Banana Blondies with Brown Butter Icing
These banana blondies are rich, chewy, and packed with deep caramel flavor from bananas, muscavado sugar, and butter. They're an easy one-bowl dessert that's just as welcome on a holiday table as it is for a weeknight craving!
If you love baking with overripe bananas, this banana blondie recipe is a welcome change from good old banana bread! The blondie bars are soft and moist with crisp edges, gooey chocolate chips, and a lovely caramel-like richness in every bite. If you enjoy baking with fruit, my apple blondies are another delicious, seasonal twist on this classic treat.
Top them with the brown butter icing, and they become something truly special. The nutty glaze adds another layer of buttery, toffee flavor that pairs beautifully with the bananas.
Looking for more recipes to use up those spotty bananas? Then you must try my gluten-free banana pancakes, Hawaiian banana bread, and banana bread scones.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
A delicious way to use up overripe bananas.
The batter comes together with simple ingredients in one bowl. Minimal cleanup!
Ripe bananas, muscavado sugar, and butter give these banana blondies a rich, toffee-like caramel flavor.
The nutty and buttery brown butter icing makes the banana blondie bars extra special and irresistible!
Every bite is loaded with melty, gooey chocolate chips!
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: All-purpose flour is the best choice here for soft, chewy banana blondies.
Banana: Use very ripe bananas for the best and the sweetest flavor. Mash them well before adding them to the batter.
Butter: Melted butter gives these banana chocolate chip blondies their rich, chewy texture. You'll also need butter for the brown butter icing. I used salted butter. If using unsalted butter, add a quarter teaspoon of salt to the batter.
Egg: We use just 1 egg in this banana blondie bar recipe. It adds richness and structure. Make sure it's at room temperature.
Muscovado sugar: This unrefined brown sugar has a natural molasses content that adds a ton of flavor. For the banana bars, it gives them a deep, almost toffee-like taste. It also keeps the texture moist and soft. You can also use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
Chocolate chips: I used mini dark chocolate chips. You can use regular chocolate chips or chunks instead, as I did in my chocolate chip coffee blondies.
Brown butter icing: We will use butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean paste for making this icing. Brown the butter first for that delicious toasted flavor.
Please see the recipe card below for detailed information about the ingredients and their quantities.
How To Make Banana Blondies
Step 1: Set your oven to preheat, and line your 8-by-8 baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: Whisk the muscovado sugar in the melted butter, then stir in the egg, followed by the vanilla extract.
Step 3: Whisk in flour, baking powder, and mashed bananas, and mix till you have a nice, thick, and smooth mixture.
Step 4: Fold in chocolate chips (I used mini, dark ones). While chocolate chips in banana blondies are optional, the result is sensational for sure.
Step 5: Transfer the batter into your tin, smooth the top, and bake for 30 to 35 mins. Don’t overbake; you don’t want dry banana blondies.
Step 6: Cool, cut, and enjoy!
How To Make Brown Butter Glaze
- Heat butter in a pan over medium-low until the milk solids separate and the butter gains a toasted, nutty flavor. Take the browned butter off the heat and let it cool.
- You can now use it as-is or strain the solids. I love to include the lovely caramelized solid bits because they infuse so much flavor into all-overripe banana recipes.
- Whisk in icing sugar and vanilla bean paste (or you can switch to vanilla extract).
- If the icing is too thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of milk to get the desired thick consistency.
Pro Tips
- For neat slices, cool the banana blondies before cutting.
- Keep a close eye on the butter as it browns. It goes from beautifully nutty to burnt real fast!
- Let the brown butter cool a bit before adding icing sugar.
- And finally, and very importantly, sift the icing sugar. This does take an extra couple of minutes, but is important for getting a silky-smooth glaze.
- If adding milk, make sure it's slightly warm or lukewarm milk. Not cold, because that will make the butter stiffen up.
- Don't overbake the banana blondies. Take them out when the center is set but still slightly soft. Overbaking will make them dry and cakey rather than soft and chewy.
How To Serve
These banana blondies with chocolate chips are delicious warm, at room temperature, or even cold! Enjoy them as they are or take them up a notch with brown butter icing.
The nutty, buttery glaze adds a lovely caramel-like richness to the banana blondies and is well worth the extra few minutes. Drizzle it over cooled blondies, let it set slightly, then slice and serve.
How To Store Banana Blondies
Store the banana blondies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving.
More Banana Recipes You'll Love
Recipe
Banana Blondies with Brown Butter Icing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Butter, melted I used salted butter
- 3/4 cup Muscovado sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1.5 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups All-purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp Baking powder
- 2 Bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup Mini dark chocolate chips
Brown Butter Icing
- 4 tbsp Butter
- 2/3 cup Icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp Milk, lukewarm
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla bean paste / Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C / 350 F. Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the melted butter and muscovado sugar in a large bowl.1/2 cup Butter, melted, 3/4 cup Muscovado sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.1 Egg, 1.5 tsp Vanilla extract
- Whisk in the flour, baking powder, and mashed bananas.1.5 cups All-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp Baking powder, 2 Bananas, mashed
- Fold in the chocolate chips and transfer the thick batter into your prepared pan.1/2 cup Mini dark chocolate chips
- Bake at 180 C / 350 F for 25-30 minutes.
- Let the blondies cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before taking them out on the cooling rack to cool.
Brown Butter Icing
- Heat the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. The butter will be bubbly and foamy and then will start to change color. Once it's brown in color, take the pan off the heat and let it cool a bit. You can also strain the butter into a small bowl if you don't want the milk solids in the icing. I skipped this step.4 tbsp Butter
- Whisk in the icing sugar and vanilla bean. Add milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until you get a smooth, viscous mixture.2/3 cup Icing sugar, 2-3 tbsp Milk, lukewarm, 1/2 tsp Vanilla bean paste / Vanilla extract
- Pour the icing over the cooled blondies and spread evenly. Sprinkle some chocolate-coated caramel balls on top if you wish. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- For neat slices, cool the banana blondies before cutting.
- Keep a close eye on the butter as it browns. It goes from beautifully nutty to burnt real fast!
- Let the brown butter cool a bit before adding icing sugar.
- And finally, and very importantly, sift the icing sugar. This does take an extra couple of minutes, but is important for getting a silky-smooth glaze.
- If adding milk, make sure it's slightly warm or lukewarm milk. Not cold, because that will make the butter stiffen up.
- Don't overbake the banana blondies. Take them out when the center is set but still slightly soft. Overbaking will make them dry and cakey rather than soft and chewy.
Which chocolate chips is used here…please tell me the brand
Natasha Author
Hi Chandani, it's a local supermarket brand. Quite easily available in bigger supermarkets, they just repack a big pack in smaller boxes. These are kept in the baking aisle. Else you can check online too.
Great recipe!
Where can we get the muscovado sugar? Is this the same as Tate & Lyle?
Natasha Author
Thank you, Rhea! You can get it online or in any big supermarket. Tate & Lyle have it, I used the Pirouette brand. Hope this helps. xx