Banana Bread Brownies
A delicious blend of fudgy brownies and tender banana bread, perfect for using up ripe bananas.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas 2 ripe bananas (brown-speckled for best sweetness; about 1 to 1 1/4 cups mashed) Use very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness.
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup (115 g) melted butter Can substitute with 1/2 cup neutral oil for a dairy-free option.
- 1 cup 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar Or 3/4 cup sugar + 1/4 cup brown sugar for deeper flavor.
- 1 large 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour Can use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- 1/4 cup 1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed or natural both work.
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup chocolate chips Optional; can use dark, milk, or chopped chocolate.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan or line it with parchment.
- In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Stir the melted butter into the bananas until evenly combined.
- Add the sugar, then beat in the egg and vanilla until the mixture is uniform.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to remove lumps.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined—stop when you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Fold in the chocolate chips if using, reserving a few to sprinkle on top for presentation.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes. Test with a toothpick in the center—if it comes out with a few moist crumbs, it’s done.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes before slicing to set the texture.
Notes
Serve warm with ice cream for a dessert, or toasted lightly for breakfast. Drizzle with peanut butter or salted caramel for a treat.