The best banana desserts turn spotty, overripe bananas into moist breads, fudgy brownies, creamy pies, frozen nice cream, and thick smoothies. This collection rounds up 20 easy vegan banana recipes, all dairy and egg free, so you never waste a browning banana again. From five-minute smoothies to make-ahead pies, there’s something here for every craving and every skill level.
How to Choose the Right Banana Dessert
Choose your banana dessert based on how ripe your bananas are and how much time you have. Heavily spotted, almost-black bananas are the sweetest and mash best, making them ideal for breads, muffins, brownies, and cookies where a soft texture matters. Firmer, just-yellow bananas hold their shape, so save those for banana split pie or slicing over cream pies. For a five-minute treat, freeze ripe bananas and blend them into nice cream, milkshakes, or smoothies. Match the recipe to your fruit and you’ll never toss a browning banana again.
Jump to a category
Banana Breads and Loaves
Overripe bananas shine in these tender, freezer-friendly loaves and muffins.
Perfect Vegan Banana Bread
This is the moist, tender banana bread you’ll keep coming back to, with a soft crumb and deep caramel sweetness from very ripe fruit. It stays completely dairy and egg free without tasting like it. Tip: fold the batter just until no dry flour remains, since overmixing develops gluten and turns the loaf dense.
Get the recipe
Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
Rich cocoa meets sweet banana in a loaf that eats more like cake than breakfast, with a dark, fudgy crumb studded with chocolate. It’s the recipe to bake when a plain slice just won’t cut it. Tip: let the loaf cool fully before slicing so the tender center sets and cuts cleanly.
Get the recipe
Easy Banana Nut Bread
A cozy classic that pairs mashed banana with crunchy nuts for contrast in every bite. The batter comes together in one bowl, making it an easy weekend bake or a last-minute homemade gift. Tip: toast the walnuts in a dry pan for a few minutes before folding them in to deepen their flavor.
Get the recipe
Banana Bread Muffins
All the comfort of banana bread in a grab-and-go shape, with domed tops and fluffy centers. They bake in a fraction of the time a full loaf needs, so they’re ideal for busy mornings. Tip: fill each cup about three quarters full and start in a hot oven to encourage tall, bakery-style domes.
Get the recipe
Banana Cookies, Brownies and Bars
Handheld banana treats that bake up fudgy, chewy, and perfect for lunchboxes.
Banana Brownies
Fudgy, deeply chocolatey squares where mashed banana keeps the crumb moist without any eggs. They walk the line between brownie and cake, and they tend to disappear fast at any gathering. Tip: pull the pan while the center still looks slightly underbaked, as the brownies firm up considerably as they cool.
Get the recipe
Banana Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries
Chewy, wholesome cookies bound together with banana and hearty oats, then dotted with tart dried cranberries. With just a handful of ingredients, they come together in minutes for a snack you can feel good about. Tip: let the dough rest so the oats hydrate, which gives the baked cookies a chewier bite.
Get the recipe
Vegan Banana Bars with Pina Colada Frosting
Soft banana sheet-cake bars crowned with a tropical pina colada frosting of coconut and pineapple. They taste like a beach vacation and slice neatly for a crowd. Tip: chill the bars for about an hour before cutting so the frosting sets and you get clean, sharp edges on every square.
Get the recipe
Banana Pies and Frozen Treats
Cool, creamy banana desserts for warm days and dinner-party finales.
Vegan Banana Split Pie
All the fun of a banana split reimagined as a sliceable, no-fuss pie, with layers of banana, creamy filling, and classic sundae flavors. It’s a showstopping summer dessert that needs no ice cream churn. Tip: brush the sliced bananas with a little lemon juice so they stay bright instead of browning in the pie.
Get the recipe
Vegan Banana Cream Pie with Blueberries
Inspired by the British banoffee classic, this creamy banana pie adds juicy blueberries for a fresh, fruity twist. A silky filling sits over a crisp base for a dessert that feels indulgent yet comes together simply. Tip: assemble and chill the pie for several hours so the filling firms up enough to hold neat slices.
Get the recipe
Banana ‘Nice’ Cream with Candied Nectarines and Caramel
Frozen bananas blend into a soft, scoopable nice cream that rivals real ice cream, here dressed up with candied nectarines and a ribbon of caramel. It’s dairy free, naturally sweet, and endlessly customizable. Tip: freeze ripe banana coins in a single layer first so they blend smooth without straining your machine.
Get the recipe
Strawberry Banana Milkshake
Frozen banana and strawberries whirl into a thick, frosty milkshake that’s creamy without any dairy ice cream. It’s a quick, refreshing treat for hot afternoons and after-school cravings. Tip: use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes so the shake stays thick and flavorful rather than watering down as it melts.
Get the recipe
Fluffy Banana Pancakes
We said desserts, but these two banana stacks are too good to leave off the list.
Vegan Banana Pancakes
Fluffy, golden pancakes where ripe banana adds natural sweetness and helps replace the eggs. They cook up light and tender, ready for a drizzle of maple syrup and a pile of fresh fruit. Tip: keep the heat at medium and wait for bubbles across the surface before flipping so the centers cook through evenly.
Get the recipe
Vegan Peanut Butter Pancakes
Nutty peanut butter and mellow banana team up in these hearty pancakes with a satisfying, tender crumb. They’re filling enough to power a busy morning yet taste like a proper treat. Tip: warm the peanut butter slightly so it whisks smoothly into the batter instead of leaving thick, sticky pockets.
Get the recipe
Banana Smoothies and Drinks
Blend ripe bananas into thick, naturally sweet drinks you can sip like dessert.
Banana Breakfast Smoothie
A thick, creamy banana smoothie boosted with a fiber-rich seed mix to keep you full through the morning. Naturally sweet and satisfying, it drinks like a milkshake but works as a real breakfast. Tip: soak the seeds in your liquid for a few minutes before blending so they soften and thicken the smoothie beautifully.
Get the recipe
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Banana and peanut butter blend into a rich, dessert-like smoothie that tastes like a liquid peanut butter cup. It’s quick, filling, and endlessly adaptable to whatever milk you have on hand. Tip: freeze the banana ahead of time so the smoothie turns out thick and frosty without needing any added ice.
Get the recipe
Chocolate Banana Blackberry Smoothie
Cocoa, ripe banana, and tart blackberries blend into a deep purple smoothie that feels like a treat in a glass. It’s creamy, lightly sweet, and packed with berry flavor. Tip: add the cocoa powder to the liquid first and blend briefly so it disperses evenly instead of clumping around the blades.
Get the recipe
Apricot Banana Smoothie
Juicy apricots and banana come together in a sunny, velvety smoothie with a gentle tang. It’s a bright way to use ripe summer stone fruit and doubles as a light dessert. Tip: if your apricots are very tart, add an extra piece of banana to round everything out with natural sweetness.
Get the recipe
Intense Workout High Protein Smoothie
A hearty post-workout smoothie built on creamy banana for natural carbs and a smooth, thick texture. It’s filling and satisfying, the kind of blend that doubles as a quick sweet treat. Tip: blend in a spoonful of nut butter along with the banana for extra staying power and a richer, dessert-like finish.
Get the recipe
Tropical Green Smoothie
Leafy greens disappear into a creamy tropical smoothie where banana and sunny fruit take the spotlight. It’s bright, refreshing, and sweet enough to feel like a treat rather than a health chore. Tip: use a frozen banana as the base to keep the smoothie thick and cold while mellowing any grassy notes.
Get the recipe
Green Barley Grass Smoothie
An earthy green smoothie where creamy banana smooths out barley grass into something genuinely crave-worthy. It’s a refreshing way to fold more greens into a naturally sweet blend. Tip: start with half the barley grass powder and taste, adding more gradually so the banana keeps the flavor mellow and approachable.
Get the recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I make with overripe bananas? Overripe bananas are perfect for banana bread, muffins, brownies, oatmeal cookies, nice cream, and smoothies. The riper and darker the peel, the sweeter and softer the fruit, which is exactly what these bakes and blended treats need.
Are these banana desserts vegan? Yes. Every recipe in this collection is vegan, meaning dairy free and egg free. Ripe mashed banana naturally works as a binder in many of the bakes, so the desserts stay tender without any animal products.
Can I freeze banana desserts? Most banana breads, muffins, brownies, and bars freeze very well. Cool them completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to three months. Nice cream and milkshakes are best made fresh, though you can pre-freeze banana coins to blend on demand.
How ripe should bananas be for baking? For baking, use bananas with heavily speckled or mostly black peels. At that stage the starches have converted to sugar, so the fruit is sweeter, softer, and much easier to mash into a smooth batter for breads, muffins, and brownies.
How do I ripen bananas quickly? To ripen bananas fast, bake unpeeled bananas at a low oven temperature until the skins turn black and the fruit is soft, then cool and mash. Storing bananas in a paper bag with an apple also speeds up ripening over a day or two.
What is banana nice cream? Banana nice cream is a dairy-free frozen dessert made by blending frozen ripe bananas until smooth and creamy. It scoops like soft-serve ice cream, is naturally sweet, and takes to mix-ins like caramel, cocoa, peanut butter, or fresh fruit.
