Not Nuts: Give Banana Bread An Unexpected Crunch With This Salty Crushed Ingredient

Ever bake a fresh loaf of banana bread and wish each bite came with a bit more texture and excitement? Well, here's a tip for making the best banana bread ever: Add crushed pretzels. 

Now, we're not talking about soft baked pretzels, but the small, crispy, crunchy ones you snack on as if they were chips. When crushed and incorporated into banana bread, they add texture, saltiness, and interest. See, banana bread is typically sweet, thanks to ripe bananas and sweeteners such as maple syrup or sugar. It's also tender and soft, almost like a dense cake. Crushed pretzels work well because their saltiness balances the sweetness of banana bread. Additionally, their hard, crispy crunch contrasts beautifully with a soft, moist crumb. 

As for how you can incorporate crushed pretzels into banana bread, well, there are a few ways to go about this. First, choose your favorite banana bread recipe. If you don't have one, consider trying our brown butter banana bread recipe. For those who don't bake from scratch, crushed pretzels can also upgrade boxed banana bread. 

Start by crushing some pretzels. You can do this by sealing them in a large zip-lock bag, pressing out the air, and rolling over them with a rolling pin. Or consider giving them a quick pulse in a food processor. Don't over-crush the pretzels, as we don't need them to be fine, like we would when making pretzel pie crust. Then, fold them directly into the banana bread batter, like you're folding in other mix-ins such as chocolate chips or nuts. Gently fold until the pieces are evenly distributed throughout, so you get a salty, crunchy bite in every slice of banana bread. You can also add visual interest by topping the batter with crushed or whole pretzels.

If you're still feeling adventurous, consider using different types of pretzels to upgrade your banana bread. For example, chocolate lovers can chop up chocolate-covered pretzels. Use them in place of chocolate chips. You can also try chopping up yogurt-covered pretzels, which come in different fruity flavors, such as strawberry, to add depth to your banana bread. Finally, consider using sauces and drizzles to further upgrade your banana bread. For example, if you used chocolate-covered pretzels, a drizzle of chocolate syrup over the top would tie the cocoa flavors together. If you stuck with classic salted pretzels, try a drizzle of our delicious salted caramel sauce.