Banana Bread Brownies Brown Butter Frosting (Printable Version)

Fusion of banana bread and brownies topped with nutty brown butter frosting for an irresistible treat.

# What You Need:

→ Banana Bread Brownies

01 - 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, melted
02 - 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 ½ cups (360 g) mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)
05 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
07 - 1 tsp baking powder
08 - ½ tsp salt

→ Brown Butter Frosting

09 - ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
10 - 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2-3 tbsp milk
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together 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 the frosting is 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • The brown butter frosting alone is worth the effort, it adds a nutty sophistication that makes these bars feel fancy even though theyre incredibly simple to make
  • These strike that perfect balance between cakey and fudgy, staying moist for days thanks to all those mashed bananas
  • Theyre the ultimate way to rescue those overripe bananas nobody wants to eat, transforming them into something everyone actually begs for
02 -
  • The brownies must be completely cool before frosting, or the frosting will melt right off and youll end up with a mess that looks nothing like the beautiful bars you imagined
  • Overmixing the batter creates tough, rubbery bars instead of tender ones. Stop folding as soon as the flour disappears, even if there are still a few small lumps
  • Room temperature ingredients make a huge difference in how smoothly everything comes together, so pull your eggs and milk out at least 30 minutes before you start
03 -
  • Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips to the batter before baking for extra texture, though I prefer them plain to really let the banana flavor shine through
  • Use a hot knife to get perfectly clean cuts. Run your knife under hot water, dry it, and slice between each cut for professional looking bars

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