How to Freeze Bananas: 4 Uses for Frozen Bananas

As bananas ripen, they become sweeter as the starches in the fruit break down into sugars. Overripe bananas may become mushy and develop unsightly brown spots, but this is when they are their sweetest. Fortunately, you can keep frozen bananas in the freezer indefinitely, though they retain their peak freshness from three to six months. Here are three easy methods for freezing bananas so you can use them in a number of recipes.

1. 1. Unpeeled whole bananas: When your bananas start to go brown, simply stick them in the freezer with the peel on. They should freeze solid within a few hours. When you want to use them, defrost them at room temperature for a few hours. Peel the bananas, cube them, or mash them and use them in recipes like banana bread or banana ice cream.
2. 2. Whole peeled bananas: Freeze your bananas unpeeled if you don’t want to worry about removing your banana peels after you’ve frozen your fruit. Peel your bananas and lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Place the bananas in the freezer and allow them to freeze solid, which should take about two hours. Store the frozen, whole peeled bananas in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag with all of the air squeezed out to prevent freezer burn. You can thaw them before using them, or blend them into smoothies while they’re still frozen.
3. 3. Peeled sliced bananas: Peeled frozen bananas are particularly well suited to banana smoothies, which are a bit easier to blend. First, peel your bananas and cut them into chunks or slices. Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze them solid. When your banana chunks are frozen, place them in a large plastic bag or airtight container and store them in your freezer.

There is no need to worry about having too many frozen bananas in your freezer. Certain recipes—like banana ice cream or smoothies—even work better with unthawed frozen bananas. Here are a few banana recipes that you can incorporate frozen fruit into.

1. 1. Banana smoothie: A banana smoothie is a rich and creamy mixture of blended bananas and other simple ingredients—like other fresh fruits and milk. Many people enjoy banana smoothies as on-the-go meals, but you can also enjoy a banana smoothie as a breakfast smoothie or as a snack between meals. To make a banana smoothie, simply combine your frozen banana slices and any other fresh or frozen fruit in a food processor or blender with plant milk, natural milk, or orange juice. You can substitute frozen banana chunks for ice cubes in these smoothies for a rich, blended texture.
2. 2. Banana ice cream: One-ingredient banana “ice cream” is a fruit purée made from blended frozen bananas with the same creamy texture as soft-serve ice cream or an old-fashioned milkshake, minus the added sugar or sweeteners. Banana ice cream is commonly known as the original “nice cream,” which now refers to any frozen fruit purée. Unlike traditional ice cream, which is often made using an ice cream maker, you can make nice cream with a blender. To make banana ice cream, blend your frozen banana pieces or whole frozen bananas together into a thick paste. For extra sweetness, add vanilla extract, peanut butter, or honey before you blend the mixture a second time. Transfer your mixture to a bowl and place it back in the freezer. Chill the mixture for at least one hour before serving up this healthy soft-serve substitute.
   
3. 3. Banana bread: Banana bread is a moist, cake-like quick bread made with overripe bananas. Freezing your bananas when they’re soft and ripe means they’ll be sweet and perfect for making flavorful banana bread. If you’re substituting frozen bananas for fresh ones in your banana bread recipe, drain the excess water after you thaw them. Thaw frozen bananas at room temperature for at least two hours, or run warm water over your freezer bag.
4. 4. Banana pancakes: To make banana pancakes, you add mashed bananas or sliced bananas to the batter, or you serve the cooked pancakes with sliced bananas on top—similar to how you might make chocolate chip or fresh blueberry pancakes. If you don’t have fresh, ripe bananas on hand, you can use sliced, frozen bananas to make banana pancakes. Make sure to thaw them for an hour or so before incorporating them into your chosen banana pancake recipe.

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