Banana Bread Coffee Syrup

Banana bread syrup in a glass bottle with a handwritten label on a cork trivet next to an iced banana bread latte

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A banana bread syrup that actually tastes like banana, made with two overripe bananas cooked in brown butter, warm spices, and a banana extract finish added after straining so the flavor doesn't cook off. Every other recipe uses one banana and loses most of the flavor. This one doesn't.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Steep Time15

Total Time20

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 overripe bananas mashed (the spottier the better)
1 cup water
¾ cup dark brown sugar packed
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg freshly grated if possible
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure banana extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch it closely; it goes from golden to burnt quickly. Do not skip this step. The brown butter is what makes this taste like banana bread rather than plain banana syrup.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Add the mashed bananas directly to the brown butter. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, pressing the banana into the pan as it cooks. You want it to caramelize slightly, this concentrates the flavor and removes the raw banana taste.
2 overripe bananas
Add the water, dark brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Stir well to combine and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
1 cup water, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Once simmering, reduce heat to low and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the syrup has thickened slightly. Do not rush this step, the longer it simmers, the more concentrated the banana flavor becomes.
Remove from heat and let the mixture steep, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. This is where a significant amount of flavor transfers from the banana solids into the syrup. Do not skip the steep.
Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a clean glass jar, pressing the banana solids gently with the back of a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible. While the syrup is still warm but not hot, stir in the vanilla extract and banana extract. Taste, if you want more banana punch, add another ¼ teaspoon of banana extract.
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon pure banana extract
Let cool completely before sealing. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Shake before each use as the syrup settles. Start with 1½ to 2 tablespoons per drink and adjust to taste.

Nutrition