Easy Choco-Banana Bars
These super soft, super easy choco-banana bars are insanely delicious! If you love a little chocolate with your banana bread, you’re going to love these!
Oh man, these divine little banana bars – part chocolate, part not – are amazing. My friend, Teresa (she’s been a MKC reader for years even though we’ve never met in person!), sent me the recipe with rave reviews a few days ago, and I literally think I was pulling the first test batch of these bars out of the oven within an hour of reading her email.
Why do simple, delicious, banana bready recipes that are equal parts snack and dessert speak to my soul like this?
I’m powerless to resist their charms, and these delightful (and easy!) choco-banana bread bars are a perfect way to use up those bananas ripening for destruction on your counter.
The first time I made them (ahem, yes, I’ve made them a couple times in the span of two days or less), they were great! Super tasty!
But I couldn’t help making a few adjustments to make them totally foolproof and perfect. Channeling my love for this favorite-ever buttermilk banana bread (and actually this crazy popular sour cream banana bread also gets points for inspiration), I added buttermilk/sour cream to the recipe and that fairly innocent addition totally amps up the soft, tender texture of these bars.
Additionally, I threw in more mashed bananas and modified the dry ingredients to account for those two changes. The result? The perfect amount of batter for a 9X13-inch pan (it was too skimpy before, in my opinion), which naturally leads to the most perfect choco-banana bars.
You could get all fancy and swirl the two batters together, but it’s honestly not worth it in my opinion. The layered look is stunning and with the healthy amount of chocolate chips on top, you get chocolate in all the places anyway.
I’ve made a lot of banana bread-type recipes in my day, and these choco-banana bars have skyrocketed to the top of the favorites list. Quick and easy enough for a snacky snack (maybe even breakfast? throw some whole wheat flour in there and guilt be gone), but delicious and decadent enough to count for dessert, too.
Love them. Love them.
One Year Ago: Thick and Creamy Lentil Soup with Lemon {Instant Pot or Stovetop}
Two Years Ago: The Best White Sandwich Bread
Three Years Ago: Soft Baked Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie {Egg-Free}
Four Years Ago: Fudgy Coconut Oil Brownie Bites
Five Years Ago: Incredible Chocolate Pudding {Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free}
Easy Choco-Banana Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, melted
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup buttermilk or sour cream
- 2 cups (about 452 g) mashed ripe bananas, about 4 medium bananas
- 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour (see note about using whole wheat)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (21 g) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ to ¾ cup (85 to 128 g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside. I use a metal baking pan for this recipe; a glass baking pan may require additional baking time.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, buttermilk (or sour cream), and mashed bananas. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until no dry streaks remain (don’t overmix).
- Scoop half of the batter into a second bowl (about 20-22 ounces of batter if you are weighing your ingredients). Add the cocoa powder to this bowl and mix until evenly combined.
- Spread the chocolate batter in the prepared pan. It will be a thin layer but should cover the bottom of the pan.
- Dollop the banana bread batter in large spoonfuls over the top and spread in an even layer across the chocolate batter.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips across the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the bars are puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (but not wet batter). The top should spring back lightly to the touch when pressed.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: inspired by a recipe my friend (made through blogging), Teresa, sent me from this simple living blog (looks like the recipe is originally by way of Taste of Home) – I altered it to make a bit more batter to easily fill up the pan as well as emulate the tender texture of my favorite buttermilk banana bread recipe
92 Comments on “Easy Choco-Banana Bars”
You came through for me once again, Mel. These were delicious and very easy. I made them for a big dinner for my son’s football team, so I doubled the ingredients (using oil instead of butter) and baked them on a cookie sheet. They were terrific.
(Forgot to rate it!)
My teenage daughter was looking for a new Sunday treat to make our family and we had all the ingredients for this one. It turned out so delish! We only had 2 1/2 bananas so we used those and it worked great.
This recipe lacked so much flavor, waste of ingredients.
I really like this recipe. I tried it with strawberries and that works as well. Don’t be afraid to experiment with other fruits. Thank you!
Loved! So easy and a nice twist for brown bananas
I made these this afternoon using the recipe just as it was written. These are absolutely delicious! Super moist and flavorful. I tend to have at least 4 bananas hanging around on the counter at the end of the week. I have been trying out multiple recipes to use them up, but I think I just found my new go-to recipe!!
Made and enjoyed these. Was thinking that walnuts in the banana layer would be really good.
Could you replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt? Thanks
Yes, I think so.
Amazing!! I made as directed and this is SO good! I think it’s best slightly cooled, the banana bread layers are set but the chocolate chips are still a bit melty! Thanks Mel for another delicious banana bread recipe!!
First time to make it, came out great, just need my grandkids to put the seal of approval. I bet they will!
Thanks for an easy very good recipe.
Harry
Amazing, as per usual with your recipes. I accidentally put the chocolate layer on top (didn’t read the directions right) and banana only on the bottom. I also used Greek yogurt as that was what I have on hand. Thanks Mel 🙂
I can not believe I have not commented on this recipe! I have made these several times and they always came out delish.
We must have done something wrong as the bars are really dense. We used two cups of really ripe bananas. We separated the batter, by measuring, and yet the chocolate layer was thicker than the vanilla layer??? We later microwaved the bar so that the chips were melty and the bars turned squishy? We used real butter. Our baking powder and soda aren’t old. We used the cultured powdered buttermilk-reconstituting it, so it can’t be that. Really puzzled.
I love this recipe! I have made it several times and I can’t believe I haven’t connected on it.
When I told my kids I was making these today, non-voluntary-home-school stopped and everyone cheered. These really are easy and delicious.
I’ve made this a couple times now, and have been trying to be better about leaving a review on your site since I use your recipes several times a week and recommend you to just about anyone who will listen (and maybe even those who won’t)!
These bars are moist and tasty and my family gobbles them up! I decrease the sugar and they were still plenty sweet for us. Using the white wheat does help ease my guilt just a bit, too.
For those who don’t want to wash another bowl, I scooped half the batter straight into the greased pan, mixed the cocoa powder in carefully (so as not to get batter all over the sides), and spread it into an even layer before topping with the plain layer. Easy peasy and it worked out great!
Thanks so much for sharing so many wonderful recipes with us! Your blog has been my go-to for years now, and your recipes always make me a success in the kitchen (and at any get-together)!
Oops, I think I posted my comment twice. Sorry about that!
Thank you so much, Arlene!
This is a great recipe,,, a lot of compliments warm or cool! Will definitely be making this again☺️
Just had to comment on this. I’ve made these maybe 3 times since you posted it and every time I’m blown away at how good they are! I had four very ripe bananas eyeballing me on the counter. I am due to have a baby any day and I make and eat pretty much whatever I want at this point. ♀️ Anyway, a delicious Thursday afternoon treat! Thanks for the always amazing recipes!
That emoji didn’t work but it was a slap to the head in shame… haha!
You deserve to eat whatever you want!!
You deserve to eat whatever you want!!
Delicious!!! Thank you for including a weight for the bananas, my bananas were a little small so even using five I was at 16 1/2 ounces. I can’t decide if this is a dessert, a snack, breakfast… I will keep eating it throughout the day and decide the best time. Yummmmm!!
Whipped these up for after school snack today and we LOVED THEM! I don’t know if there will be any left for lunches in the morning 🙂 thanks for another winning recipe!
Could I use oat flour instead of all purpose?
I haven’t tried that but if you’ve subbed oat flour for other recipes like this, it should probably work ok.
Bananas on the counter ripening for destruction haha! Loved the recipe! Made a half batch in an 8×8 pan because we only had 9 oz of bananas. Used whole wheat pastry flour and it turned out awesome!
I was thinking of cutting this in half as well…did you just keep it at one egg?
Did you use milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips?
I use semisweet.
I see that you recommend the USA pan. What do you grease it with? They say not to use cooking spray. Thanks!
I’m actually still grease my USA pans with cooking spray. I’m not suggesting you do that necessarily, but I do and haven’t had issues.
I had to laugh at myself when I made these yesterday. I made them early in the afternoon, and then when I opened up my microwave at dinner time… I found my melted butter in there. Completely forgot to put it in! They still tasted great, and kids made them disappear in seconds. (But I’ll make them the right way next time!)
Love these delicious Chocolate Banana Bars. Easy to make, super tasty and I love the chocolate chips on top as they sort of dress them up like a black tie event!
My husband LOVES my chocolate chip banana bread… As do all his co-workers!! I am excited to try this and send it off to work with him!! They’re going to love it!! (And me, even more! ) Thanks Mel! You never steer us wrong! ❤️
Just made these today – they were fantastic and easy to make.
Thanks Mel!
Kristine
Thanks, Kristine! Glad you loved the recipe!
By far the best banana treat I’ve ever had! Super tasty!!
Yay! Thanks, Jordan!
Are these solid like a cookie bar or soft like cake? I’m wondering if I can pre-cut them and put them on a platter or if I should leave it in the pan for everyone to cut as they go.
They are definitely soft and cake-like.
Made these again today! Quarantine has me doing lots of baking!
These are AWESOME!!! Made them last night and everybody LOVED them!! I came home today and they requested I make them again tonight!!!! This recipe is going into my favorites. Easy to put together and make. They are not too sweet and I love them. The only comment at my house was if there was peanut butter in them too, they would be SUPER AWESOME!!
Oh wow, I bet peanut butter would be amazing in these!
Do you think these would freeze very well? I want to make them over the weekend and then take them to a function 3-4 days later.
I haven’t tried freezing them, but I’ve frozen banana bread with great results, so I think it should work!
I made these with almond flour to make them GF. It worked out great. They were delicious!
2 cups and nothing else?
How do you store them and how long are they good for?
I just cover them and keep them in the fridge or at room temp. They stay soft for several days.
This was literally one of the quickest things I have ever made. It was out made and out of the oven in under one hour. So delicious. You have the best recipes. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Cyndi!
Think i can double the recipe and bake it in a jelly roll pan??
I want to say yes but I’m not sure if the sides of the pan would be high enough??
These were amazing! And the next day too, with a little 5-second heat up in the microwave. But right out of the oven…to die for!
I know someone asked about putting the chocolate layer on top negating the second bowl, and I totally agree because I *dislike very much* washing more than I need to. Anywho…It worked great! I was being very picky so I could give an honest answer and I think that the banana layer on the bottom was a little resricted in its growth, but it didn’t seem “rubbery” or any more dense than the top layer. So, Yay! I might try the original method someday, but I love one-bowl recipes so much!
Good to know! 🙂
Made these today to have for a fun after school snack. They were yummy! Sweet, but not too sweet, and light without being dry. Will definitely make these again.
I made these last night and all I can say is “Yum”… I think this will be my son’s new favorite…
Made these last night and between my own kids, and the neighbors half the pan disappeared in 10 seconds. Thanks again, Mel!
Funny story, my little 4 year old grabbed a banana off our counter yesterday ready for me to slice it for breakfast, looking at all the brown spots on said banana I told her that that banana wasn’t good for eating only for making banana bread (we make your buttermilk banana bread all the time!) so I pulled my phone out to check the recipe for how much butter to get softening and there was this recipe just waiting for those bananas instead, ha! I only had enough bananas to half the recipe, so, I weighed my egg and beat it then weighed out half the egg and I used an 8 x 8 pan. They turned out great! Not going to lie I was a bit skeptical, I don’t know that I’ve had bananas and chocolate together before, and I love your buttermilk banana bread so was hoping I wasn’t going to regret not making it instead… these did not disappoint! Yum!
Haha, love this, Misty! And glad the chocolate + banana bars kind of won you over!
Throw some wheat flour in there and guilt be gone. You kill me. Making these today!
🙂
I hate washing bowls. Any reason not to put the non-cocoa layer in pan, then add cocoa to remaining half of mixture? So reverse the layers rob avoid dirtying a bowl?
I’m sure you could try it! The only thing I wonder is if the chocolate layer will sink because it’s more dense thanks to the additional cocoa powder?
Just made these with the chocolate layer on top and it worked great! I halved the recipe and baked in an 8×8 pan. They were done at 27 minutes. Super yummy! Like banana bread, but better 🙂
🙂 glad they worked out!
Mel, thank you for another ‘Bar Cookie’ type recipe. I am feeding about 30 Young Single Adult Students at the University of Washington Institute every Friday. The bar cookie recipes make dessert so much easier. I just make 3 – 9”x13” pans and they absorb them.
Thanks for another great recipe for next week!!
Bar cookies/treats are the best for big groups like that. That’s awesome you make treats for them every Friday!
Mel, so happy that you loved these, and loved them enough to post them on your site! They really are delicious and so easy. I will have to try your version with the buttermilk, which sounds so yummy.
Thanks so much for passing the recipe on to me, Teresa!
Yum! Very tasty! I made the recipe exactly as written–which I rarely do, and it turned out just right! When I cut into it I forgot that the bottom layer was chocolate and my initial reaction was Holy Cow! How did I burn that so quickly!
I think my granddaughters will think this is a real treat!
Haha, that’s funny about the “burned” bottom layer, Cinda. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed these!
Great day to see this post, kids got out of school early today because of snow so I made these this afternoon, easy and yummy!
Perfect treat for a snow day, Erika!
Would you use kefir in this in place of the buttermilk?
Yes!
Will these work with milk/vinegar buttermilk? I just honestly never have buttermilk on hand but always have a hankering for yumminess. And also I always have Greek yogurt and never sour cream. I like to be extra difficult! Obviously I’ll buy the correct ingredients when planning to make, but planning isn’t always an option when kids demand the goods!
I would just throw some Greek yogurt in there!
I just pulled these out of the oven. These bars are so good. So glad I saw these today!
I’m so happy you made them so quickly and loved them! Thanks, Christine!
Do you think Greek yogurt could be used in place of the sour cream?
I think so!
The Amazon link to your 9×13 pan takes you to a loaf pan.
I think it’s because the 9X13-inch pan is currently sold out but it usually comes back into stock pretty quick. It’s available at the same link (in the options to select different sizes of pans).
I’d like to cut this in half and it looks like it might be fairly easy to do- maybe try it in a loaf pan? What do you think?
Sounds like a great idea!
I’ve made this a couple times now, and have been trying to be better about leaving a review on your site since I use your recipes several times a week and recommend you to just about anyone who will listen (and maybe even those who won’t)! 😉
These bars are moist and tasty and my family gobbles them up! I decrease the sugar and they were still plenty sweet for us. Using the white wheat does help ease my guilt just a bit, too. 🙂
For those who don’t want to wash another bowl, I scooped half the batter straight into the greased pan, mixed the cocoa powder in carefully (so as not to get batter all over the sides), and spread it into an even layer before topping with the plain layer. Easy peasy and it worked out great!
Thanks so much for sharing so many wonderful recipes with us! Your blog has been my go-to for years now, and your recipes always make me a success in the kitchen (and at any get-together)!
Looks delicious. I like chocolate and bananas.