Banana Bar Recipe
This Banana Bar recipe are soft is moist with brown butter icing. Think of the best banana bread made into easy to eat bars. This recipe is great for breakfast, brunch, desserts, and potlucks! One of the best ways to use up brown bananas.
BANANA BAR RECIPE
Bananas are a hot commodity in my house. My husband snags them when they’re still green and freezes them for his protein shakes.
Something I don’t really understand but I’m sure he’s explained to me the scientific reason why underipe bananas are better for his workout shakes.
Then there’s my little baby Wes who eats one for breakfast every morning.
This week Wes boycotted bananas and the bananas sitting on my counter were too ripe for John’s muscles so I found myself looking at a bunch of overipe bananas getting more ripe by the minute.
My usual go-to is my favorite way to use bananas is this Banana Bread. Ohhh, it’s good. But today I made these banana bars with brown butter frosting and it’s the perfect way to use up bananas.
It’s super moist sour cream banana squares topped with a browned butter frosting. I found the recipe from a comment from a reader on another blog.
I love finding recipes in obscure places. It’s a family favorite recipe…my favorite kind of recipe. These are the best banana bars and I could eat the entire pan.
This picture does not do these Banana Bread Bars justice. I LOVED them. They are good warm, cold, and room temperature. Browned butter anything gets me every time. Make these…
HOW TO MAKE BANANA BARS
-
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 10×15 jelly roll pan or line with parchment paper (for thicker bars use a 9×13 pan and bake for 10 minutes longer than directed). In a large mixing bowl, beat first four wet ingredients with an electric mixer or stand mixture with the paddle attachment until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla for one minute. Add dry ingredients and blend flour mixture for one minute. Stir in nuts and pour batter into the pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool slighty until warm but not hot and frost with Browned Butter Frosting (recipe below).
-
For the Browned Butter Frosting: Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat past the melting point until it is boiling and a delicate brown. Remove from the heat and immediately add the remaining ingredients. This should be thicker than a glaze and thinner than frosting. You can add milk to get it to the correct consistency. Using a rubber spatula smooth over the top of the banana bars immediately for the best results. The frosting will be easier to spread once it’s on the warm bread.
WHAT IS BROWNED BUTTER?
Browning butter adds a whole level of flavor to anything. You cook butter over medium low heat until it starts to turn brown and has a nutty flavor.
To prevent the butter from overbrowning it’s wise to transfer the browned butter to another bowl when it’s done instead of letting it sit in a hot pan which can cause it to cook longer.
OTHER BANANA RECIPES
- Banana Muffins
- Banana Cream Pie
- Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
- Banana Cake
- Easy Banana Split Dessert
- Banana Bread Cookies
- Banana Foster French Toast
Banana Bar recipe
Ingredients
Banana Bread Bars:
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups 3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, (optional)
Browned Butter Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- about 3 tablespoons milk or half and half
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 10x15 jelly roll pan or line with parchment paper (for thicker bars use a 9x13 pan and bake for 10 minutes longer than directed). In a large mixing bowl, beat first four wet ingredients with an electric mixer or stand mixture with the paddle attachment until creamy.until creamy. Blend in the mashed bananas and vanilla for one minute. Add dry ingredients and blend flour mixture for one minute. Stir in nuts and pour batter into the pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool slighty until warm but not hot and frost with Browned Butter Frosting (recipe below).
- For the Browned Butter Frosting Recipe: Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat past the melting point until it is boiling and a delicate brown. Remove from the heat and immediately add the remaining ingredients. This should be thicker than a glaze and thinner than frosting. You can add milk to get it to the correct consistency. Using a spatula smooth over the top of the banana bars immediately for the best results. The frosting will be easier to spread once it's on the warm bread.
Absolutely delicious, turned out perfectly. Very moist in the brown butter frosting was the “icing on the cake”😛
Wonderful , moist bars and the frosting is amazing…4th time making them..
These are incredibly moist and delicious. I didn’t have sour cream so I subbed plain whole yogurt + cream cheese. The amount of frosting is perfect but I only used half of the amount of powdered sugar called for and it was still very sweet.
This recipe is so good! I brought these to a family dinner and everyone raves about them! They were gone quick!
Thank you!!
I made these this morning and they were yummy yummy. I shared the recipe with friends. I did cut the sugar back in the bars by half of cup and they were still plenty sweet for our family.
Thank you!
Thank you!
These were amazing! Made in a 9×13 pan and baked for 29 minutes- came out perfect. I also used Greek Yogurt in place of the sour cream. I halved the glaze recipe and it was just enough, I thought.
Since this makes a lot, can they be frozen?
Soooo delicious by the way! Wow.
I made these for our turn to host church supper…Holy cats did these disappear..like the best banana bread only 100 times better!! Definitely making these a million more times.
Thank you!
Can you share the name of the commenter of the other blog, whose family recipe this is? And it would be so cool to hear from that person what they love about this recipe.
This is from over 12 years ago so I’m not sure it’s still there. Here it is: http://vixlove.blogspot.com/2009/02/one-where-she-prefers-it-remain-mystery.html
Great recipe… Have made it several times… This time I only had 2 bananas so I peeled and sectioned a mandarin orange, chopped the sections and added with banana… I also sprinkled top with 1/4 cup each chocolate chip, coconut and sliced almonds before baking… I used only 3 cups of powdered sugar for icing and still needed extra milk… Thanks for reminding me of an old favorite.
love your adaptations!
This recipe is so versatile. It’s even incredible without the frosting. I have also used this recipe for my banana layer cakes.
Ooh great idea!
Simply the best!!! Love the brown butter icing too!
So glad you loved them.
I made it in 9×13 pan and only took 20 min to bake and did not frost it.
Easy and fast to assemble and delicious even without the frosting.
No need to change a thing, great recipe.
I love the frosting but I’m sure it’s good by itself.
Great recipe. This taste took me back 30 plus years. Use to buy at a major dept store bakery.
Thank you!
Can this recipe be made into a layer cake?
Sure!
This banana bread cake, just wondering if you tried it as a layer cake?? If so, explain and how did it turn out?? Thanks
Total hit with all my family!! Thank you for sharing!!
You are welcome!
These were absolutely amazing!!!! My kids loved it too!!! We added walnuts to ours. Yum!!
Thanks! I love this one too!
Sooooo good!!! I added some cream cheese to my frosting and it was just amaze!!!!
Thanks for the awesomeness!!!
you’re welcome!
These are fabulous – thank you so much — this is a keeper and will make again & again!
Thank you!
So good. I might half the frosting next time because it is so sweet. I might also double the nuts because…yum!
But more importantly, why aren’t these called Monkey BARS?
Ha no idea!
Very moist and so good !! Used a 9×13 pan , added walnuts. Baked 30 minutes came out perfect . I didn’t put enough half and half in the icing , it was a little dry but still very good . Definitely will make these again . Thankyou for this amazing recipe!!
These are amazing! I was making them primarily for a family that eats gluten-free, so I substituted the 2 cups of flour for 2 cups of a gluten free 1-to-1 flour. The rest of the recipe I followed exactly. They turned out wonderfully! My husband and I both took some of the Monkey Squares to work yesterday, and each of us received a request for the recipe. I had never made/cooked with browned butter before, so I enjoyed learning how to do that.
Smells amazing right!
This is the only banana bread recipe I use – it’s a hit every time! I usually add 1/4 cup of coconut & 1/4 cup of choc chips also, and substitute the sour cream for yogurt – strawberry or vanilla yogurt. It’s like a loaded banana bread lol.. very decadent & very yumm..
So glad you liked them!
How to you keep after baking? Can they sit out or put in fridge?
I keep them at room temp.
I loved evrything about these., Super easy to make and soooo moist n yummy.,Thanks a million.,Stay safe n God Bless 🙂
Thank you! You too!
Can I use buttermilk instead of sour cream?
These are absolutely incredible! I have made them many times and they always come out perfect. I have made them with the brown butter frosting, and also with a cream cheese icing. They are both so delicious and everyone who tries them can’t get enough. Thanks so much for the recipe. I will never make banana bread again, only these bars 🙂
Awesome to hear!
I’ll never make banana bread again – just these 💥🌟
They’re pretty dang good.