Easy Frosted Banana Bars Recipe

These Banana Bars are the perfect way to use those brown bananas on your counter before they turn into zombies. Ha!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword banana bars

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 267kcal

Author Dana DeVolk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper leaving the sides a little longer for easy removal later.
In a large bowl, using an electric beater mix butter, applesauce, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
1/3 cup unsalted butter, 1/3 cup cinnamon applesauce, ¾ cup light brown sugar, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add in the bananas and sour cream and mix until just combined.
2 cups mashed ripe bananas, ½ cup sour cream
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
Slowly add dry into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
While the bars cool, make the frosting by mixing all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup salted butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Once the bars are cooled, spread the frosting over the top then sprinkle walnuts over the top.
½ cup chopped walnuts
Slice into 24 bars and serve.

Mash the Bananas Thoroughly: The fewer lumps, the smoother the banana flavor will be in your bars. But don’t overdo it—some small chunks can be nice.
Don’t Overmix: Once the dry ingredients meet the wet ingredients, stir gently to keep the batter tender. Overmixing can lead to tough bars.
Parchment Paper Sling: Lining your baking dish with parchment helps lift the bars out easily—just grab the overhanging sides and lift them out.
Test with a Toothpick: Look for moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the toothpick comes out gooey, bake a bit longer.
Let Them Cool Before Frosting: It might be hard to wait, but cream cheese frosting will melt if the bars are still hot.
Next Time, Try a Jelly Roll Pan: If you like thinner bars (like a sheet cake style), use a jelly roll pan. Just keep an eye on the baking time because it’ll cook faster.