Banana Bread Bars served on a plate
Banana Bread Blondies

Banana Bread Blondies

Recipe by Sarah Jampel
10 Reviews 4.9 out of 5 stars
Bake it Easy

These banana bread bars have the chewy and fudgy texture of a great blondie but the big banana flavor of the beloved quick bread. The secret to making them pleasantly dense and not at all cakey? Cook the bananas before incorporating them into the batter to reduce moisture and maximize flavor. You’ll also love that there’s minimal clean-up — everything gets added to the same saucepan. Plus, the residual heat from the stove melts a portion of the chocolate chips, resulting in streaks of chocolate in every bite.

Prep
15 mins
Bake
20 to 22 mins
Total
40 mins
Yield
one 8” pan
Banana Bread Bars cut up on parchment paper - select to zoom
Banana Bread Bars cut up on parchment paper - select to zoom
Banana Bread Bars served on a plate - select to zoom
Banana Bread Bars ingredients laid out - select to zoom

Instructions

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  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Lightly grease an 8" square pan, then line it with a parchment sling.

  2. In a large saucepan, mash the banana with the sugars until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then cook, stirring frequently with a flexible spatula, until shiny, syrupy, and caramelized. The mixture should be thick enough so that when it’s removed from the heat and the spatula is dragged across the bottom of the pan, the line fills in after about 1 second. This will take about 4 to 8 minutes of cooking, depending on the ripeness of the bananas. 

  3. Remove the pot from the heat, let cool for about 5 minutes, then add the butter, yolk, and vanilla. Stir until the mixture is creamy and emulsified. 

  4. Whisk in the salt and baking powder, then stir in the flour with a flexible spatula until only a few dry streaks remain. Let the batter cool for about 5 minutes, then work quickly to stir in the nuts and chocolate (the chocolate will melt slightly). Transfer the thick, soft batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer (if the batter feels too thick to spread, use damp hands or a lightly greased offset spatula). Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired. 

  5. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the bars are set in the center and a toothpick comes out with no raw batter.  

  6. Let cool completely in the pan (at least 2 hours) before transferring to a cutting board to slice and serve. 

  7. Store the banana bread bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze, well wrapped, for longer storage. 

Tips from our Bakers

  • Bananas that have been frozen and defrosted work well in this recipe. Drain any excess liquid before adding them to the saucepan. 

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