Category: glaze

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake

This mint chocolate cheesecake recipe has a Oreo crust, topped with a peppermint-flavored cheesecake filling, and slathered in rich, mint-flavored ganache!

This mint chocolate cheesecake recipe has a Oreo crust, topped with a peppermint-flavored cheesecake filling, and slathered in rich, mint-flavored ganache!

Brussels Sprouts with Maple Glaze

Here’s our favorite Brussels sprouts recipe—they’re baked until crispy and drizzled with a maple balsamic glaze! They’re so tasty and…

Here’s our favorite Brussels sprouts recipe—they’re baked until crispy and drizzled with a maple balsamic glaze! They’re so tasty and we’ve made this recipe more times than we can count.

Brussels sprouts

Every now and then, a recipe comes along that blows us out of the water. Such is the case with these Brussels sprouts. These really are next level, and here’s why. They’re impossibly crispy, baked until caramelized and the outside layers flake off into darkened crunchy chips.

Then, they’re draped in a tangy maple balsamic glaze that heightens the flavors to their peak. One bite of these, and everyone at the table will be asking how you did it! This is one of our top Brussels sprouts recipes we pull out when we find them at the store or market.

How to cook Brussels sprouts

Sure, you can fry Brussels sprouts: it’s delicious, but it’s messy and it uses a lot of oil. So to us, the optimal cooking method for Brussels sprouts is roasting them until crispy. There are a few tricks to getting that perfect charred caramelization. Here’s what to know:

  • Roast at high heat, in a single layer cut side down. Our favorite temperature for roasting vegetables is 450°F. Place all those sprouts cut side down for the best caramelization. You’ll want them in a single layer: no stacking!
  • Use parchment paper to line your baking sheet: not a silicone mat/ Parchment paper makes them the crispiest; silicone mats make them soggy.
  • Bake one tray at a time. To get maximum airflow in your oven, bake only one tray at once. (We learned this the hard way.)
  • Don’t stir. That’s right, don’t even think about stirring! Throw them in for 25 minutes and they should crisp up beautifully.
Brussels sprouts

Add a maple glaze

These Brussels sprouts are absolutely delicious roasted with olive oil and salt. The outer layers fall off and make crunchy, salty chips that are irresistibly good. Most of the time we eat them plain: because we like them savory! But want to take them over the top? They’re fantastic with a little sweet nuance from a tangy sweet glaze.

For the maple glaze, all you’ll do is heat equal parts maple syrup and balsamic vinegar until they reduce into a slightly thick syrup. We added a shake of soy sauce for good measure. Drizzle that over your Brussels sprouts, and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.

Brussels sprouts with maple glaze recipe

More flavor variations

Want to get creative? There are lots more ways to flavor Brussels sprouts. Here are some ideas:

  • Spicy: Make a spicy variation by adding hot sauce to the maple glaze (about 1 teaspoon), or try these Spicy Brussels Sprouts.
  • Honey: Another great flavor pairing is honey! Drizzle simply with honey or even hot honey.
  • Hoisin: Brussels pair well with Asian-style flavors. Toss with purchased or homemade hoisin sauce.

How to make a larger serving

Did you read all our tips above about crispy Brussels sprouts? Let’s see if you were paying attention. How many trays can you have in the oven at once? One tray. That’s right: to get the maximum airflow around your sprouts while they bake, the oven must not have any other food in it.

How to roast more than 1 ½ pounds at one time? You can do this if you have a larger baking sheet that covers the entire baking rack. That’s an 18 x 13 pan, also called a “half sheet pan“. You could comfortably fit about 2 to 2 ½ pounds of Brussels sprouts on a half sheet pan, making sure they have a little space around each.

More ways to cook Brussels sprouts

This Brussels sprouts recipe is a favorite healthy side dish, perfect for any easy dinner (or even Thanksgiving). But there are lots of other great ways to prepare this healthy vegetable. Here are some more Brussels sprouts recipes that show more ways to cook them:

Dietary notes

This Brussels sprouts recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

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Brussels sprouts

Brussels Sprouts with Maple Glaze

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4
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Description

Here’s how to make the best Brussels sprouts recipe…ever. They’re baked until impossibly crispy and drizzled with a maple balsamic glaze.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. (To get them perfectly crispy, make sure this is the only pan in the oven and you’re not roasting anything else at the same time.)
  2. Slice off any hard ends of the Brussels sprouts, as needed. Slice them in half lengthwise and place them in a large bowl.
  3. Mix the sprouts with the olive oil, kosher salt, and lots of fresh ground black pepper.
  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper*, then pour the spouts onto the sheet. Turn them all cut side down.
  5. Roast for 25 minutes until very browned and tender (don’t stir!). 
  6. While the sprouts are roasting, place the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes on medium low heat until thickened slightly and reduced (this should result in about 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons glaze). 
  7. When the sprouts are done, pour over the maple balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Don’t use a silicone baking mat, since these can also make the Brussels sprouts less crispy. If you don’t have parchment paper, you can skip it and roast directly on the sheet.

  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

More easy side dish recipes

This recipe is one of our top easy side dish recipes…ever! Sprouts are always a hit. But here are a few more ideas for vegetable side dishes:

Chocolate Brownie Bundt Cake

This chocolate brownie cake combines cake mix and rich chocolate brownies to make a decadent cake drizzled in rich homemade ganache.

This chocolate brownie cake combines cake mix and rich chocolate brownies to make a decadent cake drizzled in rich homemade ganache.

Apple Fritters

Fresh apples and cinnamon are the stars of the show along with airy fried dough all covered in a sweet glaze for everyone’s favorite apple fritter recipe.

Fresh apples and cinnamon are the stars of the show along with airy fried dough all covered in a sweet glaze for everyone’s favorite apple fritter recipe.

Brown Butter Banana Bread

This brown butter banana bread will have everyone talking—it stars the nutty richness of brown butter and a luscious salted…

This brown butter banana bread will have everyone talking—it stars the nutty richness of brown butter and a luscious salted caramel glaze. It’s a family favorite that everyone goes crazy for!

Brown Butter Banana Bread with salted caramel glaze

Why we love this recipe

There’s banana bread—and then there’s this brown butter banana bread recipe. There’s just something about the sultry nutty richness of brown butter that keeps us coming back for more. This moist, sweet scented banana bread is delightful on its own, but add the salted caramel glaze on top for pure banana bread decadence.

We first made this banana bread inspired by the browning bananas on our counter and a friend recovering from surgery. It turned out so delicious that we’ve been making it ever since. I mean, what’s not to love about brown butter, salted caramel and banana bread all in one bite? It’s transcendental.

I absolutely love this banana bread. The glaze is that little extra something that puts it over the top and makes it a little different from all the other bazillion of banana bread recipes out there. I bet it would be really really good with some whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That would be quite the dessert! -Annika

Ingredient notes for brown butter banana bread

The main requirement for banana bread is the ripest bananas you can find! This is the perfect use for those bananas blackening on the counter. Here’s what you’ll need here:

  • Very ripe bananas: The riper the bananas, the better: very dark brown or black bananas are best.
  • Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter allows the salt content to be controlled by the amount specified in the recipe. You can substitute salted butter; just use slightly salt than specified in the recipe below (¼ teaspoon).
  • Granulated sugar: If you’re planning to omit the glaze, use 1 cup granulated sugar instead of ¾ cup.
  • Eggs: For vegan, you can try substituting a flax egg.
  • Baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, and cinnamon: These ingredients round out the flavoring in the bread.
  • All purpose flour and whole wheat flour: A small amount of whole wheat flour enhances the nutty flavor of the butter. You can use 100% all purpose flour if desired.
  • Salted caramel glaze: The glaze is optional, but it really takes this banana bread over the top! We’d recommend it if at all possible. You’ll need brown sugar, powdered sugar, more unsalted butter, heavy cream, and salt.

How to make brown butter

This star in this recipe is brown butter: which is simply standard butter cooked a bit longer until the milk solids toast and turn golden brown. This gives the butter a nutty and caramelized flavor that adds depth and richness to dishes. You’ll want it to become very brown, then remove it from the heat right before it burns. Here are the steps for how to brown butter:

Step 1: Heat until the butter starts to foam.

Step 1: Place the butter in a large skillet, cut into pieces. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. First the butter melts, then it starts to foam (around 1 ½ minutes if browning 1 stick of butter).

Step 2: Continue to stir until it starts to bubble.

Step 2: Continue to stir occasionally until the foaming stops and the butter starts to bubble, typically around 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 3: Cook until the butter turns brown.

Step 3: Continue to stir occasionally until the butter becomes brown in color and starts to smell nutty, around 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately remove the butter from the heat and pour it into a bowl to cool.

Storing leftovers

This brown butter banana bread stores well. The bread lasts 4 to 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil, refrigerated for 10 days, or frozen for 3 months.

If you’re planning to freeze the bread, it’s best to freeze it without the icing. Slice it into pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container.

More brown butter recipes

Love brown butter? Try our brown butter chocolate chip cookies, brown butter pancake with maple caramel syrup, or our brown butter sage sauce.

Dietary notes

This brown butter banana bread recipe is vegetarian. For vegan, use flax eggs and coconut milk for the caramel.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip browning the butter?

Actually yes! This recipe is still delicious with normal butter; just melt it first.

How do I know when the butter is browned enough?

The butter will start to foam and sizzle, then turn a golden brown color and release a nutty aroma. Be careful not to burn it!

Can I add other mix-ins to this recipe?

Absolutely! Chopped walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, caramel chips, or peanut butter chips would all make delicious additions.

Can I substitute the heavy cream in the glaze?

You can try using whole milk or coconut milk, but the glaze may not be as thick or rich.

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Brown Butter Banana Bread

Brown Butter Banana Bread

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Sonja and Alex Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 pieces
Save Recipe
Print Recipe

Description

This brown butter banana bread will have everyone talking—it stars the nutty richness of brown butter and a luscious salted caramel glaze. It’s a family favorite that everyone goes crazy for!

Ingredients

For the brown butter banana bread

  • 1 ½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (4 medium bananas)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (see Notes), plus more for topping 
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for topping 
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup [140 g] all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup [70 g] whole wheat flour

For the salted caramel glaze (optional)

  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1/4 plus ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat: Preheat oven to 350 °F. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan (or 8 x 4 inch loaf pan).
  2. Brown the butter: Place the butter (sliced into pieces) in a skillet over medium heat. Heat for a few minutes until it melts, turns foamy, and then starts to become golden brown in color and smells nutty. Immediately remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool for a minute before adding to the batter.
  3. Make the batter: Mash the bananas in the bottom of a large bowl, enough for 1 ½ cups. Whisk in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the browned butter once it’s ready.
  4. Add the baking soda, cinnamon, kosher salt, all-purpose flour, and whole wheat flour to another bowl and mix. Add to the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together with a spoon.
  5. Bake: Pour the batter into the loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Bake 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean (or the internal temperature is 200°F): the exact timing will depend on the size of the pan. 
  6. Cool: Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge and invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. 
  7. Add the Salted Caramel Glaze (optional): If desired, when the bread is room temperature, place the brown sugar and butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisking constantly, cook 1 minute until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the whipping cream. Whisk in the powdered sugar and salt and stir until smooth. Taste and add additional salt if desired. Drizzle over the bread. Allow the glaze to dry for 15 to 20 minutes. 
  8. Serve: Slice into pieces and serve. The bread lasts 4 to 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil, refrigerated for 10 days, or frozen for 3 months. For freezing, omit the icing, slice it into pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container.

Notes

*If not making the glaze, consider using 1 cup sugar in the banana bread.

  • Category: Quick bread
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Air Fryer Hand Pies (Apple)

Indulge in the perfect blend of crispy crust and delectable filling with our air fryer hand pies, a mouthwatering dessert that’s easy to make and impossible to resist.

Indulge in the perfect blend of crispy crust and delectable filling with our air fryer hand pies, a mouthwatering dessert that's easy to make and impossible to resist.