Banana Bread Brownie Bars (Printable View)
Moist brownie bars swirled with sweet ripe bananas—a perfect fusion for a decadent treat.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Banana Bread Layer
01 - 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (approximately 2 medium bananas)
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Brownie Layer
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
15 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
16 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - Combine mashed bananas, sugar, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
03 - Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to banana mixture. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Set aside.
04 - Whisk melted butter and sugar together in a separate bowl until glossy. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly.
05 - Sift in cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Stir until just combined, then fold in chocolate chips evenly.
06 - Spread half of banana batter evenly across prepared pan. Spoon brownie batter over banana layer, then dollop remaining banana batter on top in random spots.
07 - Run a knife or skewer through batters in swirling motions to create marbled pattern. Do not over-swirl to maintain distinct layers.
08 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes until toothpick inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs. Center should still be slightly fudgy.
09 - Cool completely in pan before lifting out using parchment overhang. Slice into 16 equal bars for serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You get the best of both worlds, fudgy brownie texture meets cozy banana bread warmth
- The marble swirl makes every bar unique and stunning without any fancy techniques
02 -
- Do not try to swirl the batters too much or you will end up with a uniformly colored bar instead of that gorgeous marble
- The toothpick test is tricky here, aim for moist crumbs rather than completely clean since both layers should stay fudgy
03 -
- If your bananas are not quite ripe enough, bake them in their skins at 350°F for 15 minutes to speed up the process
- Room temperature eggs incorporate better into both batters, so take them out about 30 minutes before you start baking