What is Monkey Butter?

Monkey butter is a sweet, creamy spread made from mashed bananas, pineapple, coconut, and sugar, cooked down into a thick, jam-like consistency. Despite the name, there’s nothing exotic or complicated about it — it’s a simple fruit preserve that’s been a staple in home canning communities for years. For preppers, monkey butter is relevant because it’s an effective way to preserve fruit without refrigeration, it’s calorie-dense, and it tastes good enough that your family will actually eat it during normal times (which means proper rotation).

What’s in Monkey Butter

The basic recipe uses four ingredients:

• Bananas — 6-8 ripe bananas, mashed (the riper the better — brown spots mean more natural sugar and easier mashing)
• Crushed pineapple — 1 can (20 oz), undrained. The acidity of the pineapple is important for both flavor and safe canning pH.
• Sugar — 1-1.5 cups. Granulated white sugar is standard; some recipes use brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
• Coconut — 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional but traditional). Adds texture and fat content.

Some variations add vanilla extract, a squeeze of lemon juice (for extra acidity), or a tablespoon of rum flavoring. The base recipe is flexible — adjust sweetness to taste.

How to Make Monkey Butter

Stovetop Method

Combine mashed bananas, crushed pineapple (with juice), sugar, and coconut in a heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 30-45 minutes until the mixture thickens to a spreadable consistency — similar to apple butter. It should coat the back of a spoon and hold its shape when dropped onto a plate. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla if using.

Slow Cooker Method

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-5 hours with the lid slightly vented (prop it open with a wooden spoon to let moisture escape). Stir every hour. This method is more forgiving and produces a smoother result since the low heat reduces scorching risk.

How to Can Monkey Butter for Long-Term Storage

For shelf-stable storage, monkey butter needs to be water-bath canned. Because the pineapple provides sufficient acidity (pH below 4.6 when combined properly), water-bath canning is safe — you don’t need a pressure canner for this recipe.

• Sterilize half-pint or pint mason jars and lids
• Fill hot jars with hot monkey butter, leaving 1/4 inch headspace
• Remove air bubbles, wipe jar rims clean, apply lids and rings finger-tight
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude: add 5 minutes above 3,000 feet, 10 minutes above 6,000 feet)
• Remove jars, let cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Check seal — the lid should not flex when pressed.

Properly canned, monkey butter stores for 12-18 months in a cool, dark pantry. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 2-3 weeks.

Why Preppers Should Know About Monkey Butter

Monkey butter fills a practical gap in emergency food planning:

• Calorie-dense: At roughly 80-100 calories per tablespoon (thanks to the sugar and coconut), it provides quick energy from a small serving. Spread on crackers or pilot bread, it turns a bland emergency carb into a meal.
• Morale food: In any extended emergency, food fatigue is real. After a week of rice, beans, and canned vegetables, something sweet and flavorful makes an outsized difference in mental health and family morale — especially for kids.
• Uses overripe fruit: If you have banana trees, a fruit surplus from your garden, or discounted overripe bananas from the store, monkey butter is a practical way to preserve them before they go to waste.
• Simple to make off-grid: The recipe requires only a pot and heat. No electricity, no special equipment. It can be made on a camp stove, over a fire, or on a rocket stove.

Serving Ideas

Monkey butter works as a spread on toast, crackers, or pancakes. It’s also excellent mixed into oatmeal (which otherwise gets monotonous after a few days in an emergency), as a topping for pilot bread in a 72-hour kit, or eaten straight from the jar as a quick energy boost. Kids love it — which makes it a valuable tool for keeping children fed and cooperative during stressful situations.

Bottom Line

Monkey butter is a sweet banana-pineapple-coconut preserve that’s easy to make, water-bath cannable for 12-18 months of shelf-stable storage, and calorie-dense enough to be useful in an emergency food supply. It’s also one of the few homemade preserves that people actually look forward to eating, which means it rotates naturally out of your prepper pantry instead of sitting untouched until it expires.

Variations Worth Trying

The basic banana-pineapple-coconut recipe is just the starting point. Here are variations that preppers and home canners have developed over the years:

• Tropical monkey butter: Add 1/2 cup mango chunks (canned or fresh) and a teaspoon of lime juice. The mango adds vitamin A and a more complex tropical flavor.
• Spiced monkey butter: Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ginger during cooking. This version tastes like banana bread in spreadable form — excellent on oatmeal.
• Reduced sugar version: Cut sugar to 1/2 cup and add an extra banana. The natural sugars in the ripe bananas provide enough sweetness for most tastes. Note that reduced sugar may slightly affect shelf life — use within 12 months.
• Chocolate monkey butter: Stir in 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Kids will eat this on anything. The cocoa adds iron and antioxidants.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does canned monkey butter last?

Properly water-bath canned in sealed mason jars, monkey butter lasts 12-18 months stored in a cool, dark pantry. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 2-3 weeks. If the seal is broken or the lid bulges, discard the jar without tasting.

Can you freeze monkey butter instead of canning?

Yes. Pour into freezer-safe containers leaving 1/2 inch headspace for expansion. Frozen monkey butter lasts 6-12 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The texture may be slightly softer than fresh, but the flavor is unchanged. This is the easier option if you’re not comfortable with water-bath canning.

Is monkey butter safe for long-term food storage?

Canned monkey butter is safe for medium-term storage (12-18 months). It’s not a substitute for true long-term survival foods like rice, beans, and freeze-dried meals. Think of it as a morale booster and calorie supplement — a jar of something sweet and familiar that makes bland emergency food more palatable, especially for children.