Banana Bread Brownies are my favorite recipe with ripe bananas in my fruit bowl. They are super moist and the browned butter frosting on top bring a crazy good salted caramel flavor to take them over the top. Some might call these banana bread bars, but their texture reminds me more of a brownie so I feel they earned that prized title!
Banana and brownies aren’t normally two words that go together. All that is going to change with this recipe! I know you are probably going to try to convince me that these are not brownies but “blondies,” however their texture was too much like a brownie to call them anything else. The only word I help back from adding was “Addictive” but trust me. If you are watching your sugar intake, you may just be better off not even trying a bite because you won’t be able to hold back.
I’ve been making these banana bread bars for quite a few years and when I offered to help out with a friend’s bridal shower, these bad boys were specifically requested by the hostess. It didn’t matter to her whether or not the bride would like them or not. SHE wanted some 🙂
The banana bread brownies alone are amazing, but topped with that browned butter frosting….come on already! Never had browned butter before? Man are you missing out, so try to control yourself and not to eat all the frosting before slathering it over the brownies. It is that good. If you love salted caramel, then this is the best salted caramel frosting you have had.
Need a recipe for your ripe bananas? These banana bread bars with browned butter frosting and amazing!
Total Time:30 minutes
Yield:32 brownies 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Brownies
2 1/4 C sugar
3/4 C butter, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 C sour cream
2 2/3 C mashed ripe bananas (about 5–6 bananas)
3 tsp vanilla
3 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Frosting
3/4 C butter
6 C powdered sugar
2 1/4 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 Tb milk
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 18×13″ half sheet pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat together. Add the sour cream, bananas and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and blend just until combined. You could also add some walnuts or pecans at this point if you wanted. Spread evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
3. While the brownies bake, prepare the frosting. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until it boils. After it boils, stir it continually as the butter begins to turn brown. You want it a nice rich brown color, but don’t let it go too far! Remove from the heat and add all the remaining ingredients into the pan and beat until smooth. Frost the brownies while they are still hot so some of the frosting melts into the brownies. Cool completely before cutting and serving.
Notes
If you want the white drizzle on top, just mix together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1 1/2 Tb of milk then use your spoon to drizzle them over the frosted bars.
Author:Carole Jones
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 brownie
Calories:292
Sugar:17g
Sodium:134mg
Fat:11g
Saturated Fat:7g
Unsaturated Fat:3g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:45g
Fiber:1g
Protein:2g
Cholesterol:40mg
Carole Jones
Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. She's authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Carole's love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Don't judge.
6 comments
Minnesota Prairie Roots
12 years ago
I’m totally with you on the football game. I could care less. The commercials interest me, though. As for food, I have not been to a Super Bowl party in years. But if I did attend one, it would be all about the food and the people, not the game.
Jelli
12 years ago
These look great, carole. I love banana bread in all forms and since I live in the tropics, we’ve got a never ending supply of bananas. Thank you for sharing!
Geke
12 years ago
“Heat oven to 375 degrees” is this F or C because in Europe we have Celcius. I like to try this recipe for i love bananas.
Geke
Carole
12 years ago
Geke – it is fahrenheit. Thanks for your question! -Carole
Carrie
7 years ago
If I halved this, what size pan and length of cooking time would you recommend? My kiddos eat a lot of bananas so I usually only have 2-3 brown ones if I’m lucky. Thank you in advance, these look amazing!
Carole
7 years ago
Hi Carrie! You could use a standard 9×13 pan and go for 18-20 minutes would be my best guess. Without having tried the smaller recipe, I’m not 100% sure on the time so start checking them at 18 minutes. The middle should spring back when lightly touched to know when they are done.
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6 comments
I’m totally with you on the football game. I could care less. The commercials interest me, though. As for food, I have not been to a Super Bowl party in years. But if I did attend one, it would be all about the food and the people, not the game.
These look great, carole. I love banana bread in all forms and since I live in the tropics, we’ve got a never ending supply of bananas. Thank you for sharing!
“Heat oven to 375 degrees” is this F or C because in Europe we have Celcius. I like to try this recipe for i love bananas.
Geke
Geke – it is fahrenheit. Thanks for your question! -Carole
If I halved this, what size pan and length of cooking time would you recommend? My kiddos eat a lot of bananas so I usually only have 2-3 brown ones if I’m lucky. Thank you in advance, these look amazing!
Hi Carrie! You could use a standard 9×13 pan and go for 18-20 minutes would be my best guess. Without having tried the smaller recipe, I’m not 100% sure on the time so start checking them at 18 minutes. The middle should spring back when lightly touched to know when they are done.