Name: Chocolate Banana Brownies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3/4 cup unsalted butter; 3/4 cup white sugar; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 3/4 cup mashed banana (about 2 bananas); 3 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 3/4 cup cocoa powder; 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3/4 teaspoon salt

These chocolate banana brownies are a little bit fudgy and a little bit cakey and a great way to use ripe bananas and satisfy your chocolate cravings at the same time. These brownies are easy to make and family-friendly so you might want to make a double batch because they probably won’t last long.

The best way to describe these chocolate banana brownies is a cross between banana bread and fudgy brownies; the ripe bananas add the flavor you’d find in banana bread, while the cocoa and butter add the chocolate richness you’d find in brownies.

What You’ll Need

The great thing about this banana brownie recipe is that it doesn’t require many ingredients and you likely already have everything on hand. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

Bananas: Ripe bananas add flavor, fiber, and natural sweetness to these brownies. The riper the banana the more intense the banana flavor will be.
Cocoa Powder: To make them rich and chocolatey. You can use regular cocoa powder or Dutch process cocoa powder, which will provide a more “chocolatey” flavor.
Butter: To add some richness, chewiness, and healthy fats.
Sugar: A mixture of brown sugar and white sugar to sweeten the brownies.
Flour: Just enough to ensure they are still rich and dense, all-purpose flour works best.
Eggs: To bind the brownies.
Vanilla: To enhance the chocolate.
Salt: To season the brownies and enhance the flavors.

Mixed chocolate banana brownie batter in a bowl

Dietary Adaptions

To Make them Gluten-Free: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.

To Make them Dairy-Free: Swap the butter for coconut oil.

To Make them Vegan: Swap the butter for coconut oil and swap the eggs for flax eggs.

Chocolate banana brownies in 9 x 9-inch pan

How to Make Chocolate Banana Brownies

When I say these banana brownies are easy to make, I mean it. Here’s how you’ll make them in 5 easy steps:

Mix the melted butter and sugar.
Add the mashed bananas and wet ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients.
Transfer the batter to a square baking pan.
Bake the brownies until chewy and fudgy.

Pro Tip: Do NOT overmix the batter. Overmixing the brownie batter will allow more air into the batter, which will result in lighter, cake-like brownies instead of dense, rich, and fudgy ones.

Optional Add-Ins:

Baking Powder: While some brownie recipes add baking powder, I opted not to add any to keep the brownies a little denser and “fudgier”. If you prefer a cakier brownie, simply add a 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to the batter.
Walnuts: While controversial, some people enjoy chopped nuts in brownies, so feel free to add 1/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts if you like.
Chocolate Chips: If you want the brownies to be extra chocolatey, you can also add a 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips to the batter.

Chocolate banana brownies cooling on a baking sheet.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

If you’re confused as to whether cocoa powder or cacao powder is a better option when it comes to healthy baking, know that they are both great options. The difference between cacao powder and cocoa powder has less to do with nutrition and more to do with production methods, so feel free to use whichever you prefer or have on hand.

How to Serve Them

While these chocolate banana brownies are great on their own (honestly, they’re delicious), if you want to make them a little extra indulgent you could serve them with some ice cream, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.

If you want to add a bit more flavor, you can drizzle the brownies with a bit of peanut butter or almond butter.

If you’re looking to enjoy them as a snack and want to make them a little more balanced with additional protein, you can serve them with a portion of Greek yogurt or skyr.

Storage + Reheating

To Store: Once cooled and sliced, the brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to one week.

To Freeze: To freeze the slab of brownies whole, remove the brownies from the pan, along with the parchment paper, and then wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and foil. To freeze sliced brownies, place brownies in an airtight container or plastic bag, separating layers with parchment paper to ensure they do not stick together.

To Reheat: Allow frozen brownies to thaw completely in the fridge or at room temperature before serving. If you prefer a warm brownie, you can warm thawed brownies in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

I’ve tested this recipe many times with bananas of varying degrees of ripeness and different styles of cocoa powder, and they always work out just right. So, whether you’re making them for weekday snacks, a dessert, a kid’s birthday cake, or just doing a little weekend baking, these brownies are a fun twist on a classic brownie recipe that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

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