So far things have been going pretty well with ordering groceries online and doing curbside pickup.

I am a total control freak when it comes to doing shopping. Of course I prefer taking care of this errand myself, but I’ve adjusted.

No, I can’t pick out the exact red pepper or bunch of kale that I want, but does it really matter that much? 

No.

In my last batch of groceries, I got a bunch of very green bananas. They didn’t even have a hint of golden yellow.

I played the waiting game hoping my timing would work to have sliced bananas on whole wheat toast with peanut butter.

Somehow the bananas went from hard and unripe to speckled and overripe before I did anything about it.

Fragrant, mushy bananas shouldn’t be peeled and eaten. They should be saved for baked goods.

And what better thing to bake than banana bread.

But not just any banana bread—crunchy peanut butter banana bread.

There is nothing wrong with slathering toast with peanut butter and lining up banana slices, but this actually tastes like a treat.

What I love most about this version is the balance of peanuts and bananas. They are a total dream team.

How To Make Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Bread

To start, I combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt in one bowl.

In a separate bowl, I whisk together mashed bananas, vegetable oil, eggs, milk and crunchy peanut butter.

Then I fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and transfer the batter to a loaf pan.

Before I put it in the oven to bake, I sprinkle chopped salted peanuts across the top.

The ingredients for the batter are a cinch to whip up, but like most quick breads, the bake time for this crunchy peanut butter banana bread can seem long.

Just remember that in the end it’s worth the wait for a subtly sweet, nutty slice dotted with salty peanuts.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Bread

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15-25 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30-40 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients

Non-stick cooking spray
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting pan
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 rounded cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/4 cup chopped salted roasted peanuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the bananas, oil, eggs, milk and peanut butter. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle chopped peanuts across the top.

Bake for 1 hour and 15-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs.

Let the loaf sit in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Adapted from Baked Elements by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

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