On a whim recently, Kel and I picked up a bottle of Stockyard Oatmeal Stout at Trader Joe’s. We aren’t big beer fans, but something about it tempted us. And sure, we enjoyed a frosty glass of it on a blistering hot summer day (now just a memory: as I write this there is a mad north wind blowing, golden leaves flying about and the temperature is in the low 30s), but my inclination right off the bat was to put the chocolate-colored brew to a different use, namely Kel’s favorite dessert – banana bread.
What can I possibly add to the lexicon of banana bread recipes? Only that the addition of dark beer adds a yeasty flavor that complements the sweet bites of chocolate nestled into the tender crumb of the bread. If you don’t happen to have oatmeal stout handy, any other beer will do nicely.
Other sweet quickbreads you might enjoy:
- Sugar-free Marbled Banana Bread
- Oil-free Banana Beer Bread with Cacao Nibs
- Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Bread (Jazzy Vegetarian)
- Three Seed Lemon Tea Bread (Robin Robertson)
- Oil-free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Squares
Oatmeal Stout Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. Oil-free.
Description
Add some complexity to your next loaf of banana bread with the addition of oatmeal stout. It lends a warm, yeasty flavor to this classic recipe. Quick, easy, oil-free and low in sugar.
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 3/4 cup oatmeal stout
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond butter powder
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch sea salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I use stevia-sweetened Lily’s Sweets) + more for top
- 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds + more for top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Line an 8″ loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the bananas, oatmeal stout, vanilla extract and coconut sugar until only small pieces of banana remain.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Scrape in the banana mixture and stir until almost combined, then fold in the chocolate chips and pumpkin seeds. Make sure there are no dry bits.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean as a whistle.
Notes
Swap out the pumpkin seeds for your favorite nut(s). I’ve also made this using cacao nibs in place of the chocolate chips. They add nice crunch and cut down a wee bit on the fat content.
COMING UP NEXT MONTH:
I know the stout you speak of, however I have never tried it. I don’t really drink stouts, but I would guzzle this entire loaf. I wish I were joking, but I could legit eat this all. A lovely seasonal recipe.