These banana bars are tender and moist with a classic banana-bread flavor and a thick cinnamon cream cheese frosting. They’re an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert when you have a bunch of ripe bananas.
Banana bread is the usual go-to for ripe bananas, but these banana bars are just as satisfying and might become your new favorite. The base is a moist, soft banana cake lightly spiced with cinnamon, finished with a generous layer of cinnamon-spiked cream cheese frosting. Baked in a jelly roll pan, the bars are the perfect thickness so each bite has the right balance of cake and frosting.
Making Banana Bars – Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 10×15 inch (25×38 cm) jelly roll pan with non-stick spray, then dust with flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Whisking distributes the leavening and removes lumps.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with the granulated and brown sugars until creamy.
- Using both brown sugar and granulated sugar gives the bars a pleasant caramel note that complements the banana.
- Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter-sugar mixture and beat until smooth.
- Stir in the mashed bananas and sour cream. A few small banana lumps are fine.
- Sour cream keeps the bars extra moist. Mash your bananas and measure after mashing — you’ll need about 1 1/2 cups (roughly 3–4 medium bananas), removing any bruised spots first.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter until combined. Don’t overmix; some banana lumps are expected.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake in the center of the oven for about 24–28 minutes. The top should be golden, an inserted toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the edges will begin to pull away from the pan.
Allow the bars to cool completely before frosting. For the frosting, use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese to ensure a thick, stable texture. Beat softened butter until smooth, add cubed cream cheese and combine. Gradually mix in sifted powdered sugar alongside a pinch of salt, cinnamon and vanilla. If the frosting seems too stiff, add 1–2 tablespoons of whipping cream or milk, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
- A touch of cinnamon in the frosting pairs beautifully with the banana cake.
Recipe Tip
Once frosted, refrigerate the bars for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Chilling helps the frosting set slightly and gives cleaner slices.
These banana bars are quick to make, with a moist crumb and excellent banana flavor. The thick cinnamon cream cheese frosting elevates them into a dessert everyone will ask for seconds of.
More banana desserts to try:
- Banana Cake
- Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 10×15 inch (25×38 cm) jelly roll pan
Ingredients
Banana Bars
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (105 grams), light or dark
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream (120 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (use ripe spotted bananas; remove bruises)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams), softened but slightly cool
- 8 ounces cream cheese (226 grams), brick-style, full fat
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar (330–440 grams), sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1–2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk, if needed
Instructions
Banana Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 10×15×1 inch jelly roll pan.
- Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter with the granulated and brown sugars.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Mix in the mashed bananas and sour cream. It’s fine if the batter has a few banana lumps.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until combined, starting on low speed.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake 24–28 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter until smooth, then add cubed cream cheese and mix until combined.
- Add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar with the cinnamon, vanilla and salt on low speed, then increase speed to combine.
- Beat in remaining powdered sugar a little at a time, alternating with up to 1–2 tablespoons cream, until you reach the desired sweetness and spreadable consistency.
- When the bars are completely cool, frost with an offset spatula. If crumbs appear in the frosting, chill the unfrosted cake 20–30 minutes before spreading.
- Chill the frosted bars about 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Notes
- Flour: Whisk, then spoon into measuring cups and level. Weigh for best accuracy.
- Room Temperature: Bring butter, eggs and sour cream to room temperature (about 30 minutes out of the fridge).
- Sour Cream: Use full-fat sour cream for best results; plain Greek yogurt can be substituted.
- Bananas: Use 3 large or 4 small ripe bananas; remove any bruised spots before mashing.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese — not low-fat or spreadable varieties.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.