Coffee-shop syrup · In season for Fall
Banana Bread Syrup
Very ripe bananas, brown sugar and warm spice, simmered and strained. Banana bread for your latte.
- 49 min total
- 12⁄3 cups380 ml
- Keeps 1 week
Quick answer
Banana bread syrup is very ripe banana simmered with brown sugar, water and a cinnamon stick, then strained and finished with vanilla and nutmeg. Simmer 2 sliced bananas with 1 cup packed brown sugar and 1¼ cups water for 10 minutes, steep 30 minutes, strain, and use 2 tbsp per 12 oz latte.
Banana coffee had a big 2026: Dunkin' put banana drinks on its spring menu, and searches for banana coffee syrup hit an all-time high in August. This homemade version tastes like the loaf, not like banana candy, because it starts with real, heavily speckled bananas and brown sugar.
The bananas simmer just long enough to give up their flavor, then steep off the heat with a cinnamon stick. Vanilla and a grating of nutmeg go in once the syrup is cool, so their aroma stays put.
Tastesripe bananabrown sugarwarm spice
The recipe
Banana Bread Syrup
Ingredients for 12⁄3 cups380 ml
You’ll need: small saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, cinnamon sticks, pump bottle, milk frothersmall saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, cinnamon sticks, pump bottle, milk frother
Method
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Combine
Put the sliced bananas, brown sugar, water, cinnamon stick and salt in a small saucepan and stir to wet the sugar.
1½ cups225 g very ripe bananas1 cup215 g light or dark brown sugar, packed1¼ cups300 ml water1 cinnamon stick
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Simmer
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the bananas are very soft and the kitchen smells like banana bread. Halfway through, press the slices lightly with a spoon or potato masher to release more flavor, but don't purée them.
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Steep
Take the pan off the heat, cover and steep for 30 minutes.
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Strain
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and let it drip, pressing the banana only gently. Forcing the pulp through makes the syrup thick and murky. For a smoother syrup, strain again through damp cheesecloth.
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Finish and bottle
Once the syrup is cool, stir in the vanilla and a small grating of nutmeg. Bottle, refrigerate, and shake before using.
1 tsp1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Storage. Keeps about 1 week in a sealed bottle in the fridge; real fruit makes it more perishable than plain syrup. For longer storage, freeze it in ice-cube trays. A standard cube holds about 2 tbsp (30 ml), the right amount for one latte. A sour or fizzy smell, or any mold, means it's done.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 32 kcal, 8.2 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Banana bread latte
2 tbsp (30 ml) per 12 oz latte: stir into 2 shots of espresso, then add steamed milk. Dust with cinnamon.
Iced banana bread cold brew
1½–2 tbsp (22–30 ml) in 8 oz (240 ml) cold brew over ice, finished with a splash of milk or oat milk.
Banana cold foam
Froth 1 tbsp (15 ml) syrup with 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream and 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk until thick; spoon over iced coffee.
Banana matcha latte
Whisk 1 tsp matcha into 2 oz (60 ml) hot water, then pour over ice with 6 oz (180 ml) milk and 1 tbsp (15 ml) syrup.
Banana bread Old Fashioned
¼ oz (7 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) bourbon or aged rum and 2 dashes aromatic bitters. Stir with ice and strain over a large cube.
Breakfast
Drizzle 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) over pancakes, French toast, oatmeal or vanilla ice cream.
Gear for this recipe
Glass Coffee Syrup Dispensers with Pumps (16.9 oz, set of 2)
A pump gives the same dose every press, so every latte tastes the same. Glass washes clean between flavors.
Best for Home coffee bars
Zulay Kitchen Handheld Milk Frother
Best for Lattes and cold foam on a budget
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
Regency Wraps Ultra Fine Cheesecloth (9 sq ft)
Best for Crystal-clear syrups
More gear for this recipe (4)
Whole Nutmeg with Grater
Best for Warm spiced syrups
Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract (4 oz)
Best for Vanilla, caramel and chocolate syrups
Organic Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks
Best for Cinnamon and spice syrups
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- The riper the better. Bananas covered in brown spots, or fully brown, are sweeter and taste far more like banana bread. Yellow or green-tipped bananas make a starchy, faint syrup.
- Overripe bananas from the freezer are perfect here. Thaw and peel them, and add any liquid that weeps out; it's pure banana flavor.
- Dark brown sugar gives a deeper, more molasses-y loaf flavor. Light brown sugar lets the banana come through more clearly.
- Homemade banana syrup is golden-brown and slightly cloudy, never clear. A little sediment settles in the fridge, so shake the bottle before you pump.
- Save the strained banana. Stir it into oatmeal or pancake batter, or blend it into a smoothie.
Variations
Roasted banana
Roast the unpeeled bananas at 200°C/400°F for 15 minutes, until the skins turn black, then peel and proceed. Deeper and more caramelized.
Banana nut bread
Add 50 g toasted, roughly chopped walnuts or pecans to the simmer and strain them out with the banana. Toastier, with the same 1-week shelf life. Label it for nut allergies.
Plain banana syrup
Leave out the cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, and use half granulated sugar for a cleaner, brighter banana syrup. Best for banana matcha and banana milk.
Chocolate banana
Whisk 15 g cocoa powder into the brown sugar before adding the water for a banana-mocha syrup.
Questions people ask
How ripe should bananas be for banana syrup?
Very ripe: lots of brown spots or a mostly brown peel. They're sweeter and much more aromatic. Yellow or green-tipped bananas make a starchy, faint syrup.
Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes. Thaw and peel them, then add them along with any liquid in the bag. Freezing breaks down the fruit, so it releases flavor even faster.
How much banana bread syrup goes in a latte?
About 2 tbsp (30 ml) in a 12 oz latte and 3 tbsp (45 ml) in a 16 oz. Start with less if you like your coffee less sweet.
Why is my banana syrup thick or cloudy?
Banana pulp. It's very soft and slips through a strainer if you press on it. It's harmless: thin a thick batch with a splash of hot water, and next time let it drip or strain it a second time through cheesecloth.
How long does homemade banana syrup last?
About 1 week in the fridge. Freeze it in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months.