Have you ever had overripe bananas and had no idea how to use them or what to do with them so you just revert to throwing them out? You didn’t intend to, but you forgot them sitting on your countertop. They grow spotty and brown and you tell yourself these are no use to you. You throw them out in the garbage because you would never eat such a thing. Stop doing that! Overripe bananas are actually pretty magical and there are a lot of things you can do with them. From banana bread to soft-serve ice cream, you’ll be shocked at how much variety this overripe fruit can bring. Read on to find out all the yummy treats bananas can make!

Getty Images/Getty Images News/Tim Graham

Ok, we know that banana bread is a cult favorite. It will never go out of style. It is so sweet and so moist and the browner the banana the better. Aside from banana bread, how about whipping up some banana chocolate chip muffins? They make the perfect on-the-go breakfast or a quick snack. Not the mention, they are also super healthy for you. You can opt for a more healthy flour like whole wheat and some dark chocolate chips to make a healthy and nutritious treat. Another option is freezing overripe bananas, but be sure to peel them first. Once frozen, you can add them to smoothies for a creamy texture or you can even make banana ice cream. You do this by adding your frozen banana to a blender with a bit of liquid and it turns into soft-serve ice cream. How cool?

If these delicious ideas weren’t enough, what about banana pancakes? Next time you’re whipping up some pancakes, mash some banana into the batter and your pancakes will be taken to the next level. One of our all-time favorites is banana cake, but not any regular cake. We’re talking banana cake in a mug. You may be wondering how that’s even possible, but it is the easiest and quickest recipe. You just follow any regular banana cake recipe but downsize it to a mug. After all, this is a personal mug cake. There is no sharing involved because you won’t be able to stop eating it. There really are no rules to this one. You just mix everything together in a mug, microwave, and you are left with a perfectly baked cake. Hopefully, we gave you some ideas for the next time you have some spotty bananas staring at you on the counter.