Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves
Banana bread brownies are the ultimate treat for banana lovers, combining the moistness of banana bread with the fudginess of brownies. After making these many times, I’ve discovered the trick to getting that perfect texture is to not overmix the batter. Jump to Recipe or keep reading for my best tips, including how to prevent a common mistake. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Lemon Chicken Pasta and Juicy Grilled Chicken Mashed Potato Bowls.
Why This Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves Is Pure Comfort
- Moist and fudgy texture
- Perfect blend of banana bread and brownies
- Easy to make and better than takeout
- Great for using overripe bananas
What You'll Need for Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Optional: Whipped cream
- Optional: Ice cream
- Optional: Chopped nuts
- Optional: Chocolate syrup
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Bananas: The riper the bananas, the better the flavor.
- Butter: Melted butter can be substituted for unsalted butter.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Good quality chocolate chips — Ensure a rich chocolate flavor and melty texture. → See on Amazon
- Ripening banana holder — Helps ripen bananas faster for this recipe. → See on Amazon
How to Make Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- Mash bananas: In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth. Add the melted butter and sugar, then mix well until combined.
- Add egg and vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in chocolate chips: Fold in the chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Allow the banana bread brownies to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy with your favorite toppings!
Cook's Tips for Perfect Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves
- Common mistake and fix: The #1 reason this recipe fails is overmixing the batter, which results in tough brownies. To prevent this, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined, and avoid overmixing.
- Pro tip: For an extra decadent treat, try adding a layer of peanut butter or cream cheese frosting between two layers of these brownies.
- Pro tip: To make these brownies gluten-free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Pro tip: For a fun twist, try adding a handful of chopped nuts or dried fruits to the batter before baking.
Storing & Reheating Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: This recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Freezing Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves
Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. Be careful not to overheat, as this can cause the brownies to become dry.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a healthier version, substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend.
- Best substitution: If you don't have semisweet chocolate chips, you can substitute them with milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips.
- Make-ahead: These banana bread brownies can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled to make a larger batch. Simply double all the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch baking dish for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Troubleshooting: If your brownies are not cooking through, try tenting the pan with aluminum foil to prevent the top from burning. Continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality baking dish — Ensures even baking and easy cleanup. Pays for itself vs takeout. → Check price on Amazon
Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Optional Toppings
- Whipped cream
- Ice cream
- Chopped nuts
- Chocolate syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- Mash bananas: In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth. Add the melted butter and sugar, then mix well until combined.
- Add egg and vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well incorporated.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in chocolate chips: Fold in the chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Allow the banana bread brownies to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy with your favorite toppings!
Notes
- Chef tip: For a healthier version, substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend.
- Best substitution: If you don't have semisweet chocolate chips, you can substitute them with milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips.
- Make-ahead: These banana bread brownies can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled to make a larger batch. Simply double all the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch baking dish for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Troubleshooting: If your brownies are not cooking through, try tenting the pan with aluminum foil to prevent the top from burning. Continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. Be careful not to overheat, as this can cause the brownies to become dry.
- Make ahead: This recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 4g
- Fat: 13g
- Carbs: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sat. Fat: 7g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves FAQs
Yes, you can make these brownies ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Overcooking or overmixing the batter can cause these brownies to become dry. To prevent this, be sure to not overmix the batter and keep an eye on the baking time.
Yes, you can use frozen bananas to make these brownies. Simply thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before using.
While it's possible to make these brownies in the air fryer, the texture may not be as fudgy as when baked in the oven. To try it, preheat your air fryer to 320°F (160°C), grease the basket, and cook the batter for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
The best way to ripen bananas for this recipe is to place them in a brown paper bag with an apple or a banana. This will help to speed up the ripening process. Alternatively, you can place the bananas in the oven at a low temperature (around 200°F/93°C) for 10-15 minutes or until the desired ripeness is reached.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Banana Bread Brownies: A Sweet Twist Every Banana Lover Craves and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
