Bourbon Banana Bread

Name: Bourbon Banana Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour (*spooned and leveled); 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs (lightly beaten); 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4 bananas); 1 cup (213 g) packed brown sugar; ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter (melted); 3 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon (*see note); ½ cup (65 g) chopped, toasted pecans; 1/3 cup (76 g) unsalted butter; 1 1/2 cups (170 g) powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon (*see note)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.

This easy bourbon banana bread recipe can be mixed up quickly in 15 minutes or less. Baked with brown sugar, pecans, and topped with a bourbon glaze, this bread will disappear quickly!

bourbon banana bread cut in half on a plate

I think it might go without saying but I love me some banana bread! And banana bread is one of those simple baked goods that I always see my family and friends go nuts for. When they hear I’ve made banana bread, they perk right up and ask if they can have a slice. Like my banana bread recipe with sour cream, my banana nut bread recipe, or this Nutella version.

If you’re looking to try something a bit more indulgent, these Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect twist on the classic! Made with a soft yeast dough and fresh banana, they’re rolled with brown sugar and cinnamon, and topped with cream cheese frosting—ideal for a brunch treat or any time you’re craving something special! 🍌🍩

So when I told them I made a bourbon banana bread, you better believe they were demanding some! This banana bread recipe is made with Kentucky bourbon. Because bourbon makes everything better right? Like this bourbon pecan pie from The Speckled Palate (I need to put this on my must try list). And then I added in lots of brown sugar to keep it incredibly moist, and pecans for crunch and then gets drizzled with bourbon glaze.

The bourbon inside the batter will get baked so the alcohol will burn off but the glaze will contain bourbon that won’t be cooked off. So if you don’t want your bread to contain alcohol, you can leave the bourbon out of the glaze and replace it with milk.

Grab a bottle of your favorite bourbon and let’s make some banana bread!

Why you will love this recipe

Quick prep time – I love making banana bread because it’s mixes up so quickly! It’s ready to be baked in about 15 minutes or less.
No stand mixer needed – Like most quick breads, this bourbon banana bread needs only a whisk and a spatula. You do not need to use an electric mixer.
Freezes beautifully – This Bourbon banana bread is wonderful to freeze for up to 3 months.

Perfect Banana Ripeness for Baking

You want to make sure to use ripe bananas for your bourbon banana bread recipe for the best banana flavor. Ripe bananas are dark, almost black in color and can be heavily speckled. When a banana ripens, it not only darkens in color but becomes much sweeter.

If you use bananas that are not ripe or are green in color then your banana bread will not have enough sweetness. You can ripen your bananas quickly in the oven if you need to.

Ingredients Needed

All purpose flour – Be sure to measure your flour correctly. Do not much flour in your cup can make for a dense, heavy bread. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off. Do not pack it down.
Baking powder – To make it rise. Read more here about baking powder vs baking soda.
Baking soda – To make it rise.
Salt – I prefer sea salt, but kosher salt or table salt will also work. Read about salt in baking.
Eggs – Lightly beaten. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
Bananas – About 4 ripe bananas, mashed.
Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar. Be sure to pack the sugar into your cup. You can make your own homemade brown sugar if you don’t have any.
Unsalted butter – I prefer baking with unsalted butter vs salted butter, but you can also use salted butter, but you may want to reduce the salt in the recipe.
Kentucky bourbon – You will use some bourbon in the batter, and some in the glaze. If making for kids, you can substitute with milk.
Pecans – Toast the pecans first for best flavor. You can swap and use walnuts, or omit altogether if there is a nut allergy.
Powdered sugar – Used in the glaze. You can make your own powdered sugar in your food processor or blender if you ran out!
Maple syrup – Used to sweeten the glaze and give flavor. I recommend using real maple syrup.
Vanilla extract – To give flavor to the glaze. I prefer using pure vanilla but imitation vanilla will also work.

How To Make This Bourbon Banana Bread

Preheat the oven to 350^oF (177^oC). Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, mash the bananas (you can use a fork, or a pastry blender). Whisk in the sugar, melted butter, eggs and bourbon. Mix well.

Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add mashed bananas mixture to it. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

mashed banana mixture in center of dry mixture in bowl

Fold in the pecans.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.

unbaked bourbon banana bread in loaf pan

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. If there is any wet batter, continue baking. (if using a glass pan, you will need an additional 5 minutes) Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

While the bread is cooling, make the glaze. In a small saucepan and melt the butter on medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the butter turns a golden color, about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the butter so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract and browned butter. Whisk together. It will be quite clumpy.

Add the Kentucky bourbon and whisk together until smooth and the consistency of pancake batter.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled loaf. Slice and serve!

Troubleshooting my banana bread

My bread is dry. This probably means you measured out too much flour or you may have overbaked your bread. Be sure to measure your flour correctly. And bake your Bourbon banana quick bread in the middle of your oven. Each oven is different, so it’s best to test with a toothpick inserted to see if its done and look for moist crumbs or a clean toothpick.
My Bourbon banana loaf sank in the middle. This means bread was underbaked. Be sure to use the correct loaf pan, keep the oven door shut while baking, and test your banana bread before removing from the oven. If your toothpick has wet batter on it, then it needs more time. If you’re baking in a glass pan you will need to add an additional 5 minutes of baking time then if you use a metal loaf pan.

Recipe Tips

Measure your ingredients accurately. Scoop and level method for measuring the flour. If you scoop directly from the bag or push the flour into the cup you will end up with too much flour. Read How To Measure Ingredients.
Don’t overmix. Stirring the banana quick bread batter too much will make it tough and chewy. Mixing develops gluten and makes bread dense. When you combined your wet and dry ingredients, mix only until they are just combined.

four slices of bourbon banana quick bread stacked

Recipe Variations

Add chocolate chips or dried fruit – Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips, raisins, or dried cranberries to the batter. I recommend stirring the chips in 1 tablespoon of flour first so it doesn’t sink to the bottom of the bread.
Bake into mini breads – I baked this recipe in a 9×5 loaf pan, but you can bake in mini loaves Bake mini loaf pans for about 30 minutes bake time.
Bake into muffins – Line a muffin tin with muffin cups and scoop the batter into a muffin tin, filling up about to the top of each cup. Bake at 425F for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350F and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes.
Use a different flour – Make this quick bread with a different flour. Instead of all purpose flour swap out 1/2 of the flour and use whole wheat flour, or use your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour.
Swap the pecans – Instead of pecans, you can use chopped walnuts instead.
Add cocoa powder – Make a chocolate version of this bread recipe by replacing 1/2 cup of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Add some spices – You can stir in some warm spices, like 1 teaspoon cinnamon or 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg to the dry ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store this bread?

This bread can be wrapped in plastic wrap or tin foil or in an airtight container, and stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage I recommend freezing.

Can I freeze this Bourbon banana bread?

Yes you can freeze this bread for up to 3 months. Let the bread cool completely and then wrap in several layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. I like to then place the bread inside a larger freezer bag to help prevent freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter at room temperature if you need it deforested quickly.
For more help on freezing your baked goods, check out my Ultimate Freezer Baking Guide!

Do I need to use the bourbon?

No you do not need to use the Bourbon in this banana bread. You can simple substitute the Bourbon with milk instead. The bourbon in the batter will be cooked off, but the glaze does contain bourbon that won’t be baked off.

bourbon banana loaf sliced on cutting board

More Recipes To Try

Be sure to try my easy fresh strawberry bread recipe topped with a quick vanilla glaze. Or my peanut butter bread recipe. You could make as is or throw in some chocolate chips!