Description
Sweet banana chocolate chip cookie bars blend classic comfort with irresistible flavor, creating a dreamy dessert that melts in your mouth. Moist, chewy bars packed with ripe bananas and rich chocolate chips promise pure indulgence you won’t be able to resist.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, for browning
- 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) mashed ripe banana (about 1 large banana)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups (313 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
Sugars and Flavoring:
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Chocolate and Toppings:
- 1/2 cup (85 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
- 1/2 cup (85 grams) milk chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
- 1/3 cup (50 grams) toffee bits, plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Transform butter into a rich, golden-brown state by cubing and heating in a heavy saucepan over medium temperature. Stir continuously until the butter develops a deep, nutty fragrance. Swiftly transfer to a heat-resistant container to halt cooking process.
- Sift flour, cinnamon, and baking soda together in a medium mixing bowl, ensuring smooth and even distribution of dry ingredients.
- Heat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9-inch baking pan by lining with parchment paper, creating extended edges for easy extraction. Lightly coat with non-stick spray.
- Combine cooled brown butter with mashed banana, brown and granulated sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture becomes uniform and glossy.
- Gently incorporate sifted dry ingredients into wet mixture, folding with a spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture.
- Delicately fold semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and toffee bits throughout the dough, ensuring even distribution.
- Spread cookie dough uniformly across prepared pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula for consistent thickness.
- Sprinkle additional chocolate chips and toffee bits across the dough’s surface, gently pressing them to slightly embed.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top turns golden and the center remains slightly soft while edges become firm.
- While bars are warm, scatter extra chocolate chips and toffee bits on top, allowing residual heat to soften them slightly.
- Allow cookie bars to cool completely within the pan, crucial for achieving optimal texture and structural integrity.
- Utilize parchment paper handles to remove bars from pan. Slice into nine equal squares and serve.
Notes
- Brown the butter carefully to develop a rich, nutty flavor without burning, which can make the butter taste bitter and ruin the entire recipe.
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum natural sweetness and deeper banana flavor in the cookie bars.
- Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent tough, dense bars; mix just until ingredients are combined to keep the texture tender and soft.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, ensuring the same delicious texture and taste.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg