There they are again. Those brown speckled bananas that you were SURE were going to be long gone by now, but no…here they are. But before you reach once again for that trusty banana bread recipe, walk on the wild side with me.
Break out the brown sugar and the cinnamon and let’s make some easy, no canning involved, spicy, creamy banana jam. Yep, banana jam.
Those bananas up there are just the right stage of ripe for eating the regular way, but I promise that eventually, they got to a point where they were past the prime of their banana lives. As in more brown than yellow.
So while their chances of anyone peeling them for an afternoon snack were long gone, they were absolutely perfect candidates for banana jam.
How to make banana jam!
Mush those elderly bananas up and pop them in a small heavy pot with a half cup of brown sugar, some lemon juice and three tablespoons of butter.
Stir this concoction around until everything is nice and simmering, and let it bubble away for about 20 minutes or so. Make sure you stir it every 5 minutes just to make sure things aren’t sticking or burning (I set a timer for this because it’s entirely possible that I can get onto Yummly and look up to find out that an hour has gone by).
By this point, everything will be melted together and delectable. Don’t worry if it still looks runny – it’s going to thicken up a little bit more as it cools off.
Remember that this is banana jam, not jelly, so it is always going to be a little soft (think apple butter-ish), but that is going to come in handy on the various things you can use it for. More on that later.
Now comes a fork in the banana jam road where you have a decision to make, and that is how much of a cinnamon and vanilla taste you want to add in.
I am a big cinnamon and vanilla lover, so I go for the stronger end of the spectrum, but you might want to start out with less and add more as you taste. Yes, you MUST taste. It’s a requirement.
So, taste a test spoonful, add a little vanilla and cinnamon, take another test spoonful, and add more or leave it as is…you get the idea! Once the taste is good and perfect, let it cool off to room temperature. Don’t worry if it looks too liquid-y at this point – it will thicken up as it cools.
Extra tips for making banana jam!
I like to squish them up a little while they are still inside the peel and then squeeze the banana out on to a plate where I finish up the mashing with a fork. But you can also peel them without squishing and mash them with a fork or a potato masher.
Nope. You need them to be totally, completely ripe – as in lots of brown on those peels – or you won’t have the super soft consistency you need to make the jam. I promise it will be worth the wait!
And then….oh, and then! Then you get to try all the things that are possible with banana jam.
Serving it warmed up over vanilla ice cream with graham cracker crumbs on top.
Making a peanut butter and banana jam sandwich.
Spreading it on one of my mama’s homemade scones (recipe here!)
Rolling it up inside a warm leftover pancake.
The banana jam possibilities are endless. This recipe makes about a cup and a half, and will last for a week or two in your fridge.
If it even lasts for a day once everyone in your house finds out you have made banana jam!
OTHER BANANA-RIFFIC RECIPES WE LOVE!
 The classic banana cream pie is even more fun and delicious when it comes in cupcake form! |
 This fun recipe for banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting takes two favorite flavors and puts them together in one delicious dessert. |
 Shake up your banana bread with a little coffee! This easy recipe for coffee walnut banana bread is the perfect snack and brunch treat. |
Banana Jam
Give the banana bread a rest and turn those ripe bananas into jam with this quick and easy recipe. Banana jam is perfect on toast, ice cream and sandwiches!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups when mashed)
- Juice from one lemon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1–2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Mash the bananas and put in a small heavy saucepan with the lemon juice, sugar and butter. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat and then turn to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool until it is cool enough to taste. Taste and then add the cinnamon and vanilla by half teaspoon-fuls until it has the taste you like. The jam will still be a little liquid at this point – don’t worry!
- Let the jam cool completely to room temperature – it will thicken up as it cools to about the consistency of apple butter.
- Store in the fridge for a week or so – if it even lasts that long!
Notes
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)! Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!
Keywords: banana jam, how to make banana jam, banana jam recipe, what to do with ripe bananas
Updated (and made even more delicious!) from a previously published Framed Cooks post!
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