7 Grandma-approved Banana Recipes That Go Beyond Bread

Because nothing tastes as good as a recipe made by Grandma.

Published on April 18, 2023

banana coconut muffins on plate, one cut open with butter on it — Photo:
Tammy Lynn

Bananas provide that extra sweetness we all want and love in our breads, muffins, puddings, and cakes. And, while any old recipe will do, one that is Grandma-approved is by far the best. So, if you’ve got bananas ripening on the counter-use them up in these recipes that go beyond basic banana bread.

01 of 07

Grandma's Banana Pudding

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This isn’t your ordinary banana pudding—this one is topped with toasted meringue for an extra layer of flavor and texture in addition to the creamy bananas and crunchy vanilla wafers.

02 of 07

Grandma's Banana Cookies

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Each of these soft banana-flavored cookies is coated with a brown sugar frosting for a bit of extra sweetness with each bite.

03 of 07

Gramma Bertha's Banana Cake

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Don’t worry, the extra time it takes to make this impressive creamy cake is worth it! Just check out what reviewer dhilmer said, "Absolutely delicious! By far the best banana cake recipe I’ve tried."

04 of 07

Shannon's Banana Coconut Muffins

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Recipe creator emrald5769 decided to change up her grandmother’s banana bread and make these Banana Coconut Muffins that feature a secret ingredient: Canned mandarin oranges, which add pops of flavor and keeps these muffins moist.

05 of 07

Air Fryer S'mores Banana Boats

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Allrecipes Allstar Nicole Russell was inspired by her grandma’s oven-baked banana boats. For this recipe, she stuffs the bananas with chocolate, graham cracker pieces and marshmallows and pops them in the air fryer to get them all gooey in a snap!

06 of 07

Homemade Banana Pudding

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banana pudding in a large glass bowl — Sugarplum

"This homemade banana pudding recipe from scratch was handed down by my grandmother. My whole family loves it," says recipe creator Sara Crenshaw.

07 of 07

Southern Style Banana Split Cake

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This dessert from recipe creator Tammy Livingston’s grandmother is like a banana split in cake form. Not only is this a no-cook dessert but it’s a great way to use up any leftover bananas.

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