Do you enjoy having fresh baked banana bread and wondering what to pair with it? Banana bread is a dense cake made from very ripe bananas, and is highly preferred with a cup of coffee or cold glass of milk.
Besides those beverages, banana bread pairs perfectly with almost anything from breakfast foods to dessert style sauces, glazes and ice cream.
What to eat with banana bread? Banana bread is perfect with dark chocolate, citrus fruits, Nutella, nut butter, toasted nuts, yogurt, and fruit jams.
Whether you want rich sweetness or light meal, banana bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch, and snack during the day. Add toppings and spreads on each slice to make a filling meal for every bite.
When you have leftover ripe bananas, it is hard to pass up making fresh loaf of banana bread. It can be eaten cold or lightly toasted for almost a week.
So, if you are looking for the best pairing with banana bread, this article is going to help. Answered below are frequently asked questions that goes into detail about what to eat with banana bread. Read through to learn more!
What flavor goes well with banana bread?
The sweet flavor from vanilla is the best flavor to blend with the banana loaf. Nothing beats vanilla when it comes to making a dish naturally sweet and blend with that of the banana bread.
- banana bread + vanilla + ricotta + lemon
- banana bread + maple syrup + cinnamon
- banana bread + vanilla ice cream + caramel sauce
- banana bread + coconut + chocolate-hazelnut spread
- banana bread + apple pie spice + sour cream + brown sugar
What goes well with banana bread?
In general, banana bread goes well with fresh slices of citrus fruits, Nutella, good quality dark chocolate served with a cup of hot coffee, peanut butter, yogurt, and jams.
Here are other toppings and side options that go well with banana bread:
- Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower, flaxseed, chia
- Chocolate: white, dark, semi-sweet, milk
- Dried fruit: cranberries, raisins, apricots
- Cheese: cream cheese, cheddar
- Jam: strawberry, blueberry
- Vegetables: carrots, pumpkin, zucchini
- Grains: oats
What icing goes well with banana bread?
Icing or frosting can be topped with banana bread depending on personal preference. It can bring out more sweetness that pairs well with a cup of coffee and milk.
If you are looking for icing to spread on banana bread, cream based icing is the traditional way to do it. These are some alternative icing flavor ideas you can try:
- brown butter frosting
- maple glaze
- cream cheese icing
- vanilla lemon icing
- caramel icing
- buttercream frosting
What fruit goes well with banana bread?
There are specific fruits that go well with banana bread and not all of them results the same. If fresh fruit is not available, then dried fruit such as cranberries, blueberries, cherries and raisins work well with banana bread.
Fresh fruits that pair well with banana bread include:
- pineapple
- orange
- blueberry
- strawberry
- mango
- lemon
What drink goes well with banana bread?
Typically, coffee and milk complement well with a slice of banana bread. It helps to balance the sweetness and mild beverage.
Wines are also alternative beverage to serve with banana bread, especially sweet wines.
Serving banana bread with a sweet wine makes it feel like an evening dessert rather than an afternoon snack or breakfast. Banana bread with dessert wine is simply the best.
Here are wine options that go well with banana bread:
- Sherry
- German Riesling
- White Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
- Red South African Cabernet Sauvignon
What nut goes well with banana bread?
Banana bread that lacks nuts seems not to be banana bread at all. The nuts are stirred into the batter to add a bit of crunchiness and flavor to any recipe of banana bread.
A lot of people tend to prefer walnuts in their banana bread. Therefore, walnuts are the best nuts to forego while consuming a loaf of banana.
A combination of blueberry, banana, walnut brings comfort to a home. The crunchiness of the nuts makes it that much more enjoyable.
Other nut options to add-in banana bread includes:
What spice goes well with banana bread?
Cinnamon might just be the best spice to add to banana bread due to its composition of citrus and clove, making it have a sweet smell and complement well with ripe bananas.
These are warming spices that also go well with banana bread:
- cardamom
- allspice
- clove
- ginger
- nutmeg
What butter goes well with banana bread?
Standard unsalted butter will go well with banana bread, but to make every bite fancy and finger-licking delicious, there are certain tricks to upgrade your butter flavor with a deep and sweet taste to the banana bread.
- brown sugared butter
- whipped cinnamon butter
- banana nut butter
- honey butter
- brown butter chocolate

Eat With Banana Bread: Conclusion
Good banana bread pairing are well fitted with a natural blending of accompaniments. Its sugary nature makes it suitable to pair with sweet flavors to maintain the decadent taste and smell.
Each slice of banana bread will be much appreciated if it has been sprinkled with nuts, dried or fresh fruit, and spices after baking just before being served.
From dark chocolate chips to a dollop of yogurt and fruit jams, banana bread can be served as brunch or quick snack with a cup of coffee, milk, or sweet dessert wine of your choice.
Most popular flavor combination with banana bread include vanilla, cocoa powder, walnuts, cinnamon, pumpkin, pineapple juice, cream cheese, butter, or icing on top.
Freshly baked banana bread taste better with unique butter such as whipped cinnamon butter, honey or brown sugar blended butter.
Use these tips, add-in, and icing ideas to make your banana bread taste even better. With the right flavor combination, you are guaranteed to enjoy every delicious and nutritious bite.