Banana Bread Brownies with Brown Butter Frosting (Printable Version)
Moist banana-infused brownie bars topped with golden brown butter frosting for the ultimate dessert experience.
# What You Need:
→ Banana Bread Brownies
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
02 - 2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)
05 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 tsp baking powder
08 - ½ tsp salt
→ Brown Butter Frosting
09 - ½ cup unsalted butter
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2-3 tbsp milk
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—do not overmix.
04 - Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 27-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
05 - For the frosting: In a saucepan over medium heat, cook butter until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly for 5 minutes.
06 - In a mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until smooth and spreadable, adding up to 1 more tablespoon of milk if needed.
07 - Spread frosting over cooled brownies. Cut into squares and serve.
# Expert Tricks:
01 -
- The brown butter frosting alone is worth making these bars—it transforms everything into something extraordinary
- These solve the eternal problem of what to do with those speckled bananas no one wants to eat plain anymore
02 -
- Wait until the brownies are completely cool before frosting or you will end up with a melty mess all over your counter
- When browning butter for the frosting it goes from golden to burnt fast so stay right there at the stove and watch closely
03 -
- Mash your bananas really well so no large chunks remain which ensures even distribution throughout the batter
- Line your pan with parchment paper overhanging the sides to lift the whole batch out easily for cutting neat squares