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Chewy Chocolate Chip Banana Bars

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These chewy chocolate chip banana bars are a quick, easy, and wholesome snack perfect for school lunches. They combine ripe bananas and melty chocolate chips for a dense, chewy treat that kids and adults love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, packed (150 grams)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (115 grams)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (170 grams), semi-sweet or milk chocolate

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to lift the bars out easily later.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas and melted butter. Stir until creamy and well blended, with some lumps remaining.
  3. Add the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract to the banana mixture. Beat together until fully incorporated and slightly fluffy.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Fold gently using a spatula until just combined; do not overmix.
  6. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a small handful to sprinkle on top.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top evenly. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the surface.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack to allow the bars to set and develop their chewy texture.
  10. Lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and cut into squares. Enjoy immediately or pack for school lunches.

Notes

[‘Do not overmix the batter to avoid tough bars.’, ‘Use ripe, spotty bananas for natural sweetness and moisture.’, ‘Watch baking time closely; remove bars when toothpick shows moist crumbs.’, ‘Melted butter adds chewiness; coconut oil can be used for dairy-free version.’, ‘Cool bars completely before slicing to prevent crumbling.’, ‘For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with almond or oat flour and consider adding extra eggs for binding.’, ‘Bars can be baked in muffin tins; reduce baking time to 18-22 minutes.’, ‘Bars store well at room temperature for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bars, chocolate chip bars, chewy banana bars, school lunch snacks, easy baking, quick snack, homemade bars

Find it online: https://crispcraving.com/chewy-chocolate-chip-banana-bars-recipe-5-easy-steps-for-school-lunches/