These Brown Butter Banana Bars are a soft and tender dessert that brings together the rich nuttiness of brown butter and the sweet comfort of ripe bananas. The smooth cream cheese frosting makes each bite a little indulgent while still feeling homey and familiar.
This recipe reminds me of the banana cakes my mom used to make when we had a few overripe bananas on the counter. Only this time, the brown butter gives it a cozy twist. Whether it's fall baking season or you just want something sweet any time of year, these bars always hit the spot.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Nutty richness: browned butter adds deep caramel flavor that makes these banana bars unforgettable.
Soft texture: the combination of ripe bananas and buttermilk keeps the bars light and moist without being dense.
Creamy topping: the cream cheese frosting gives every bite a smooth, tangy finish that balances the sweetness perfectly.
Key Ingredients for Brown Butter Banana Bars
For a full list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Ripe bananas: use spotty bananas for the best natural sweetness and flavor.
- Brown butter: melted and browned butter gives the bars a warm, toasty flavor that pairs perfectly with banana.
- Cake flour: keeps the texture light and tender. Ideal for a soft dessert bar.
- Buttermilk: adds tang and moisture while activating the baking soda for lift.
- Cream cheese: used in the frosting to add creaminess and balance the sweetness.
- Toasted pecans: a final sprinkle of nuts adds crunch and a buttery finish.
Ingredient Substitutions
- All-purpose flour canreplace cake flour. The bars will just be slightly denser.
- Sour cream or greek yogurt can stand in for buttermilk.
- Walnuts make a great alternative to pecans for a classic banana nut flavor.
Tips for the Best Banana Bars
- Don't overmix. Stir just until combined to keep the bars light.
- Use very ripe bananas: the riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your bars will be.
- Cool completely before frosting: this keeps the cream cheese frosting from melting or becoming too thin.
How to Store
Store leftover banana bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To serve, bring them to room temperature.
More Easy Banana Desserts You'll Love
If you love my baked treats, you might enjoy my Hummingbird Bundt Cake, Banana Marble Bundt Cake, Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and Baked Banana Doughnuts with Browned Butter Rum Glaze,
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Brown Butter Banana Bars
Equipment
- 13x9 inch baking dish
- Medum mixing bowls
- Wire cooling rack
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Ingredients
For the Bars
- 2 cups sliced ripe banana about 3 medium
- ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter chilled and cut into small pieces
- 9 ounces cake flour about 2 ¼ cups
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup nonfat buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Baking spray with flour
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup ⅓-less-fat cream cheese , softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup chopped pecans toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Place banana slices, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter in an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Bake for 35 minutes, stirring after 17 minutes. Cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°.
- Lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, combine banana mixture, buttermilk, and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix together the butter and granulated sugar until well blended.
- Add eggs to sugar mixture and mix well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture to alternating with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Pour batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with baking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. .
To prepare frosting
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly.
- Combine browned butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth.
- Spread frosting over cooled bars. Sprinkle with pecans.
Kevin says
Using roasted bananas is a great idea!
Deb Léger says
Roasting the bananas first sounds awesome. I've got to try this on the weekend! Love your blog!
Christy says
your cake looks amazing! I'm certainly putting this on my menu SOON!
Andrea says
Roasting bananas first is pure genius. Pure. Your cake looks so beautiful!
Snooky doodle says
this cake looks awesome and I like the caramelised banana 🙂 I have to try this. I love your blog
Robin Sue says
I have never heard of cooking the bananas that way for cake before. Wow I bet that makes it the best! Will have to try this out as my middle little loves banana cake/bread. You sure do find some great recipes to share. I SU'd this!
Chocolate Shavings says
Those bars look REALLY good!
Bellini Valli says
This really is an innovative recipe. I can't wait to try it...and I love Cooking Light!!
Kaitlin says
Oooo yum! That frosting looks insane!
Hayley says
These bars sound amazing. I love the chunks of banana dotted throughout. Thanks for sharing!
The Duo Dishes says
How is it that Cooking Light always has the best sweet treat recipes?!
noble pig says
Looks great!
Judy says
I found your post through foodgawker. As it happens, I made this recipe from CL over the weekend for a party and it was a huge hit: preferred 2 to 1 over Texas Sheet cake (gooey chocolate cake).
One bit of advice, if you like frosting, multiply the frosting recipe by 1.5 as I did.
Pam says
Oh Shelby, this is my kind of cake...I love the frosting.
Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer says
Looks incredible and I have bananas in the kitchen right now that need to go to good use!!
Stephanie says
That looks so delicious! It's funny though, we often have bananas left over as well, but if I buy them with the intent of using the leftovers, everyone eats them too fast and there aren't any more to bake with! Grrr...
MJPatrick says
I am loving every bits of blog! Thanks for the support.
Daily Spud says
Lovely - just made some banana bread (well, cake, really) the other day and it can't be beat 🙂 Those bars sound like a really interesting twist on bananas-in-cake though!
recipes2share says
Your cakes still don't look light to me - they look fantastic. I haven't made banana bread for years so think I may try this out (I need light right now!)
JyLnC says
I made a cake last week from left over bananas. No matter how hard I try to use them before they become over ripe, I always seem to have a few left over. I love Banana cake but my dh and son are not fans. :>(
Of course, there was more cake for me.:>)
This looks like another good solution to the banana dilemma.
Carolyn Jung says
This looks like a nice change from run-of-the-mill banana bread baked in a loaf pan. And I bet kids and adults love it.
Creative One says
I wish I had some bananas so I could make these bars right now.
The pictures look awesome Shelby!
chuck says
it just doesn't get any better than this. I love any baked good with bananas. Yummy!
Tracy says
I am always looking for banana recipes. This looks deelish!
Aparna says
This looks and sounds just great, Shelby. The texture looks wonderful. My husband would love this.:)
Carrie says
Yum!! I never get to bake with bananas because I love them so much they're all gobbled up before I get the chance.
Sara says
Wow these look fabulous! I'm a huge fan of banana anything. 🙂
The Food Librarian says
Oh! Looks soooo delicious!! I want some!!
Bob says
Looks great, and it just so happens I have a bunch of bananas that need to be used. 😉
Meg says
I can't believe this is light. What a yummy dessert!
Bunny says
Very nice different touch roasting the bananas w/ the brown sugar. I'm loving that idea! These look woderful Shelby!
Gabe's Girl says
These are beauties. I almost did not move past the pictures to read the recipe. What a lovely dessert. Very nice.
Melissa says
Wow1 That looks great! And so dense but moist. 🙂
Ingrid says
Yum, yum, yum! Those sound & look so good. We love banana desserts! Of course even if we didn't love (brown sugar roasted) banana desserts we do love some browned butter frosting pecan frosting!!! I will be making this soon! I already printed out the recipes. THANKS!
~ingrid
Lisa says
Looks so yummy and moist. Congrats on your new business. How did I miss that?
Sharon says
Somehow I must have breezed right past this recipe in CL. I think I'll make this for Valentine's Day! Just the name makes me drool.
- bcgw. says
Mmm.. that looks SO yummy!
Linda says
I saw this recipe...it looks great and I will have to give it a try.
We love bananas. I bet they were wonderful coming out of the oven.
HoneyB says
Joy - definitely buy extra bananas for this! They don't have to be super ripe either since you cook them in brown sugar!
Poodle - I'm glad you found me too! Happy to make your mouth water!
Megan - it did smell bananalicious!
Reeni - as long as you feed me, I'll bring the bars! ;0)
Reeni♥ says
I hope you make a batch of these when you come to visit!! I have been craving banana cake all week. Roasting the bananas first is genius!
Poodle says
I don't really care for bananas, but love them in desserts. This sounds great -- those pictures are making my mouth water. So happy to have found your blog!!
Megan says
This sounds like a great recipe. I bet roasting them really brings out their sweetness. Yum! 🙂
And I bet the house smelled banalicious!
Joie de vivre says
Oh yummy. I buy a huge bunch of bananas every week thinking it will last me the week but alas, having two hungry boys in the house, we always go through them in a few days. Perhaps if I bought two huge bunches we'd have enough left to make this beautiful cake.