Holiday Banana Bread Two Ways
December 14, 2025
Two delicious holiday twists on a classic quick bread.
Classic banana bread gets a festive glow-up in this fun little holiday baking project. With just one easy batter, you can create two completely different mini loaves that feel extra special for the season. One goes full holiday magic with a rich Biscoff swirl and sparkling sugar finish. The other leans sugary sweet with chopped Christmas cookies, a sugar cookie glaze, and a ton of sprinkles. These breads are perfect for gifting, party platters, or holiday movie-munching.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Two festive banana bread flavors from one simple batter.
- Perfect for holiday baking, gifting, and dessert platters.
- Mini loaf size makes them easy to portion and package.
- Biscoff swirl version adds rich cookie butter flavor.
- Sugar cookie glaze and sprinkles bring bright Christmas color.
- Simple ingredients and quick prep for busy holiday weeks.
- Make-ahead friendly for stress-free baking days.
- Great holiday treat idea for teachers, neighbors, and friends.
Before You Bake
Can I make both versions from the same batter?
Yes. Make one batch of banana bread batter, then divide it into two bowls. Add the Biscoff swirl to one portion and the Oreos, sprinkles, and glaze to the other.
Do I need special mini loaf pans?
No. Any standard mini loaf pan works great. Silicone, metal, or disposable paper pans all bake evenly for gifting.
When should I glaze the sprinkle loaves?
Only after the breads have cooled completely. Warm loaves will cause the glaze to melt and slide off instead of setting nicely on top.
Santa’s Swirl Biscoff Banana Bread
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
- ⅓ cup melted butter or oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup chopped Biscoff cookies
Biscoff Swirl
- ½ cup Biscoff cookie butter, warmed until pourable
Topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place mini loaf pans on a baking sheet and lightly grease if needed.
- In a large bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, melted butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir just until combined.
- Fold in the chopped Biscoff cookies.
- Spoon the batter into the mini loaf pans, filling each about halfway full.
- Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of warmed cookie butter over each loaf, then gently swirl with a knife or skewer.
- Bake:
• Mini loaves: 18–20 minutes
• Full loaf: 45–55 minutes
Bake until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. - Sprinkle with holiday glittery sugar while still warm. Let cool before serving.
Christmas Cookie Banana Bread Minis
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- ⅓ cup melted butter or oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6–8 holiday Oreo cookies, roughly chopped (leave some nice chunky pieces)
- Christmas sprinkles
Sugar Cookie Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract for that classic sugar-cookie flavor
- Extra sprinkles, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set your mini loaf pans on a baking sheet for easy handling.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, melted butter or oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt just until the batter comes together.
- Gently fold in the chopped Oreos and a handful of holiday sprinkles.
- Spoon the batter into the mini loaf pans, filling each about halfway full.
- Bake: Mini loaves: 18–20 minutes, Full loaf: 50–60 minutes
Bake until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. - Let the loaves cool completely before glazing.
- Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth and drizzle-ready.
- Drizzle the glaze over each loaf and finish with a sprinkle of extra Christmas sprinkles.
FAQ
Can I make these as one full-size loaf instead of minis?
Yes. Pour the batter into a greased standard loaf pan and bake for 50–60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. You can still add the Biscoff swirl or glaze after baking.
How should I store holiday banana bread?
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Glazed loaves store best chilled.
Can these be frozen for later gifting?
Absolutely. Freeze unglazed loaves individually wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and glaze before serving or gifting.
Can I substitute chocolate chips for the Oreos?
Yes. Chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate work beautifully if you don’t have holiday Oreos on hand.
Do I have to use almond extract in the glaze?
No. The almond extract adds that classic sugar-cookie flavor, but you can omit it or use all vanilla if preferred.
Sprinkle of Fun
Bake a double batch and turn these mini loaves into the cutest teacher gifts. Wrap each loaf in parchment, tie with red or green twine, and tuck on a handwritten tag or recipe card for a personal touch. Mix up the styles in each gift set so everyone gets one swirl and one sprinkle. It’s such a fun, thoughtful way to share a little homemade holiday cheer straight from your kitchen.
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