My unpopular opinion is: I do not like banana bread! Do you? I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out! Usually banana bread made in a loaf pan tends to be dense and dry around the edges. You have to eat it the same day or it just dries out even more.
If I’m going to use up old bananas, I am making these super easy, One-Bowl Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting. They are tender, moist, and full of banana flavor. And because they’re made in a sheet pan, they bake more quickly and the edges stay moist for days. I add some mini semisweet chocolate chips to give them a little something extra. Plus the tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect topper, but you can leave it off and still have a great snack, dessert, or breakfast. My youngest prefers these without the frosting. Make them and then comment below to tell us your preference.
Here are links to some of the equipment I use and prefer (some links may be Amazon Associate links that pay me a small commission without cost to you):
Anchor Hocking Batter Bowl with lid
Offset Spatula with Stainless Steel Blade
Super-easy, One-Bowl Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 11"x17" sheet pan with 1" sides
Ingredients
Banana Bars
- 3-4 bananas, past their prime eating window
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips optional, but recommended
Cream Cheese Fosting
- 4 ounces butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3½ – 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 – 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Banana Bars
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or spray pan with no-stick spray.
- Add bananas to large bowl. Use mixer to break with them up a little bit.
- Add butter and sugar and blend until well mixed but with some banana lumps visible.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream and blend until just mixed.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix just until no flour is visible.
- Fold in chocolate chips if using.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and set.
- Cool completely in pan before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add cream cheese to large bowl. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
- Beat until smooth. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
- Add softened butter and blend until smooth. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and beat about 5 minutes or until very smooth and lighter in color.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Blend until mixed well and smooth, adding milk a littel bit at a time if needed for proper consistency.
- Frost cooled bars. Enjoy!
