We Tested 6 Celebrity Chef Banana Bread Recipes And Ranked Them From Worst To Best

Few things are as satisfying as a warm loaf of moist, freshly baked banana bread. In my nearly 18 years as the chef and owner of an award-winning bed and breakfast, I perfected my own basic recipe for this classic that often appeared on the menu alongside other breakfast offerings, from frittatas to omelets. Though I enjoy a simple loaf, I also like getting experimental, adding eclectic ingredients to transform the tried-and-true classic into something revolutionary. It was throug h this lens that I scoured the internet, searching for celebrity chef iterations of this classic that stepped outside the box, in one way or another. My ultimate goal was to find the top recipes that deviated from the norm that would be worth testing and then I ranked these loaves from worst to best.

Every recipe that piqued my interest did something unusual, ranging from including distinctive add-ins to swapping regular flour for an alternative blend to using a different shaped baking pan. While some were more successful than others, they all presented an adventure in baking and a unique culinary point of view that expanded my horizons and allowed me to put on my culinary expert thinking cap. Though none were a failure, a couple of recipes really inspired me by producing a loaf I'd gladly bake again, with some minor tweaks to make them slightly more user friendly. Read on to find out my expert take on which celebrity banana bread recipe reigned supreme.

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6: Ree Drummond Aka The Pioneer Woman

Ree Drummond's banana bread - Monika Sudakov/Daily Meal

This recipe from Ree Drummond more closely resembled cake than quick bread. It creatively utilized a Bundt pan, rather than a loaf one, yielding a product that was tasty, but not quite what anyone would label as banana bread. The recipe included another ingredient that, while often incorporated into cakes for moisture and fluffiness, is less commonly found in banana bread — sour cream.

The basic recipe required the softened butter to be creamed with the sugar, like a cake, before the remaining ingredients, including the bananas, were added. The pan itself was prepared by greasing and flouring it, something that resulted in a less than pleasant texture in the end. I should also note that at the end of the recipe, Drummond noted that she despises bananas and that this is the banana bread for those who dislike them, which was evident in the final product.

The finished bread had a dense crumb that resembled a cross between a yeast bread and a pound cake. While it was moist, it was not particularly light. The flavor of the bread was akin to a basic yellow cake, lacking nuance and definitely absent of a notable banana taste. And, the flour used to prepare the pan adhered too much to the top of the cake, making it taste pasty and giving it a difficult to cut crust. Topped with buttercream, this would be a great birthday cake, but it was an underwhelming facsimile of banana bread.

5: Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver's banana bread - Monika Sudakov/Daily Meal

One of the reasons I selected this banana bread recipe from Jamie Oliver is that it promised a slightly healthier variation on the classic. It used small amounts of apple juice and honey, for sweetness, and self-rising flour, to give the bread structure. It was also a simple recipe to assemble, befitting of the quick bread moniker. Since I didn't have self-rising flour, I made my own, something that is quick and easy to do. The ratio of bananas and liquid ingredients to flour in this recipe yielded a very moist batter, which took longer to bake than noted, and the bread never developed a browned crust.

The aroma of this bread was delightful, having an assertive banana nose with a hint of sweetness from the honey and apple juice shining through. Its texture was where this bread was a bit of a disappointment. It was somewhat dense and gummy, though still moist.

Its taste was far more like what you would expect from a banana bread. The banana shone and the addition of cinnamon was a much-needed flavor boost. While I did find it lacking in sweetness, even for someone who prefers less sugar, it was still pleasant. The pecans were fine, but may be overwhelming for those who do not like nuts. These could easily be eliminated. Overall, this was a solid recipe, it just lacked that light, fluffy texture I have come to associate with a really good banana bread.

4: Bobby Flay

Bobby Flay's banana bread - Monika Sudakov/Daily Meal

There is no doubt that Bobby Flay's banana bread recipe is sophisticated and intended for foodies. It includes espresso powder and chocolate chips, a classic combination that many chefs swear by for its efficacy at bolstering the flavor of the cocoa. This recipe also requires the butter to be browned, which confers a nutty richness that elevates the bread from everyday to extraordinary.

The one downside to this recipe is that it was rather labor-intensive and required quite a bit of patience to execute properly, making it a quick bread that you would likely not whip up for an impromptu brunch. It did use a technique to mash bananas that I am surprised more chefs do not highlight, but that I have been doing for years. It employed an old-fashioned wavy potato masher to blend up the bananas, which is the most effective way of getting them really smooth.

While I quite enjoyed this banana bread, it isn't likely to appeal to a broad audience. The sheer amount of coffee in the recipe dominated its aroma and flavor, overwhelming the bananas to the point that you could hardly detect them. It was also not the sweetest recipe of the bunch, though this is likely because the coffee lent some bitterness that counteracted the sugar. Lastly, though the cake was tender, it was just a touch dry. That said, it was definitely the most unique of the banana bread recipes I tested, for which I gave it extra credit.

3: Sunny Anderson

Sunny Anderson's banana bread

Initially, this banana bread recipe from Sunny Anderson didn't appear to be all that remarkable, until I took a closer gander and realized it included a very unusual ingredient — Worcestershire sauce. This was not totally foreign, as the incorporation of a savory element, like miso paste, into banana bread isn't all that novel. That said, Worcestershire sauce does have a rather aggressive aroma and flavor -- thanks to the combination of molasses and anchovi es -- that I was skeptical about. And, we aren't talking about a pinch of the sauce as an accent; this recipe called for marinating the thinly sliced bananas in 3 tablespoons of this condiment, which would be seemingly excessive in any recipe. Nevertheless, I persisted, putting my skepticism aside in the name of research.

Obviously, this was a good call, because it landed in third place on my ranking of celebrity chef banana bread recipes. I don't quite understand how or why it works, but it does. However, I will note that the scent of the Worcestershire does tend to mute almost everything else in this recipe and gets more aggressive as the bread cools. That said, the final bread was quite moist, having an almost spongy texture. The Worcestershire lends a tanginess and a hint of umami-rich saltiness that is present, but not distracting. The hint of cinnamon and the slightly bitter walnuts helped to balance out those savory notes, creating a nuanced flavor that I was thoroughly shocked and pleasantly surprised by.

2: Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy Teigen's banana bread - Monika Sudakov/Daily Meal

Chrissy Teigen's banana bread recipe intrigued me for a number of reasons, least of which was that it was prepared in a Bundt pan. It had an extensive list of unusual ingredients, including instant pudding mix, shredded coconut, and shaved dark chocolate, which instantly got my brain thinking this would taste something like an Almond Joy in banana bread delivery format. Additionally, the recipe itself came together quite quickly and easily.

My only critique of this recipe is that the batter was quite moist, requiring a far longer baking time at the suggested oven temperature than indicated. The recipe suggested 50 to 60 minutes; this bread wasn't ready until the one hour and 20-minute mark. This could be mitigated by increasing the temperature, but this might result in the bottom of the bread burning before the center is done.

That said, the extra-moist batter made for a gloriously-textured banana bread that was a triumph on every front. The aroma of dark chocolate and coconut was mouthwatering, and the flavor was every bit what I anticipated. Not only did it have notes of Almond Joy, it was a sophisticated version of this candy. Most importantly, the banana didn't get lost among the other ingredients. It remained the star of the show, punctuating the bread throughout. The only reason this bread didn't rank higher was because coconut may be an acquired taste, though you could easily leave it out of the recipe and still enjoy this bread.

1: Alton Brown

Alton Brown's banana bread - Monika Sudakov/Daily Meal

If I was a betting human, I would have put all my chips on Alton Brown's banana bread recipe. Alton Brown is methodical about testing and retesting his recipes, seeking the best versions of everything before he puts his name on it. This banana bread was no exception to this rule. It caught my attention because it relied on toasted and ground old-fashioned rolled oats for flavor and texture, something that I instinctively knew would be dynamite.

I will note that this recipe wasn't exactly simple to execute; it required extra time and equipment, including a food processor and a stand or hand mixer. Additionally, the recipe components were given in weight (both U.S. standard and metric) versus volume measurements, so it required a scale to accurately dole out the ingredients. This was partly the secret to its success. Lastly, the batter itself was quite wet and clumpy, something that might catch you off guard if you weren't anticipating it.

This baked good was incredibly distinct while upholding the basic tenets of a high-quality, classic banana bread. The oats lent a unique, nutty flavor and slightly crumbly, yet crunchy texture that was delightful. The bananas shone, enhancing the moistness of the bread. Lastly, the sweetness was en pointe, being just enough to accentuate the bananas. If you have the time, this recipe is worth the extra effort for a truly superior banana bread.

Methodology

Slice of banana bread - Monika Sudakov/Daily Meal

As previously noted, I only tested recipes that were in some way different from a majority of the everyday banana bread recipes that I have seen. I thoroughly read each recipe a couple of times to ensure that I prepared them accurately. My assessments for each recipe included the types of ingredients used, ease of preparation, accuracy, and final outcome. Ultimately, the placement of each recipe on the ranking came down to aroma, texture, flavor, and, where applicable, general appeal to a wide audience. Though I had my hunches as to which recipes would perform well, I strove to maintain my objectivity, reserving my final opinions until I could sample all of the recipes side-by-side for a true comparison.

One general observation I had about all of these recipes was that they all lacked some complexity in flavor. Even the more nuanced recipes for the most part omitted much by way of seasonings, such as spices and extracts. I am accustomed to adding layers of flavors to all of my banana bread recipes, at the very least cinnamon and vanilla extract. I often enjoy throwing in added elements, like lemon zest or orange blossom water, to accentuate the bananas while making the flavors of the bread pop. This is a personal preference, but one that my years of experience has shown to produce a more satiating and exciting dining experience.

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