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Peanut Butter Banana Bars

Peanut butter banana bars with a dense, fudgy interior, baked golden and finished with a glossy chocolate drizzle. Swirled banana and peanut butter notes show through every slice for an easy banana bar bake.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bananas
  • 3 ripe bananas Mashed completely smooth for a fudgy, dense crumb.
Peanut butter
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter For the bar batter.
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter Optional drizzle after cooling.
Sweetener and eggs
  • 0.333 cup honey or maple syrup Choose one; supports browning and fudgy texture.
  • 2 large eggs Helps bind the bars into a sliceable set.
Flavorings
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Warm, rounded flavor in every bite.
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon Adds gentle spice.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Balances sweetness.
Dry ingredients
  • 1 cup rolled oats Rolls create a tender, oat-forward interior.
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour Thickens the batter for bar structure.
  • 1 tsp baking powder Light lift while staying fudgy.
Chocolate
  • 0.5 cup chocolate chips Folded into the batter for melty pockets.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the pan and heat the oven
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 or 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy lifting later. Make sure the parchment lies flat so the bars release cleanly.
Make the fudgy batter
  1. Mash the ripe bananas completely smooth, then whisk in the creamy peanut butter, honey (or maple syrup), eggs, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Keep whisking until no banana lumps remain.
  2. Stir in the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips. Stop mixing as soon as you don’t see dry flour to avoid a dry bar.
  3. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Press gently to level so the bars bake uniformly.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350°F for 22–25 minutes until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Look for a golden top and a center that holds together without wet batter.
Cool and drizzle
  1. Cool completely in the pan before slicing. Waiting for full cool helps the bars cut into dense, fudgy squares without crumbling.
  2. Drizzle with melted peanut butter and/or chocolate, then slice into bars. Use a zigzag motion so you get glossy swirls across the batch.

Notes

For the fudgiest center, bake only until the toothpick shows a few moist crumbs—overbaking will firm the bars too much. Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 6 days; freeze up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. Dietary swap: use maple syrup instead of honey if you want a vegan-friendly option (keep eggs unless you’re swapping eggs separately).