These Banana Bars are super moist, full of rich banana flavor, and slathered with a light and luscious cream cheese frosting. The sweetness of the bananas balances out the tangy frosting into a flavorful combination that is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser.
If you love bananas, you’re going to adore these delicious banana bars. This banana bar recipe starts with four ripe bananas, so they are abso-freaking-lutely packed with banana flavor. All you need is less than an hour of your time, and you will have the best banana-flavored snack you’ve ever had.
If you’re banana-obsessed like me, you’ll want to make more banana treats, so whip up this banana nut bread with macadamia nuts, mini banana bundt cakes, or these sweet banana cupcakes.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Banana flavor for days: I mean, FOUR bananas. We’re not skimping. These bars taste like banana bread turned into a dessert bar. So delicious!
- So easy: No fancy tools or hard-to-find ingredients are needed.
- Velvety frosting: It’s light and creamy with just the right hit of tang. You can’t go wrong.
Ingredients
These bars only take a few simple baking ingredients that you can find in your kitchen or at your local grocery store.
- Butter: I like to bake with unsalted butter, but salted would also work.
- Sugar: You will need granulated sugar for the bars and powdered sugar for the frosting. The sugar in the cake sweetens and tenderizes while the powdered sugar ensures your frosting is perfectly creamy.
- Eggs: Bind everything and help give that light, cakey texture.
- Sour cream: Adds moisture and a little tang. You could substitute Greek yogurt if needed.
- Ripe bananas: The riper, the better; we want that sweet banana goodness.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese will give your frosting the best flavor and texture.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add nuts: Chopped walnuts, pecans, or slivered almonds add crunch and pair well with bananas.
- Add some chocolate: Mix in mini chocolate chips for a fun banana-chocolate taste. You can never go wrong with chocolate.
- Switch the frosting: Try a peanut butter or browned butter frosting, or add some banana extract to buttercream frosting for a new twist.
How to Make Banana Bars
Ready to whip up this easy banana bars recipe? So, mash up the bananas, preheat your oven to 350°F, grease a jelly roll pan, and follow these simple instructions.
- Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar together until they’re light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in sour cream and vanilla.
- Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 3: Combine. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the mashed bananas.
- Step 4: Bake it. Pour the batter into your pan. Bake for 22–27 minutes (for a jelly roll) or 35–40 minutes (for a baking dish), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Step 5: Cool the bars. Let the bars cool completely before frosting.
- Step 6: Make the frosting. Beat softened butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Mix in vanilla, then slowly add powdered sugar until it’s smooth and spreadable.
- Step 7: Frost and slice. Spread the frosting on top of the bars in an even layer. Slice into bars, and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix: Mix the batter until it’s just combined. Overmixing leads to tough bars.
- Add the bananas last: To prevent your batter from becoming too runny, add the bananas after all the other ingredients are mixed.
- Don’t rush the cooling time: If you frost the bars too early, the frosting will melt off; it’s essential to let them fully cool down. I know, I have a hard time waiting, too.
- Cream the frosting: Make sure your frosting ingredients are fully softened, and then cream them for at least 2 minutes. This will give you the best light and fluffy frosting.
- Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Serving Suggestions
The banana bars are the perfect sweet for potlucks and family events. Serve these delicious bars with a tall glass of milk or a cup of your favorite coffee.
- I love to serve them after a delicious meal such as these country BBQ beef ribs or chicken poblano lasagna!
- Add this to your banana-themed dessert table by serving it alongside these banana pudding cups and this banana layer cake.
Recipe FAQ
Place the bananas in a paper bag, and fold the top over. Allow them to ripen for about 24 hours. You can also add an apple, a pear, an apricot, or an avocado to the bag to further speed up the process.
Look for bananas whose peels are covered in brown spots. This means that the banana is the softest and sweetest, so you will get the best texture.
Yes, you can freeze banana bars with sour cream. Slice them, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and store them in a freezer bag for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight before enjoying.
Try This Delicious Banana Bar Recipe Today
These banana bars are as rich and delicious as they are easy to make. With so much banana flavor and a sweet, tangy cream cheese frosting, they’re a banana lover’s dream. And they’re so easy to make, they’re a busy baker’s dream. Give these banana bars a try, and I guarantee you’ll fall in love with them.
More Delicious Banana Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Banana Bars
Ingredients
Banana Bars
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 medium ripe bananas, mashed
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3 ounce cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 15 x 10 jelly roll pan or a 13 x 9 baking dish with a non-stick spray. Set aside.
Banana Bars
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy.
- Beat eggs, one at a time, into mixture.
- Add sour cream and vanilla, and mix well.
- Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl, and stir into wet ingredients.
- Add mashed bananas, stir.
- Pour batter into a 15 x 10 jelly roll pan or a 13 x 9 baking dish.
- *If using a jelly roll pan, bake 22-27 minutes, or 35-40 minutes in a baking dish, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven. Cool completely then frost.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together.
- Add vanilla and mix.
- Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.
- Frost bars once cooled.
- Cut and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Avoid overmixing: Stir the batter just until everything is combined to keep the bars soft and tender.
- Let them cool completely: Frosting warm bars will cause it to melt—make sure they’re fully cooled before spreading it on.
- Add-ins for extra flavor: Stir in chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, mini chocolate chips, or a mix of both for added texture and sweetness.
- Switch up the frosting: Try a peanut butter or browned butter frosting, or add a touch of banana extract to buttercream for a fun twist.
