Cookie Butter Banana Bread

Banana bread is so simple, yet one of my most favorite things to make (and add twists to). I love experimenting with different banana bread recipes to find the perfect, moist yet not soggy bread. I waited and waited for the bananas on my counter to ripen to the point that it was time to turn them to banana bread. Just looking at those bananas everyday, I could practically taste the banana bread in my mouth.

For this experimentation, I made a cookie butter banana bread using completely my own recipe and a jar of Trader Joe's Cookie Butter Spread (same things as Biscoff spread). Imagine peanut butter banana bread, but replace the peanut butter flavor with gingerbready, cinnamon cookie flavored goodness.

I must have a thing for leaving eggs out of quick breads because I did it before, and I did it again. Oops.

This bread probably would have been amazing topped with crushed Biscoff cookies, but I didn't have any of those (I knew I should have asked for cookies on my Delta flight and then saved them a few weeks back), so instead I topped the bread with dried banana slices.

Cookie Butter Banana Bread

yields 1 9" loaf

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dried banana slices

1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
2. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger.
3. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, sugar, sour cream, butter, and vanilla with a mixer until smooth.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine until uniform.
5. Pour into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan.
6. Top with dried banana slices.
7. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out cleanly.