Description
These moist and flavorful Banana Bread Bars are a perfect treat for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. Made with ripe bananas, a rich blend of sugars, and optional nuts or chocolate chips, these bars are easy to bake and satisfy any sweet craving. Customize with your favorite mix-ins for an extra special touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Banana Bread Bars Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure even baking.
- Mash Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, leaving some chunks for texture.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the melted butter to the mashed bananas and stir to combine. Then mix in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until well incorporated.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Crack in the eggs and pour in the vanilla extract, whisking the mixture until it becomes smooth and creamy.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together baking soda, salt, and all-purpose flour.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Add Mix-Ins: Fold in chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips if using, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Prepare Baking Pan: Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter or non-stick spray; optionally, line the bottom with parchment paper for easier removal.
- Pour Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly using a spatula.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow the bars to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and Serve: Once fully cooled, cut into 12-16 bars and optionally dust with powdered sugar to serve.
Notes
- Customize your bars by adding various mix-ins such as nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate to keep longer.
- For easy removal, line the baking pan with parchment paper.
- These bars can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature, perfect with coffee or tea.
