Banana Bread Brownies

These banana bread brownies are soft and moist from ripe bananas and sour cream, loaded with crunchy walnuts then finished with a rich brown butter frosting.

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The Best Banana Bread Brownies

While I absolutely love my easy banana cream pie, these banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and my double chocolate banana bread, these banana bread brownies are my new recent go-to dessert!

By creating a batter that is more fudgy brownie than easy banana bread, this recipe will stun your taste buds. Moist and flavorful, the brownie is a treat in itself. But then there’s the brown butter frosting that knocks this dessert out of the park.

Ingredient Notes

• Granulated sugar: Adds sweet taste to the banana brownies.
• Sour cream: Adds moisture and makes these rich and delicious.
• Butter: Your butter will need to be softened. Learn how to soften butter if you forgot to set it out!
• Large eggs: Helps bind the banana brownies together.
• Bananas: You will need three ripe bananas. These are the bananas that are brown and spotty!
• Baking staples: All purpose flour, baking soda, salt and vanilla extract.
• Chopped walnuts: Optional but recommended for added texture.
• Brown butter frosting: Butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar.

How to Make Banana Bread Brownies

In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until combined. Blend in bananas and vanilla extract.

In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt together to remove lumps then add the flour to banana mixture and gently mix until until just combined. Stir in walnuts if desired.

Spread batter evenly into prepared 13×9 pan and bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean when inserted in the center. Remove from oven to cool.

While banana brownies are baking prepare your brown butter frosting by first making brown butter. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Spread the brown butter frosting over warm brownies and top with chopped walnuts.

Tips and Variations

• Fold up to 1 cup chocolate chips into the batter for an extra sweet taste.
• White chocolate chips would make these similar to my favorite blondie recipe.
• Swap walnuts for pecans.
• Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream to lighten it up a bit.
• Add in a teaspoon of cinnamon and top with cream cheese frosting like my cinnamon roll banana bread.
• Top with sour cream frosting or a vanilla frosting recipe.
• You can make these into thinner banana bars by using a larger 12×18″ baking sheet.

Storage

• Store: Once the banana bread brownies have cooled, store them in a covered container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Yes, You may also freeze this recipe for banana bread brownies if you prefer. Flash freeze them first on a baking sheet, then stack in a freezer container with a piece of parchment paper in between each layer. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

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