Welcome to your new favorite wholesome treat! These incredibly delicious and nutritious Peanut Butter Banana Bars are a game-changer for anyone seeking a healthier indulgence. Crafted with the natural sweetness of overripe bananas, the rich creaminess of peanut butter, and a touch of golden honey, these bars effortlessly deliver a satisfying, fudge-like chewiness. What makes them truly special? They require no butter, no oil, and no white flour, making them a fantastic, guilt-free option. Best of all, this simple recipe comes together in just one bowl, meaning less cleanup and no need for special trips to a health food store for obscure ingredients.

Looking for more ways to enjoy better-for-you baked goods? Explore some of our other healthy and delicious recipes, perfect for any time of day:

• Homemade Peanut Butter Granola: Crunchy, sweet, and perfect for breakfast or snacking.
• Wholesome Zucchini Muffins: A delicious way to sneak in some veggies while enjoying a moist and flavorful treat.
• Greek Yogurt Banana Bread: Moist and flavorful, enhanced with the goodness of Greek yogurt for a healthier twist on a classic.

Indulge in Homemade Peanut Butter Banana Bars: A Healthy Treat for All Ages

If you find yourself with a few lonely, spotted bananas on your kitchen counter, don’t even think about tossing them! They are the invaluable secret ingredient to these incredible Peanut Butter Banana Bars. This recipe masterfully transforms those often-overlooked fruits into a truly delightful and satisfying snack. Whether you’re in need of an energizing afternoon pick-me-up, a convenient grab-and-go breakfast on busy mornings, or a healthier alternative to traditional desserts, these bars effortlessly check all the boxes. Their rich flavor and wonderfully chewy texture are guaranteed to make them an instant family favorite, appealing to both kids and adults alike.

While an overripe banana might not always appear the most appetizing, its internal transformation is precisely what we’re after for baking. As bananas ripen, their complex starches naturally convert into simple, sweet sugars, making them significantly sweeter and infusing them with a more intense, aromatic banana flavor. This natural sweetness is a tremendous advantage in our recipe, as it allows us to drastically reduce the need for excessive added sugars. We simply enhance the banana’s inherent sweetness with just a touch of golden honey and a modest amount of light brown sugar, achieving a perfectly balanced flavor profile that is satisfyingly sweet without being cloyingly so.

The strategic addition of creamy peanut butter plays a crucial role that extends far beyond just adding a delightful flavor. It contributes significantly to the bars’ wonderfully dense, almost fudge-like texture, ensuring each bite is incredibly satisfying and comforting. Furthermore, peanut butter is a powerhouse of nutrition, serving as an excellent source of plant-based protein and healthy monounsaturated fats. This means these bars are not merely a delicious treat but also a genuinely satiating snack that helps keep hunger at bay. Parents, in particular, will appreciate how effectively these bars keep hungry kids full and energized, easily bridging the notorious gap between school dismissal and dinnertime without the usual complaints of “I’m starving!”

Expert Tips for Perfect Peanut Butter Banana Bars Every Time

Achieving the perfect batch of Peanut Butter Banana Bars is remarkably simple, especially when you keep a few key considerations in mind. Following these expert tips will ensure your bars are consistently moist, bursting with flavor, and possess that irresistible chewy texture:

• Mash Your Bananas Thoroughly: For a consistently smooth and wonderfully fudge-like bar, it’s absolutely essential to mash your overripe bananas very well. Strive for a creamy, lump-free banana puree, as leaving large chunks can result in an uneven texture in the final baked product. A simple fork will work effectively for mashing, but for a quicker and even smoother result, a hand mixer or a potato masher can be incredibly helpful. The goal is to eliminate any significant banana pieces for a cohesive batter.
• Embrace the Overripe Banana: Do not shy away from bananas that display plenty of brown spots or even a few dark patches. In fact, these are your best friends for this recipe! The riper the banana, the higher its natural sugar content and the more intense and concentrated its inherent banana flavor becomes. This translates directly into sweeter, more aromatic bars that naturally require less added sugar. Bananas that are speckled all over, indicating peak ripeness, are generally considered ideal for baking, as they provide maximum sweetness and essential moisture.
• Adjust Sweetness to Your Liking: This recipe is thoughtfully designed to be on the healthier side, relying heavily on the natural sweetness provided by the overripe bananas. If you typically enjoy treats that are less sweet, the suggested amount of brown sugar will likely be perfectly balanced for your palate. However, if you prefer a slightly sweeter profile, you have the flexibility to add an extra 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar to the mixture. Exercise caution when considering increasing the amount of honey, as too much honey can significantly alter the bars’ overall texture, potentially making them overly dense or unpleasantly sticky.
• Always Line Your Baking Pan: This step is absolutely crucial for effortless removal and achieving cleanly cut bars. Always use parchment paper to line your 8×8-inch baking pan, ensuring you leave a generous overhang on two opposite sides. This parchment “sling” will allow you to easily lift the cooled bars out of the pan in one piece without any frustrating sticking or breaking. We strongly recommend against using aluminum foil, as these particular bars have a tendency to stick even to foil. A properly lined pan makes all the difference in both presentation and ease of serving.
• Understanding Oat Flour: Oat flour is a truly fantastic ingredient that not only adds a unique, slightly chewy texture and a subtle nutty flavor but also significantly boosts the fiber and overall nutritional value of these bars. It possesses different liquid-absorbing properties compared to traditional wheat flours, which contributes wonderfully to the desired fudginess. If you don’t happen to have oat flour on hand, there’s absolutely no need to purchase it specially! You can easily make your own.

Enhancing Flavor with Peanut Butter Chips (and Wholesome Alternatives!)

For an extra burst of intense peanut butter flavor and a delightful textural contrast, we enthusiastically recommend adding Reese’s peanut butter baking chips to these bars. You’ll typically find these delicious, creamy morsels conveniently located alongside other baking chips in your local grocery store’s baking aisle. They melt beautifully into the warm bars, creating delightful pockets of creamy, salty-sweet goodness that perfectly complement the wholesome banana and peanut butter base, taking the flavor profile to the next level.

However, if you’re aiming for even more nutritious options, have dietary preferences, or simply desire a different flavor profile, there are numerous excellent alternatives you can consider adding:

• Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips: A fantastic choice for those closely monitoring their sugar intake. These offer the timeless and irresistible classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, satisfying cravings without extra sugar.
• Dark Chocolate Chips: Opting for dark chocolate chips provides a rich, slightly bitter contrast to the inherent sweetness of the bars. Beyond their exquisite taste, dark chocolate is also well-regarded for its beneficial antioxidant properties, making it a healthier indulgence.
• White Chocolate Chips: For a sweeter, creamier addition that creates a lovely visual appeal and a distinct flavor profile, white chocolate chips are a delightful choice.
• Chopped Nuts: Incorporating finely chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans can add a wonderful crunch and a substantial boost of healthy fats and protein, enhancing both texture and nutritional value.
• Shredded Coconut: Whether toasted or untoasted, shredded coconut flakes can introduce an exotic, tropical flavor and a pleasant chewy element to the bars, adding another layer of complexity.
• Dried Fruit: Small pieces of dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots can add a tangy sweetness and additional fiber.

Achieving Perfection: How to Know When Your Peanut Butter Banana Bars Are Done Baking

Baking, at times, can feel more like an intuitive art than an exact science, with results often varying due to a multitude of environmental and equipment factors. These can include your specific altitude, the ambient humidity levels in your kitchen, the unique quirks of your oven, or even the type of baking pan you choose to use. To help you achieve perfectly baked Peanut Butter Banana Bars every single time, ensuring that delightful fudgy interior, here are some crucial indicators and expert tips to keep firmly in mind:

• The Critical Importance of Oven Temperature: It’s remarkably easy to fall into the common habit of automatically setting your oven to 350°F (175°C) for most baked goods. However, for these particular bars, it is absolutely essential to preheat your oven to a slightly lower temperature of 300°F (150°C). This reduced temperature allows the bars to bake more gently and evenly throughout, effectively preventing them from drying out too quickly and ensuring they retain their signature moist and fudgy interior. Do not rush this vital step; give your oven ample time to fully reach and stabilize at the correct temperature before placing the bars inside.
• Preventing Under-Baked Peanut Butter Banana Bars: An under-baked bar can be quite a disappointment, often resulting in a gooey, uncooked center. To meticulously avoid this, first, ensure your oven is properly calibrated. Many home ovens can run significantly hotter or cooler than their display indicates, making an inexpensive oven thermometer an incredibly valuable tool. Always wait patiently for your oven to be fully preheated to the specified temperature before carefully placing the baking pan inside. For optimal and even heat distribution, always position the baking pan squarely in the center of the oven rack.
• Key Visual Cues for Doneness: These visual indicators are your most reliable allies for accurately determining when your Peanut Butter Banana Bars are perfectly baked and ready to be removed from the oven:
  • Subtle Pulling Away from Edges: Observe the edges of the bars. They will subtly shrink and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. This is a clear and dependable sign that the edges are fully set and cooked through.
  • Delicately Darkened Edges: The perimeter of the bars will develop a delicate, light golden-brown hue, which indicates a delicious caramelization and proper baking.
  • Set, Non-Glossy Top Surface: The entire surface of the bars should appear firm to the touch and uniformly set. It should not look wet, excessively shiny, or overly glossy, as these characteristics would strongly suggest that they still require more time in the oven. A light, gentle touch with your fingertip should reveal a slightly springy and resilient texture.

  Remember, for these Peanut Butter Banana Bars, it is generally preferable to slightly underbake them rather than overbake. Overbaked bars have a tendency to become dry, crumbly, and considerably less flavorful, losing their desirable fudgy quality.

Don’t Waste a Single Banana! More Delicious Uses for Overripe Bananas

Overripe bananas are a true culinary gift for bakers and home cooks alike, offering an unparalleled level of natural sweetness and essential moisture to a wide array of dishes. Beyond these fantastic Peanut Butter Banana Bars, there are countless creative and delicious ways to transform those speckled, ripened fruits into delectable treats that minimize food waste. Here are some other cherished recipes and ideas that make the absolute most of your ripening bananas, proving their versatility and delicious potential:

• Cinnamon Banana Bread with Streusel Topping: A comforting and timeless classic, wonderfully elevated with the warm spice of cinnamon and crowned with a delightful, crunchy streusel topping. This makes it perfect for a leisurely breakfast, a cozy afternoon treat, or a comforting dessert.
• Healthier Chocolate Greek Yogurt Banana Bread: Indulge in the rich, deep flavor of chocolate combined with the incredible moisture and subtle tang of Greek yogurt. This recipe transforms ordinary banana bread into a creation that is both decadently rich and surprisingly wholesome.
• Flourless Greek Yogurt Banana Oat Muffins with Mini Chocolate Chips: These muffins are wonderfully light, delightfully fluffy, and naturally gluten-free thanks to the oat base. Packed with the goodness of oats and Greek yogurt, they offer a nutritious and satisfying start to your day or a perfect grab-and-go snack.
• Fluffy Banana Pancakes with Maple Syrup: Effortlessly transform your breakfast routine with these naturally sweet and incredibly fluffy pancakes. They are remarkably easy to prepare and are consistently a family favorite, especially when generously drizzled with warm, rich maple syrup.
• Refreshing Strawberry Banana Smoothie with Honey: For a quick, vibrant, and utterly refreshing option, simply blend your overripe bananas with fresh, juicy strawberries and a touch of golden honey. This creates an energy-boosting smoothie that is ideal for a post-workout refuel, a healthy breakfast, or a cooling snack on a warm day.

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars from 14 votes

Peanut Butter Banana Bars

By Chelsea Lords

Chewy, fudgy, and packed with wholesome goodness! These Peanut Butter Banana Bars are made with naturally sweet ripe bananas, creamy peanut butter, and golden honey—all without any butter, oil, or white flour. It’s a simple, one-bowl recipe, ensuring a fuss-free and delicious baking experience!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes

Yields: 16 bars

Equipment

• 8 x 8-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Hand mixer
• Blender or food processor

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mashed banana (from approximately 1 medium, very overripe banana)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (we recommend a smooth variety like Skippy for best texture)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed (refer to Recipe Note 1 for adjustment tips)
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup oat flour (easily made by blending regular oats; see Recipe Note 2)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter baking chips or your preferred chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan by lining it completely with parchment paper. Ensure there is a generous overhang of parchment paper on two opposite sides, which will serve as a convenient “sling” for lifting the baked bars later. This step is crucial, as the bars are quite soft and can be challenging to remove from an unlined pan or one lined with aluminum foil, which tends to stick.
2. Begin by peeling your overripe banana. Mash it thoroughly with a fork until it forms a very smooth puree, ensuring there are no significant chunks remaining. Measure out precisely 1/2 cup of the mashed banana for the recipe.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the thoroughly mashed banana, creamy peanut butter (it should be at room temperature, no need to warm it), honey, vanilla extract, and light brown sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat these wet ingredients together until they are completely smooth and exceptionally well combined. Once uniform, beat in the large egg until it is fully incorporated into the mixture, creating a cohesive batter.
4. Next, add the dry ingredients directly into the same bowl: the salt, baking soda, baking powder, and the oat flour (if you are making your own oat flour, please refer to Recipe Note 2 for guidance). Continue to beat the mixture with the hand mixer until the dry ingredients are just combined with the wet mixture. Be careful not to overmix, as this can affect the texture. Finally, gently fold in the peanut butter baking chips (or your chosen chocolate chips) using a spatula.
5. Carefully transfer the bar mixture into your prepared 8×8-inch baking pan. Use your spatula to spread and smooth the batter into an even, uniform layer across the bottom of the pan. Bake for approximately 18-25 minutes. The bars are considered done when they appear lightly golden brown around the edges, have subtly pulled away from the sides of the pan, and the top surface looks set (it should no longer appear wet or overly glossy). Exercise caution to avoid overbaking, as this can lead to dry and less flavorful bars, detracting from their signature fudginess.
6. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and allow the Peanut Butter Banana Bars to cool completely within the pan. This cooling time is essential for the bars to set properly and become firm enough to handle. Once fully cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to gently lift the entire block of bars out of the pan. Transfer them to a cutting board and cut them into 16 evenly sized bars. Serve and enjoy! For the best taste and texture, these bars are best enjoyed within 1–2 days of baking.

Recipe Notes

Note 1 (Adjusting Sweetness): The natural sweetness of your overripe banana can vary. If your banana is not extremely ripe or sweet, you might consider slightly increasing the amount of brown sugar by an additional 1-2 tablespoons to achieve your preferred level of sweetness in the bars.

Note 2 (Making Oat Flour): To prepare oat flour at home, simply take regular oats (either old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats work well) and pulse them in a blender or food processor until they achieve a fine, flour-like consistency. It is crucial to measure the required 1 cup of oat flour *after* blending, not before, to ensure the correct amount for the recipe’s balance.

Storage Recommendations: To maintain their freshness, store any leftover Peanut Butter Banana Bars in an airtight container. They will keep well at room temperature for 2-3 days, or you can extend their freshness by refrigerating them for up to a week. Please note that due to their natural ingredients, the bars have a tendency to become slightly more moist over time when stored.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 111 kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.8g | Protein: 3.3g | Fat: 5.2g | Cholesterol: 11.6mg | Sodium: 44.1mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 7.3g

Nutrition information provided is an estimate calculated automatically and should be used as an approximation.

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