Brown Butter Banana Bars
These Brown Butter Banana Bars sit between a fudgy brownie and a banana bread bar, and that is exactly what makes them so hard to stop eating! Nutty brown butter, ripe banana, and one and a half cups of dark chocolate chips bake into a dense, rich slab that needs no frosting, no mixer, and no complicated steps. One bowl, one pan, and completely gluten free.
Most banana bar recipes add a separate brown butter frosting for their chocolate element. This recipe, however, folds the chocolate directly into the batter itself. As a result, every square has dark chocolate melted throughout, not only on top.
What are Brown Butter Banana Bars?
Brown Butter Banana Bars are a dense, fudgy baked bar made with browned butter, ripe mashed banana, brown sugar, egg yolks, and dark chocolate chips. They sit between a brownie and a banana bread bar in texture: denser and richer than a banana cake, with chocolate throughout the bar rather than only in a frosting on top. This version is also fully gluten free.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup ripe mashed bananas
- 1 stick unsalted butter, browned
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour, see note
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
What Each Ingredient Does
Brown butter
Browning butter caramelizes the milk solids, producing nutty, toasty flavor compounds plain melted butter cannot replicate. Cool for at least 10 minutes before mixing, since hot butter produces a greasy batter.
Ripe banana
Use a banana with visible brown spots. As it ripens, starches convert to simple sugars, making it sweeter and softer. The mashed banana adds natural sweetness, moisture, and a subtle fruity undertone that deepens the chocolate and brown butter flavor.
Brown sugar and white sugar
Brown sugar keeps the bars moist and adds caramel depth. White sugar provides structure and helps the edges set slightly crispier than the fudgy center. For a refined sugar-free version, replace both with coconut sugar in the same total amount.
Egg yolks only
Two yolks instead of whole eggs contribute richness and moisture without the protein structure that makes baked goods cakey. The result is a dense, fudgy bar closer to a brownie than a banana cake.
Gluten free flour and chocolate chips
A 1:1 gluten free baking blend provides structure without adjusting ratios. All-purpose flour works as a direct substitute if you are not gluten free. The one and a half cups of dark chocolate chips melt during baking, creating gooey pockets of chocolate throughout every bar.
How to Make
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
Brown your butter. Cook the butter in a skillet over low medium heat until bubbly and light brown. Remove from the heat. Allow the butter to cool for 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, browned butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Stir together.
Then, mix in the gluten free flour and sea salt. Stir together.
Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour this mixture into the lined pan.
Bake for 36 to 39 minutes, or until the middle no longer looks gooey.
Finally, remove from the oven. Cool for at least 4 hours before slicing into.
Why These Bars Need 4 Hours to Cool
The high fat content from brown butter and egg yolks, combined with moisture from the banana and melted chocolate, keeps these bars loose in the center after baking ends. Unlike a cakey bar held together by a gluten and protein network, a fudgy bar relies on fat and sugar crystallizing as it cools to create a sliceable structure.
That process takes about 4 hours at room temperature. Refrigerating after an initial cool speeds up solidification and produces the cleanest slices.
Tips for the Best Results
Use the ripest banana possible
A banana with brown spotting produces the most flavorful bar. The sweeter the banana, the deeper the flavor when it meets brown butter and dark chocolate.
Cool the butter fully before mixing
Hot browned butter produces greasy batter. Cool it for 10 minutes after browning before adding to the sugars.
Do not overbake
The center should have a slight give when you pull the bars out. The fudgy texture develops during cooling. A completely clean toothpick means dry bars, not fudgy ones.
Lift and slice with parchment
Lifting the entire slab onto a cutting board before slicing produces far cleaner cuts than slicing directly in the pan. Wipe the knife clean between each cut.
Substitutions
| Original | Substitute | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten free flour | All-purpose flour (1:1) | Direct swap |
| Brown and white sugar | Coconut sugar (same total amount) | Refined sugar free |
| Dark chocolate chips | Milk chocolate chips | Sweeter, less intense |
| Unsalted butter | Vegan butter | Can be browned. Dairy free. |
Storage
Room temperature: Store Brown Butter Banana Bars in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Cold bars slice cleaner and develop a firmer, more fudge-like texture that many people prefer.
Freezer: Freeze individual bars wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
The banana flavor is noticeable but not overpowering. It provides a warm, sweet undertone that works with the brown butter and dark chocolate. A very ripe banana produces a slightly more pronounced note, while a less ripe one keeps it in the background.
Yolks contain more fat and less protein than whites, contributing richness without the cakey structure whole eggs create. You can substitute one whole egg for the two yolks, though the texture will be slightly less fudgy.
No. One and a half cups of chocolate chips melt throughout the batter during baking, and the brown butter provides the nutty richness other recipes achieve with a separate frosting. A pinch of flaky sea salt on top right after baking is an excellent finishing touch.
Yes. Use a vegan butter such as Miyoko’s for the unsalted butter. Vegan butter can be browned just like regular butter. Use dairy-free dark chocolate chips as well.
Overbaking is the most common cause. Pull the bars when the center has a slight give. A second cause is using an underripe banana, which contains less moisture and less natural sugar than a fully ripe one.
You May Also Like
- Banana Upside Down Peanut Butter Bars
- Frosted Banana Cake
- Banana Blondies
- Banana Bread Bars
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
If you make this Brown Butter Banana Bars recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Join my exclusive Facebook Group for a behind the scenes look. I would love for you to follow along! For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes.
Get the Recipe: Brown Butter Banana Bars
Ingredients
- ¾ cup ripe mashed bananas
- 1 stick unsalted butter, browned
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour, see note
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Brown your butter. Cook the butter in a skillet over low medium heat until bubbly and light brown. Remove from the heat. Allow the butter to cool for 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, browned butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Stir together.
- Then, mix in the gluten free flour and sea salt. Stir together.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour this mixture into the lined pan.
- Bake for 36 to 39 minutes, or until the middle no longer looks gooey.
- Finally, remove from the oven. Cool for at least 4 hours before slicing into.
Notes
- If you are not gluten free, feel free to use all purpose flour.
- For a refined sugar free option, replace the white sugar and brown sugar with coconut sugar.
- Use a ripe brown spotted banana.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.