Banana Bread for Everyone

In our house, banana bread comes with a small dilemma: some of us want chocolate chips, and some of us want nuts. So I bake one batch in a 9×9-inch square pan, sprinkle chocolate chips over two-thirds and chopped pecans over the remaining third. Everyone gets their favorite piece.

This is my take on the After-School Banana Bread recipe from Joanna Gaines. It uses 4 to 5 very ripe bananas, so it stays wonderfully moist, and a sprinkle of sugar gives the top a little crunch. I love a warm square with butter.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, melted and cooled

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• 4 to 5 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Chocolate chips and chopped pecans, for topping

• 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for topping

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9-inch pan or line it with parchment paper.

2. Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the mashed bananas.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir just until no dry flour remains.

4. Spread the batter in the pan. Scatter chocolate chips over about two-thirds of the surface and chopped pecans over the remaining third. Sprinkle sugar across the top.

5. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out without wet batter. Start checking around 40 minutes; the wider 9×9-inch pan may bake faster than the original 8×8-inch version. Let cool before cutting into squares.

A little tip: Keep the chocolate chips and nuts in their own sections when you sprinkle them on. It makes it easy for everyone to spot their piece — and gives you both versions from one batch.