Delicious Australian banana recipes to try this summer.

Not only are bananas loved for their delicious taste, but bananas are also nutritious and contain high amounts of fibre, antioxidants and potassium. We’ve rounded up some of the most delicious and easy banana recipes to try this summer…

Vegan banana maple scrolls

Makes 9
Prep time 30 mins
Cooking time 30 mins

3 cups (450g) plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
7g (2 tsp) instant dried yeast (see tip)
1/2 tsp sea salt flakes, crushed
1 cup dairy-free milk, like almond, almond & coconut or soy, warmed
100g vegan butter, softened 
4 Bananas, peeled, sliced
3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Icing

1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tbs maple syrup
2 tsp dairy-free milk

Combine flour, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, ¼ cup brown sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm milk and 60g butter, stir until dough comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and bounces back when to touch it. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer and mix with a dough hook for 5 minutes. Brush a bowl with oil to grease. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth. Roll dough out to a rectangle 45cm long x 20cm wide. Melt remaining butter, brush over the dough. Combine remaining 3/4cup brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over dough, pressing in with your fingertips. Top with banana and pecans. Grease and line a 24x30cm (base) swiss roll pan.

Cut into 9 even strips. Roll strips up, one a time.  Place 2-3cm apart in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until scrolls almost double. Preheat oven to 180ºC fan-forced. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile, for the icing, combine icing sugar, maple syrup and milk to form a thick icing. Spoon over the hot scrolls. Serve warm.

Tips The scrolls are best served warm. To reheat, place between baking paper in a sandwich press or wrap in foil and warm in 160°C fan forced oven for 15 minutes. Icing is optional, you can just dust the scrolls with icing sugar if you like.

Good Morning Trifle

Makes 4
Prep time 15 mins
Cooking time 0 mins

4 Bananas
500g Greek yoghurt 
2 tbs honey
1¾ cups toasted muesli
2 mangoes, peeled, sliced
4 tbs mixed seeds & nuts

Thickly slice the bananas. Press 4-6 slices of banana on the sides or 4 large glasses jars. Top each with 2 tablespoons yoghurt. Drizzle each with 1 teaspoon honey. Top with ¼ cup muesli. 

Top with more banana followed by mango. Repeat with more yoghurt, honey, muesli banana and mango. Finish with remaining banana and yoghurt. Sprinkle with seed and nut mix and a final drizzle of honey. Serve. 

Tip You can make this the night before, cover and keep in the fridge for breakfast. Replace the muesli with other breakfast cereal such as Weetbix, Corn flakes or Just right. When mango is not in season other fruit such as strawberries, grapes, apples or pears team well with banana.

4 ingredient banana doughnuts

Makes 48

Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 15 mins 

2 Bananas
11/2 cups self-raising flour
6 tbs cinnamon sugar
1/3 cup sour cream 

Roughly mash the bananas with a fork, you need 2/3 cup. Combine flour and 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar in a bowl. Add the banana and sour cream, stir until just combined, the dough should be a little sticky.

Using lightly floured hands, roll teaspoonfuls of mixture into small balls and place on a lightly floured tray.

Half fill a saucepan with light olive oil or vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat to 160°-170°C. Cook 12 doughnuts at a time for 3-4 minutes or until golden and puffed. Remove to a tray. Roll in remaining cinnamon-sugar immediately. 

Tips To make your own cinnamon sugar, combine 6 tablespoons white sugar with 2 tsp ground cinnamon. Don’t be tempted to make the doughnuts larger, they won’t cook through the centre. Doughnuts are best served the day they are made. If you have leftovers, to reheat, warm in 160°C fan-forced oven for 5 minutes, reroll in a little cinnamon sugar to serve. 

4 Ingredient Banana ice pops

 Makes 16

You will need 16 paddle pop sticks
Prep time 15 mins + 12 hours freezing
Cooking time 0 mins 

4 large Bananas
1 cup thick vanilla custard
2 cups vanilla ice-cream (about 350g)
A few drops yellow food colouring, optional

Peel, chop and freeze the bananas in a storage container or snap-lock bag for 3-4 hours until frozen. 

Place bananas in a food processor or blender. Process or blend until chopped. Add the custard and ice-cream and process until smooth and creamy. Add a few drops yellow food colour, process to combine. Divide mixture evenly among 16 ice-pop moulds (50ml-capacity). Insert sticks. Freeze 8 hours or overnight.

Dip the moulds in a bowl of warm water for a couple of seconds to remove the banana pops. Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Freeze for 15 minutes. Serve. 

Banana bites

Makes 16
Prep time 15 mins + 1 hour 10 mins freezing
Cooking time 0 mins 

4 Bananas, peeled
4 tbs peanut butter
4 tbs Nutella
250g dark, milk or white melts, melted
Toasted sesame seeds or shredded coconut, optional

Cut the bananas into 1cm-thick rounds. Spread one banana slice with 1 teaspoon peanut butter, sandwich with the second slice of banana. Top with 1 teaspoon Nutella. Sandwich with a third banana slice. Insert a toothpick to hold the bites together. Place onto a tray lined with baking paper. Freeze 1 hour.

Dip the frozen banana bites one at a time into the chocolate, then sprinkle with sesame seeds or coconut. Place back onto the tray. Freeze 10 minutes. Serve. Best to keep in the freezer and remove 5 minutes before serving.

One bowl banana Weetbix muffins

Makes 12
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 22 mins

1/2 cup (90g) dried dates, chopped
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large (1 cup) ripe bananas, coarsely mashed
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1¾ cup self-raising flour
4 weetbix, crushed

Preheat oven 180°C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole muffin pan (1/3 – cup capacity) with paper cases.

Place dates in a large heatproof bowl. Pour over ¼ cup boiling water. Stand 5 minutes. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Add oil, banana, eggs and sugar. Mix well.

Sift the flour over the banana mixture. Add weetbix and stir until combined. Divide evenly among prepared pan holes.  about ¼ cup per muffin.

Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove. Stand for 10 minutes in pan. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months.