Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

These Banana Chocolate Chip Bars are life changing!

I’m talking gooey, warm center, studded with mini chocolate chips, full of banana flavor in every bite and finished with a brown butter brandy frosting. Life.Changing.Magic.

Yes, you read that correctly. Brandied frosting. It’s everything.

Sure, you could make banana bars with cream cheese frosting but with a brown butter frosting takes things to the next level. This frosting belongs on these banana bars.

To sum them up they are moist, absolutely decadent in all the best ways, perfectly sweetened thanks to the ripe bananas and you’re not going to want to stop after one bar. Have I sold you on them yet?!

Ingredient Notes

• Overripe Bananas: Overripe bananas are super heroes in the baking world. Using overripe bananas ensures the best banana flavor, helps to create an ultra-moist banana bar and adds tons of natural sweetness.
• Unsalted butter: If you only have salted butter on hand, omit the 1/2 tsp. of salt added into the recipe. Be sure to use softened butter (let it sit out on the counter for ~45 minutes prior to baking).
• Sugar: I use a combination of granulated sugar and dark brown sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar adds wonderful flavor and keeps these bars moist. I don’t recommend using any liquid sweeteners.
• Eggs: Room temperature eggs provide structure and stability in these bars. You’ll need 2 large eggs.
• Mini Chocolate Chips: Feel free to add your favorite type of chocolate (semi-sweet, dark, etc.). We love these bars with the mini dark chocolate chips best!

Step by Step Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
3. Beat softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment for 30 seconds, then add in the sugars and beat until combined.
4. Add in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
5. Beat in the eggs, vegetable oil, mashed bananas and vanilla extract until combined.
6. Turn off mixer, add in flour and mini chocolate chips. Fold until combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
8. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. A few crumbs is OK.
9. Cool bars completely.
10. Make Brandied Brown Butter Frosting (recipe below), spread on top of cooled bars.
11. Cover the top with more mini chocolate chips. Cut and enjoy.

Tips and Tricks

• Mash your bananas with an electric mixer! Use your stand mixer or hand mixer with the wire whip attachment to break down the ripe bananas in seconds.
• Make the brown butter in a light colored skillet if you have one so you can see the butter as it browns. This is one of my favorite posts on how to brown butter if you need some extra guidance!
• To make ahead: bake bars as directed; cool completely. Don’t add the frosting yet. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Once ready to enjoy, thaw and frost as directed.
• Don’t over bake: I know this goes without saying for most baked goods but over baking these bars will dry them out. Pull them out before you think you need to since they will continue to cook in the pan as they cool.
• Feel free to line the pan with parchment paper for easy clean up.
• Store bars in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge or freezer for 3 months. They freeze well because they’re so moist!

the goods

9×13-inch baking pan

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Stand Mixer

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Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

A splash of brandy in the browned butter frosting lends a sophisticated allure to these Banana Chocolate Chip Bars. You're going to love them!

5 from 8 reviews

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 23 minutes

Total Time: 33 minutes

Servings: 20 bars

Calories: 255kcal

Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. salt
• ▢ 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• ▢ 3 overripe bananas, mashed (~1 cup)
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 cups flour
• ▢ 1 cup mini chocolate chips + 1/3 cup for garnishing on frosting
• ▢ 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Brandied Brown Butter Frosting

• ▢ 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. brandy*
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. milk
• ▢ 1 tsp. vanilla

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Instructions

For the bars:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
• Beat softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment for 30 seconds, then add in the sugars and beat until combined.
• Add in the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
• Beat in the eggs, mashed bananas, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until combined.
• Turn off mixer, add in flour and mini chocolate chips. Fold until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.
• Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. A few crumbs is OK (we don't want to over bake these beauties!) Cool bars completely.

Brandied Brown Butter Frosting

• Place the butter in a light colored pan over medium heat and melt.
• Stir the butter to keep it moving as it melts; turn heat down to low.
• Watch butter closely, continuing to stir, noticing how butter will begin to foam, simmer, and turn golden. It will smell nutty and buttery at this point and that's when you'll turn heat off.
• Pour into a medium sized heat proof bowl to stop cooking process (if you leave it in the same pan it's cooked in, butter will burn).
• Add in the sifted powdered sugar, brandy, milk and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined. Add a splash more milk to get to desired spreading consistency. Spread on cooled bars. Sprinkle more mini chocolate chips on top, gently pressing them into the frosting to stick. Cut and enjoy.

Video

Notes

• Don’t over bake: I know this goes without saying for most baked goods but over baking these bars will dry them out. Pull them out before you think you need to since they will continue to cook in the pan as they cool.
• Feel free to line the pan with parchment paper for easy clean up.
• Store bars in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge or freezer for 3 months. They freeze well because they’re so moist!
• Use more milk instead of brandy, if desired. 

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Nutrition

Serving: 20bars | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 337IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Hi, I’m Tawnie!

Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.

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