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Soft, Chewy Chocolate Chip Banana Bars — Portable Snack Squares for Lunchboxes Pinterest recipe pin

Soft, Chewy Chocolate Chip Banana Bars

Soft, chewy chocolate chip banana bars made with ripe bananas and a touch of yogurt for reliable tenderness — perfect for snacks, lunchboxes, or dessert.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 9 bars
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup mashed ripe banana about 3 medium bananas mashed; measure after mashing
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or neutral oil
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips divided
Optional additions
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts optional
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter optional, for swirling

Equipment

  • 1 9×9-inch baking pan (or 8×8-inch for thicker bars)
  • 1 Mixing bowls and rubber spatula
  • 1 Measuring cups and spoons
  • 1 Whisk

Method
 

Prepare
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides; lightly grease the exposed pan edges.
Dry ingredients
  1. Whisk together 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Wet ingredients
  1. In a separate bowl whisk 1/3 cup packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1/4 cup melted butter and 1 tablespoon oil until smooth; whisk in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, then stir in 1 cup mashed banana and 1/4 cup plain yogurt.
Combine
  1. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently with a spatula until just combined; fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and reserve the rest for the top.
Bake
  1. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top, and bake at 350°F for 28–32 minutes until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then lift the block from the pan using the parchment overhang and cool 15 more minutes before slicing into 9 (or 12) bars.

Notes

Measure 1 cup mashed banana after mashing for consistent results; if bananas are very watery, add 1 tablespoon flour. Use a 9×9 pan for the stated time; an 8×8 will be thicker and require 4–6 extra minutes. Bars freeze well individually wrapped for up to 2 months.