Description
Deliciously moist and flavorful Chocolate Chip Banana Bars made with ripe bananas, brown sugar, and rich chocolate chips. Perfect as a sweet snack or dessert, these bars combine the natural sweetness of bananas with the indulgence of chocolate in a simple, easy-to-make recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar (200g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (6g)
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed overripe banana, about 2 large bananas (250g)
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips, chopped (125g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking the banana bars evenly.
- Prepare your pan: Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it to prevent the bars from sticking after baking.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a mixing bowl, use a mixer to cream the softened butter and brown sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add egg, vanilla, and salt: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and salt until the ingredients are thoroughly combined, creating a smooth batter base.
- Incorporate bananas and flour: Gently fold the mashed bananas and flour into the wet ingredients until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix to keep the bars tender.
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in the chopped chocolate chips evenly throughout the batter to ensure every bite has a sweet chocolate touch.
- Bake the bars: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating they are fully baked.
- Cool before slicing: Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then cut into squares for serving.
Notes
- Use ripe or overripe bananas for the best natural sweetness and moist texture.
- For a richer flavor, substitute half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, if desired.
- You can swap chocolate chips for nuts or dried fruit for different variations.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Reheat briefly in the microwave for a warm, gooey treat.
