Beyond the obvious cost savings, homemade banana bread is better on every level. It comes out of the oven warm and fragrant. The Starbucks version was baked at a central facility, shipped frozen, and thawed at the store. Yours is fresh, and the difference in moisture and flavor is significant.

• The bananas must be overripe. Brown, spotty bananas have more sugar and more banana flavor. If yours are still yellow, put them in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black. Let them cool, then use as normal.
• Sour cream is the secret. It adds moisture and a slight tang that keeps the bread from being one-dimensionally sweet. Greek yogurt works as a substitute.
• Do not overmix the batter. Stir until the flour just disappears. Lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the bread tough and dry.
• Add chocolate chips. Replace the walnuts with 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips for a version that is not on the Starbucks menu but probably should be.

The banana bread is the bakery case — pair it with one of these drinks:

• Starbucks Chocolate Croissant — the laminated pastry with bittersweet chocolate inside, for when you want the croissant instead. Same case, different morning.
• Starbucks Egg Bites — the sous-vide-style egg bites (Bacon & Gruyère or Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper) that make the bakery stop into a real breakfast.
• Copycat Starbucks Cold Brew Recipe — the 24-hour steeping method that gives you a week’s worth of concentrate for less than one Starbucks cup.

See all Starbucks copycat recipes →