Monkey Squares – Banana Bread Bars
These Monkey Squares are soft and moist banana bread bars with browned butter icing. Think of the best banana bread made into easy to eat bars. This recipe is great for breakfast, brunch, desserts, and potlucks!
BANANA BREAD BARS
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 Banana Bread. Ohhh, it’s good. But today I made these Monkey Squares.
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.
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…
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
- Not Your Ordinary Banana Bread
- Banana Cream Pie
- Banana Bread Cookies
- Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding
- Banana Foster French Toast
Monkey Squares
These Monkey Squares are soft and moist banana bread bars with browned butter icing. Think of the best banana bread made into easy to eat bars.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups 3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons 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). Beat first four ingredients until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla for one minute. Add dry ingredients and blend for one minute. Stir in nuts and spread in 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 spatula smooth over the top of the Monkey Squares immediately. The frosting will be easier to spread once it's on the warm bread.
Recipe Notes
Source: TheWelcomeMat
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.