Use up Ripe Bananas with this Homemade Banana Bars Recipe

By Michelle Marine

on Jan 10, 2013, Updated Oct 25, 2023

11 Comments

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Instead of throwing out those bananas that are past their prime – turn them into these homemade Banana Bars. Your kids (and the landfill) will love you!

banana bars

Use up Ripe Bananas with this Homemade Banana Bars Recipe

I have a confession to make: I actually love having extra ripe bananas on hand! I even buy them when they are past prime. Large bags of bananas with spots on them cost 99 cents at my local grocery store and whenever I see them, I almost always buy one. I personally don’t like to eat bananas with spots on the peel because I’m weird and prefer most of my fruit to be slightly green. My kids like them though, and when they are too bad even for them, we make yummy baked goods from them.

Dessert doesn’t usually happen at my house, but this year I am trying to make a dessert once a week. It gives my kids incentive to eat their dinner and it’s fun.

I made these banana bars last week and they were a huge hit. They were easy and I used up the last of the nasty bananas in my fridge instead of throwing them out. Score!

Baking Tips

As with most of the recipes I share on the blog, these are easy to make and the kids love them. To make these homemade banana bars, just mix of dry and wet ingredients and bake them on a half sheet pan. After they have cooled, add a quick powdered sugar icing, if you really want to make your sugar devils happy. 

Yield: 36

Homemade Banana Bars

Homemade Banana Bars

A great way to use up ripe bananas and make a treat your kids will love!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Bars

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup mashed bananas
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups unbleached flour
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Powdered Sugar Icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1-2 TBS milk

Instructions

  1. Banana Bars
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lighting grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powered, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.
  3. Beat in egg, mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla until combined.
  4. Beat or stir in the flour.
  5. Stir in pecans.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly.
  7. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Drizzle with Powdered Sugar Icing {see below}. Cut into bars. Enjoy!
  9. In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 TBS milk. Stir in additional milk, i tsp at a time until icing reaches drizzling consistency.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

36

Serving Size:

1 bar
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 124Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 78mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram tagging @simplifylivelove! I love to see your photos!

© SimplifyLiveLove
Cuisine: American / Category: baking

Besides these banana bars, what’s your favorite way to use up bananas?

If you like this recipe, you might like these posts too:

Apple Fritter Cookie Bites

Easy Summer Fruit Snack

From Scratch Strawberry Shortcake

About Michelle Marine

Michelle Marine is the author of How to Raise Chickens for Meat, a long-time green-living enthusiast, and rural Iowa mom of four. She empowers families to grow and eat seasonal, local foods; to reduce their ecological footprint; and to come together through impactful travel.

Read More About Me

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11 Comments

  1. I have frozen a bunch of ripe bananas. I should unthaw some and make these! I like making smoothies with frozen bananas, soy milk, cinnamon, vanilla and a touch of agave syrup, if needed, but it is usually sweet enough just from the bananas.

    Reply

  2. I too prefer my fruit a little on the green side. Unlike you I HATE bananas. I think they are foul. Something God put on this earth to see what if we were desperate enough to try eating one. Lol!
    Unfortunately my kids love them! I will be making this next week!! Looks GREAT, for my kids. Not for me…

    Reply

  3. @ Cara Ivey, have you ever tried baked goods with bananas in them though? My Mom really HATES bananas, I think she’d agree with your take on why they were put on this earth. The smell of ripe ones makes her nauseous! But she loves banana bread. Seems really weird to me, but maybe give it a try, if you haven’t already.

    Reply

    1. I was able to eat things like banana bread when I was a kid. My hatred for the fruit must have grown since then because I will not touch the stuff now. I think it started as a texture thing, I would always gag trying to swallow a bite of banana. But I was able to chew it up just fine… Now it has graduated to a taste and texture thing. Same with avacados. I don’t care wht you put in it, on it, next to it…. Not going to happen!
      I dislike very few foods but usually soft mushy slimy fruits are at the top of my list.

      Reply

  4. What a great use of old bananas! I have one on the counter and a few in the freezer. Looks like it’s time to use them.

    Reply

  5. Last time I needed to use up bananas I tried your chocolate chip banana bread.. this time I will definitely try this recipe! It looks so good.

    Reply

  6. when I first looked I thought it was layers,so glad I popped over here,this is a recipe after my heart,I love it!…I too love “very ripe” bananas and cook with them almost every week.
    I’ll be tryn’ this for sure,great that its printable,thanks again for sharing.
    ~Jo @ LoblollyLane

    Reply