Simple Maple Bourbon Glaze for Banana Bread

We’ve all been there. You spot those overripe bananas on the counter and think, “Well, time to make banana bread… again.” It’s a reliable move: one bowl, minimal mess, and the kids think you’re awesome for transforming brown mush into what is basically a cake. But honestly, plain banana bread is just banana-flavored cake with low self-esteem. You need a glaze for banana bread to pep it up!

This isn’t just any glaze. This is a rich, buttery, brown-sugar-and-maple-syrup situation with a splash of bourbon. It will take your humble loaf from “I’m using up bananas” to “Wow, did this come from the bakery?” Whether you’re serving it at brunch, bribing your child’s teacher, or just treating yourself after a particularly rough day of parenting, this glaze is your banana bread’s new best friend.

Let’s level up. Your bananas – and your taste buds – deserve it.

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Ingredients Needed

• butter
• light brown sugar
• maple syrup
• heavy cream
• bourbon OR bourbon extract (if you don’t do alcohol)
• vanilla extract
• powdered sugar

If you need a banana bread recipe to go with it, check out my super-easy 3-ingredient banana bread! You’ll have it in the oven so fast, you won’t have time to wonder if glaze is worth the effort or not. (It is.)

How to Make a Maple Bourbon Glaze

1. Set a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of butter to melt.
2. As soon as the butter is melted, add 6 tablespoons of packed light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. When the mixture begins bubbling, continuously stir until it reaches a full simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
4. Immediately add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of bourbon (if preferred). Continue to stir for 2 minutes as the mixture continues to bubble, then remove from the heat.
5. Allow the saucepan to cool 4-5 minutes.
6. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. If using bourbon extract instead of bourbon, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of that as well.
7. Add 3/4 cup of sifted powdered sugar. Whisk into the mixture until fully incorporated and smooth. It should be thick but pourable. If it is too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
8. Immediately pour the glaze on top of fully cooled banana bread. Quickly smooth out any bumps with the back of a spoon. It will begin to set immediately but will never fully harden.
9. Let it set overnight unwrapped to firm up before wrapping, or place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before wrapping. I prefer to carefully place plastic wrap only over the exposed side of the bread, leaving the glaze unwrapped.
10. Store at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to five days. If refrigerated, it is best to let it set at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the glaze to soften before serving.

This Recipe is Kid-Safe

While this recipe does use alcohol, and that alcohol does not cook long enough to completely burn off, it is still considered a kid-safe recipe. Well, assuming your child doesn’t plan on eating the entirety of the glaze in one sitting.

One tablespoon of bourbon dividing amongst twelve slices of banana bread brings the individual consumption to an extremely low point. In fact, the amount of ethanol in a single serving of this glaze is equivalent to the ethanol found in a whole ripe banana!

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Yield: Glaze for 1 loaf

Maple Bourbon Glaze for Banana Bread

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Drop a flavor bomb on an ordinary staple with this soft, sweet glaze for banana bread.

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Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 6 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup (not artificial)
• 2 Tbsp heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp bourbon OR 1/4 tsp bourbon extract (both optional)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

1. Set a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of butter to melt.
2. As soon as the butter is melted, add 6 tablespoons of packed light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. When the mixture begins bubbling, continuously stir until it reaches a full simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
4. Immediately add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of bourbon (if preferred). Continue to stir for 2 minutes as the mixture continues to bubble, then remove from the heat.
5. Allow the saucepan to cool 4-5 minutes.
6. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. If using bourbon extract instead of bourbon, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of that as well.
7. Add 3/4 cup of sifted powdered sugar. Whisk into the mixture until fully incorporated and smooth. It should be thick but pourable. If it is too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
8. Immediately pour the glaze on top of fully cooled banana bread. Quickly smooth out any bumps with the back of a spoon. It will begin to set immediately but will never fully harden.

Notes

1. Let it set overnight unwrapped to firm up before wrapping, or place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before wrapping. I prefer to carefully place plastic wrap only over the exposed side of the bread, leaving the glaze unwrapped.
2. Store at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to five days. If refrigerated, it is best to let it set at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the glaze to soften before serving.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

glaze for 1 slice
Amount Per Serving Calories 86Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 8mgSodium 16mgCarbohydrates 15gNet Carbohydrates 14gSugar 14g

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You know what goes great with a slice of banana bread covered in maple bourbon glaze? A banana bread old-fashioned! This cocktail is the perfect pairing with this glaze as part of an after-dinner treat – or maybe even brunch, if you like to live dangerously.