about 1 1/2 cups mashed
- 6 tablespoons butter softened
- 0.75 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounce bag Reese's Minis
- 0.5 cup chocolate chips
- 0.5 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
For the Topping
- 10 Reese's Miniatures roughly chopped
- 0.25 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Chips melted
- 0.25 cup chocolate chips melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your favorite loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, a few lumps are okay.4 ripe bananas
- Add the softened butter and light brown sugar to the mashed bananas and mix until smooth and well combined.4 ripe bananas
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until beautifully incorporated.4 ripe bananas
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.4 ripe bananas
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.4 ripe bananas
- Gently fold in the Reese's Minis, chocolate chips, and Reese's Peanut Butter Chips. Reserve a few chips to press into the top before baking if desired.4 ripe bananas
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the bread is cooling, melt the Reese's Peanut Butter Chips and chocolate chips together in a small bowl (microwave in short bursts or use a double boiler).4 ripe bananas
- Drizzle the melted topping over the cooled banana bread and sprinkle with chopped Reese's Miniatures.4 ripe bananas