Description
These moist banana bars are soft, cake-like, and packed with ripe banana flavor. Sour cream keeps them extra tender, cinnamon and nutmeg add cozy warmth, and chopped walnuts give the perfect crunch—an easy bake that’s great for snacks or dessert.
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream (thick, full-fat preferred)
1/2 cup butter, softened (room temperature)
2 large eggs
2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 large very ripe bananas)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (about 1/4-inch pieces)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch pan or line with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy (about 1–2 minutes).
3. Mix in sour cream until smooth.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined (don’t overmix).
7. Fold in chopped walnuts.
8. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
9. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool completely before slicing into bars.
Notes
Bananas: The riper and spottier, the sweeter and more flavorful your bars will be.
Sour cream swap: Use plain Greek yogurt (full-fat) for a similar texture.
Nut-free option: Skip walnuts or replace with 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
Storage: Keep airtight at room temp 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Freezing: Wrap bars individually and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg