These delightful Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars are a wonderful treat, combining the comforting flavors of banana bread with the convenience of a bar. They offer a moist, tender crumb mingling with bursts of chocolate chips, making them perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.
Imagine sinking your teeth into a slice of these banana bread bars, their top crust lightly crisp, revealing a soft and satisfying center packed with chocolatey goodness.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, with ripe banana flavor, balanced with chocolate richness.
- Texture: Moist and tender, with a slightly crisp top.
- Total Time: 50 minutes.
- Difficulty: Easy.
What You’ll Need
The ingredients for these Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars are simple and readily available. You’ll need ripe bananas, which are the star, along with classic baking staples like flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. A generous helping of chocolate chips amps up the deliciousness. The recipe also calls for the essential baking additions of baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
Ingredient Notes
- Bananas Ripe, spotty bananas are essential for the best flavor and moisture. Mash them until smooth.
- Flour All-purpose flour is the perfect choice for this recipe, providing structure.
- Butter Unsalted butter, softened, adds richness and tenderness to the bars.
- Chocolate Chips Use your favorite chocolate chips, semi-sweet or milk chocolate work well.
- Sugar Granulated sugar provides the sweetness and helps with browning.
- Eggs Eggs bind the ingredients and contribute to the moist texture.
- Vanilla Extract Enhances the overall flavor profile.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Nuts Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for extra texture and flavor.
- Spice A teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg can add warmth and depth.
- Chocolate Use different varieties of chocolate chips; dark chocolate or white chocolate are delicious options.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars
This recipe is simple to follow, yielding delicious results every time. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making these wonderful bars:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.
Pro Tip: Don’t overmix the batter, or it can develop too much gluten, leading to a tougher texture. Mix until just combined for the best results.
Recipe Tips
- Use ripe bananas for the most flavor. The riper, the better!
- Make sure your butter is softened but not melted, this is key for the texture.
- Grease and flour your pan well, or use parchment paper for easy removal.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting to prevent them from crumbling.
- For even baking, make sure the batter is spread evenly in the pan.
FAQs
- Can I use frozen bananas? Yes, thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid before mashing.
- How do I store these bars? Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Can I freeze these bars? Yes, wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or place them in a freezer-safe bag. They will keep for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Can I substitute other sweeteners? You can try using maple syrup or honey in place, but you may need to adjust the amount of liquid ingredients accordingly.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve these bars with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
- Enjoy them alongside a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast or a snack.
- Pair them with a dollop of whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Serve it as a great addition to your brunch table.
Make This Recipe in Advance
You can make the batter ahead of time up to 24 hours, cover it, and store it in the refrigerator. Bake as directed when ready. The baked bars can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Description
These delightful Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Bars are a wonderful treat, combining the comforting flavors of banana bread with the convenience of a bar. They offer a moist, tender crumb mingling with bursts of chocolate chips, making them perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.
Ingredients
5 very ripe bananas about 1 2/3 cup
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup oil any type- I use coconut
¼ cup milk
2 eggs
1 ¾ cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup mini chocolate chips divided
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prep a 1510.5″ pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
Mash ripe bananas.
Mix in brown sugar, oil, milk, and eggs.
Add dry ingredients and stir.
Fold in half the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter in the pan, top with remaining chips.
Bake 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely.
Cut into squares, and enjoy.
Notes
Use ripe bananas for the most flavor. The riper, the better!
Make sure your butter is softened but not melted, this is key for the texture.
Grease and flour your pan well, or use parchment paper for easy removal.
Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting to prevent them from crumbling.
For even baking, make sure the batter is spread evenly in the pan.
- Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
- Category: Dessert
