Traditionally, we only think about baking banana bread or making smoothies when our bananas are too ripe to eat by hand, but why wait? If you’re hankering for a good smoothie or want to do some baking with a bunch of bananas but they’re not soft or ripe enough, a trip through the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit is all it takes to get them soft and sweet.

Just layer your bananas on a cookie sheet and let them bake at 300 degrees for about an hour.

They’ll turn shiny and black, and they’ll definitely be hot to the touch, but according Clean Green Simple, the long trip through the oven simulates the ripening process, and the end result are super-soft, extra-sweet bananas. Just toss them in the fridge until they’re cool enough to handle. Peel them open, and mix them up for banana muffins, pancakes, banana bread, or toss them into the blender.

Source: Quick Tip – How to Quickly Ripen Bananas | Clean Green Simple