Banana Bread Cookie Bars

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If you’ve got a couple of ripe bananas sitting on your counter begging to be used, these Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are your new best friend!

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I usually make banana bread with my overly ripened bananas. I swear my kids let the bananas get brown on purpose so I’ll make a loaf of banana bread. It’s their favorite treat! Especially when I add chocolate chips to the batter.

This time I wanted to try something different. And, WOW! These Banana Bread Cookie Bars disappeared so fast. I’m not sure we’ll be making regular banana bread for a long time. (If you also love banana bread, try this recipe make with yellow cake mix. Delicious and easy!)

These Banana Bread Cookie Bars blend the rich, comforting flavors of banana bread with the chewy, chocolatey goodness of classic cookie bars. Plus, they’re quick to whip up—no chilling needed!

Maybe you’re looking for an easy after-school snack, a cozy dessert, or just a way to use up those overripe bananas. Either way these bars will be a hit!

Why You’ll Love These Banana Bread Cookie Bars

• Easy one-bowl dessert – Less mess and fewer dishes!
• No mixer needed – A whisk and spatula are all you need.
• No chilling required – Mix, spread, and bake.
• Perfect for overripe bananas – The browner and spottier, the better!
• Soft and chewy – They have the cozy flavor of banana bread with the texture of a cookie bar.
• Chocolate chip loaded – Because chocolate and banana are a perfect combination.
• Freezer friendly – Make a batch now and save some for later.

Ingredients

Unsalted Butter

Melted butter gives these banana bread bars a rich, buttery flavor and helps create that soft, chewy texture. I like using unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the recipe. Let the butter cool slightly after melting so it doesn’t cook the egg when you mix everything together.

Light Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is the secret to these banana bread bars tasting a little like a chocolate chip cookie! The molasses in brown sugar adds a deeper, caramel-like sweetness and helps keep the bars soft and chewy.

Be sure to pack the brown sugar firmly into your measuring cup for the correct amount.

Egg

One large egg helps bind all of the ingredients together while adding richness and structure to the bars. Since this recipe only uses one egg, you get a wonderfully soft and tender texture without making the bars cakey.

Vanilla Extract

Vanilla adds a little extra warmth and sweetness and helps bring out the flavors of the banana, brown sugar, and chocolate chips. A teaspoon is all you need.

Very Ripe Bananas

The riper, the better! You want bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness. Very ripe bananas are also softer and easier to mash.

You’ll need 1 cup of mashed banana, which is about 2 medium bananas. If your bananas are especially large, measure the mashed banana rather than relying only on the number of bananas.

This is also a great recipe for using up those bananas sitting on your counter that everyone has suddenly decided they’re “too brown” to eat!

All-Purpose Flour

All-purpose flour provides the structure for the banana bread bars while keeping them tender and soft. For the best results, measure your flour carefully. Too much flour can make the bars dense or dry.

I recommend using the spoon-and-level method: spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off the top rather than scooping directly from the flour bag.

Baking Soda

Baking soda helps the banana bread bars rise and gives them a soft, tender texture. Make sure your baking soda is fresh for the best results.

Salt

A little salt balances the sweetness of the brown sugar and bananas and helps bring out the chocolate flavor. Don’t skip it—even in sweet recipes, salt makes a big difference!

Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Chocolate chips make these banana bread bars extra good! I use semisweet chocolate chips because they balance the sweetness of the bananas and brown sugar without making the bars overly sweet.

Reserve a few chocolate chips to sprinkle over the top before baking for those pretty, melty chocolate chips you can see in every slice.

And don’t be afraid to switch things up! You can use your favorite mix-ins, including:

• Chopped pecans
• Chopped walnuts
• Peanut butter chips
• Butterscotch chips
• White chocolate chips
• Milk chocolate chips
• A combination of chocolate chips and nuts

Parchment Paper or Nonstick Cooking Spray

Line your 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper for the easiest removal and cleanest slices. Leave a little parchment hanging over two sides of the pan so you can lift the entire batch out once cooled.

If you don’t have parchment paper, generously spray the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray before adding the batter.

How To Make It

Prep oven & pan – Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

Mix wet ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and mashed bananas until combined.

Add dry ingredients – Sprinkle flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet mixture. Gently fold until just combined—do not overmix.

Add chocolate chips – Fold in most of the chocolate chips, reserving a handful to sprinkle on top.

Bake – Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips over the top. Bake 35-45 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). If you notice the bars browning too quickly on top, cover the dish with a piece of foil.

Cool & serve – Let bars cool completely in the pan before lifting them out and slicing into squares. Try not to eat the whole pan! It will be hard, you have been warned.

Cut into 16 smaller bars or 9 large bars.

Tips for the Best Banana Cookie Bars

Use very ripe bananas. Brown, spotty bananas will give you the best banana flavor and natural sweetness.

Don’t overmix. Once you add the flour, mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make your bars tough instead of soft and chewy.

Line the pan with parchment. Leave some parchment hanging over the sides so you can easily lift the entire batch out after cooling.

Don’t overbake. For soft, chewy banana bread cookie bars, start checking them around 35 minutes. The center should be set but still look moist.

Want gooey bars? Take them out when the center is just slightly underbaked. They’ll continue to set as they cool.

Add extra chocolate chips on top. Because there is no such thing as too many chocolate chips!

Banana Bread Cookie Bar Variations

This recipe is easy to customize depending on what you have in your pantry.

Peanut Butter Banana Cookie Bars

Swap the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips or use half chocolate chips and half peanut butter chips.

White Chocolate Banana Bars

Use white chocolate chips instead of semisweet chocolate chips for a sweeter, creamy flavor.

Banana Walnut Bars

Skip the chocolate chips and add chopped walnuts or pecans.

One reader made these with walnuts and said they turned out great with crunchy edges!

Cinnamon Banana Cookie Bars

Use cinnamon chips or add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter for a warm, cozy flavor.

Chocolate Banana Bars

For serious chocolate lovers, add a handful of chocolate chips and a few tablespoons of cocoa powder. You may need to slightly adjust the flour depending on how much cocoa you add.

Can I Use Frozen Bananas?

Yes! Frozen bananas work great for banana bread cookie bars.

Thaw the bananas completely and drain off any excess liquid before mashing and measuring them.

Be sure to measure 1 cup of mashed banana for this recipe.

How to Store Banana Bread Cookie Bars

Store cooled banana bread cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, keep them refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Allow refrigerated bars to come to room temperature before serving, or warm one briefly in the microwave for that fresh-from-the-oven texture.

Can You Freeze Banana Bread Bars?

Yes! Banana bread bars freeze really well, making them a great make-ahead treat.

For the best results, let the banana bread bars cool completely before freezing. Cut them into individual bars, then wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Place the wrapped bars in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply remove the bars from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for about 30–60 minutes. You can also microwave an individual bar for about 10–15 seconds if you want it warm and gooey.

Freezing the Whole Pan

You can also freeze the entire batch before cutting. Let the bars cool completely, then use the parchment paper to lift them out of the 9×9 pan. Wrap the whole slab tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil, and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then cut into bars and serve.

Tip: If you’re adding extra chocolate chips, nuts, or other toppings, they can be frozen right along with the bars. The chocolate chips may lose a little of their shine after freezing, but they’ll still taste delicious.

More Delicious Baked Goods

• Banana Split Poke Cake
• Cherry Apple Oat Bars
• Pumpkin Pie French Toast Casserole
• Starbucks Lemon Loaf
• Air Fryer Donut Holes
• Cookie Bars
• Magic Bars

Summary

The next time you find yourself with a couple of overripened bananas try this delicious twist on banana bread. Moist and fluffy like bread, but chewy, dense and decadent like a cookie, these Banana Bread Cookie Bars are the perfect mash up.