Description
Peanut Butter Banana Bars with luscious peanut butter, ripe bananas, and a soft, comforting texture. Quick, crowd-pleasing treat!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium ripe bananas (approximately 1½ cups mashed)
- ¾ cup natural creamy peanut butter (choose one with no added sugar or oil for best results)
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Prepare Your Workspace: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. This simple step will save you frustration later and ensure clean cuts.
- 2. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, thoroughly mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. You should have about 1½ cups of mashed banana. Add the peanut butter, honey or maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is well combined and smooth. The warmth of the peanut butter will help create a silky, uniform mixture.
- 3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening and spices throughout the bars. If you’re using any optional add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, toss them with the dry ingredients to coat them lightly—this helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the bars.
- 4. Create Your Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold everything together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are preferable to tough bars. The batter will be thick and somewhat sticky—that’s exactly what we want for perfect Peanut Butter Banana Bars.
- 5. Bake to Perfection: Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly into the corners. For an extra touch of visual appeal, sprinkle a few additional chocolate chips or nuts on top. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- 6. Cool and Cut: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack—this crucial step allows the bars to set properly. Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares using a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for the cleanest edges.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 93mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 13mg