Banana Bars with Brown Butter Glaze — ‘Fudgy’ is the only word that describes these banana bars! They’re the banana equivalent of moist, fudgy brownies with zero trace of cakiness.
Table of Contents
These brown butter banana bars are rich, soft, supremely moist, and tooth-sinkingly dense and satisfying. If you’re looking for a fluffy slice of banana cake or banana bread, they’re not that.
This is an easy, no-mixer recipe and the brown butter glaze makes the banana bars go from really darn good to out-of-this world amazing. It’s a must-make recipe! I cannot think of two more powerfully flavorful ingredients than browned butter or vanilla beans seeds, and flavor just explodes from the glaze.
After pouring the glaze over the warm bars, it seeps down and soaks in, and makes the bars even moister and softer. The rippled appearance that’s created as it sets up enhances the homey comfort food factor.
I normally have a piece or two of what I make and give the rest to my family or re-home the leftovers with friends and neighbors, but I hoarded these bars!
Recipe Ingredients
To make these brown butter frosted banana bars, you’ll need:
- White chocolate chips
- Unsalted butter
- Egg
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Mashed banana
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Vanilla bean paste
- Cream or milk
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Brown Butter Glazed Banana Bars
- Make the banana bars: In a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the white chocolate and butter, and melt.
- Add the egg, sugar, and vanilla, and whisk until combined.
- Stir in the bananas, followed by the flour and salt.
- Turn batter out into a greased 8×8-inch pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Make the brown butter glaze: You’ll first need to brown the butter (I’ve listed exact instructions and tips below), then combine it with confectioners’ sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking until smooth.
- Pour the glaze over the bars while they’re still warm.
- Let the bars rest, uncovered for two to three hours before slicing and serving.
Adjusting the Consistency of the Glaze
As you whisk together the vanilla glaze, you may need to add additional powdered sugar or milk to reach your desired consistency. When adding extra milk or sugar, add just a little at a time to be safe!
How to Brown Butter
Browning a stick of butter takes about 5 minutes (depending on pan size), but watch it closely so you don’t burn it!
- Cook butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan until it’s amber to brown in color.
- I swirl the pan in the last minute or so to make sure I can really see the color changes. While browning the butter, it will go through stages of hissing, sputtering, and making noise until the water cooks off, at which point the browning occurs.
- Besides changing color, you’ll know the butter is fully browned once it starts smelling nutty and fragrant. Trust me, you’ll know when it’s done!
Tips for Making This Recipe
Melting the white chocolate: White chocolate is very prone to scorching and seizing up, so watch it carefully and don’t overheat.
Vanilla bean paste substitute: I used vanilla bean paste in the vanilla glaze, but scraping the seeds of a vanilla bean works too. Vanilla extract is okay, but it won’t be as intense as vanilla paste or seeds would be. Use what you have on hand — these frosted banana bars will be delicious no matter what!
Browning the butter: When you’re transferring the browned butter from the saucepan to the mixing bowl, make sure to get all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan into the bowl. Those little browned bits are full of flavor, so definitely include them in the vanilla glaze!
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Banana Bars with Browned Butter Glaze
Ingredients
Bars
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed banana, (about 2 large or 3 small/medium ripe bananas)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- pinch salt, (optional and to taste)
Glaze
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, browned
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste*
- pinch salt, (optional and to taste)
- ¼ cup heavy cream , or as necessary for consistency (can also use milk)
Instructions
Make the Bars
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl add the white chocolate, butter, and heat to melt, about 2 minutes on high power. Stop to check and stir after 1 minute, and then heat in 20-second bursts, stopping to stir after each burst, until mixture can be stirred smooth. White chocolate is very prone to scorching and seizing up, so watch it carefully and don’t overheat.
- Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, sugar, vanilla, and whisk until combined.
- Stir in the bananas until well-combined.
- Add the flour, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Bake for about 32 to 33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. In the last 15 minutes of baking, make the glaze.
Make the Glaze
- Brown the butter (click for tutorial). Cook butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan until it’s amber to brown in color, about 5 minutes depending on pan size, but watch it closely so you don’t burn it. I swirl the pan in the last minute or so to make sure I can really see the color changes. Butter will go through stages of hissing, sputtering, and making noise until the water cooks off at which point the browning occurs. Butter will smell nutty and aromatic.
- Transfer butter, including brown bits at the bottom of the pan (they’re flavor powerhouses, keep them) from pan to large mixing bowl which stops any carryover cooking.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla bean paste, optional salt, and slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth or beat with a handheld electric mixer. As necessary, add additional cream (or confectioners’ sugar) to reach desired glaze consistency. Glaze should be of medium thickness and easily pourable.
Assemble the Bars
- Evenly pour glaze over bars (they don’t have to be cooled first), smoothing it lightly with a spatula if necessary, but glaze will likely just slide into place.
- Allow bars to cool in pan uncovered for at least 2 to 3 hours, (or overnight and cover with a sheet of foil) before slicing and serving so glaze can set up.
- Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’ve made these several times. The flavor and texture is amazing and everyone loves them! The one top I have is definitely do let the bars fully cool before pouring on the glaze, despite what recipe says. I tried it once while bars were still warm and the glaze separated and dribbled off the side. Since you then I’ve always let bars cool first and I’ve had no issues.
I’ve made these several times. The flavor and texture is amazing and everyone loves them! The one top I have is definitely do let the bars fully cool before pouring on the glaze, despite what recipe says. I tried it once while bars were still warm and the glaze separated and dribbled off the side. Since you then I’ve always let bars cool first and I’ve had no issues.
Thanks for the 5 star review! I do agree with you that if the bars are SUPER hot, the glaze could potentially separate, although that’s never personally happened to me. But good advice.
I love these. The second time I made them I just browned the butter for the blue bars and skipped the frosting. They were delicious but I love the glaze and won’t skip it again.
I love these. The second time I made them I just browned the butter for the blue bars and skipped the frosting. They were delicious but I love the glaze and won’t skip it again.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad these were a winner for you! I agree that the glaze is amazing and I can’t skip it it’s just the perfect combination with the bars I think!
This recipe gets a perfect 10. I used soy milk instead of cream for the glaze and it came out great. Was plenty sweet for us. Delicious! I hope it tastes as good (better?) tomorrow as it did tonight. May have to freeze some since we are leaving for vacation soon.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it gets a perfect 10! I am sure they will be just as good in the morning – banana desserts have a way of getting better the next day I find.
I followed the recipe exactly. The texture was nice, much like a dense and fudgy brownie, which I loved. The glaze was delicious! I’d totally use it for other baked goods. The flavor of the bars themselves was not great, however, in my opinion. They did have enough banana flavor but were definitely not sweet enough and tasted too floury. Kind of bland to me personally, although my son loved them. I think with some tweaks like some other added flavors- maybe adding a swirl of salted caramel topping in the batter, a dry banana or vanilla pudding mix, or cinnamon & other fall spices would make it a 5-star recipe for me. My bananas were pretty darn ripe but the bars could’ve used more sugar, I think. I would totally make it again with some added ingredients, I think it could definitely be amazing!
Often people write saying there is too much sugar in recipes but rarely do I hear that you want more. I find the bars sweet enough as written, especially with the glaze, but everyone’s tastes are different.
I definitely have a big sweet tooth! Haha. I’m excited to make these again with just a couple additions for myself. That nutty brown butter glaze is too irresistible!
It’s super irresistible! Enjoy!
This recipe looks so good I think I’m drooling! Any suggestions on how to make it gluten free but just as fudgy??
I don’t…maybe try GF flour that you normally use for baking and see how it goes.
I made them today with GF flour and some xanthan gum! They turned out awesome :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad they worked out great using GF flour and XG!
Can I use coconut milk in place of the cream?
I think that would be fine but haven’t personally tried it.
Made this today with a couple mods:
1. Added dark and milk choc chips into the mix
2. Made a quick salted caramel sauce in the microwave and drizzled over while still warm.
It was a huge hit with the fam and I’ll definitely be making it again soon! Yum!
You cannot go wrong with chocolate or salted caramel! I bet they were delicious additions and glad you will make it again soon!