Why We Love Ripe Bananas
Sometimes you want your bananas to last as long as possible… Then there are times when you have green bananas you would like to ripen just a little so that they are the perfect texture and sweetness for snacking. Or you want to ripen them A LOT to use them in baked goods and smoothies. If you would like to ripen bananas just a little so that they are perfectly soft and sweet for consuming as-is, simply place them in a brown paper bag and set them in a warm spot in the kitchen. Within a day or so, green bananas will be perfectly ripened and ready to enjoy with cream cheese fruit dip or Nutella chocolate fondue. However, if you have green or yellow bananas and you are hoping to make banana bread, banana cake, or fresh fruit smoothies, it’s best to use overly ripened brown or black bananas… When baking with bananas, the riper the bananas are the better. The extra soft texture and sugary-sweet taste brings out the best banana flavor once bananas are cooked. Therefore, instead of waiting days and days for your bananas to turn dark speckled brown or even black, you can bake them quickly in the oven to create instant ripeness!
How to Ripen Bananas Fast
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a large rimmed baking sheet. Place as many unpeeled bananas as needed on the baking sheet. Pro Tip: Line the baking sheet with parchment to prevent the peels from sticking or making a mess. Also, be sure to give each banana a bit of space so they do not touch. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the bananas are completely brown or black.
What To Do With Ripe Bananas
After the ripening process, allow the bananas to cool before cutting them open and scooping out the banana to measure and use in recipes. Overripe bananas are great to use in baking recipes like banana muffins or banana pancakes. Try our delicious and nutritious high protein banana bread, kid-friendly peanut butter banana cookies, decadent hummingbird cupcakes, or chocolate banana cake… Check out this fabulous lineup of 20 Easy Banana Recipes for more of our favorite uses for brown bananas! Freeze the filling from the baked bananas and use it to make yummy frozen treats. Try this spot-on Smoothie King Caribbean Way copycat recipe, satisfying green protein smoothie, or scrumptious banana pudding milkshake.
Looking for More Handy “How To” Guides? Be Sure to Also Try:
How Long to Microwave a Potato How to Make Ricotta Cheese Easy Way to Peeled Boiled Eggs How to Make Pizza Dough from Scratch How to Roast Garlic
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