Banana Bread Brownies
These Easy Banana Bread Brownies are the perfect dessert mashup! All the moist, tender goodness of banana bread meets the rich, fudgy texture of brownies in one irresistible bar. Topped with a luscious brown butter frosting, they're the best way to use up overripe bananas. For another incredible dessert bar, try our Easy St. Patrick's Day Sugar Cookie Bars.
Servings: 12 bars
Calories: 410kcal
Equipment
- 9x13 inch Baking Pan Standard size for this recipe.
- Small Saucepan For browning the butter.
- Electric Mixer or Whisk For making the frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 0.75 tsp salt
- 0.5 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter (for frosting)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp milk (plus more if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together sugar, sour cream, and softened butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, mashed bananas, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in walnuts if using.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- For frosting: In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and nutty. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Transfer browned butter to a bowl. Whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth and spreadable. Spread over cooled brownies, slice, and serve.
Notes
Pro Tips: The #1 secret is using very ripe, almost black bananas for maximum sweetness and flavor. Do not overmix the batter – stir just until the flour disappears for tender brownies. Cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting. For the brown butter, watch it carefully – it goes from perfect to burnt quickly. Let the brownies cool in the pan completely before slicing for clean cuts. These bars taste even better the next day, making them perfect for make-ahead baking.