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
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!
More Easy Banana Desserts:
Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding Recipe — This 100% scratch old-fashioned banana pudding recipe is made with homemade vanilla pudding, ripe bananas, and Nilla Wafers. It’s EASY to assemble and SO GOOD!! Freezer: The glazed banana bars freeze very well. If stored properly, they’ll last up to 6 months in the freezer. Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Banana Cream Pie Bars – Faster and easier than making a banana cream pie and taste AMAZING!! A crunchy crust, tender banana slices, luscious banana pudding, and creamy whipped topping make these layered pie bars WINNERS!! Banana Bread Pudding — Bread pudding meets banana bread in this EASY breakfast or brunch recipe that everyone will LOVE! Six-Banana Banana Chocolate Chip Cake — Yes, 6 bananas in 1 cake means it’s super SOFT, moist, and has robust banana flavor with chocolate chips in EVERY bite! Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread — This is the BEST homemade banana bread recipe! This banana bread tastes like it has cheesecake baked in! Soft, fluffy, easy and tastes ahhhh-mazing!! Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – The BEST banana cake recipe because it’s soft, tender, moist, and bursting with banana flavor thanks to the 4 bananas used!
