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Banana Brownies (Banana Blondies)
Banana Brownies are that perfect blend of brownie texture but with bananas instead of chocolate. Anything banana is a family favorite, so this one makes a frequent appearance over here. Adults and kids love them, and since they are so easy to make in a 9X13 pan, this is the one I turn to the most when I have bananas about to turn. Don’t judge, I know you have had the same nearly black bananas sitting on your counter too!
These are technically blondies. There’s no chocolate in the batter at all, just butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and mashed banana. Most of us associate brownies with chocolate, so the name throws people, but what you get is that dense, fudgy brownie texture carrying banana instead of cocoa. If you want chocolate in them, add chocolate chips to the batter or swap the browned butter frosting for a chocolate one.
Don’t miss the good stuff! Scroll down past the recipe card for helpful Pro Tips and additional information.
Banana Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 3/4 cups mashed bananas about 4 7-inch bananas
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter salted
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat an oven to 375°F and prepare a 9 X 13 pan by spraying with baking spray or lightly greasing.
- Combine the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl and mix until well combined.1/2 cup salted butter, 3/4 cup granulated white sugar, 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Scrape the bowl as needed.2 large eggs
- Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat until completely combined.1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 cup sour cream
- Add the flour and baking soda and mix just until the flour is incorporated.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Add the bananas and mix until smooth.1 3/4 cups mashed bananas
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean.
- During the last 5 minutes of baking, prepare the frosting.
Frosting
- Place the butter into a medium sauce pan and set the heat to medium-high. Heat the butter until it starts to bubble, stirring frequently until the butter has turned a medium to dark blonde color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.1/2 cup butter
- Add the powdered sugar and mix to combine, add the vanilla and milk and stir until smooth and creamy.1/4 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 4 cups confectioners sugar
- Add more milk if the frosting is too thick.
- Top the brownies with the frosting while the brownies and frosting are both still warm, this will make spreading out the frosting easier.
Notes
- If the frosting is done before the brownies are, move the frosting back to the still-warm burner to keep it soft for longer. It can also be held on a “keep warm” setting if your stove has one.
- Work quickly when frosting the brownies, otherwise the frosting will start to form a skin as it cools.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and may vary based on exact ingredients used. For accuracy, consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Storing Banana Brownies
At Room Temperature
Banana Brownies keep beautifully on the counter for about four days. Let them cool all the way down and give the frosting time to set before you cover them, because a warm pan under a lid traps steam, and that steam turns your browned butter frosting into a slick mess and leaves the tops a little gummy.
Store them right in the baking pan with foil or a lid over the top. It’s the easiest method and it works. If you’d rather move them to a container, that’s fine too, just make it an airtight one.
One tip that makes a real difference: only cut what you’re serving. An uncut pan holds its moisture far better than a pan full of separated squares. Cut edges dry out fast.
In the Refrigerator
You don’t need the refrigerator unless your kitchen runs warm or you’re trying to stretch these past four days. Refrigerated, they’ll last about a week.
The trade-off is flavor. Cold mutes that browned butter you worked for, and it firms up the crumb. Pull squares out 20 to 30 minutes before serving and let them come back to room temperature. They taste like themselves again.
In the Freezer
Freeze these unfrosted. Browned butter frosting does not survive a freeze and a thaw. It weeps and turns grainy, and there’s no fixing it once it happens.
Let the brownies cool completely first. You can freeze the slab whole or cut it into squares, whichever suits how you plan to serve them. Wrap in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil, then tuck the whole thing into a freezer bag. That triple wrap is what keeps freezer burn off them. They’ll keep for up to three months.
To serve, thaw them at room temperature with the wrapping still on. Condensation collects on the wrapper instead of the brownies that way. Then make the frosting fresh and spread it while both the frosting and the brownies are warm, exactly like the first time.
Stacking and Layering
If you’re stacking squares in a container or packing them up to take somewhere, slide a piece of wax paper or parchment between the layers. Browned butter frosting stays a little tacky even after it sets, and without a barrier the top of one brownie will come off on the bottom of the one above it.
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