Get the best ways on how to ripen a banana quickly in a day and how to ripen bananas faster in the oven method. Use this to make your favorite banana bread recipes in a jiffy!
Learn how to ripen a banana, and your banana baking recipe will never go wrong because you can make baked recipes on a whim. There are so many days I would love to make banana bread or my favorite whole30 brownies and my bananas are not brown enough. With these quick browning methods, you will never have to worry about not having ready to bake bananas!
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 1 minute
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes (oven method)
- ⏳ Total Time: 31 minutes per the recipe card, including cooling
- 🍽️ Serving: 3 bananas, and you can do as many as you need
- ⚡ Calories: 105kcal per banana
- 🥣 Equipment: a brown paper bag and an apple, or a sheet pan and the oven
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Riper bananas mean more sugars and a sweeter, richer bake
- ✋ Difficulty: The bag takes a day or two on its own; the oven takes about 20 minutes
Quick Answer
The fastest way is the oven. Place the bananas individually on a sheet pan in their skins and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes until dark in color or black, then let them cool before removing them from the skin, or pop them in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to cool quickly. If the bananas are already fairly ripe they may only need about 10 minutes. For a no-oven method, add the bananas and 1 apple to a brown paper bag, roll it up, and let it sit for a day or two. The bag method works for avocados that need ripening too.
Jump to:
Overly ripened bananas in baking make baked goods and smoothies taste so much richer. That is because as a banana ripens, it produces more sugars and therefore has a sweeter flavor.
Why Ripening Bananas Faster Works
Click to see why each method works
- Ripening builds sugar. As a banana ripens it produces more sugars, which is why riper bananas make baked goods and smoothies taste richer and sweeter.
- The bag concentrates the process. Rolling bananas up with an apple in a brown paper bag browns them in a day or two instead of most of a week on the counter.
- The oven does it in minutes. Baking bananas in their skins at 350 degrees F blackens them in about 15 to 20 minutes, and the fruit inside softens and sweetens for baking.
- Cooling first makes them workable. Let baked bananas cool before peeling, and discard any extra liquid that releases.
- Separation matters in the oven. Keep the bananas separated on the pan, since some juices release and separated bananas are easier to cool and peel.
- The same bag trick ripens avocados. One method, two stubborn fruits.
Why You'll Love These Methods
- Bake on a whim. Your banana baking recipe will never go wrong waiting on brown bananas again.
- Two speeds. A day or two in the bag, or about 20 minutes in the oven.
- Nothing to buy. A paper bag and an apple, or a sheet pan you already own.
- Any quantity. The card shows 3 bananas, but you can do as many as you need.
- Better flavor than the microwave shortcut, which softens but does not sweeten the same way.
- Feeds the good stuff, like my chocolate banana bread and vegan banana ice cream.
What You Need
- Bananas - underripe or just yellow, in their skins.
- Brown paper bag and an apple - for the bag method.
- Sheet pan and the oven - for the fast method. Line the pan with parchment paper or spray it with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
See recipe card for the full details.
Which Ripening Method to Use
- Baking tomorrow or the day after? The brown paper bag with an apple browns them in a day or two, hands off.
- Baking today? The oven method blackens them in about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Only need them soft to mash? The microwave works, but the flavor will not be as good as naturally ripening or the oven method.
- Trying to slow ripening down instead? The refrigerator preserves a banana where it is; it will not brown it quickly.
How to Ripen Bananas
Brown Paper Bag Method
1Add the bananas and 1 apple to a brown paper bag. Roll it up and let it set for a day or two to brown quicker. This also works using avocados that need ripening too.
The Oven Method
2Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil, and place the bananas individually on the sheet pan in their skins.
3Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until dark in color or black. If the bananas are already pretty ripe, they may only need about 10 minutes, so check on them during baking.
4Let the bananas cool before removing them from the skin and discard any extra liquid, or pop them in the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes to quickly cool.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Expert Tips
- Keep oven bananas separated on the pan. Some juices release during baking, and separated bananas are easier to cool and peel.
- Check early if they are already ripe. Fairly ripe bananas may only need about 10 minutes in the oven.
- Cool completely before peeling, and discard the extra liquid so it does not thin your batter.
- The freezer is your cool-down shortcut, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Bunch or separated is fine in the bag. They will most likely brown the same either way.
- Measure the mash for your recipe. My ounces in a cup chart helps when a recipe calls for cups of mashed banana.
Recipes to Use Ripe Bananas
Use very ripe bananas in these recipes to maximize the flavor and texture in baking.
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread With Streusel Topping
- Healthy Olive Oil Banana Nut Mini Muffins
- Healthy Carrot Muffins With Avocado, Banana and Oat
- 3-Ingredient Brownies (Whole30 and Paleo)
- Kale Banana Smoothie and Vegan Banana Ice Cream for the blender
Banana Ripening FAQs
You can ripen bananas in the microwave to make them soft to mash, but the flavor will not be as good as naturally ripening or the oven method.
No. Putting an unripe or ready-to-eat banana in the refrigerator will preserve it, but it will not brown it quickly.
In a brown bag, a bunch or separated will most likely brown the same. In the oven it is best to keep them separated, since some juices release and separated bananas are easier to cool and peel.
About 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the skins are dark or black, or as little as 10 minutes if the bananas are already fairly ripe.
A day or two. Add the bananas and 1 apple to a brown paper bag and roll it up, and it browns them much quicker than the counter.
As a banana ripens it produces more sugars and has a sweeter flavor, so overly ripened bananas make baked goods and smoothies taste richer.
More Banana Recipes
Put those ripe bananas to work: Chocolate Banana Bread, Banana Pecan Bread, Eggless Banana Bread, Carrot Banana Oat Muffins and the bakery-style muffin base. If you like my tips on how to ripen a banana from Delightful Mom Food I would love to see your creations and share it! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
How To Ripen A Banana
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Equipment
- sheet pan
Ingredients
- 3 bananas
Instructions
Brown Paper Bag Method
- Add the bananas and 1 apple to a brown paper bag. Roll it up and let it set for a day or two to brown quicker. This also works using avocados that need ripening too.
The Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking oil to prevent sticking.
- Place bananas individually on a sheet pan in their skins and bake them for about 15-20 minutes until dark in color or black. Let the bananas cool first before removing them from the skin and discard any extra liquid, or pop them in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes to quickly cool. If the bananas are already pretty ripe, they may only need to bake about 10 minutes so check on them during baking depending on how ripe or unripe they are.
Notes
- I show making 3 bananas, but you can add as many bananas as you need.
- Putting bananas in a brown bag is fine in a bunch or separated and will most likely brown the same. When baked in the oven it is best to keep them separated as some juices will release and then then are easier to cool and peel.
Jim Hippert says
Does the bag have to be brown? Will a white bag, like the ones you get at the donut shop, work as well?
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
Yes that will work, as long as it is paper:-).