I've discovered my new favourite after-school snack! I mean, I don't actually go to school anymore, but I do love a good snack, and I'm happy to enjoy a special treat in the afternoon in support of anyone who does go to school. Or with coffee in the morning. Or for dessert. Or when I need a mid-day pick me up. Or well, anytime really as these vegan chocolate chip banana squares are my new favourite, super moist, lightly sweet, chocolate chip filled treat. Yas!
Vegan chocolate chip banana squares are also so easy to make! My favourite kind of recipe. Just 9 ingredients, one bowl, and 30 minutes to make these banana bars.
Even better, these vegan chocolate chip banana squares are oil free. The bananas add so much moisture there is no need for any oils at all. The bananas also add a lot of sweetness so this certainly isn't my most sugar-packed recipe. (Vegan soft frosted sugar cookies anyone)? A healthier dessert that tastes this good? I'm in. I just love when a recipe turns out so simple and so delicious!
To make vegan chocolate chip banana squares: start by peeling and mashing the bananas to make 1 cup of mashed banana.
Add the mashed banana, brown sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Lastly, fold in ¼ cup of the chocolate chips (setting aside the remaining ¼ cup to use in the next step).
Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly in the pan. It will be fairly thick. Sprinkle over the remaining chocolate chips. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Cut into 9 bars and use a spatula to lift them from the pan. Enjoy still warm or let cool completely then store in an air-tight container.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Squares
Ingredients
- 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 ½ bananas)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease an 8" x 8" square baking pan.
- Add the mashed banana, brown sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Lastly fold in ¼ cup of the chocolate chips (setting aside the remaining ¼ cup to use in the next step).
- Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly in the pan. It will be fairly thick. Sprinkle over the remaining chocolate chips. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Cut into 9 bars and use a spatula to lift them from the pan. Enjoy still warm or let cool completely then store in an air-tight container.
Nutrition
Cindy Osaki says
Can I substitute coconut sugar in this recipe?
Haylee says
I subbed for coconut sugar and they turned out amazing!
Henna says
These are so delicious and so easy to make!! I will definitely make these again and again!
Melis says
Very good! I put parchment paper inside pan instead of greasing it just because it saves time cleaning! My son says he is going to eat them all!
KG says
These were so good! I used dark chocolate chips and it was actually too much chocolate for us (that NEVER happens in our house!) so next time I'll use vegan semi-sweet or just skip the 1/4 cup on top. Thanks for another keeper
Ashley says
Hi! I do not have a square baking pan but want to make these, is there another pan I can use and and what baking time.would you recommend?
Dolores Lopez says
Made these withy granddaughter, they are great. Live the spongy texture. We'll be making them again.
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!
Ruth says
The choc chip banana bars are so so tasty! Definitely making them again. Im trying to use less sugar in things so substituted with honey but slightly less that required and a little cocoa powder. Im assuming the consistency is not the same as mine are slightly chewy. But still soo yummy
Stacey says
Made them - loved them! They tasted great and I was happy that no oil was required ( you. plus no dairy, etc.) I will now make a point to buy an extra bunch of bananas each time I buy bananas so I will always have very ripe ones on hand. Making the vegan brownies next. Did not have any baking powder or would have made some when I made the banana squares. I am going to start bringing these vegan desserts to my wine group and see if I can get some to convert every once in awhile. Will bring them to work potlucks too. I have turned on several people to your website. Anyone I can get to at any time not have that serving of dairy (or meat),to me, is a small victory! Thanks again!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks so much, Stacey 🙂
Elisabeth Wouters says
Hi, I love everything about your site and your recipes, but it would be soo nice if you could also always write the amounts for the ingredients in kilogram or gram, you know what I mean? Because I live in Belgium so it is a little bit difficult for me to figure it out. Thank you so much!!
Elise says
Hi there! Under the recipes' ingredient sections you can switch to metric 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
I do actually 🙂 Just hit the word "metric" which is directly under the ingredient list and it will change all the measurements for you. 🙂
Karen says
Whoops, I forgot to add the 5 stars to my comment!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! So happy you loved them, Karen 🙂
Karen says
I had a couple spotted bananas that I didn't want to freeze or waste. This was the most awesome recipe! We have made this now 4-5 times and so glad we came across it. Thank you for posting this delicious vegan and easy recipe. Sometimes I add chopped walnuts when I have them on hand.
Kristen says
I’m not sure what I did wrong, but I could NOT get these to cook all the way through. I’ll have to retry it soon
Janice says
Made these today with the last of our bananas and wish we had more! These are fantastic. Hoping these will work just as well with frozen bananas so I don't have to wait until quarantine is over to make them again. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome! Frozen and thawed bananas should work just fine 🙂
Justyna says
Did someone try it with almond flour??
Marlene says
I’ve made similar recipes experimenting with almond flour. It didn’t hold well when using almond flour by itself. But it the recipe did turn out when I mixed white and almond flour. I made banana bread using only almond flour and it was very mushy.
Moraima says
Hi! Can you substitute the all purpose flour with another type of flour?
Love your recipes
Cara says
I love stumbling upon low fat dessert recipes! Thanks for helping me use up some old bananas and making our quarantine just a little more fun! These are super yummy!!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed them, Cara!
Gina Caracci says
I made these last night and they were awesome! For some reason it was too much chocolate for me, which is weird as I LOVE chocolate, so next time I will use less chips. Maybe because they were real semi sweet chips? Cant find vegan chips near me.
I ended up using one frozen banana thawed, one larger almost ripe and a small really ripe and I thought it may affect the recipe but they were still yummy! Thanks Sam!!
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed!
Laura says
We made these today and really enjoyed them. Thanks for a good quarantine baking recipe (if you have bananas).
Be well.
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome!
JULIE says
this is my new favourite Banana slice recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful!
Rochelle says
I love how easy this recipe is! I whipped up a double batch in the time it took to preheat the oven. No fancy ingredients, low fat, and quick to throw together. I baked in a 9x13 pan for about 15 minutes longer than the recipe called for. They came out thicker than the single recipe in the 8x8 as well, which I liked. Used up 5 bananas just like that!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved them 🙂
Ann Marshall says
Oh. Em. Gee! These are sooo good! They’re like little banana bread squares, and so easy to make! I especially loved that I could lick the spatula without having to worry about eating raw egg. Next time I will double the recipe as 9 squares will not be enough. Keep those recipes coming, Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
SO happy you enjoyed them, Ann 🙂
Sharon R says
Yummy & almost gone! Made with homemade oat milk & Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free flour. Had my friends 'taste test' & they loved them (told them after about recipe being vegan!). Consistency of very moist banana muffins (2 bananas gave me 1 cup mashed banana). Thanks Sam for another great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved them, Sharon 🙂
Cindy says
This recipe is great because it’s yummy and these are easy ingredients I always have on hand. I doubled and it came out perfectly delicious. I used a heart shaped pan for a Valentine’s theme treat. ❤️
Sam Turnbull says
Aww so cute! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Liz Davis says
these are so tasty! I like that it only requires one cup of mashed banana & comes together so quickly! Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
So glad you loved it, Liz 🙂
Alexis says
Do you store these on the counter or fridge? I just made them! They are amazing!
Sam Turnbull says
I usually prefer to store my baked goods at room temperature for best texture 🙂
Ramela says
Hello,
I was wondering how I should adjust the recipe if I do this with oat flour instead of regular flour?
Looking forward to making it!
Sam Turnbull says
Baking with alternative flours is not my expertise but here's a guide that should help you.
Angie says
I'm not sure what I messed up or if they came out as intended? Perhaps too much bananas as I just mashed up 3 bananas and didn't measure. The consistency was not fluffy/cakey at all, it turned out like a big, overly-moist, dense pancake? I felt like I should have drizzled it in syrup and eaten it hot. Suggestions for a cakier/fluffier texture?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Angie, when baking it is very important to measure correctly. Baking is a science and so it's very important that everything is in balance. That would be why you didn't get the best results. Hope that helps!
Angelika says
Hi Sam,
I did follow the instructions very thoroughly but had the same “problem”. The taste was great, we just ate them ALL. But the texture was like a dense pancake. Do you have any idea why this could be? I cooked them 15 minutes, as I had to use a bigger pan and they were pretty flat, but I did the toothpick test. Do you think baking them longer would help? Thanks so much!
Angelika
Karen says
I made these for our Labor Day cookout at work recently, and they were one of the first desserts to disappear (and there were LOTS of desserts). Most folks even knew they were vegan, and still they vanished. Win! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
I love when the vegan food disappears first!!
Nancy Franke Wilson says
My very picky, 90 year old dad, who is not vegan loves these. I made them last weekend and brought him just a few. I thought he would complain about them because my mother was the best baker! He called especially to tell me that they were great and he couldn't stop eating them. I love them, of course, but now they will become a mainstay. Thank you.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh wow! That's so very awesome, Nancy! Glad you enjoyed so much 🙂
Rochelle says
Super good! One bowl and easy to throw together. The cinnamon was an unexpected surprise as I usually don't put it in my banana bread, but it was nice especially with the chocolate chips. I doubled the recipe and cooked in a 9x13 pan. It took 15 minutes longer to bake through.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed, Rochelle 🙂
Lely says
Can i make these gluten free? What flour would work?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Lely, gluten-free baking is not my expertise but I have heard good things about Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. Enjoy!
Lovethescents says
Incredibly delicious. Made this for a picnic party, but didn't use the cheese since it congealed on the way to the party. Excellent even sans fromage 😉 Had it again at home with the cheese, equally delicious. Thank you!
Lovethescents says
OH NO! Comment above is for the cheese steak sandwiches! Sorry!!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh haha!! I was wondering!! Glad you enjoyed!
Srivani says
Super easy, and SUPER tasty. These got devoured in no time. The 2 little vegans loved them too, of course. I used two medium size bananas, and whole wheat pastry flour.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!! so happy they were a hit with the kids!
Fiona says
Hmmmm ours didnt turn out right. Its kind of just making the mix firm. So its like firm dough. Could it be that we used thawed banana? Also, use baking powder instead of baking soda?
Sam Turnbull says
Yep those would likely be the problems. Any changes in recipes will affect the outcome. Hope that helps!
Josee says
Have made this twice now and although super tasty, I'm not sure I'm cooking my bars long enough. Are they supposed to bea banana bread consistency or more like a moist cookie consistency?
Love the fact that this recipe is so quick to make.... that could be dangerous for the waistline though.
Srivani says
I had to bake about 25 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Mine were like banana bread consistency.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love them Josee. The will be a moist cake texture. Hope that helps!
Lauren says
Is there a way to make it more of a brownie texture?
Jenny says
Will coconut milk work?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes but make sure it's the kind in the carton intended for drinking and not the kind in ta can which will be too rich. Enjoy!
Kelsii says
Why can't I stop eating these??? They are delicious and oh-so-easy. Will be making these again right away. Like now. Thanks Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Amazing! Thrilled you love them so much, Kelsii!
Allison says
i mixed a few spoonfuls of natural peanut butter into the batter, reduced the chocolate chips, and drizzled peanut butter on the top before going in the oven.. pb banana chocolate chip bars! so amazing, thanks Sam for another amazing recipe <3
Sam Turnbull says
You're welcome 🙂
josh says
Most recent twist: I tried first sauteing the bananas. Got that lovely browned sides. Then mashed them, and made the recipe.
Result? There were little bits of caramelized banana in the bars, which tasted amazing and also added a nice textural "surprise."
I just love this recipe. Easy to make, infinite variations, and not all that bad for you. This has moved immediately onto my Best Desserts list.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Glad you're having so much fun with this recipe, Josh, and thrilled it made you best desserts list! 🙂
C.J. says
Haven't made these yet but I'm giving it 5 stars because I'm sure they will be great and Sam is just awesome, fresh, and inspiring (and beautiful) ! Thank you for spreading vegan love and joy and making random people all over the world smile :-)))))
Sam Turnbull says
Aww shucks, thanks C.J. 🙂
josh says
Had a full-on bake-a-thon with this recipe today, along with 3 friends.
Attempt One. Followed the recipe. Big success. Needed 28 minutes in the oven.
Attempt Two. Added peanut butter to finished batter and swirled it in. 33 minutes in oven. Even better (IMHO), but the peanut butter was mostly getting lost behind the chocolate chips...too subtle for our tastes.
Attempt Three. Added PB as with #2, but now reduced by half the chocolate chips. 32 minutes in oven. Best result. Does PB goes with chocolate? Um, yes. Does PB go with bananas? Um, hella yes! The reduced amount of chocolate chips played perfectly with the PB and banana flavors. Only thing remaining now is to experiment with the amount of PB...how much to add before the PB overwhelms the other flavors? I foresee fun experiments this summer! Thanks SO MUCH for this recipes...I've never made dessert bars before. Easy and delish.
josh says
No edit button, so...
Forgot to mention that I used a 10" round pan, So, the area was larger than the recommended 64 square-inch pan used in Sam's recipe, which means that my squares were a tiny bit thinner than hers. (And should have baked a bit more quickly, I suppose.)
Sue says
Josh, you didn't mention how much PB you added. I'd love to know!
josh says
Sue, I would say that I used about 1/4 c. each time. Next time, I'll double it to a half-cup. And see if that overwhelms the bananas and/or choc. chips. But I felt that--with the 1/4 cup amount, the PB flavor was really subtle.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed them so much, Josh 🙂
Chrissy says
Just made these and...I ate half of them already, I'm not kidding! Thankfully, no witnesses. 🙂
these were so easy and just so delicious. Will be a go-to for sure. Thanks Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Love it!! So very happy you loved them so much, Chrissy 🙂
Jen says
My batter was not thick but I used 3 bananas. Baked 18 min. Perfect.
Sam Turnbull says
Adding more banana will change the consistency. Glad you enjoyed!
Maria Zoul says
My batter was not thick either and final product pretty moist, but delicious! Too easy to eat quickly. :). Maybe next time I will babe longer. Thank you Sam!
Kristi says
Yum! I have some bananas on my counter that need to be baked into something. My kids start summer break tomorrow, and I want to make lunch treats for them. These look like they’ll be a hit. Hope your vacation is still wonderful Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Thank you so much, Kristi! I just got back now but I had a great time. I hope you love the banana squares 🙂
Bridgid says
We love these! I have made them several times. I substituted the sugar for maple syrup and have also made them with blueberries instead of chocolate chips which worked well too. Great for an easy nut free lunch box snack.
Claire J says
Hi Sam.
Thank you very much.
This is the best banana squares I’ve ever had!!! I used cane sugar instead of brown sugar, it was totally fine! I baked it 23 min.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled you enjoyed them so much, Claire 🙂
Lynn says
Just an FYI... the printed version of the recipe shows the time as 15 to 29 minutes. This seemed a bit odd to me so I double-checked and the more expanded version shows 15 to 20 minutes. I'm just about to take my batch out of the oven... stay tuned!
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks Lynn! Yes, it should be 15 - 20 minutes. I have updated it now 🙂
BeverlyAnn Elwazani says
I believe there is a typo in the cooking time. Should it not be 15-20 minutes?
Sam Turnbull says
Whoops, yes there is! 15 - 20 minutes is correct, thanks for pointing that out 🙂
Umesh thakkar says
Instead of brown sugar can i use datepaste?
Sam Turnbull says
I haven't tried it myself but I imagine that would change the texture of the recipe so I wouldn't recommend it.