By Becky Hardin
Published Aug 12, 2020
These chocolate chip banana bars are super easy to make and perfect to serve as a snack or dessert. All of the flavor of your favorite banana cake in bar form!
I love using bananas in baked goods! They keep them really moist and I love the natural flavor and sweetness. I can also trick myself into thinking I’m eating one of my daily portions of fruit!
Perfect to serve up as a mid afternoon snack or as a family dessert .
If you love these bars, be sure to check out my Banana Muffins and Brown Butter Banana Bread !
Why you will love these chocolate banana bars!
- Easy: It takes just 10 minutes to make the batter for these bars and then into the oven it goes!
- Fluffy and light: These cake bars rise wonderfully and aren’t at all heavy. They are very cake like!
- Perfect for a crowd: This recipe makes 12 squares, so it’s a perfect treat if you have guests.
How to make chocolate chip banana bars
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Prep: Pre heat the oven and grease a baking pan.
- Combine: Beat together the butter sugar and eggs. Mix in the other wet ingredients. Stir in the dry ingredients and fold in chocolate chips.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the pan, sprinkle chocolate chips on top and bake until cooked through.
Can you use underripe bananas?
It’s best to use ripe or overripe bananas in these bars. They will be much sweeter and more flavorful than underripe. They will also be easier to mash.
How long do they keep?
Once the cake is cooled and cut into bars, transfer to an airtight container. They will keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days and will keep for up to 7 days in the fridge. They make a great addition to daily lunchboxes!
Can you freeze them?
Yes! You can freeze these banana bars either in the dish, or wrap them individually and place in freezer bags. You can thaw them at room temperature or in the fridge.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- The more ripe your bananas are the sweeter and more banana flavored these bars will be.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice to ¾ cup of milk. The acid in the lemon juice ferments the milk and acts as a raising agent.
- Don’t over mix the batter, the dry ingredients should be just combined.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting into bars.
More Easy Baking Recipes
- Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
- Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Strawberry Lemonade Sugar Cookie Bars
- Skinny Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe
- Cranberry Orange Biscotti
- Lemon Raspberry Bars Recipe
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, melted (1 stick)
- ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- ▢ 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- ▢ 3 bananas mashed
- ▢ ¾ cup buttermilk 170 grams, room temperature
- ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
- ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 grams
- ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder 8 grams
- ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
- ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- ▢ 1½ cups mini chocolate chips 266 grams, divided
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, with a whisk or hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and eggs together. ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs
- Add the banana, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix well. 3 bananas, ¾ cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fold in 1¼ cups of the chocolate chips. 1½ cups mini chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
- Hand Mixer (optional)
Becky’s Tips
- The more ripe your bananas are the sweeter and more banana flavored these bars will be.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice to ¾ cup of milk. The acid in the lemon juice ferments the milk and acts as a raising agent.
- Don’t overmix the batter, the dry ingredients should be just combined.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting into bars.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Banana and Chocolate Treats to Bake
Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Easy Peanut Butter Banana Bundt Cake
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Chocolate Chip Banana Bars
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9x13 Baking Pan
- Hand Mixer (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, melted (1 stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- 3 bananas mashed
- ¾ cup buttermilk 170 grams, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 8 grams
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 grams
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 8 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- 1½ cups mini chocolate chips 266 grams, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, with a whisk or hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and eggs together. ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs
- Add the banana, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix well. 3 bananas, ¾ cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fold in 1¼ cups of the chocolate chips. 1½ cups mini chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
Video
Notes
- The more ripe your bananas are the sweeter and more banana flavored these bars will be.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice to ¾ cup of milk. The acid in the lemon juice ferments the milk and acts as a raising agent.
- Don’t overmix the batter, the dry ingredients should be just combined.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting into bars.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
