Have some brown bananas in your kitchen? Don’t let them go to waste! Use them in these delicious Banana Nut Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting instead!
I don’t know about you, but I have “Brown Banana Guilt.” It’s a source of stress in my life. I buy bananas, and watch with dismay as they turn brown before we can eat them. Then I have to decide if I’m going to throw the bananas away (which is where the guilt comes in), or try to make something with them. And although I could eat banana bread (like my Chocolate Marbled Banana Bread) every day of my life, it’s nice to have other options. Options like these Banana Nut Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.
This recipe calls for nuts. Although the recipe doesn’t specify which kind of nuts to use, I always use walnuts. I love walnuts in banana bread, and I think they are best nuts for these bars, too. You can leave the nuts out, of course. As you see from the pictures, I just put the nuts on top because my kids don’t like them, and being the nice, thoughtful mom that I am, I made it possible for them to easily remove the nuts. 🙂
Making these could not be easier, especially since the recipe uses oil rather than butter. You don’t have to soften the butter or cream it with the sugar or anything. You just mix oil, sugar, bananas and eggs. Then stir in all the dry ingredients followed by the nuts. That’s it!
Spread the batter in a greased 9×13 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely and voila! You’re done!
Wait. No you’re not. There’s one more thing you need. Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting!
This frosting is kind of necessary for these bars. I’m sorry, but they’re naked without it. All you need is some cream cheese, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar. Just make sure your cream cheese and butter are soft, then beat them with the vanilla in a medium bowl on low speed until everything is smooth. Then slowly add the powdered sugar and cinnamon, making sure to mix on low (unless you want the sugar be blown out of the bowl and fly all over your face!)
Now that you have this lovely, fluffy, oh-so-delicious frosting prepared, spread it atop your Banana Nut Bars and eat!
Refrigerate any leftovers. If there are any leftovers 😉
This recipe adapted from Banana Nut Bars in Betty Crocker’s Ultimate Cookie Book. This recipe first appeared on Julie’s Eats and Treats where I am a contributor.
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 3 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease or spray a 9x13 pan.
- Beat sugar, mashed bananas, oil, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup of flour along with the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the other 1/2 cup of flour and mix until well blended.
- Add the walnuts and mix.
- Pour batter into greased pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl on low speed. Gradually add the cinnamon and powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth.
- Spread on top of cooled bars.
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