Banana Bread Brownies

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We enjoy every last bite of these cake-like banana bread bars because they never last long when I make them. The brown butter frosting is only 4 simple ingredients and makes them outstanding. You can customize the bars by adding nuts or chocolate chips instead of frosting, and I like to cut them into small squares for a bite size after school treat.

How to Make Banana Bread Brownies:

Mix we Ingredients: Cream butter and sugar: Beat in the sour cream and eggs, bananas and vanilla extract.

Add dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and mix just until moistened. Stir in walnuts, if using.

Bake: Pour batter into a 9×13 inch baking pan or half sheet pan. For a 9×13’’ pan, bake for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few crumbs.

Make the glaze: Heat butter over medium heat and allow it to come to a simmer until it turns a delicate brown (watch carefully so you don't burn the butter). Remove from heat immediately. Whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk until smooth.

Pour Glaze over Bars: This is easiest when the bars are warm.  Spread gently with the back of a spoon.

Recipe Variations:

• Add nuts: add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter before baking.
• Add chocolate chips: add mini milk or semi sweet chocolate chips.
• Change the frosting: I love the brown butter frosting but this cream cheese frosting would also be delicious.
• Healthier banana bread bars: cut the sugar in half for a lighter version and use 3-4 Tbs of butter for the frosting instead of 6.

Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:

To make ahead: bake and frost them one to two days ahead of time.  Store them covered, in the refrigerator.

To freeze: allow them to cool completely and freeze them frosted or unfrosted right in the pan.  Cover them well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing and freeze for up to 3 months.  Allow to thaw completely before serving.

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Banana Bread Brownies

Author: Lauren Allen

These delicious Banana Bread Brownies may be my favorite sweet treat to use up ripe bananas! They're thick and moist with a finger-licking brown butter frosting.

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 16

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Ingredients  

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For the Banana Bread Bars:

• ▢ 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, (or sour cream)
• ▢ 1/2 cup butter, softened
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt

For the Glaze:

• ▢ 4 Tablespoons butter
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1-2 Tablespoon milk

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the sour cream and eggs, bananas and vanilla extract.  
• Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and mix just until moistened. Stir in walnuts, if using.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with few crumbs. Make frosting while the bars bake.

For the Brown Butter Frosting:

• Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow it to come to a simmer until it starts to turn a delicate brown and has a nutty aroma (watch carefully so you don't burn the butter!) Remove from heat immediately.
• Whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth. (Add a little more powdered sugar, or milk, if needed to thicken or thin the frosting). Pour the warm frosting over the warm bars.  Spread gently with the back of a spoon.

Notes

Recipe Variations:

• Add nuts: add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter before baking.
• Add chocolate chips: add mini milk or semi sweet chocolate chips to batter before baking.
• Change the frosting: I love the brown butter frosting but this cream cheese frosting would also be delicious. 
• Healthier banana bread bars: cut the sugar in half for a lighter version and use 3-4 Tablespoons of butter for the frosting instead of 6.

Make ahead Instructions: bake and frost one to two days ahead of time.  Store covered, in the refrigerator.

Freezing Instructions: allow them to cool completely and freeze them frosted or unfrosted, right in the pan.  Cover well with plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw completely before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 268mg, Potassium: 122mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 313IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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I originally shared this recipe June 2017. Updated January 2021.

Process photos by Nikole from The Travel Palate.