Chocolate Chip Banana Bars are a simple & delicious ripe banana recipe that’s even better than banana bread! Great for breakfast, lunch and even dessert! Check out all the 5 star reviews- everyone raves about this easy banana recipe!
Best ripe banana recipe ever
This recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Bars is my favorite banana recipe ever. Chocolate Chip Banana Bars are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or a snack! They are delicious, filling, and your whole family will love them. I love that they have a ton of bananas in them. I like to bake a batch, cut them into squares and freeze them individually for when we’re on-the-go!
I’ve made these tasty treats for years and our family can’t get enough! They’re perfect for a snack, but I also like to eat them for breakfast. They’re chock full of bananas and I use whole wheat flour to make them more filling. I know the addition of cinnamon may seem a little different, but I encourage you to try it. It adds just a nice pop of flavor.
I’ve recently made a couple variations on this recipe! You’ve got to try our Double Chocolate Banana Bars as well as our Peanut Butter Banana Bars
How to make Healthy Banana Bars
There are several things you can swap out in this recipe to make them healthier. Here are some ideas:
–I use brown sugar instead of regular granulated sugar to add more sweetness with less sugar. That being said, you can decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup. Just make sure you’re using VERY ripe bananas to add sweetness there.
–You can replace half or all of the oil with applesauce. I’m more of a fan of using half coconut oil and half applesauce, personally.
–Use almond or cashew milk in place of regular milk
–Add in 2-3 TBSP of ground flax! No one will notice and it gives an added boost of fiber.
–Check out my double chocolate version of this recipe. I added cocoa powder and tons of ground spinach. No one can taste the difference and if you blend the spinach small enough (blending it with the coconut oil helps) you can’t see the difference either.
How can I ripen bananas quickly?
Ripe bananas are used in banana bread because they have a stronger, more pronounced flavor. There are several ways to help bananas ripen faster so that you can make banana bread. Here are my preferred methods:
- Ripen bananas in the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bananas peel and all on the parchment and bake for 30-40 minutes, until peels are black & shiny. Let cool 1 hour and proceed with banana bread recipe.
- Ripen bananas in a paper bag. If you have more time, place bananas in a paper bag with an apple. Fold and secure closed. I usually leave bananas like this for a full day, then proceed with the Banana Nut Bread recipe.
Chocolate Chip Banana Recipe ingredients
Here’s what you need to make our Chocolate Chip Banana Bars:
–BANANAS: 5 very ripe bananas (about 1 2/3 cup) – yes, you can use frozen bananas! Once you’re ready to use the frozen bananas, thaw them out slightly, then peel them and place the bananas in a bowl. Once they’re fully thawed, drain out the liquid and proceed with the recipe.
–SUGAR: You’ll use just 3/4 cup brown sugar. I opted to use brown sugar in place of white sugar as it’s sweeter due to the addition of molasses. Adds great flavor too!
–OIL: You need 1/4 cup oil for the banana bars. Canola, vegetable or coconut oil work the best.
–MILK: We add 1/4 cup milk for moisture. I most often use almond milk, but any type of milk except soy milk works well. (I find soy milk doesn’t bake well!)
–EGGS: You need 2 eggs for this recipe.
–DRY INGREDIENTS: You’ll need 1 3/4 cup flour. I regularly swap out all-purpose flour for whole wheat! You’ll also need 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp cinnamon for flavor and leavening.
–CHOCOLATE: We added 1 cup mini chocolate chips to the recipe in 2 parts. You’ll mix half into the batter and the other half you’ll sprinkle on top before baking. Adds just the right amount of sweetness!
How to make Chocolate Chip Banana Dessert Bars
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 15×10.5″ pan with non-stick spray.
Peel bananas and mash well. Stir in brown sugar, oil, milk and eggs until combined.
Add in dry ingredients and stir. Fold in 1/2 the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle remaining chips on top. Bake 18-22 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely and cut into squares.
Yields 24 bars.
I like to make a batch, then cool, cut and freeze in individual baggies. Since they’re filling, they make a wonderful snack, breakfast or school lunch addition.
CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA BARS
Ingredients
- 5 very ripe bananas about 1 2/3 cup
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup oil any type- I use coconut
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¾ cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 15×10.5" pan with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Peel bananas and mash well. Stir in brown sugar, oil, milk and eggs until combined. Add in dry ingredients and stir. Fold in 1/2 the chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle remaining chips on top.
- Bake 18-22 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into squares. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Have more ripe bananas? Here are our favorite RIPE BANANA RECIPES:
- Banana Cream Cookies
- Banana Split Milkshakes
- Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
- Banana Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- Nutella Banana Muffins
- CAST IRON BANANA BREAD
- STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE BANANA BREAD
- BANANA ORANGE BARS
- PINEAPPLE BANANA BREAD
- PEANUT BUTTER BANANA BUNDT CAKE
- SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD
- STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE BANANA BREAD
Can you use frozen bananas in banana bars?
A lot of people freeze overripe bananas to use them later on in banana bars. It’s a simple way to amass a collection of ripe bananas to use in this recipe. you don’t even have to peel the bananas prior to freezing! Once you’re ready to use them in this banana bars recipe, thaw them out slightly, then peel them and place the bananas in a bowl. Once they’re fully thawed, drain out the liquid and proceed with the recipe.
Can you freeze Chocolate Chip Banana Bars?
Yes! I freeze these banana bars often! My favorite way to freeze them is to cut them into 2″-3″ squares and place in a small baggie. Place all of the individual baggies in a larger ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Then you have individual servings of chocolate chip banana bars that are perfect for an on-the-go snack or school lunch! You can also freeze a half pan of these banana bars. Instead of baking in a 10×15 pan, bake them in 2 quarter bakers sheets or 9×13 pans. Simply cool fully, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
Are banana bars gluten free?
My traditional recipe for chocolate chip banana bars does contain gluten, however you can substitute a gluten-free flour blend or use almond flour instead. If you swap out regular flour with almond flour, just add a rounded teaspoon of baking soda instead.
Fantastic baked banana bar recipe for when you have ripe bananas that need to be used up! Perfectly spiced with a bit of cinnamon & studded with chocolate chips, these banana bars are amazing!
Helen Taylor says
Best banana cake recipe I’ve tried. Whole family loved it. Will definitely make again. Thanks
Steph says
Please tell me how I could use coconut flour towards this recipe. Thank you
Nellie says
I’ve never tried with coconut flour, but let me know if you try it!
Melanie says
Very Good!!! Thank you for sharing! And thank you for teaching me how to use the frozen bananas! I wouldn’t have known to drain the liquid. I used regular chocolate chips instead of mini. I was super unsure at first with how thin it was but after baking, it was nice and thick!
I can almost never make banana bread in a loaf successfully because its always doughy on the inside. I have to buy the disposable tin mini loafs, but with the COVID-19 disposable is a luxury. I’m glad this used a cookie sheet. Thanks again! This is my second recipe from your site and I haven’t been disappointed! 🙂
Jessica says
So glad you enjoyed them Melanie!
Holly says
Soooo good! Trying to be a little healthier with choices, so I did make this with almond milk and apple butter (didn’t have apple sauce). Also followed your suggestion on cutting down the brown sugar and used a few less chocolate chips. Still incredible and the whole family loves it!!
Nellie says
So glad you enjoyed them Holly!
Jef mic bob says
I added 14 potatos and it tasted extra yummy
Nellie says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Darleen Betty Jolene says
14 Mr. Bob, if I only have 12 do you think it would still be ok, I want to make sure it will be extra yummy. I think 12 would make it at least yummy.
June Flynn says
Wow! These are good AND easy! My husband & I decided that I probably didn’t need to use all of the chocolate chips next time… then when I was cleaning up the kitchen, after dinner, I found the brown sugar in the microwave; I hadn’t used it, and they were still SO good! Great way to use those extra bananas while navigating grocery delivery during coronavirus…
Alison says
I’m happy this one helped you use your ripe bananas, this is our favorite for that as well!
Denise says
These are so good! I used Swerve brown sugar and Lily’s sugar free chocolate chips to make them without added sugar. Thanks for the recipe.
Alison says
You are very welcome! I’m so glad it worked for you!
Renee says
I am so bummed because clearly I did something wrong. I doubled the batch because I had plenty of the ingredients to use up and both seem ruined. They didn’t “set” and I cooked them for 22 minutes. I used almond flour with added baking soda but pretty well all the other ingredients were as listed. What went wrong? 🙁
Nellie says
Bummer! What size of pan did you bake the bars in? If you used a smaller pan than specified, you may just need to bake them a little longer.
Luisa says
Very tasty! It came out tasting more like a thin banana loaf with a soft texture. Is that right? Or should they have a more biscuity, crunchy texture? Either way….. loved the flavour!! Thank you!
Nellie says
Yep, sounds right! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Amy says
Hi Nellie, can I use white sugar? I don’t have brown sugar. How much would I have to bake it for in a 9×9 pan?
Jessica says
You can use white sugar instead. In a 9×9 pan I’d say test for doneness at about 30 minutes.
Vanessa says
Can I use oat flour instead? Is so how much do you recommend?
Jessica says
I don’t have a lot of experience using oat flour, unfortunately.
Oksana says
I made this with flaxseed flour and water instead of eggs do to allergy and soy milk came out delicious. Thank you for a great recipe
Alison says
Thank you so much for sharing! I’m glad it turned out well for you!
Sooz says
These turned out great! How do you store leftovers other than freezing them? Can they remain out at room temperature or should they be refrigerated and how long will they keep? I don’t see them lasting more than a few days in my house because they are so delicious 🙂 Thank you!
Alison says
I’m glad they turned out great for you Sooz! If you leave them out at room temperature they usually last for about 3-5 days. They should last a little longer in an airtight container in the refrigerator!
JANET LABEL says
If using almond flour do you use 2 tsp baking soda or increase the size of the original tsp baking soda
Jessica says
I use a nice rounded teaspoon of baking soda. It likely ends up about 1.5 tsp.
Sandra says
Will I need to adjust anything in the recipe if I only have 4 overripe bananas?
Alison says
I think you should be fine to just use the 4 bananas you have!
Cass says
Made these tonight and they came out amazing! Perfect way to use ripe bananas during quarantine, thanks for the recipe 🙂
Nellie says
It’s our favorite way to use bananas too – I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Stacy says
Is there a way to add peanut butter to this recipe?
Nellie says
We’re on the same wavelength! Here’s the version that has peanut butter in it: https://butterwithasideofbread.com/peanut-butter-banana-bars/
I hate cups says
I really wish people wouldn’t use cups as a measure – this doesn’t translate for other countries!
Nellie says
We use cups since that’s the standard for the US, but there is a great conversion calculator here: https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/cooking/cooking-calculator.php
Janet says
If using almond flour is it 2 tsp baking soda or 1 rounded tsp
Jessica says
I’d use 1 full, rounded tsp of baking soda.
Cameil says
So yummy! I used coconut sugar and flax eggs and only had 4 bananas, large bananas though. Other than that I followed the recipe and the instruction. My daughter and I are enjoying every bite!
Nellie says
I’ve never tried coconut sugar and flax eggs, but I’m so glad it turned out for you!
Barbara Welch says
Easiest recipe ever. One spoon, one bowl, one pan, and done.
Nellie says
That’s our favorite kind of recipe Barbara! Easy, little mess and delicious!
GrandmaP says
Very easy recipe to make. With all the bananas you would think it would have a strong banana flavor but it was almost bland. The cinnamon overpowered the bananas. After 4 days it was starting to mold so I guess it should be refrigerated if not eating up right away.
Alison says
We definitely keep these in the fridge or even freeze them individually if we don’t eat them all right away!
Megan G. says
WOW! So yummy and less heavy than banana bread. I am an awful baker. I’m really the worst, trust me. This recipe is fail proof and delicious! I followed it almost exactly. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips in the batter and 1/2 cup as topping before baking. Based on other reviews and my own judgement, I only used 1/4 cup to top and that was plenty! The other adjustment I made was baking time and pan size. Mine was slightly larger, 11×17, so I baked my bars for 15 min (3 min less) and they were PERFECT. My fiancé who doesn’t really care for banana bread, LOVED these! Also, I only had 4 bananas, but when I measured them mashed it came to 1 & 2/3 cups, which is what the recipe calls for.
Nellie says
This is one of those recipes that is sooo easy and soo delicious! My kids have even become experts at making them – we make them a lot around here! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Megan!