Willie Nelson's 'Famous' Chocolate Banana Bread Hits All the Right Notes

Willie Nelson's Famous Banana Bread

As the old song goes, “Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.” Let them be doctors and lawyers and...bakers? Now that’s not quite the lyric, but it's what came to mind when I found out that the great and beloved Willie Nelson had a famously secret recipe for banana bread that’s been making its way around the internet.

I can’t confirm if this recipe was created by Willie or only inspired by the country music legend, but when I found out about its existence, I felt obligated to give it a try. I mean, it’s not every day that you get to eat bread baked by a cowboy. But as a former kid who used to play pretend cowboy living his life out on the range, this brings me one step closer to playing out the part—though I’m not sure how much baking goes on in the life of a cowboy, let alone the life of one as famous as the Mr. Willie Nelson.

Here's what happened when I tried the recipe in my cowboy kitchen.

Get the recipe: Willie Nelson's Famous Banana Bread

Ingredients for Willie Nelson’s Famous Banana Bread

To make this bread like Shotgun Willie himself, you’re going to need three really ripe bananas, large eggs, flour, sugar, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate chips. You'll also need extra sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on top.

How to Make Willie Nelson’s Famous Banana Bread

As Willie says, “If you’ve got the money, honey, I’ve got the time.” And luckily for fans, this recipe doesn’t require too much of either. In fact, following these instructions might spare you from having to discard any uneaten bananas that have been sitting out for too long.

To start, mix the very ripe bananas with the eggs, and stir them well in a large bowl. Pour in the flour, sugar, baking soda, vanilla and cinnamon and continue stirring. Once combined, add in ¾ cup chocolate chips and mix one final time.

Next, pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with the cinnamon sugar and the remaining chocolate chips. Bake at 375° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, which should take about 40 minutes.

Related: Paul Hollywood's Traditional Irish Soda Bread is As Good as Gold

What I Thought About Willie Nelson’s Famous Banana Bread

If you’ve been here for a while and have read my previous recipe reviews, then you know that I am not a fan of fruit baked into anything. Not a pie, not a cake and certainly not a pastry. But after finishing the first slice, this banana bread was “Always on my Mind.” Maybe it’s the cinnamon and sugar, or maybe it’s the chocolate chips. Whatever it was, it made me a fan of banana bread—or at least Willie’s version.

The bread is very moist and sweet—almost like a slice of cake. The combination of sugar, cinnamon and chocolate chips allow the bread to be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert or even an afternoon snack. Although it’s only a bread, it caters to my sweet tooth and love for cake, making this sneaky little treat one that I will try again (if I ever have some overripe bananas).

Tips for Making Willie Nelson’s Famous Banana Bread

Make sure your bananas are really ripe. The riper the banana, the better. Extra ripe bananas will blend easily into the batter and also have a rich, sweet flavor. If your bananas aren't quite at that stage yet, you can speed up the ripening process by sticking them in the oven for a few minutes.

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