If you’ve got ripe bananas, you’ll definitely want to make these banana bars.
Soft, moist and delicious, this recipe is packed with banana and pecan flavor and topped with my favorite buttery cream cheese frosting.
This recipe has been sponsored by Challenge Butter.
Sweet, Simple, and Oh-So-Delicious Banana Bars!
- They have lots of banana flavor and topped with my absolute favorite cream cheese frosting recipe.
- Butter gives the perfect texture, while bananas keep them moist.
- They’re easy to make and use basic staple ingredients.
- They keep well, and banana bars can be frozen.
What You Need To Make Banana Bars
Bananas: For best results, use brown bananas. Ripe bananas have lots of black spots and natural sugars. If the bananas are ripe and you’re not ready to bake, peel and freeze them.
Butter: Use high-quality unsalted butter, like Challenge butter. It is made from simple ingredients and creates the perfect crumb in these bars (and the best frosting).
Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour is the base, and sugar adds sweetness and creates a perfect texture.
Add-ins: I love pecans with bananas, but feel free to replace them with walnuts or chopped slivered almonds. Mini chocolate chips can be used in place of nuts.
Cream Cheese Frosting: Cream cheese and butter should be at room temperature for a smooth frosting. If desired, replace it with either coconut frosting or chocolate buttercream frosting.
How to Make Banana Bars
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Cream the butter & sugar in a separate bowl until fluffy. Add the bananas & remaining wet ingredients.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- Spread the batter into a baking pan and bake (recipe below).
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine all ingredients except powdered sugar with a hand mixer (recipe below).
- Slowly mix in powdered sugar & milk as needed.
- Spread over cooled banana bars, cut, & serve.
Storing Banana Bars
- Keep banana bars in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze portions on a baking sheet, wrap individually, and freeze for up to 4 weeks.
- Make the bars ahead of time and freeze the whole sheet (uncut) wrapped in plastic for up to 1 month.
- Unwrap and thaw at room temperature.
Got Bananas?
Did you make these Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting? Leave us a comment and a rating below.
Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
Banana Bars
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted Challenge butter 1 stick, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ cup mashed bananas about 2 small ripe bananas
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons unsalted Challenge butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
To Make The Banana Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 pan.
- Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar with hand mixer until fluffy.
- Add eggs, milk, mashed banana, & lemon juice. Mix well.
- Stir the flour mixture and chopped nut into the wet mixture.
- Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the bars are cooling, beat cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and a pinch of salt.
- Add powdered sugar, a bit at a time, until incorporated. Spread over the banana bars and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Excellent!
I just made a double batch of these banana bars and they turn out excellent.
These were delicious and easy to make! I’ve tried so many of your recipes, your my go to cook and your creations have never let me down! Thanks for another fantastic recipe- one that’ll be added to my recipe book!
So happy you enjoyed it, Brittany!
this is the most delicious, easy and just wow recipe ever. highly recommend.
I am so happy to hear you loved this as much as I do Rebecca!
Very good Banana Bar recipe. Frosting was a hit also. Made this twice this week and the pan disappeared before my eyes both times. Don’t change anything. I made it with and without candied pecans. Both were good.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Well Holly, I made these, and I doubled the recipe like I talked about and baked them on a quarter sheet cake pan and they came out fantastic!! and so moist. I didn’t double frosting though and still had enough for our liking and it still covered the whole sheet pan. Thanks for sharing your recipes. Tonight we are having your Crock Pot Meatballs.
I wish I could send you a picture but I don’t see an upload button for pictures.
I’m so glad it worked out well for you, thank you for coming back and letting us know!
Enjoy the meatballs, if you have Instagram you can upload there and tag @spendpennies. I’d love to see them. Happy cooking!
What size is a quarter sheet pan pls?
A quarter sheet pan is 9×13-inches.
Hi,I posted a few days ago and I haven’t heard back so I was wondering if my post got through. I was wondering if this Banana Bar recipe can be doubled, I would like to make them on a quarter sheet cake pan and I need to make a few of them for an upcoming event. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes I do use quite of few of them on a regular basis. :)
Sorry for the double posting, I thought for sure my first posting was 1/12/23, or otherwise I would have waited to make another comment. I’m so, so sorry,
I got this event thing and I thought these would be really good to take. :)
It’s no problem. We generally try to answer questions quickly, sorry for the delay!
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you! I haven’t tried doubling this in a sheet pan but I do think it would work as they’re quite thin. Cooking time might need to be adjusted, bake just until a toothpick comes out clean. Let us know how it goes!
trying this today.
I can’t wait for you to try these delicious banana bars Malinda!
these were the best and easiest the most yummiest! I made this for Christmas dinner. thank you!
You’re welcome Rebecca! So glad to hear.
Good Morning ! I have a question I need to make a good batch of these, can i make the batter in advance an stick in the frig , an then come back to it ? Also , i was planning on using a huge baking sheet instead of a 9×13, I assume that will work also
I have only tested this recipe as written so I can’t say for sure. Let us know how it goes!