Description
These Chewy Frosted Banana Blondies are a decadent cross between banana bread and a classic blondie, topped with a rich, fudge-like brown sugar frosting. With a dense, chewy texture and the caramelized flavor of brown butter, these bars elevate simple pantry ingredients into a gourmet treat. Perfect for using up that one lone ripe banana, this small-batch dessert is sweet, satisfying, and impossible to eat just one of.
Ingredients
The Blondie Base
- 1/2 cup butter, melted (browning is highly recommended)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup mashed banana (approx. 1 medium banana)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
The Brown Sugar Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper and coat lightly with nonstick spray.
Melt (or Brown) Butter
In a large saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup of butter. Brown Butter Upgrade: Continue cooking the butter over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it foams and turns an amber color with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately.
Cool
Allow the butter to cool for 5 minutes.
Make Batter
Into the slightly cooled butter, stir in the 1 cup brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the egg until smooth. Fold in the flour and mashed banana until just combined.
Bake
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Cook: Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean (or with moist crumbs).
Cool
Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Let the blondies cool significantly before frosting.
Make Frosting
In a medium saucepan, melt the 1/4 cup butter. Add the 1/2 cup brown sugar and milk.
Boil
Stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
Cool
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. (Do not skip this, or the frosting will be grainy!)
Whip & Spread
Whisk the powdered sugar into the warm butter mixture until smooth and no lumps remain.
Frost
Immediately spread the warm frosting over the cooled blondies.
Serve
Allow the frosting to set (it firms up like fudge) before slicing into squares.
Notes
Banana Measurement: Precision matters! You need exactly 1/2 cup of mashed banana. Using too much will make the bars cakey and fluffy rather than dense and chewy.
Frosting Timing: Have your offset spatula ready. The frosting sets up quickly as it cools, similar to fudge or pralines, so spread it immediately after whisking in the powdered sugar.
Salt Pairing: Because these are quite sweet, a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the wet frosting creates a beautiful salted caramel flavor profile.
Storage: These keep wonderfully at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The frosting seals in the moisture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert / Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Square (assuming 16)
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: banana blondies, frosted banana bars, brown sugar frosting, browned butter recipes, ripe banana recipes, chewy blondie recipe, dessert bars