Banana Nut Bars

October 6, 2024Teresa Ambra

These Banana Nut Bars are exceptionally scrumptious. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a cream cheese icing on any dessert? This recipe includes bananas and walnuts in the bar as well as walnuts in the icing. Yes, every bite is just what you desire and will surely cure those sweet tooth cravings. On top of that, this recipe is excellent to make when you have an excess of ripe bananas on hand!

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We had a neighbor two doors down from us that ended up in the hospital back in early April. My husband picked up packages on their front porch almost daily for them and when she brought her husband home, I offered to bring them a meal. I used some of my old stand-by recipes: Cavatini, a loaf of homemade bread, Colorful Tomato and Mozzarella Salad and this delectable dessert.

They loved the meal and told us later the only thing that could have made it more enjoyable was if we had stayed and shared it with them! They got a few meals out of all that food so they were able to enjoy it for a few days and she didn’t have to cook. And, since the husband has a sweet tooth, he raved over the Banana Nut Bars!

These goodies have a cake-like texture. The bananas, buttermilk and sour cream keep them moist, and since they’re baked on a cookie sheet pan you get about 3 dozen bars. The cream cheese icing takes the bars up another level. If you enjoy walnuts, you get a double dose of them in the bar and on top of the icing. All in all, these bars are outstanding.

The next time you need a dessert for a potluck, backyard barbecue or you have too many overripe bananas on your hands, give these Banana Nut Bars a try. Be prepared to swoon!

We loved the way Banana Nut Bars turned out.

These scrumptious bars have a cream cheese icing topped with diced walnuts.

This recipe is a great way to use up overripe bananas!

These cake-like bars sure hit the spot if you have sweet tooth cravings!

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients for the bars, plus water.

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, place butter cubes and water together. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Add baking soda to buttermilk or soured milk; stir well to combine. Allow to sit out.

Mash bananas on a plate with a fork.

In a large mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, bananas and buttermilk mixture.

Add vanilla.

Cream ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth and bananas are no longer in chunks.

Add flour and beat to combine.

Add butter mixture and beat again to combine.

Add walnuts and stir to combine.

Spread mixture into a greased 10×15″ cookie sheet pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before adding icing.

I used these ingredients for the icing.

Cream softened butter and softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Spread cream cheese icing over cooled Banana Nut Bars.

Spread icing to the edges of the pan to get good coverage.

Sprinkle with diced walnuts. Refrigerate bars a few hours before cutting into bars and serving.

Serve!

Refrigerate leftovers.

Banana Nut Bars are wonderful for potlucks, tailgating parties and backyard barbecues.

If you enjoy desserts made with bananas, this one will make you swoon!

Here’s the recipe.

BANANA NUT BARS

(Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, Contest Winning Recipes, 2008, pg. 181)

Banana Nut Bars

Teresa Ambra

You'll be swooning after the first bite of these delicious Banana Nut Bars! Bananas, walnuts and a Cream Cheese Icing pack a powerful punch. These delectable treats will cure any sweet tooth craving and delight your company when you bring them to tailgating parties, potlucks or backyard barbecues. Great way to use up overripe bananas too!

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 221 kcal

Equipment

1 15×20" cookie sheet pan
1 large mixing bowl
1 electric mixer
1 medium mixing bowl
1 wooden spoon
1 small saucepan
1 plate
1 fork
measuring cups
measuring spoons
1 nut chopper if nuts are not previously chopped

Ingredients

BARS:

1 cup salted butter cold and cubed (2 sticks)
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
1 cup bananas mashed with a fork (2 medium bananas)
1/2 cup buttermilk or soured milk (see note below)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts chopped, or pecans, (measure after chopping)

CREAM CHEESE ICING:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
1/2 cup salted butter softened (1 stick)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 cup walnuts chopped, or pecans, (measure after chopping)

Instructions

BARS:
In a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, bring butter and water to a boil.
Remove from heat; set aside.
In a small measuring cup, measure buttermilk or soured milk.
Stir in baking soda; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugars, bananas, buttermilk or soured milk, eggs and vanilla until well blended and smooth.
Add flour to sugar mixture.
Carefully beat in butter mixture until blended.
Stir in chopped walnuts or pecans.
Pour mixture into a greased 10×15” cookie sheet pan.
Bake at 350º for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of the pan comes out clean.
Cool bars in pan on wire rack.

CREAM CHEESE ICING:

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and beat again.
Gradually add confectioners’ sugar a cup at a time and beat after each addition until smooth.
Spread cream cheese mixture over top of cooled bars.
Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans.
Refrigerate a few hours before cutting into bars.
Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

NOTE: To sour milk: Measure ½ cup whole milk or half-and-half in a measuring cup. Add one tablespoon white vinegar. Stir to combine and allow mixture to set out on counter for about 5 minutes before using in recipe.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 152mgPotassium: 70mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 264IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg

Keyword bananas, blondies, cookies, cream cheese icing, dessert, walnuts

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