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Every time I walk by a pan of these banana chocolate chip bars, I can’t help but slice off a little piece to taste-test. They remind me of a cross between a deep-dish chocolate chip cookie and banana bread, only this recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, too.
While you may have already tried my famous banana snack cake, which is made with no flour or added sugar, this recipe is for those moments when you want something truly decadent.
They bake faster than a loaf of banana bread (in just half the time!) but have all the comforting flavor and texture you crave. You can get it into the oven with just about 10 minutes of hands-on effort, so it’s the perfect recipe to try the next time you have ripe bananas on hand!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“These turned out so good! I have made them twice now and my 22 year old son has demolished them in a matter of days. I really appreciate a new recipe to use up bananas with little sweetener. I’ll be making this for years to come.” – Tiffany
Chocolate Chip Banana Bars Ingredients
- Oat Flour. This flour is made by simply grinding oats in a blender, but I usually keep store-bought on hand because it’s more convenient. If you need a gluten-free recipe, make sure you use certified gluten-free oat products so they aren’t contaminated during processing.
- Bananas. Use bananas with lots of black spots for the sweetest flavor.
- Peanut Butter. This addition helps you use less oil and flour. I don’t notice the flavor that much, but it does wonders for the texture of these bars. Any other all-natural nut butter should work, too! (Use the kind that needs to be stirred when you first open the jar.)
- Olive Oil. All you need is 2 tablespoons of oil for this recipe, and any mild-flavored variety should work. Don’t use coconut oil or butter, as they don’t keep baked goods as soft when they come to room temperature.
- Eggs. These add protein, structure, and bind the bars. Since this recipe is gluten-free, I don’t recommend using an egg substitute here. (Flax eggs work better in recipes that have gluten.)
- Coconut Sugar. I’ve learned over the years that granulated sugar creates delightfully dense baked goods, like cookies and brownies. If you use maple syrup as a swap, these bars will be fluffier, like a muffin.
- Pantry Staples. Baking powder, cinnamon, and salt round out this recipe. If you’re not a cinnamon fan, you can leave it out!
How to Make Banana Chocolate Chip Bars
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. A metal pan will give you better results than a glass pan since these are brownie-like.
Mash the banana with a fork until smooth, then measure out 2/3 cup. (You’ll get this amount from roughly 2 small bananas or 1 very large one.)
Step 2:
Transfer the measured mashed banana to a large bowl, then add in the peanut butter, eggs, coconut sugar, olive oil, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Stir until the batter is smooth.
Fold in the chocolate chips, then transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top, if you’d like.
Step 3:
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center feels firm to a light touch. (A toothpick inserted in the center might still come out a bit sticky since these bars are so moist. They will continue to firm up as they cool.)
These bars will be very tender while they are hot, so be patient and let them cool for at least 1 hour before serving. (The banana flavor is even more prominent when warm, too.)
Use the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan, then use a sharp knife to cut 16 squares. Enjoy them right away!
Storage Tip: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Banana Chocolate Chip Bars (Gluten-Free!)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup mashed banana (see notes)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup oat flour (certified gluten-free, if needed)
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Use a fork to mash the ripe banana on a plate, then measure out ⅔ cup for this recipe. (You'll get this amount from 1 very large banana or 2 small ones.)
- Transfer the mashed banana to a large mixing bowl, then add in the eggs, peanut butter, olive oil, oat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well, until the batter looks relatively smooth. There may still be a few lumps from the mashed banana.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top, then bake for 30 minutes at 350ºF.
- When the center looks firm and the edges look golden, remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool for 1 hour. Then slice into 16 squares and enjoy. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try these Peanut Butter Banana Bars, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like them.
I tried the recipe as written. It was super easy to stir together. The hardest part was waiting for it to cool in the pan! 😉I expected it to be a little heavier with your analogy of a cross between a blondie and banana bread. Mine came out more like a light snack cake. It was delicious none the less! My husband loved the sponginess of it.
Easy to make, turn out perfectly every time. I double the recipe and we eat these on repeat. Favorite banana bars in our house. A must make!!
Yay! Thanks for letting me know, Erin. Glad they are a hit!
This is excellent and I have been using your GF flour mix. I cut the chocolate chips down to 1/2 C adn added 1/2 C chopped pecans. I made it vanilla instead of chocolate by omitting coca powder and supplementing with an equal amount of flour. I also used maple syrup instead of sugar.
I have served it several times to family and friends and no one seems to know it is GF.
Absolutely Delicious.