Banana Bread Bars with Vanilla Bean Browned Butter Glaze

Name: Banana Bread Bars with Vanilla Bean Browned Butter Glaze
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 2 h 37 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 large egg; ½ cup light brown sugar; ¼ cup liquid-state coconut oil; ¼ cup cup sour cream; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 cup mashed ripe bananas; 1 cup all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; pinch salt; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned (how to brown butter tutorial); 2 cups confectioners’ sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste; pinch salt; about 1/4 to 1/3 cup cream or milk

User Reviews

4.9

24 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Cooling Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 37 mins
Servings
12 servings
Calories
279 kcal
Course
Baked Goods
Cuisine
American

Banana Bread Bars with Vanilla Bean Browned Butter Glaze

Jade Rice

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🍌🍞😍 Banana bread in bar form with a glaze that soaks in and is just so darn good! Dense enough to be satisfying, but still perfectly light, fluffy, and packed with rich banana flavor!

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Ingredients

Servings

Bars

1 large egg
½ cup light brown sugar packed
¼ cup liquid-state coconut oil canola or vegetable may be substituted
¼ cup cup sour cream lite is okay; or Greek yogurt may be substituted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas about 2 large/3 med bananas
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt optional and to taste

Glaze

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned (how to brown butter tutorial)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1 large vanilla bean; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract may be substituted
pinch salt optional and to taste
about 1/4 to 1/3 cup cream or milk or as necessary for consistency

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Instructions

Make the bars:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
To a large bowl, add the egg, brown sugar, coconut oil, sour cream, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
Add the bananas and stir to incorporate.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix.
Turn batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
Bake for about 27 to 28 minutes (start watching closely by 25 minutes) or until the center is golden and set, springy when touched lightly, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Baking times will vary based on moisture content in bananas; bake until your bars are done.
Place pan onto of a wire rack to cool while you make the glaze.

Make the Glaze:

Brown the butter. Cook butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan until it’s amber to brown in color, about 5 minutes depending on pan size, but watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. I swirl the pan in the last minute or so to make sure I can really see the color changes. Butter will go through stages of hissing, sputtering, and making noise until the water cooks off at which point the browning occurs. Butter will smell nutty and aromatic.
Transfer butter, including brown bits at the bottom of the pan (they’re flavor powerhouses, keep them) from pan to large mixing bowl which stops carryover cooking.
Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla bean paste, optional salt, and slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth.
As necessary, add additional cream (or confectioners’ sugar) to reach desired glaze consistency. Glaze should be of medium thickness and easily pourable.
Evenly pour glaze over bars (they don’t have to be cooled first), smoothing it lightly with a spatula if necessary, but glaze will likely just slide into place.
Allow bars to cool in pan uncovered for at least 2 to 3 hours, (or overnight and cover with a sheet of foil) before slicing and serving so glaze can set up.

Notes

Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week (I’m comfortable storing glazed items at room temp), or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Adapted from Cream-Cheese Filled Banana Bread and Fudgy Banana Bars.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1serving Calories 279kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 39g (13%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 37mg (12%) Sodium 162mg (7%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 28g (56%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 279 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1serving
Calories	279kcal	14%
Carbohydrates	39g	13%
Protein	3g	6%
Fat	13g	20%
Saturated Fat	9g	45%
Polyunsaturated Fat	3g	18%
Cholesterol	37mg	12%
Sodium	162mg	7%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	28g	56%