Brown Butter Frosted Banana Bread Bars

These banana bread bars are so quick and easy to make and it’s the perfect way to use up those spotty ripe bananas! Plus, it’s made extra special with brown butter both in the batter and the frosting on top. It’s the perfect dessert for a crowd and everyone LOVES them!

How to make brown butter banana bread bars

Rather than just making brown butter frosting and calling it day, I decided to put brown butter both in the bars and in the frosting! So to make this recipe quick and simple, the butter is all browned at once.

This is both the butter for the batter and for the frosting. Once the big batch of butter is nice and browned, it’s divided in two.

First, 1/2 cup is poured out and reserved for the batter. The remaining brown butter goes into a mixing bowl. Then 2 tablespoons of extra butter are stirred in which helps the hot butter cool down faster.

This is important because the butter must be solid before making the frosting. So while the bars are being prepared, the frosting butter chills in the refrigerator.

By the time the bars are baked and cooling, the frosting butter should be at the perfect consistency! It’s mixed with powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to make the most delicious brown butter frosting.

The frosting is spread over the slightly warm bars which allows it to ever-so-slightly melt into these delicious banana bread bars.

How to make brown butter

If you’ve never made brown butter before, check out my guide on how to make brown butter. It’s a quick and simple process but there are a few important things to note before diving right in!

Banana bread bars baking tips

These bars are SO easy to make, but here are a few tips to ensure yours turn out just right:

1. Bananas – Measure the bananas to exactly 1 1/2 cups. Don’t go just by the amount (about 4 bananas) as this is just a suggestion to help you gauge how many you will need. Bananas come in many different sizes, so 4 bananas to you might be too much or too little. Mashing and then measuring is the best way to ensure accuracy every time.
2. Brown Butter – All the flavor in brown butter is in the little brown bits that tend to sink to the bottom of the butter. So when pouring the butter into the batter, make sure to scrape in every last drop.
3. Flour – I always say to measure the flour if you can. If a scale isn’t available, gently spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off for a light and fluffy cup of flour. Never scoop directly down into the flour as this packs it down into the cup, leaving you with way too much excess flour in the batter.
4. Mixing – When mixing in the flour, don’t over work the batter. Mix just until it comes together, otherwise your bars will be tough rather than soft and tender.

Banana Bread Bars FAQs

For more banana recipes, check out my:

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and leave a review below if you make these banana bread bars. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!

Watch how to make these banana bread bars:

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Brown Butter Frosted Banana Bread Bars

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5 from 47 reviews

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  Author: Jenna Barnard
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  Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
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  Yield: 24 bars

Description

These banana bread bars are the perfect way to use up those spotty ripe bananas sitting on your counter! They’re also made extra special with brown butter both in the batter and in the sweet frosting on top.

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Banana Bread Bars

• 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (105g) light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup (250g) sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups (385g) ripe banana, mashed (4-ish bananas)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups (265g) all purpose flour

Brown Butter Frosting

• 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter (+ 2 tbsp chilled)
• 3 cups (300g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (60g) milk, room temp

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Instructions

Banana Bread Bars

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an 11×15 jelly roll pan.
2. Combining the butter from the banana bread bars and the butter for the frosting (minus the additional 2 tbsp) equates to 1 1/4 cup of butter. Add this butter to a saucepan over medium heat to brown.
3. It will go from melted, to loud and bubbly, to quiet and foamy. Keep stirring until it turns a light amber color.
4. Dividing the browned butter, measure out 1/2 cup for the banana bread bars and pour the remaining brown butter in a mixing bowl. Now drop in the extra 2 tablespoons of butter into the mixing bowl and mix to melt.
5. Place the bowl of brown butter into the refrigerator as it needs to solidify for the frosting.
6. Now pour the 1/2 cup of brown butter (reserved for the bars) into a seperate mixing bowl and whisk in the sugar and brown sugar.
7. Then whisk in the eggs, followed by the sour cream, banana, and vanilla.
8. Whisk in the baking soda and salt, followed by the flour.
9. Pour the batter into the prepped pan and spread even.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
11. While the bars cool, make the frosting.

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Brown Butter Frosting

1. By now, the refrigerated bowl of brown butter should be solid but still soft.
2. Using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, gradually mix in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, followed by the vanilla and milk.
3. Spread the frosting over the slightly warm bars and allow them to cool at room temp for about 30 minutes. Then slice and enjoy!

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cooling Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

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