These banana chocolate chip bars are part blondie, part banana cake—moist, tender and almost gooey, with rich banana-bread flavor and plenty of chocolate chips. Simple to make and perfect for overripe bananas.
If you enjoy chocolate chip banana bread, you’ll love these bars. They have the dense, chewy texture of a blondie with the banana flavor of classic banana bread. The banana taste comes from mashed bananas, brown sugar and vanilla, and the bars are generously studded with chocolate chips.
I like them warm, when the chocolate chips are still a little melty.
Making Banana Chocolate Chip Bars – Step-by-Step
If you don’t need photos, scroll down to the recipe section below.
Jump to Recipe
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan. Spray an 8×8-inch pan, then line it with parchment leaving an overhang. Greasing first helps the paper stick so the batter spreads evenly.
- Combine butter, sugar, egg and vanilla. Use melted butter (cooled slightly) for a denser, chewier bar. Whisk the melted butter with the sugar, then add the egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the flour, cinnamon and salt with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain.
- Add the mashed bananas. Use ripe, spotty bananas (remove any bruised parts) and mix until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Be generous—this recipe shines with lots of chips.
- Bake the bars. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake about 32–36 minutes, depending on how gooey you like them. A shorter time yields a moister, slightly gooey center.
Recipe Tip
There is no baking powder or baking soda in the base recipe—this keeps the bars dense, chewy and slightly gooey like a blondie. If you prefer a cakier texture, stir in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda with the flour.
Chewy, moist and full of banana flavor, these bars are an easy way to use spotty bananas.
More banana ideas to try at home:
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Banana Chocolate Chip Bars
Rate Recipe
Print Recipe
Equipment
-
8×8 inch (20×20 cm) pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), melted and slightly cooled
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar (157 grams) (or 1/2 cup white sugar + 1/4 cup dark brown sugar)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 2 bananas)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (180 grams)
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) pan and line with parchment, leaving an overhang.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Whisk in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
-
Gently stir in the flour, cinnamon and salt with a rubber spatula. Stop when there are no visible streaks of flour.
-
Stir in the mashed bananas until combined.
-
Fold in the chocolate chips.
-
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for about 32–35 minutes. The top should look set; a toothpick inserted should come out clean or with melted chocolate but not raw batter. Longer baking makes the bars more cake-like.
-
Cool in the pan for at least an hour. If you used parchment, lift the bars out with the overhang onto a cutting board and slice. If not, slice in the pan.
Notes
- Bananas: Use ripe, spotty bananas. Remove any bruised parts before mashing and measure after mashing.
- Leavening: The recipe has no baking powder or baking soda by design to keep the texture dense and slightly gooey. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda with the flour if you prefer a lighter, cake-like crumb.
- Storage: Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days. Because of the bananas’ moisture, refrigeration often helps preserve texture.
- Yield: Recipe is written for 9 large bars; you can cut smaller pieces to make about 12.
Nutrition
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!