These Banana Bars are great for a crowd, and everybody raves about the Brown Butter Frosting.  Baked on a sheet pan, you get enough to feed that banana loving crowd of yours!
In an attempt to wean myself off of my current Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookie obsession, I made Banana Bars.  For some reason it made sense to me to make something that I didn’t crave.  It’s like ordering bourbon when you want wine so you don’t drink too much.  But really, all that happens is you end up loving bourbon.  Same concept here.  Now I crave these Banana Bars (and bourbon)…I really am hopeless. Start making these by mixing up your batter.  I recommend a stand mixer for convenience. Once mixed, add the batter to a sheet pan either covered in parchment or sprayed with nonstick.
Besides loving the incredible sugar rush I got from licking the frosting bowl, I also loved that this recipe is baked on a sheet pan.  When I am not obsessing over Peanut Butter Crinkle cookies then I’m obsessing over new things to make on a sheet pan.  It’s a hobby..a sheety one!  Oh come on let me have one sheety joke! While the bars are baking, mix up the frosting. Brown butter in a pan to start. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. It should look a little something like the picture below.
Allow the brown butter to cool, then mix with powdered sugar, vanilla, and a smidge of milk. Because the banana bars are a little cakey, the frosting mixture is a a little more runny to allow it to spread better.
I should note…It is best to make the frosting during the last 10 minutes of the bars baking so you can frost while the bars are warm. It helps spread evenly and once it cools, it makes that delicious semi-crackly frosting coating everybody loves.
If you are looking for other delicious dessert bar recipes, check out a few of our favorites!
- Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Maple Frosting
- Glazed Orange Bars
- Easy Apple Cake
- Lemon Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Banana Bars with Brown Butter Frosting
Ingredients
For the bars
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Brown Butter Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoon . vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Bars
- Cream together butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Beat in eggs, bananas and vanilla.
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the banana mixture and mix well.
- Pour into buttered 15 x 10 x 1 in baking pan
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and springs back easily when touched.
- Brown Butter Frosting
- About 10 minutes before bars are done. Begin the frosting: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Continue boiling for about 3-5 minutes until the butter becomes a light brown. Remove from heat.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Whisk together until smooth. You will want this a bit thinner than frosting so it spread easily on the warm bars. Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars.
Nutrition
Thank you for the recipe. As mentioned earlier the frosting was a bit too thick . Added a splash of milk and voila .
These have a delicious taste. I just ran into an issue with frosting being too thick…..followed receipe to a tee. I just browned mire butter and added to frosting mixture. Not sure what happened. But they are delicious…watch out…very adficting!!
Hi Catherine, sorry the frosting didn’t work for you. It’s very easy to be off powdered sugar measurement as it an be compact or loose depending on how you store it. Adding a tablespoon of milk will usually take care of a dry frosting.
Kathi, you are just too funny! :)……I love all your cookie posts and this really looks terrific. You must have an extensive cookie recipe collection. I will check out your sheet board…:)