Description
Chocolate Chip Banana Bars bring pure comfort straight from your kitchen, packed with ripe bananas and sweet chocolate chips that meld together like old friends. Grab a mixing bowl and whip up this simple treat that turns ordinary ingredients into something seriously delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 3 medium overripe bananas
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 350°F (175°C) and coat an 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter, ensuring complete surface coverage.
- Crush 3 medium overripe bananas in a large mixing bowl using a fork until perfectly smooth and no large chunks remain.
- Incorporate ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the mashed bananas, stirring until the mixture looks uniform and glossy.
- Grab a separate bowl and whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the banana blend, stirring gently until just incorporated – avoid overmixing to keep the bars tender.
- Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips across the batter, folding them in so they’re evenly distributed throughout.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it smoothly to create an even layer.
- Slide the dish into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, checking for a golden-brown top and inserting a toothpick to ensure it comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let the bars rest for 10-15 minutes, allowing them to set before slicing into squares.
Notes
- Ripe bananas create the best flavor and natural sweetness, so look for bananas with plenty of brown spots on the peel.
- Use room temperature ingredients to help the batter mix more smoothly and create a more tender texture.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend to make the bars accessible to more people.
- Adding a sprinkle of sea salt on top after baking enhances the chocolate and banana flavors, creating a more complex taste profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 203 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 126 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 17 mg