Banana Bread Bars with Brown Butter Frosting
Sweet, nutty, and wildly addictive, these banana bread bars with brown butter frosting bring all the comfort of classic banana bread, plus a swoop of toasty, cookie-scented icing. Quick to make, perfectly moist, and irresistibly rich—ideal for coffee breaks, brunch spreads, or any time your bananas get spotty. Cozy, indulgent, and crowd-pleasing!
24
bars
Ingredients
Banana Bread Bars
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 4 (360 g) ripe bananas mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped walnuts optional
Brown Butter Frosting
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp (30-45 ml) milk or half-and-half plus more as needed to reach desired consistency
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- 15x10-inch Jelly Roll Pan
- Saucepan
- Spatula
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan (or 9x13 for thicker bars) with parchment or grease and flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, softened butter, and eggs until smooth and creamy.
- Fold in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract until just combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in chopped walnuts, if using.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake 20–25 minutes (add 5–10 minutes for 9x13), until edges begin pulling away from pan and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan while making frosting.
- For the frosting, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter foams and turns deep golden to amber with brown bits at the bottom, smelling nutty. Immediately remove from heat.
- Whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Keep whisking, adding more sugar or milk as needed, until a spreadable, shiny frosting forms.
- Spread frosting over bars while slightly warm so it glides on and begins to set as it cools. Slice and serve!
Notes
Let bars cool before storing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. Freeze tightly wrapped bars for up to 2 months; thaw at room temp—or microwave briefly if you like them warm. Easily swap in Greek yogurt for sour cream, add chocolate chips, try pecans in place of walnuts, or use gluten-free flour blend (1:1) if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 110mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.6mg