I stared at two aggressively black bananas on my counter yesterday, fully aware that another standard loaf might make my family stage a mutiny. I did not want bread. I wanted chocolate, and I wanted it without putting on real pants to go to the store.
These banana brownies solve the ripe-banana problem with melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and a full handful of chocolate chips. I once tried to convince myself that this pan counted as healthy banana brownies because fruit appears in the batter, but these squares belong firmly in the dessert category. The batter comes together fast enough that I barely had time to make a mess in the kitchen, which counts as a personal victory.
reader review
★★★★★
“Fudgy Fudgy and Fudgy. I used my two black bananas and let the brownies chill before slicing like the recipe said, and every square came out perfect. My kids had no clue there was banana in them and asked for seconds right away.” – Marissa L.
Loved this too? Add your reviewWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
- Zero waste – It uses exactly two bananas, so you do not have to wait for a whole bunch to rot on your counter.
- No machinery required – Whisking by hand means no dragging out the heavy stand mixer and washing all its annoying attachments.
- Texture heaven – They are incredibly dense and rich, like banana bread brownies on a serious chocolate bender.
- Kid approved – It satisfies the chocolate craving while secretly offloading the fruit they refused to eat yesterday.
Tools You’ll Need
Nothing fancy, I promise.
- Medium heatproof bowl: I use one bowl for melting butter and chocolate without risking a microwave disaster.
- 8-inch square metal pan: I prefer metal because it cooks the edges evenly and gives the brownies structure.
- Parchment paper: I leave an overhang so I can lift out the cooled slab in one piece.
- Whisk: I whisk the eggs and sugar hard enough to build the shiny, crackly top.
- Fork or potato masher: I mash the bananas until they look like a thick puree.
Ingredients
- 250 grams peeled ripe bananas – Weighing these saves you from a soggy disaster, because banana sizes are wildly unpredictable.
- 113 grams salted butter – Melted, so do not panic if you forgot to soften it beforehand.
- 170 grams chocolate chips – For melting into the batter. Dark chocolate keeps it from becoming cloyingly sweet.
- 250 grams granulated sugar – Do not cut this down too much or you lose the fudgy texture entirely.
- 2 large eggs – Room temperature. If they are cold from the fridge, just toss them in a bowl of warm water for ten minutes.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – The cheap stuff is totally fine, I will not tell anyone.
- 26 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder – Using Dutch-process cocoa makes it darker and richer, but make sure it is unsweetened.
- 120 grams all-purpose flour – Spoon and level it so you do not accidentally pack it in and end up with dry cake.
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt – Because chocolate without salt is just boring.
- 120 grams chocolate chips – To fold in at the end, because more chocolate is always the correct answer.
How to make Banana Brownies
Put down the electric mixer, you just need a whisk and some pent-up frustration for this one.
- Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper. Leaving an overhang means you can lift the whole thing out later instead of aggressively digging at the corners with a butter knife.
- Mash the fruit: Mash the bananas until they look like puree. If a few tiny lumps survive, that is between you and the fork, nobody else needs to know.
- Melt the chocolate: Melt the butter and 170g of chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Stir until smooth, and try your hardest not to eat it straight from the bowl.
- Whisk the eggs: Whisk the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and eggs aggressively for 2-3 minutes. This arm workout is exactly how you get that gorgeous crackly top, so do not cheat the clock.
- Combine the wet ingredients: Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs and whisk until combined.
- Add the banana: Stir in the mashed bananas until the batter is completely smooth.
- Fold in the dry: Gently whisk in the flour and salt until just combined. Overmixing here leads to tough brownies, and we are aiming for fudgy perfection.
- Add more chocolate: Fold in the remaining 120g of chocolate chips.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. The top should be crackly. Tap the pan on the counter when it comes out—if it jiggles like soup in the middle, put it back in.
- Cool completely: Let them cool in the pan for 30-60 minutes. Slicing them hot will result in a delicious, molten pile of chocolate mush.
♥ The Misfit Tips!
- Use blackened bananas: I use bananas with soft, dark skins because yellow bananas leave the flavor too mild.
- Do not skip the whisking: I once rushed the egg-and-sugar step and lost the glossy top completely.
- Chill before slicing: I let the brownies rest because hot banana brownies turn into a molten chocolate pile under a knife.
- Try the hot knife trick: I run a large knife under hot water, dry it, and wipe it clean between cuts.
- Make a half batch: I halve this banana bread brownies recipe when one sad banana remains on the counter.
Variations
- Peanut butter version: You swirl peanut butter across the top before baking for a chocolate-peanut combination.
- Espresso version: You add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder with the cocoa for deeper chocolate flavor.
- Nutty version: You fold in chopped walnuts or pecans with the extra chocolate chips.
- Gluten-free version: You use a reliable cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.
Perfect Pairings
These chocolate-heavy squares belong beside something cold or slightly bitter.
- A massive glass of ice-cold milk – obviously.
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream melting right over the warm center.
- Your morning coffee, because I fully support eating this banana brownies recipe for breakfast.
- A quiet kitchen at midnight when everyone else is asleep.
How to Store Banana Brownies
❤
- Fridge: I keep these in an airtight container for up to one week. The chilled texture becomes dense and fudgy, which I love.
- Freezer: I wrap individual squares tightly and freeze them for up to one month.
- Reheat: I microwave one square for 10 seconds when I want the chocolate chips gooey again.
- Counter: I keep the container sealed because exposed edges turn dry and hard overnight.
Fudgy Banana Brownie
These banana brownies are dark, fudgy and indulgent with a subtle sweetness of ripe bananas. The perfect treat to make when your bananas are overripe and you’re sick of banana bread lol.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep the panYou preheat the oven to 325°F. You line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper and leave enough overhang to lift out the baked slab later.
- Mash the bananasYou mash the ripe bananas with a fork until they become mostly smooth. A few small lumps will not hurt the finished texture.
- Melt the chocolateYou melt the butter and part of the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl using 30-second bursts. You stir after every burst until the mixture looks glossy and fully smooth.
- Whisk the eggs and sugarYou whisk the eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla for two to three minutes. Your arm may complain, but the whisking gives these brownies their glossy surface.
- Combine the wet ingredientsYou pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. You whisk until the chocolate blends in completely.
- Add the banana pureeYou stir the mashed bananas into the chocolate batter until no pale banana streaks remain. This step creates the soft, dense crumb that makes this banana brownie recipe different from a standard brownie.
- Fold in flour and saltYou add the flour and salt, then fold only until the dry streaks disappear. You stop stirring at that point because overmixed flour creates a tougher result.
- Add extra chocolateYou fold the remaining chocolate chips into the thick batter. Every square gets a better texture when a few chips stay whole.
- Bake and coolYou spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You check that the top looks crackly and that the center no longer jiggles like soup.You let the pan cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. You can chill the pan for 20 more minutes if you want especially clean edges.