Easy Banana Bread Bars: A Quick Recipe for Banana Lovers

I’m pretty sure I’m a banana enthusiast—seriously, I could munch on those yellow beauties every single day without breaking a sweat! When I find myself swimming in a banana surplus, I channel my inner chef and whip up everything from banana bread to banana fritters, and let’s not forget my delicious banana bread bars. Who knew this potassium-packed fruit could turn my kitchen into a bakery.

When I decided to whip these up, I was on a mission to create something that’s as quick as my attention span—because let’s face it, easy, no-fuss treats are my jam! I mean, who has time for complicated recipes when you’re hungry and can make something delicious in 30 minutes or less? It’s like a race against my own appetite, and spoiler alert: I ALWAYS win! 😂

The recipe is incredibly straightforward and simple. Combine all the dry ingredients, then mix in the wet ingredients—it’s that easy! Bake it to perfection, and you’ll have a delicious treat ready to impress. Follow the ingredients and steps below to discover how I create this delightful dish.

What You’ll Need

2 mashed bananas about 1 cup
1 egg
60g melted butter or about ¼ cup
70g maple syrup or about ¼ cup, (warmed honey can be used adjust for sweetness)
2tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp water (used to dilute coconut milk)
1/4tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
115g whole wheat flour or about 3/4c
40-50g chocolate chunks or about 1/4c (optional)

Things to Note

If you don’t like chocolate, you can add raisins and/or nuts. It will be just as delicious.
AP flour can be used instead of whole wheat. I enjoy baking with whole wheat, so it’s my flour of choice at the moment.
Eggs can be left out if there is an allergy or you just don’t have any on hand.
If you don’t have or like maple syrup, you can also use honey, just warm it before use. Also adjust the amount depending on the sweetness of your bananas. Taste it, you will know if it is too sweet.
If you do not like peanut butter, you can try making the frosting with another nut butter. Experiment, baking should be fun!
These are quite addictive and they freeze well. Bake a large batch a freeze for later use.

How to Make

Mash bananas in bowl and set aside
Add spices and baking soda into flour , mix using fork or a whisk
Add diluted coconut milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup, melted butter and salt into mashed banana. Mix to combine
Add egg and mix until egg is fully incorporated
Combine flour into banana mixture. Fold gently and mix only to combine. Do not over mix
Fold chocolate into flour mixture. If using nuts and raisins, this is where you’ll add them.
Pour batter into parchment lined baking pan and spread evenly.
Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes for 350F. Do a toothpick test to ensure baked all the way through.
Once baked, remove from oven and cool (use a wire rack if you have one).
Once cooled, top with your favourite frosting or my peanut butter frosting (recipe in video)

This has been one of my favorite treats to bake so far. With bananas and chocolate, what’s not to love? And the frosting made with peanut butter? Absolutely irresistible! I encourage you to try this recipe and enjoy them as much as I do. You can also watch the video for a step-by-step guide on how I crafted these delicious treats.